《Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking》 Chapter 1: Ah, Shit!

Chapter 1: Ah, Shit!

Dark clouds loomed above the ruined battlefield... The sun was absent, there was a pungent stench in the surroundings, and the earth trembled at the march of numerous footsteps. On the battlefield, several figures wreathed in shadowy cloaks could be seen writhing towards a certain ce. Their dted eyes seem to be attracted to a faint light that''s flickering in front of them. They raised their hands, shaking as they did so as if trying to get hold of that tiny light. Heavy groans escaped from their lips as they marched slowly towards the light. As they got closer, they seemed to hurry even more. Their disfigured faces seem to express urgency to be one with that light, desiring it even though it might hurt them in the process. These figures could not speak words, they could only utter unintelligible groans and moans as they walked. As they got closer to the light, the shadowy veil that hides their features vanished, revealing the true state that they''re in... As it turns out, these things were Undead...Zombies, as they''re moremonly known. The Zombies eventually made contact with the light, and the moment that they touched it, their bodies promptly burst into mes, causing them immense deal of pain, turning them into ashes mere secondster. Some of the more resistant Zombies thrashed around in pain, but that only caused the fires on the body to be inflicted on others as well, spreading the mes even further. Still, despite theirrades bursting into mes, the other Zombies didn''t seem to mind, they continued approaching the wildfire as if they were moths attracted to it. Behind this wall of fire, another figure could be seen. It was a man who looked like he had his wits about him. He panted and wiped the sweat dripping on his face. The sword that he was holding a few moments ago was now being used by him as a support so that he may continue to stand. His pair of obsidian eyes nced at the Zombies that were trying toe close to him. If it wasn''t for the ring of fire around him, he might''ve already been sieged by their great numbers. Clutching his chest, the man coughed and sshed water on his face. The fumes of mes around him were making it difficult for him to breathe properly, which also defeats the purpose of why he created them in the first ce. He thought that through this, he could earn a little bit of respite from the endless horde of undeads but the fumes were filling up his lungs so it was somewhat useless. ''It''ll be dumb to rely on this for the rest of the run too...'' he mused to himself as he judged his surroundings. Clenching his jaws, the thought of another failure filled his mind. And although he tried his best to ignore this and instead focus on the task at hand, he just...couldn''t for some reason. With how many times he had failed so far, this shouldn''t have made a difference, yet the feeling of frustration bubbling up his chest couldn''t be ignored even if he wanted to. ''Weak...'' ''Why am I so weak?'' The manmented, his eyes losing focus for a moment there. It hasn''t even been long since he began yet he''s already like this, panting in exhaustion andpletely out of breath. His limbs were trembling, and as much as he would like to, he didn''t have enough energy left to wield the sword in his hands anymore. He nced above and saw a transparent screen of light floating there. The information disyed in it reads: [Time Left: 02:49:30] It seems to be mocking him. Saying words like: ''Really? 11 minutes passed as you''re already like this? Give up, brat. Why don''t you just consider dying peacefully and you might end up in heaven?'' Clenching his teeth, the man groaned and tried to stand up straight. He squeezed out the remaining strength he had to do so. He grabbed his sword which was struck on the ground with trembling hands. His legs wobbled in weakness as he nced at the dying mes around him. He coughed stiffly as the charred Zombie remains wafted through his nose. He knows that he doesn''t have much time left. What he''s about to do is nothing more than ast-ditch attempt at surviving, yet deep down, he already knows of his ending. Again, just like his many attempts before, he was destined to fail. But at the very least, he could take out one or two more zombies, right? That should amount to something, yeah? So, as thest embers of mes dissipated around him, he roared and raised his sword. He mustered enough strength to at least cleave the nearest zombie to him. s, despite his bravery, his rather heroic action amounts to a useless effort in the end. He didn''t even have the sufficient strength left to properly cleave the zombie. His sword just got stuck on its rotting flesh, unable to proceed from halfway through its body. The man gritted his teeth and tried desperately to finish the act, but it all amounted to nothing. He''s all out of strength, his body failed to produce more. It was then that he felt a sharp pain in his back. He gasped as he tried to thrash around, hoping to shake the zombie off from his body but he ultimately couldn''t. He was bitten, and it didn''t take long before another set of jaws mped around to his other body parts. ''Please...at least, just one more...before I die!'' Desperately calling out to his body, he continued struggling around. His fists flew everywhere, hitting zombies left and right as he repeatedly prayed to at least kill one more zombie before he died. In his fierce struggle, he didn''t even notice that his left arm was already ripped off from his body. He could swear that he was still swinging that around just now. What followed was his right leg, this one he felt since it hurt too much. He also felt chunks of flesh being ripped off from his body. Then, his right leg was also torn off, followed by his right arm. At this point, he had nothing to hit the zombies with so he resorted to hisst weapon, which was his mouth. Since the zombies didn''t mind feasting on his body? Why can''t he do the same? And so, in his maddened state, he summoned everyst ounce of his strength and bit off a chunk of flesh from his nearby victim. Judging from theck of reaction, it was clear that this did absolutely nothing to his target. Really, who was he fooling here? This mad and desperate attempt to kill a zombie by biting a chunk of their flesh? What a joke! They''re Undeads! Missing flesh never bothers them! Something so trivial like that meant absolutely nothing to them. And deep down in the man''s mind, he knows this too. He''s painfully aware of it yet he still did it anyway. If it''s for hisst bit of pride or he had truly gone mad, only the man himself knows. Ultimately, however, nothing changes... As the man''s life shed past his eyes, he remembered faces that he once knew. He remembered their voices as life drained from his body while the zombies around feasted on it. It''s funny how familiar this all felt. How many times had he experienced the sensation of death? Though in the end, there''s getting used to it. Coldness started spreading on his chest, drowning him in a sense of exhaustion. The man didn''t want to disappear like that but there''s no helping it. In this state, he started hallucinating. So much so that he could almost hear Death itself whispering sweet nothings in his ears, which didn''t make sense since he was sure that his ears were already bitten off by one of the zombies around him. He once againmented his weakness. His unfocused eyes nced at the time disy floating above him. ''Twelve minutes out of the required three hours. Damn, how pathetic...'' He mused. He cursed his weakness again and again with his dying breath. Lamenting at the fact that he wasn''t born with a greater talent or resources. If he had any of those, then his life would''ve been so much better. The man cursed this world for being like this. Forget talent or resources actually. If he had been born on another ne of reality that did not deal with demons like this, then he would''ve been so much more. s, all of this was just the babbling of a dying man. The reality of his situation doesn''t change. ''...another failed attempt.'' This was the man''sst thought before life slipped away from his bodypletely. Then, in a different world, in a rather humble-looking room, the bed suddenly creaked dangerously. It was then followed by a pained gasp. Here, we see the same man gasping to wakefulness on his bed, clutching his chest where his heart beats vigorously, signifying that he is indeed alive. The man panted for a good while before calming down. His eyes then had that lifeless look as he unceremoniously got up from the bed to get breakfast downstairs. ''Shit...here we go again.'' Chapter 2: Last Meal

Chapter 2: Last Meal

The rising sun could be seen across the horizon, its first few rays brought forth warmth and luminescence at the earth below... Blue Jewel Valley was a rather quiet ce. It was 20 kilometers away from the nearest civilization and was considered a famous tourist spot before the Cataclysm urred. Now, it serves a new purpose altogether. Beneath the Blue Jewel Valley was the entrance to a government-funded facility. It''s called the ''Risk Management Center''. The Risk Management Center (RMC) was a ce where all people considered a ''Risk'' were gathered and monitored. It is aw that all RMCs should be built outside civilizations to prevent idents from happening. Hundreds of years ago, Demons invaded Prime Earth. Humans were no match against them and the world changed since then. Humanity fell to the bottom of the food chain when Demons started corrupting Prime Earth''s continents. All sorts of mutations urred, and all were harmful to humans so their numbers swiftly dwindled. Thankfully, a change happened that helped Humans survive. The collective consciousness of Prime Earth - Ac, used her powers to disce all the Demons from the world. She then built a buffer ne called ''Purgatory'' which prevented demons from returning to Prime Earth. She also forced the Demons into an Oath and bestowed humans the power of the ''System'' creating a new breed of Humans which are now called Superhumans. In exchange for all of this, Ac issued a mandatory mission to every Superhuman which forces them to eliminate Demons to maintain peace in this world. Those whoplete their mandatory service are bestowed with resources that they could use to increase their strength even further, not to mention prestige and awe from people as well. As for those who failed, well...they can either choose the humane way to die or they turn into ''Nodes'' which Demons could use to infiltrate Prime Earth once more. That''s of course, if they weren''t caught by the authorities before it happens. ...which is where the Risk Management Centers are for. In simpler terms, Risk Management Centers are just modern-day prisons. They are used to contain people who repeatedly fail in their monthly mandatory tasks. People who were thrown here were considered as the dregs of the society or the unlucky ones. As the morning started in the Risk Management Center, the ''prisoners'' woke up and headed to the mess hall to have their breakfast. Even though all signs were pointing to a rather beautiful start to the day, that was hardly noticed by the people who were stuck there. The atmosphere in this ce was filled with anxiousness, desperation, and helplessness. Don''t be fooled by those who wear a smile on their faces. These people are either lucky this time around (which will notst at all) or really good a faking it. To know their true state, one only has to look at their napes, where the monitoring chips are visible. The majority of them are red with a few yellows here and there. None are green, which means that all of them are suffering from failure, in one way or another... As the prisoners lined up for breakfast, the staff filled their metal tes with what seemed to be porridge...at least it looked like porridge. Some prisoners grumbled at the sight of their meal, but none of them dared toin out loud. There''s no use anyway. Comining won''t miraculously turn their meals into gourmet food so why waste energy in doing it? That, and a ss of water was all they received for today. Well, they could have as much water as they want of course, but that doesn''t really improve the situation at all. At one of the tables, a man with short blond hair could be seen eating his fill. He''s dressed in loose, dirty white clothes. He had a borderline malnourished body, sunken cheeks,rge eyebrows, and a paleplexion. He absent-mindedly consumed the porridge despite it being cold and lumpy. He then washed the aftertaste with water while his eyes were locked on the television screen that was now broadcasting the news. "Done already, Cedric?" The man beside him jolted him back to the present. "Mn," Cedric grunted softly, feeling some difort at the spot where his friend patted him. Cedric''s eyes flew to the chip that was on his friend''s nape and saw it gleaming with a bright yellow color. He pursed his lips andpared that to his own which was a bright red. "Lucky again this month, I see," Cedric grumbled softly, which the man beside him obviously heard, causing him tough slightly. "Jealousy isn''t a good look on you, Cedie boy!" The man chided, causing Cedric to grumble in annoyance. "Well, what I can do? It seems that I, Harold Erickson, am truly a lucky man. The gods haven''t forsaken me yet so I''m working hard to earn their favor." "...gods, eh?" Cedric sneered, "Whatever lets you sleep at night, I guess." " Smack! Ey! Don''t be like that. Learn to loosen up with you?" Harold smacked Cedric''s shoulders again. "Ow, you prick!" Cedric hits him back but the brute justughs it off and continues eating. "...ording to the reports, Lt. Mackenzie kept a Quota Streak of 100, earning him handsome rewards from the government and recognition for his services. When asked what his ns were moving forward, the man said that he would continue his streak, killing more demons to keep the world peaceful..." The sonorous voice of the reported rang within the mess hall, catching several attention of the prisoners. People started talking about the man who got a rather absurd achievement, earning a heated discussion from the crowd. "Damn! 100 Quota Streak? Seriously?" Harold whistled as he nced at the television. Cedric remained quiet but inwardly, he too was amazed. The Mandatory Task that Ac gives to Superhumans holds incredible importance to today''s society. As such, the sess and failures of these tasks are met with varying degrees of reaction from the crowd. ''Quota Streak'' refers to the continuous sess of satisfying the Mandatory Tasks. Lt. Mackenzie earning a value of 100 Quota Streaks meant that he had seeded in clearing the mandatory tasks 100 times in a row, which was an incredible achievement in this day and age. ''...if I had the same ss Tier as him as well as Aptitude, I would also earn that kind of streak. He''s just fucking lucky, that''s all.'' Cedric inwardly grumbled at the unfairness. ording to the public knowledge, Lt. Mackenzie was a holder of a rare ss Tier called ''Berserker'' which was already absurd on its own. Additionally, he''s also an S-Rank Superhuman. So, in Cedric''s eyes, this kind of achievement should be nothing to that guy. After all, he was blessed by the heavens for possessing such qualities. ''Compared to mine, it''s just...'' Cedric silently called upon his status window and a blue light swam in his vision. Words formed and within a second, his information panel was disyed before him. === [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: E Energy: C Spirit: - Final rating: D Skills: Stab, Cleave, Parry, Block, Roll === ''...so unfair.'' He grumbled to himself as he dismissed the screen and continued watching the news. After that report, nothing else seems to be interesting. He watched a couple more news before deciding to leave this ce. Cedric sighed and rubbed his shoulders, inwardly cursing his friend for having a rather blessed physique. He then stood up with his empty te on hand which he brought to the dishwasher. He was about to return to his room and wallow in sadness when he was stopped by a man whom he had never interacted with before. "...what''s up?" He asked after turning around and looking at the guy who stopped him. "I''m...would you like to have this?" Said the man, offering him an untouched te of food. Cedric studied the man''s face, skepticism coloring his expression at the man''s offer. The man was smiling at him in a friendly manner too. Unfortunately, Cedric wasn''t fooled by that. "...I don''t have Demon Souls to spare, sorry." Cedric directly declined the offer, but the man stopped him again. "No, I''m not asking for Demon Souls, Young Man. I just...well, I just thought that you should eat more." The man replied. Cedric blinked. That sounded like an indirect insult, wasn''t it? And as he was about to refuse, the man said something that changed his perception. "I...this might...no, this will be thest time that I''ll be here." The man said softly, causing Cedric''s heart to sink to his stomach. "..." "Frankly, I''m not hungry. Even if they were to serve me myst meal, I doubt that it will arouse my appetite. So uh...here, you need this more than I do." Cedric bit his lips. His head was lowered and his eyes were covered by his bangs, hiding theplicated look they have. "...may I know your name, Sir?" He asked, his voice trembled a bit when he did so. "Hahaha! Just call me Old Bull, that''s how everybody knows me anyway!" The man replied. "Then...thank you, Old Bull. I''ll enjoy this meal on your behalf." Cedric replied, giving the man a genuine-looking smile as he received the te from him. Old Bull''s eyes softened as he heard this, and with a nod he walked away, escorted by the guards. Cedric bit his lips so hard that it started bleeding. He then sent the man away with his gaze before taking the te of food to his room. He''d normally eat in the mess hall but he didn''t want people seeing him cry while doing it, so he chose to eat it in his room instead. ...the guards will understand, right? Chapter 3: Vexing Fate

Chapter 3: Vexing Fate

Cedric wasn''t really one to cry... especially for strangers. He''d like to think that he''s been jaded by things likepassion and pity. After all, considering what he and the rest of the prisoners here were going through, they don''t really have the luxury to entertain such emotions. Their focus was meant for survival, not trivial things like that. That being said, it''s quite nice to be reminded that he still has emotions and that he''s still human. At least, the numerous deaths and frustrations from all of his failures hadn''t gotten rid of that part yet. ''...I think he''s in his 50''s or early 60''s.'' Cedric mused as he slowly ate the contents of the te. ''Does he have a family outside? Were they waiting for him? Or was he forgotten already, just like the others here?'' ''...'' ''...how nice would it be if he''s allowed to just roam around the nearest vige before he dies.'' It was vexing how this world was so cruel to a handful of people like him and the old man. In the end, the reason for the old man''s death was his weakness, but that can hardly be med on him since he was dealt with bad cards, just like Cedric himself. The world could be med for this, Demons too, yet in the end it changes nothing. Pointing fingers won''t change the situation. It''ll all just sound like a cry for help. Harshly wiping the tears on his face, Cedric continued eating, thinking to himself: ''...at least Old Bull''s death would be peaceful.'' From the words of the old man, it was clear that he chose the humane way to die. This was one of the oues for those who failed in their Mandatory Tasks/Service three times in a row. ...the other was of course to be hunted like a real criminal and end up dead in a ruthless manner or turn into a ''Node'' which Demons could then use to infiltrate Earth. Either way results in death anyway... At least, Old Bull had the conscience to not drag the rest of them along with him. Cedric obviously didn''t have a lot of interactions with the old man. Again, their meeting earlier was the first time that they ever talked. And to think that it went like that caused Cedric''s expression to sour up. ''It sucks that there won''t be a funeral.'' He muttered sadly in his mind. ''This facility doesn''t do things like that. He''d probably get cremated afterward. I should go pay respectster.'' It wasn''t just the funeral service. This facility wascking in graveyards too. The nearest cemetery was 20 kilometers away, there on the nearest civilization. The staff would most likely send the old man''s ashes there. As much as Cedric would love to think positively...to think that Old Bull''s ashes would be respected by the people who would receive them there and give him a spot where his remains could rest peacefully, the truth was different. Death wasn''t something new to people. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that it''s already part of their lives, something that''s taken for granted. Those people might just toss Old Bull''s ashes somewhere since he was a nobody. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, yet what can he do? It''s not like he had the strength or reputation to give the man some proper respect. All he could do was to silently mourn here, hoping that there was heaven so that the old man could go there. "...Ow! Fuck!" Cedric spat out strings of curses as he clutched his mouth. He looked incredulously at the te beneath him and saw that aside from droplets of his blood, a tooth had also fallen from his mouth. As it turns out, he bit into something really hard just now. He was so out of it that he didn''t even notice it. The thing was so hard that it cost him a tooth and some blood. "...who the fuck puts a stone on food? God damn it!" Cedric was annoyed and irritated. Here he was, mourning for the loss of an old man whom he had never met before, and in the middle of it, he just had to be reminded of his unluckyness, losing a tooth in the process. Really, the world seems to like messing with him, doesn''t it? He got up from his seat, walking towards the nearest drawer to get some cotton. This should at least help with the bleeding. It''ll be unpleasant but at least he wouldn''t have to drink his own blood. "Great...this would make it hard for me to eat next time too," Cedricined in a deadpan tone as he stuffed a cotton on his missing tooth. Unbeknownst to him, on the te where the remains of the food were, where his tooth, blood, and the hard thing that caused it, a surprising change urred. When his blood made contact with the stone, it released a faint brilliance that grew stronger each second passed. Then, the stone suddenly absorbed the rest of his blood, including his tooth, and turned into a streak of light that flew straight to him, disappearing on his head. Sadly, Cedric was too preupied when this happened so he missed itpletely. But, although he didn''t notice it, the system fortunately did. [Alert! Foreign substance detected!] "Eh?" Cedric was rmed. His eyes dted when all of a sudden his head started to throb. "Fuck, shit!" He stumbled out of the bed. His thoughts were racing but it wasn''t helping. If anything, it''s just making it worse. He then tried to reach for the drawer where the antidotes were, thinking that he got poisoned. Sadly, hepletely misunderstood his situation. [Warning! Your Health is falling on a Critical State!] "Shit! Shit! Come on! This can''t be happening!" He rasped as he dragged his fallen body to the shelves. Unfortunately, the more he moved, the weaker he became. Just as he was about to reach for the antidote bottle, the system alerts shed before his eyes once more. [Alert! The foreign substance is causing an unpredictable mutation in your body. The System is unable to predict the oue of said mutation.] The pain in his body intensified even more as he read that message. His hold on the antidote bottle weakened, causing it to slip out of his grasp. That was when his consciousness took a great hit and everything became blurry. "...god damn it...I don''t want to die..." And just like that, thest traces of his consciousness slipped away. *** What followed was a long dream... Here, Cedric had no semnce of consciousness or control. He''s in a state where he is subconsciously watching everything yed out before him, unable to dictate anything,pletelycking the power to do so. Cedric was forced to experience somethingpletely foreign to him. He dreamt about living another identity, one that was astonishing in all aspects known to man. (Looking back at this event, Cedric would realize that he actually doesn''t remember the name of the owner of these memories. Every time he recalls it, he just hears a static sound, signifying that he''s not allowed to learn of the name yet.) He saw through the eyes of a toddler. Everything was blurry at first but that didn''tst long. When rity returned to him, he noticed the presence of giants. Later then, he realized that those weren''t giants but people instead. He''s just stuck in the body of a baby, that''s why they appeared to be giants to him. Cedric continued watching as the toddler turned into a child, then a man. The owner of these memories experiences numerous hardships which forged him into the man that he became. From a foot soldier, this man turned into God. And even amongst the Gods, he became their King, an absolute entity who held immense power, allowing him to warp reality at his whims. At the peak of this man''s life, he had fought hard to protect the world he cared about. His world was eyed by Outer Gods who attempted toy waste on everything he held dear. The man fought with overwhelming ferocity. The slightest turn of his hands was akin to a force of nature bearing its fangs to those that threatened it. It was a mind-blowing war. One that caused numerous universes to die. The scale of this war was something that Cedric could never ever hope to understand with his puny brain. The war was a battle for existence and survival. Neither side could afford to hold back in their attacks. One wrong move and it''ll be over for them. It was hard to tell how long this war started, but at the end of it, hardly anything or anyone was left. Even the owner of these memories was on hisst breath. In the end, the man won. It can hardly be called a victory though since he had lost so much from it. Ultimately, he decided to sacrifice himself to give his world a second chance. He ignited his life, using it as the source for another Big Boom, through this, he hoped that life would start once more. Before doing so, however, he dug his own eyes out, sealed it, and sent it somewhere else. The man''s life ended with a sh of brilliant light, and this was also thest thing that Cedric saw before the scene changed for him. Chapter 4: Life-changing Gift

Chapter 4: Life-changing Gift

What followed that was a journey of the sealed eyes and how it ended up with him... From what he saw and analyzedter on, the man himself doesn''t have a clue where the eyes would end up. From the lingering thoughts and sentiment that he received from the eyes, he learned that the man just wanted to send the eyes away and hope that they''ll be used by someone in a simr way to how he used them...to fulfill a purpose greater than their own. These eyes were the main cause of the man''s rise to the peak. It was something that he was born it, capable of seeing through everything. It gave him an unprecedented level of consciousness that even allowed him to easilymune with nature. Even as he did his best to analyze everything, Cedric just couldn''t fathom how such eyes manifested. And since he couldn''t understand it, he might as well toss it at the back of his head, other things needed his immediate attention anyway. Right, going back to it... The eyes which were sealed on a stone eventually ended up in this universe. It floated through space for an untold amount of time, and through celestial movement, it got fused into a meteorite whichter then fell to Prime Earth. This happened way before the invasion of Demons too. Researchers who took pieces of the meteorite got hold of it but the specific part where the stone, where the eyes are sealed, was tossed to the side. They treated it like it was an insignificant piece of rock. If only they knew, right? Time passed like that and eventually, the stone found its way to a merchant''s stash. It was used as a con item, it was then passed on to many hands, all of which failed to realize its true value. Then, it found its way to the RMC. It got mixed up on the truck where the food supplies were. The cook wasn''t paying attention, pouring the entire contents of the rice bag where the stone was, onto the pot. It thennded on Old Bull''s te, which he then gave to Cedric (he actually saw himself biting into it, which was weird and embarrassing.) When he lost his tooth and some of his blood, Cedric saw what happened. His blood became the catalyst for the activation of the seal. Then, out of the seal, it fused to him, recing his old eyes. ...and that brings us to the present where Cedric could be found sitting on his bed, looking at the reflection of his new eyes through the mirror. There, he found a fresh set of eyes, both bright golden in color, staring back at him. It almost seems like they''re shining with how bright they were. Compared to his obsidian eyes previously, there''s just noparison whatsoever. He woke up in a daze a couple of minutes ago. His entire body hurts as if he just got hit by a truck. His head was throbbing as it sorted through the memories he inherited. After remembering everything from start to finish, Cedric was once again in a daze, still finding it difficult to believe what just happened. ''...that''s one hell of a journey, you two.'' He mused, referring to his set of eyes. His body was still adjusting to the new senses he received. As much as Cedric''s entire body ached right now, he hardly paid attention to it. Currently, he''s relishing the new sensation brought forth by his eyes. It''s as if he was a blind man who just saw colors for the first time. He had eyes before and his vision was 20/20 as far as he could remember, but that was nothingpared to what he''s seeing right now. Resolution-wise, he''s seeing the world in 10k UHDpared to 720p HD. There''s just noparing it, really. It wasn''t just rity either. Cedric''s new vision allows him to change perspectives, allowing him to see what''s behind him too. His sight could freely zoom in and out, and if he focuses hard enough, he experiences a sensation close to a ''Bullet Time'' where everything slows down to a near-halt. It causes him a headache though...for now at least. Surely there''s more to this. After all, he just got the eyes. The more he gets used to it, the more he''ll be able to see. And with the memories of its previous wielder fresh in his memories, he''s confident that he will be able to use this gift to its greatest extent given time. ''...it isn''t just limited to vision either.'' Cedric giddily mused inwardly. His new pair of eyes nced at the numerous System Alerts floating in front of him. [Warning, your Health has reached a Critical State!] [Unknown mutation, in progress...] [The Foreign Substance was now fusing with the user''s eyes.] [Warning! Unexpected development urs! User''s eyes exploded] [Alert! The Foreign Substance is now upying the User''s empty eye sockets!] [Alert! The Foreign Substance is changing. Prediction: the unknown substance is now turning into the User''s new eyes!] [Prediction proved correct. Congrattions, User Cedric! You receive a new set of eyes.] [Notice! User Cedric''s new eyes have been scanned by the System. The connection was made. It is confirmed that these new eyes bestowed new abilities to the User.] [Congrattions, User Cedric! You have received:¡ºVision (M)¡» and ¡ºLearning (M)¡». User''s Profile, updated.] *** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: D (NEW!) Energy: B (NEW!) Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. (NEW!) Final rating: C (NEW!) Skills: Actives: Stab, Cleave, Parry, Block, Roll Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M) (NEW!) Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Current Record: 12 minutes Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 1/3 *** "...Damn!" Cedric couldn''t help but grin at the changes he saw on his Profile. His Body rating changed from E to D. This was enough to make him happy but it didn''t stop there. His Energy rating went from C to B, his Spirit rating became S! ''It''s locked for now. It requires me to reach Tier 2 but still, it''s an S-rank rating! If I report this to the higher-ups, I would be the next big thing!'' ''...not that I n on doing that though. But still! S-Rank! Shit, I have hopes now!'' Cedric felt like he was floating on clouds. With the changes on his Profile, he might actually have a chance to change his life now. These new eyes of his were truly a blessing. Hell, Cedric even felt like thanking the gods right now. ''Furthermore, I have Passive Skills now!'' Cedric eximed inwardly. He focused on those skills and the System disyed what they do for him. *** ¡ºVision (M)¡» : With the mastery of the Vision skill, the user''s perception transcends the bounds of mortal senses. They gain the ability to perceive the world in a truly omniscient manner. No secret remains hidden, no location is unreachable to their gaze. The user can see through solid objects, peer into distant realms, and witness events in the past, present, or even potential futures. This all-epassing sight provides unparalleled strategic advantage and insights into the mysteries of the world. : Note - This skill is limited by the User''s current strength. It is strongly suggested that User increases their ss Tier and Level to maximize the benefit of this skill. ¡ºLearning (M)¡» : The [Learning] skill, honed to its zenith, grants the user the gift of Cosmic Enlightenment. At this pinnacle, the user''s capacity for acquiring knowledge bes boundless. They absorb information at an unprecedented rate, effortlessly masteringplex subjects and skills in record time. This profound understanding extends beyond traditional realms, allowing them to grasp arcane magic, decipher ancientnguages, and decipher the hidden threads of reality itself. Through deep concentration, they can evenmune with the umted wisdom of ages past. : Note - This skill is limited by the User''s current strength. It is strongly suggested that User increases their ss Tier and Level to maximize the benefit of this skill. *** Two Passive Skills maxed out, just like that. Truly, this day can''t get any better than this. These skills might seem mundane and all but Cedric knew better, especially with how the mind works now. Cedric was already feeling the effects of these passive skills. And with the rate at which his mind now processes information, he''s getting used to the new sensation brought forth by the skills. It''s his body that''sgging behind but truthfully, all he needs is time and everything will follow through. Right now, even as he just existed in his room, his mind with racing with all sorts of stuff. He truly couldn''t wait to see just how far he could abuse the skills he just learned. However, now''s not the time for experiments, his body still needs rest after the frightening mutation that happened to it so he could only shelf the ideas blossoming in his mind. It was then that he was reminded of something, well...someone, that made this all possible. ''...Old Bull...'' Chapter 5: Fresh Perspective

Chapter 5: Fresh Perspective

"...does he have a family?" "His wife filed for a divorce just before he was admitted here. They said that the woman found another man. She probably doesn''t even remember him anymore. Aside from that, nothing." "I see." Cedric sighed sadly as he nced at the urn where Old Bull''s ashes were ced. "At the very least, please ensure that his remains are taken care of properly." After saying that, Cedric handed 1000 Demon Souls to the warden as a form of donation. The warden looked up at him and sighed, he received the donation and said: "Don''t worry, I''ll handle this personally." "Thank you. I shall take my leave then." Cedric nodded to the warden and left the office. Uttering onest prayer for Old Bull''s peaceful departure, Cedric felt his mind cleared from guilt. This was the best he could do for the old man right now. He''d love to do more for his family but the old man doesn''t have one so this is as far as he can go. Making his way outside, he found an empty bench to sit on. There, he remained quiet and observed his surroundings. The Blue Jewel Valley branch of the Risk Management Center looked like a massive asylum and a fortress. It is surrounded by 20-meter-tall walls that are made with high-purity materials, making it incredibly tough. Rumors say that electric currents are running through these walls. The voltage was high enough to fry someone into a charred crisp in mere seconds. With his new pair of eyes, Cedric can confirm that these rumors were indeed true. Even though he was at least several hundred meters away from the walls, he could see it in clear detail. His vision informs him about all things about the wall; its structure, thickness, toughness, and even the very minute details about it were captured by his eyes. Although he often referred to the Risk Management Center as a prison, it doesn''t necessarily mean that it follows the stereotype. This ce was incrediblyrge. It''s cold yer but that''s to be expected since it was built to contain and eliminate ''Risks'' like him should they decide to notply with the rules. Convicts like him could roam around inside these walls. This gives them a kind of false freedom, and sometimes, that''s enough to keep a man sane in a ce and situation like this. With howrge this ce is, he could choose any random spot to use as his training ground. There is some equipment that he could rent out to assist in this too. There weren''t a lot of people outside as he noticed. Only a handful chose to roam around and breathe fresh air. Others spend their tire indoors, wallowing in regret or throwing a pity party for themselves. Cedric himself has a couple of episodes doing exactly that too. His eyesnded on one of the people around him. The nearest one to him was far enough to not notice him. He then used his sight to carefully study the man. Despite being far enough, he could see the person clearly as if they were standing right in front of him. Cedric observed his target. It''s a fairly young man, probably someone of his age. The man was training with a spear, doing several stances repeatedly and trying to perfect them. As soon as he focused on the man, Cedric''s thoughts were immediately filled with information about him. He instantly learned about the man''s height, weight, and features. The color of the man''s eyes, his skin tone, the fairly hidden mole on his jawline, the injury he was trying to hide which was made obvious by the slight limp whenever he shuffled through his stances...the man was an open book to Cedric. Observing even more, Cedric immediately learned about every w in the man''s technique. He instinctively corrected them in his mind, even going as far as drawing up possible routes for improvement. This was the might of his ¡ºLearning¡» skill. There''s no doubt in Cedric''s mind that if he were to pick up a spear at this very moment, he would not only catch up to the skills of this man, he would instantly overtake him. A grin made its way to his face unknowingly. He stopped observing the man and instead focused on himself. By now, he was fairly confident that his body had fully adjusted to the skills he received from merging with the eyes. With these newfound talents, one would think that Cedric would immediately begin doing his Mandatory Service to change his status. Unfortunately, Cedric has other ideas. ''...I already failed this month.'' He mused to himself, ''Going for another Hell Dive would be pointless since it wouldn''t change. I might as well master the skills I currently possess first to prepare for the next month''s assessment.'' ''Hell Dive'' is what most people call the Mandatory Service. After all, Superhumans are forced to enter ''Purgatory'' to fight Demons. To them, the ''Purgatory'' is no different from Hell so they began calling it ''Hell Dive''. The contents of Mandatory Service differ from one Superhuman to another. Some would only need to eliminate ''X'' amount of demons for their monthly Hell Dive. Others are forced to endure the harsh and frankly unfriendly environment of Purgatory. Surely there are unique tasks out there but frankly, none of those are important to Cedric, after that''s not his mission. It''s his task that caused endless bitterness for Cedric, turning him into the man that he is now. His Mandatory Task was cruel and it''s precisely because of that, that he ended up here. His task was to survive ''X'' amount of time under the relentless assault of the Endless Undead Horde. The Awakening Ceremony urs for kids who reach 15 years old. And truthfully, receiving the Swordsman ss wasn''t all that bad. It wasn''t excellent or anything, just good enough. It''s also during the Awakening Ceremony that Superhumans establish a connection to Ac and receive the System which disys their innate aptitude. Sadly, the Mandatory Tasks also ur that early. Cedric was able to vividly remember how his life turned upside down from the moment he received this task. At first, he only needed to survive for 5 minutes. And since he was young, the Mandatory Tasks weren''t that demanding for him so he managed toplete it. But as he eventually grows older andpletes the task, the demand rises exponentially until he starts failing them. That''s when he started getting desperate... As if that wasn''t enough, his family experienced a great tragedy. He was the only one from his family to survive. His grief, indignance, wrath, and so on, piled up. Yet none of these helped him clear his Mandatory Service. Eventually, he failed enough times to turn his Monitoring Chip red, alerting the authorities and throwing him here right away. Since then, this was all he knew...an endless cycle of frustration and desperation. He''s lucky that he''s still alive at this point. With how demanding his Mandatory Service turned out, it''s already a miracle that he has yet to seriously consider going out the same way as Old Bull did. Of course, the thought crossed his mind numerous times. He had lost count of how many times he had been driven to absolute desperation already. Yet for some reason, he held on ''til this very day. If he were to tell this story to the people in this ce, he''d probably gain their admiration. After all, only people like him would understand what it''s like to persist for this long. ''...anyways! That''s all in the past now!'' Cedric mentally pped himself awake. Fierce determination burned in his eyes as he thought: ''Things have changed now. I, now, actually stand a chance against this unfairness. I''d be a fool if I let this chance go!'' He nced at the System Panel for a bit and thought: ''I still have enough Demon Souls tost until next month. I was originally saving them up to buy new equipment but that''s gonna have to wait.'' Demon Souls are this world''s form of currency. Of course, there are coins and paper bills too, but in the world of Superhumans, Demon Souls are worth a lot. They are earned through ying demons of course, or as a reward for clearing Mandatory Services. They can also be earned through other means but these methods are only reserved for Superhumans. The System Shop offers all types of goods, most of which are for Superhumans to use. Cedric was originally saving up to buy a new sword and some pieces of armor but he shelved that thought now that he had gained his new skills. Right now, he needs to train like a madman. And for that, his body will need all the nutrition he could offer. He could of course secure more funds by killing some more demons in the Purgatory but he''d only do that if his calctions were proven wrong. With the skills he received though, that''s very unlikely to happen. But the possibility is still there. He''s not omnipotent after all. With ns in mind and his heart free of guilt, Cedric was determined to start as soon as possible. And the very first task on his list was... ''Learning how to Breathe properly...'' Chapter 6: Breathing

Chapter 6: Breathing

Breathing was the most fundamental method of survival. All living beings breathe in their very own way. For humans, breathing was incredibly important yet most people take it for granted. There''s a popr saying that says: ''Humans can survive weeks without food, days without water but only mere minutes without breathing.'' Midwives would resort to physically hurting an infant so that they would cry, causing their lungs and diaphragm to contract so that they could start breathing. Hurting an infant like that was bad, but if it keeps them alive, then it will be done. Even in the memories he inherited from the previous owner of his eyes, Cedric vividly remembers the teachers of that man repeatedly emphasizing the importance of breathing. It was the most basic activity one could do yet the benefits it brings were immense, especially when it''s done properly. When Cedric firmly decided to start learning the proper way to breathe, his mind instantlypiled all the information avable in his memories to aid in his quest. At this point, he could perfectly recall any memories he wanted to, another benefit that his eyes brought to him. At he sat there on the bench under the shade of a huge tree, Cedric inhaled slowly and methodically. He focused on the sensation of air passing through his nose, carrying various scents that his mind automatically identified, flowing through his respiratory system, and making its way out of his mouth. His breaths were deep and slow, he wasn''t in a hurry at all. His mind concentrated on the sensation brought forth by simply breathing like this. Cedric paid close attention to each inhale and exhale. As his concentration deepened, he was able to closely follow the process of how his body reacted to each breath. Gradually, his consciousness delved deeper and deeper into his body. It reached the point where he could almost say that he was witnessing the finer details of how his body works personally. It was then that a sharp chime interrupted his exercise, jolting him awake. [Alert! You have learned the ¡ºBreathing (Lv.1)¡» and ¡ºSmelling (Lv.1)¡» skills!] * ¡ºBreathing (Lv.1)¡» : You have re-learned to how Breathe, this time as a Superhuman. Breathing is one of the most fundamental skills for survival. Increase your mastery of the skill to unlock more of its mysteries. : Spend Demon Souls or train the skill extensively to increase its level. ¡ºSmelling (Lv.1)¡» : You have re-educated yourself in the Art of Smelling. Your nose is now a proper tool that will serve you well in your work as a Superhuman. Increase your mastery with this skill to unlock more of its mysteries. : Spend Demon Souls or train the skill extensively to increase the level of this skill. * ''Two in one, huh...'' Cedric wore a slight smile as he dismissed the information panels. He was originally focusing on the Breathing skill alone, yet he also learned to smell well. In hindsight, he should''ve expected this but it''s a nice surprise either way. Cedric had no ns on using Demon Souls to upgrade these skills. Although he would love to see what they can do at the maximum level, he simply does not have enough Demon Souls avable to upgrade them all the way to that level. Upgrading any of the two requires 10,000 Demon Souls already. Cedric only has a little more than 5,000 owned right now, so even if he wanted to, he couldn''t. Besides, even if he had the sufficient amount to do that, he wouldn''t. The reason is that his body would react violently to the sudden upgrades. It would be best to tread carefully or else, he''ll be risking injuries that he might not be able to heal from. "Silence the notif sounds, System. Alert me only if it''s an emergency." Cedric ordered. [Do not disturb mode, on.] Nodding to himself, Cedric once again closed his eyes and focused on continuing his breathing exercises. As he continued breathing like this, Cedric could feel his entire body heating up. It wasn''t ufortable. In fact, he''d say that it''s actually pleasurable. Each breath he takes causes his body to shiver in glee, it''s as if he is breathing for the first time all over again. The warm currents coursed throughout his entire body with each breath, nourishing every morsel of his body. At the same time, Cedric''s mind began registering different scents carried on by each breath he took. Each time he breathes, the more vivid the scents be. He smelled the soil, the flora and fauna around him. Some were fragrant while others smelled bad. The more he smelled scents around him, the more he was able to tell what he was smelling. The scents and the depths of his breath only improved the more time passed. Under the shade of this huge tree, Cedric''s senses were being constantly honed. He sat on the bench unmoving like a rock, peacefully in a meditative zone as he solely focused on breathing. Eventually, Cedric''s breath became so shallow that he seemed to have stopped breathing altogether. His presence started blending perfectly with nature. Shortly after, birds and squirrels began hanging out around him. These small creatures didn''t sense any malicious intent from him. If anything, in their eyes, this human was just like the tree behind him, firm, sturdy, and one with nature. In truth, Cedric hasn''t actually stopped breathing at all. His breath was just extremely short and shallow but make no mistake, he might not taking in as much air as before but that doesn''t mean that the quality of breaths decreased. No, that''s not the case at all. In fact, the quality of each breath he takes massively increased at this point. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that he''s receiving the maximum quality of breath with the barest minimum of air intake. This...is one of the stupendous aspects and mysteries of the Breathing skill. One that would prove incredibly useful and beneficial to all Superhumans out there. At the same time, Cedric could now differentiate between organic and inorganic through their scent alone. He even got the ability to discover tracks through scent as well. Through his smell, he could tell if there was movement around him or not. His range wasn''t that impressive yet, especiallypared to the range of his Vision, 20 meters from where he is was the maximum range he had right now. But that''s respectable since he just started today. Sometimeter, Cedric opened his eyes. The small animals around him sensed this but they only looked at him briefly before continuing what they''d been doing. A small smile appeared on Cedric''s face as he noticed this. He felt so light at this moment that he felt like he was floating on clouds. His breathing pattern was disturbed since he got distracted but it only took him a few breathster and he''s back on track again. His agenda before the end of this day is to have this breathing pattern constant, even as he sleeps. He was confident about his chances thanks to his Learning skills. For now, though, he allowed himself to relish on feeling of strength coursing through his veins. Cedric has never felt this strong before. It''s like he could lift several boulders at once without breaking a sweat. Of course, his mental rity told him that this was just an exaggeration, yet at the same time, he knew that if he truly wanted to do it, he''d probably be able to. It was only now that he felt like a real Superhuman. It''s funny that he just had to learn how to breathe properly first before he could feel this way. Still, his theory was more or less proven at this point. Learning the proper way to breathe was indeed important before anything else. He was d that he decided on this first right before everything else. "System, disable the DnD mode." [Do not disturb mode, off.] What followed that was a string of notifications cascading on his face. [Alert! You familiarized yourself with the ¡ºBreathing¡» skill. Experience gained. Notice! Skill ¡ºLearning (M)¡» boosted the experience gained!] [Alert! You familiarized yourself with the ¡ºSmelling¡» skill. Experience gained. Notice! Skill ¡ºLearning (M)¡» boosted the experience gained!] [Alert! You familiarized yourself...] [Notice! ¡ºBreathing¡» skill, leveled up!] [Notice! ¡ºSmelling¡» skill, leveled up!] These system alerts caused Cedric''s mouth to turn agape. To his surprise, he opened his information panel and checked the status of these two skills just to confirm if it was real. ¡ºBreathing (Lv.3)¡» ¡ºSmelling (Lv.3)¡» Seeing those just confirmed it for him. Indeed, both of the skills he just learned today leveled up twice within an hour or so. Forget leveling up actually, the fact that he learned two skills just by directing his focus on it, was already absurd on its own! It had to be known that learning a skill has never been that simple. There''s a reason why the majority of Superhumans rely on buying skills on the System Shop instead of learning them through repetition. It''s because it requires an absurd amount of effort to learn a skill that way! What''s crazier is that he had leveled up these skills TWICE in less than an hour after learning them. ''Seriously! The ¡ºLearning¡» skill is way too broken!'' Chapter 7: Aptitude Rating

Chapter 7: Aptitude Rating

Days passed by quickly. Being too upied with his activities, Cedric hardly sensed the flow of time. Due to his diligence, both the ¡ºBreathing¡» and ¡ºSmelling¡» skills reached Lv.5. Their efficiency skyrocketed and brought visible changes to Cedric''s physique and his mental well-being. Sadly though, after reaching this level, the progress for both skills slowed down by a lot. It was an expected oue, after all. Reaching Lv.5 on both skills within days was already considered mind-blowing progress for anyone who learns it. In addition, both skills already surpassed what his current physique could support, which is why its progress slowed down a lot. If he wanted to increase their level faster, he had to increase his level or better yet, increase his ss Tier. Cedric''s focus wasn''t just on these skills either. Now that he had proven that he could re-learn the skills to use his basic senses from the perspective of a Superhuman, he made an effort to get them all. ¡ºMultitasking Lv.5¡», ¡ºTaste (Lv.3)¡», ¡ºListening (Lv.3)¡», ¡ºTouch (Lv,3¡»... With the addition of these three, Cedric had sessfully re-learned all his basic senses as a Superhuman. ¡ºMultitasking (Lv.5)¡» was as straightforward as it sounds. It allows him to multitask to a degree that some would find impossible to do. At Lv.1, it allows him to pay even attention to two things at once. Lv.2 makes it 10 at once. Lv.3 increases that to 100 things. Lv.4 was 1000. And Lv.5 increases it to 10,000 things at once. This skill also further improves the rate at which his mind processes information too. ¡ºTaste¡» wasn''t just limited to the enhancement of his taste buds. While it surely made him appreciate meals more than before and allowed him to identify what goes into his stomach in more detail, this isn''t the true might of this skill. The skill brings out an overall improvement to his Digestive System, that''s what''s more important to him. In theter stages of this skill, it will allow him to eat things that normal people wouldn''t consider edible, just fine. Further increasing his chances of survival. ¡ºTouch¡» boosted his sensitivity to a whole new level. With this skill, Cedric was even more in tune with his surroundings. His senses were so attuned that he would be alerted to even the slightest shift in the air. The range of this skill reached 200 meters around him at Lv.3, which was a respectable distance. Furthermore, clothes don''t hinder his sense of touch either. And finally, ¡ºListening¡». Truthfully, this was one of the skills he liked a lot, right after his ¡ºLearning¡» and ¡ºVision¡» skills of course. This skill allows him to hear all kinds of things that most people take for granted. Listening to footsteps was good and all, but Listening to them in a way that allows you to discern who the owner is was clearly better. At this point, Cedric almost remembers the footsteps of everybody in the RMC. He could discern their state, mood, height, and weight just by listening to the sounds they were emitting. At Lv.3 of this skill, he''s even starting to hear hints of their next move and more importantly their thoughts. With all of his senses working together at various degrees, almost everybody here was an open book to him. Even the wardens weren''t able to escape his senses. Of course, he''s receiving a less-urate read on the stronger wardens but that''s natural. Once he reached their level of strength, or even just close to it, he''d be able to read them just as easily. Earning this level of achievement within mere days just proved how absolutely broken the ¡ºLearning¡» skill was. When the skill said that he''d be able to learn things effortlessly, it was not lying. Not even a little bit. This brings Cedric to one of the thoughts that baffled him. Howe not everybody''s abusing it? Cedric logged in to his socials and browsed through several discussion threads that were specific to Superhuman skills and abilities, yet even after his diligent search, he couldn''t find anything rting to the ¡ºLearning¡» skill. Was it some sort of a closely kept secret? It could also be that people just don''t know about it. Cedric can''t really say for sure. His authority wasn''t high enough to browse other discussion threads so there''s a chance that it''s the former. But it also wasn''t far-fetched to be thetter. Either way, none of that concerns him now. What matters is his training, and he should just focus on it diligently. Right now, just by existing, Cedric was constantly gaining experience for his passive skills. Thanks to ¡ºMultitasking¡» especially for making it easier for him. Currently, Cedric was confident enough to beat at least 100 of his previous self without even breaking a sweat. Although he had no way to actually confirm that, he could easily discern the result because of the addition of his new skills. *** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: C (NEW!) Energy: B Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: C+ Skills: Actives: Stab, Cleave, Parry, Block, Roll Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Breathing Lv.5, Smell lv.5, Multitasking Lv.5, Taste Lv.3, Touch Lv.3, Listening Lv.3 Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Current Record: 12 minutes Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 1/3 *** ''My Body rating increased again!'' Cedric eximed giddily. Without even a shred of a doubt, if the news of Cedric''s rating improvement spread out, it would stun thousands of people. It had to be known that the Aptitude Ratings were generally fixed. The ratings are received from the moment one bes a Superhuman and is granted ess to the System. The ratings are just that, ratings. For most people, what you see is what you get. The Aptitude Ratings were Ac''s judgment of a person''s Innate Aptitude. Each of the Stats'' ratings represents its growth the more one levels up or advances their ss Tier. For example; Person A has a Body rating of C, while Person B has a Body rating of A. When both reach Lv.2, Person B would still defeat Person A since Person A''s physique was weaker than Person B''s. In fact, the gap would just be bigger as they raise the scale. Each Aptitude Stat represents a certain aspect that makes up the entire being of a Superhuman. Body - Represents the Physical aspect. This includes a person''s strength, speed, flexibility, durability, recovery, regeneration, endurance, and so on. Energy - Represents Mana, Qi, Spiritual Energy, etc. Including its quantity, quality, rate of regeneration, flow, and so on. Spirit - Represents the Spiritual Aspect which includes one''s intelligence, reaction to stimuli, range and quality of perception, sensitivity to immaterial aspects andws of the world,munion with nature, willpower, etc. Generally, the initial Aptitude Ratings were final. This was mostly because methods for raising there were deemed too difficult or too expensive for most people to afford. The first and most known method for raising the Aptitude Ratings was through diligent, or frankly maniacal, training. In the forums, there are tons of people posting all sorts of methods that are effective at doing just that but most of them are just clout-chasers. Cedric has tried their methods numerous times and none of them made any difference at all. Some im that such methods worked for them but honestly? Word of mouth like that is too unreliable. The other method was to use elixirs. This is the more effective means of raising one''s Aptitude. The only downside is that it is too expensive for the general popce to rely on. Only those who hailed from prestigious families could afford those elixirs. Moreover, there are also tons of scammers in the business so one has to be extremely careful when buying them. Cedric seems to have discovered a new way of improving his ratings, which is through learning and leveling up Passive Skills. But even this wasn''t that reliable since not everybody could learn skills just as easily as he could. It might be possible if they too have the max level of Learning skill, but honestly? Even Cedric himself doesn''t have a foolproof way of allowing others to learn that skill. It''s only because of him inheriting these new eyes of his that this even became possible. As for sharing this method? Hmph! What a joke! That''s no different from courting death! Cedric has no ns to publicize such information. Maybeter when he had the sufficient strength to back up his ims and protect his deeper secrets. And even then, that''s a big ''IF'', and it would most likely depend on his mood. He has no time to babysit people when he can''t even take care of his problems. He''d only be courting disaster if they were to share the knowledge of his achievements. Right now, he had other matters to take care of. And since he has already re-learned how to use his senses as a Superhuman, it''s time for some action. Next on his agenda, was learning how to walk... Chapter 8: More Skills!

Chapter 8: More Skills!

Walking is the way we move our bodies from one ce to another by taking steps. It''s a coordinated motion that involves lifting one foot off the ground, swinging it forward, cing it down, and then repeating the process with the other foot. As you walk, your body maintains bnce by shifting your weight from one leg to the other. Muscles in your legs, hips, and core work together to provide stability and propel you forward. Walking is a natural and fundamental way of getting around that requires a rhythmic motion of your legs and the control of your body''s center of gravity. Running is a faster and more dynamic way of movingpared to walking. When you run, your body lifts both feet off the ground in each stride, creating a moment of suspension in mid-air between steps. This makes running a more energy-intensive activity. As you run, your arms also y a role by swinging in rhythm with your legs, aiding in maintaining bnce and generating momentum. Your muscles contract in a coordinated manner to propel you forward with greater speed, and your cardiovascr system works harder to supply oxygen to those muscles. Running involves a more forceful push-off from the ground and a quicker pace, making it an efficient way to cover distances swiftly. Both activities require great use of one''s body. They are also the factors that make up the idea of movement. In the fairly empty field within the RMC''s boundaries, Cedric could be seen walking peacefully as he was in his personal yard. His face was tranquil and his gait was rxed. However, in the next second, Cedric''s figure suddenly turned ethereal, dissipating like he was never there. He then reappeared, crouching on the nearby tree branch wearing the same expression before disappearing once more. His figures blurred here and there, popping in and out of existence as if he were a ghost or something... The truth is, Cedric wasn''t really disappearing. He''s just moving incredibly fast, so much so that the naked eye would have a difficult time following his movements. His short bursts of speed urred silently. The way he urately controls his strength to kick the ground without causing damage or disturbance to it while also gaining the results he wanted was nothing short of a work of art. With the skills he''s disying here, even those at the early Tier 2 levels would have a hard time following his movements. This was the result of his relentless pursuit of improving his movement skill, allowing him to reach levels of control which allows him to do all of this. Of course, he had learned the corresponding skill that represents the art of movement. * ¡ºFootwork (Lv.3)¡» : The fundamental art of movement itself. Going from Point A to Point B either by hook or by crook, is what the skills allow you to do. This skill also affects the user''s Agility, Dexterity, Reflex, and Flexibility, increasing them along with the mastery of this skill. : The User can either use Demon Souls to increase the level of this skill or use it repetitively to achieve the same goal. * A week and a half passed by since he received these new eyes of his. Ever since he got them, Cedric''s life promptly turned for the better. He spent each day improving his basic skills. Despite his activities taking most of his time and proving to be exhausting, Cedric didn''t mind since he could tell that he was getting stronger day by day. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he sleeps, every single second filled him with satisfaction at this growth. Hell, even as he rested, he''s still training some additional skills he learned during the past few days... * ¡ºRecovery (Lv.5)¡» : The art of resting and healing. Listening to your body''s needs and giving it time to rest and adjust after the demanding activities you put it through, is a skill that greatly improves the way you survive as a Superhuman. : This skill drastically shortens the amount your body needs to recover to its peak state. It also hastens the process by which your body adapts to foreign status. Increase the level of this skill to unlock more of its mysteries. * The funny thing about the ¡ºRecovery¡» skill is that it works in tandem with the ¡ºBreathing¡» skill. Thetter already maximizes the use of his breaths, allowing him tost longer than before, even with the bare minimum. If he takes time and focuses all of his efforts on his recovery, then he could essentially recover even faster than one would expect. It''s simply a wonderful discovery but it''s also annoying for him since after learning the ¡ºRecovery¡» skill, sleep was close to being redundant for him. Actually, Cedric doesn''t need much sleep anymore even before getting ¡ºRecovery¡», learning it just made it worse. Now, he could probablyst for days without needing to sleep and would still be fine. On the other hand, that just gives Cedric more time to train, which he does since he''s not one to waste precious time like that. Still, because most of his passive skills were at such a high level, progress had been rather slow. Well...slow for him. Others would certainly need more time if they were in his shoes. Cedric was one lucky son of a bitch, that''s a fact. Now that he had covered most of the basic skills he could. He felt that it was finally time for him to pay attention to his fighting skills. No, he''s not talking about the skills he got from his Swordsman ss. That wille at ater date. Right now, he''s still in the process of re-discovering and refining his basic skills. Last night, he had stayed up learning all he could about punching and kicking. Yep, this is what was next on his agenda. He had visited several forums and watched a lot of videos of Masters disying how to throw a punch and a kick. He had probably watched all that was avable for public view in his boredom since he was too energized to sleep. Miraculously though, he didn''t learn the appropriate skills just by watching, which somehow surprised him. However, he wasn''t outraged by that. It''s like it was the end of the world for him because that didn''t happen. Thanks to his sharpened memory, brought by his Learning and Vision skills, he was able to perfectly recall everything that he learned from those videos. "Punching is a striking movement where you use your fist to deliver a forceful blow to an object or another person. To punch effectively, you start by rotating your hips and shoulders to generate power. As you do this, your arm extends forward, and your fist clenches tightly. The forcees from your arm muscles, particrly the muscles of your shoulders, chest, and triceps. The aim is to transfer the energy from your body into the target, whether it''s a punching bag, pad, or opponent." "Timing and uracy are crucial in punching. You want to ensure that your punchnds squarely on the target, and you should retract your arm quickly after striking to regain a defensive posture. Proper technique minimizes the risk of injury to your hand and wrist. Overall, punching requires abination of strength, coordination, and technique to deliver a powerful and effective strike." "Kicking is a motion where you strike something with your foot, often used in sports, self-defense, or even everyday activities. Kicking involves a series of coordinated movements that generate power and precision." "When you kick, you usually start by bending your knee and pulling your leg back. This action loads your leg with potential energy. As you initiate the kick, you extend your leg by straightening your knee and swinging it forward. The poweres from your leg muscles, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles." "To maintain bnce during a kick, your arms and upper body may also move in response. Your core muscles help stabilize your body, and your hips y a crucial role in generating power by rotating as you kick. The point of impact on your foot, whether it''s the heel, instep, or the ball of your foot, determines the type and force of the kick." "Simr to punching, timing, uracy, and technique are essential in kicking to ensure effective and safe strikes. Proper form helps maximize the force while minimizing the risk of injury to your leg and foot." After recalling all the necessary information about punching and kicking, Cedric began assuming the stance ording to the instructions. This is where the glory of his basic senses and his perfect memory shine. His body automatically corrected his form the moment he discovered something wrong. His thoughts actually fell a little bit behind with the correction due to how sharp his senses were. Performing a series of punches and kicks caused a burning sensation on Cedric''s body but he didn''t feel ufortable, if anything it actually felt pleasurable for him. As his mind focused on performing a series of punches and kicks, his body gradually memorized the forms perfectly, and after a couple of repetitions... [Alert! Skill: ¡ºKickboxing (Lv.1)¡» learned!] Chapter 9: Sword

Chapter 9: Sword

Within the confines of the Risk Management Center, a figure could be seen dashing through the field, turning into a blurred shadow. At the short moments when the figure bes visible, whistles of the wind can be heard, followed by a muffled echo of an impact before the figure disappears once more. If anybody sees this scene, they would most likely think that the figure was some sort of an assassin refining his skills, but the truth couldn''t be any farther than that. At some point, the figure stopped moving and his features could finally be seen. It was a man who had short blonde hair and a pair of bright golden eyes. His face glistened with sweat as his breaths automatically adjusted after the activity he had just done. This was, of course, none other than Cedric. Today, just like the recent days that passed, he''s still training his skills to his exhaustion, refining them to the best of his abilities to increase his overall strength. It''s been two weeks since he inherited the Divine Eyes, and he has been working hard since then. His efforts rewarded him greatly and its results were visible to the naked eye. Cedric was no longer the bitter and sarcastic man that he was. He''s no longer the guy who consistently cries about the unfairness of the world. His eyes now carried a confident gleam. His posture straightened out. Now, he no longer looked like he wanted to hide from everyone. His physique also improved considerably. His body filled out and now his muscles are more refined and pulsing with strength. He wouldn''t have achieved this state if he had just relied on the free food that the RMC provides. For this, he chose to spend Demon Souls, buying nutritious and filling meals from the System to support his needs. Cedric also had a bit of a growth spurt. He estimates that he was six foot tall, he also became heavier but that''s expected due to the improvement of his physique. Sitting under the shade of a tall tree, Cedric wiped his sweat away. A small smile appeared on his face as he felt a small creature climbing up his body and perching on his shoulder. It was a tiny squirrel, looking at him with a gentle and curious gaze. He took out some nuts from his inventory which the little guy stuffed into his mouth vigorously. After doing that, Cedric seemingly stared out at a space but in truth, he was looking at his profile. * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: C+ Energy: B Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: B- Skills: Actives: Stab, Cleave, Parry, Block, Roll, Kickboxing Lv.5 Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Breathing Lv.7, Smell lv.7, Multitasking Lv.7, Taste Lv.5, Touch Lv.6, Listening Lv.7, Footwork Lv.5, Recovery Lv.7 Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Current Record: 12 minutes Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 1/3 * His Body Rating improved once more but he isn''t surprised anymore. Most of his skills already reached Lv.7 and progress essentially came to a halt at that point. Lv.7 skills already go way beyond what his current strength could handle. The skills themselves are being held back by his current strength so he couldn''t unleash their might properly. This doesn''t mean that they''re unusable though. Far from it, actually. Cedric could use almost all of his skills to the limits that he''s allowed to at his current level. The only reason why they leveled up so fast and grew way beyond what he could handle was that he''s using them consistently. Still, this was of no concern for him. Even with the skills growing way beyond what the current him could handle, it didn''t harm him in the slightest. That''s why, even though they hardly progress now, he''s still training them. ''...with this much progress, I''m bing more and more confident about my chances at survival.'' Cedric nodded in gratification for his luck. ''Still, my work is far from over.'' Increasing the level of his ¡ºKickboxing¡» had taken up most of his timetely. He focused on it since he learned that the skill sharply increases the control he has over his body. At Lv.5, his punches and kicks carried sufficient strength to blow up those who were at the same level as his with minimal effort. Pair it with his ¡ºFootwork¡» and they wouldn''t even know how they died. Thanks to his constant observation of the people around him, Cedric was confident that he could fight a Tier 1 Lv.9 expert on equal terms. He''s also confident enough to safely retreat from the pursuit of early Tier 2''s. But, like he just mentioned, his work was far from being done. Cedric has still many things he wants to achieve. His immediate goal was to, of course, clear his Mandatory Task. After all, it''s been a while since he had cleared it and frankly, he needed a huge amount of Demon Souls to support his future growth. ''I have leveled up ¡ºKickboxing¡» enough. It might already far surpass the other active skills I have.'' Cedric mused. It''s rather embarrassing to think that his actives have fallen far behindpared to his passives. But Cedric did not regret his choices. In fact, even if he were to start all over again, he''d probably still follow the same routine. Thanks to ¡ºLearning¡» skill, he had realized some truths about being a Superhuman. He chose to retrace his steps; starting from learning how the breathe properly, to once again learning how to properly throw a punch and a kick, this time, from the perspective of a Superhuman. Ordinary Humans and Superhumans are fundamentally built different. It was particrly enlightening for him to view these skills with a fresh set of perspectives as well, which also supported his theory even further. Now that he had managed to retrace his steps to bing an actual Superhuman, it was time for him to learn how to properly wield these advantages. Cedric opened up the System Shop, going to his cart to check out one of the items he saved there. [Training Sword (T1)] : A finely crafted sword with bnced properties. Especially made for those who are learning how to wield a sword properly. : Special Effect - Sword Skill Experience +10% Cost: 750 DS * ''It''s a little expensive, but I want it.'' Cedric pursed his lips, slightlymenting about his financial state. Right now, he only has a little over 2,000 Demon Souls left in his pockets. He spent most of it on food and nutritional supplements to support his growth spurt. ''It''s fine. I can earn a lot if I can clear my Mandatory Service this month. This is an investment.'' Cedric bit his lips and confirmed his purchase. A few secondster, the transaction waspleted and the Training Sword appeared in his Inventory. If there''s one thing that he liked about the shop, it''s the speed at which transactions were made. He had never once experienced ate transaction when using it. Taking out the Training Sword, Cedric took a moment to appreciate it. The squirrel who was hanging out on his shoulder got rmed by the sudden appearance of the sword and dipped. He felt a little bad about that but he just shrugged it off. Cedric stood up with the sword in hand, swinging it a few times to get an urate feel for it. After a couple of tests, his eyes lit up, essentially confirming the quality of the tool. "Good! It''s enough for my liking." He nodded. The sword was on the lighter side but that''s nothing to be concerned of. Like what was mentioned in it''s description, the properties of the sword were bnced enough and it''s perfect for those who are just starting to learn. From the feedback he got from his senses, the de of the sword was made out of Fine Steel and Refined Iron, both are Tier 1 materials. The pommel was crafted using a Tier 1 Oak Wood wrapped in leather. The sword had a cross-type hand guard which improved its bnce even more. The old sword he used looked just like this, only it''s more tattered from consistent use. Actually, that one''s nearly broken already. Cedric thought that he could probably use the new sword he purchased for the Hell Dive as well. It looks more usablepared to his old one anyway. Of course, since Cedric has decided to start refining his knowledge about sword-wielding, he already did his researchst night. He could now recall several videos of popr sword wielders who released a tutorial for public use. "Alright, time to start! System, silence all notifications unless it''s an emergency." [Do not disturb mode, on!] Converging his focus into a single thought, Cedric began recalling the lectures and began following the instructions. And just like how it was for him during the past two weeks, Cedric became so engrossed in his training that he immediately lost sense of time. When he returned to reality about an hourter to check his progress, he was bound to be shocked by what he saw... ¡ºCleave (M)¡» Chapter 10: Fencing

Chapter 10: Fencing

¡ºStab (M)¡», ¡ºCleave (M)¡», ¡ºParry (M)¡», ¡ºBlock (M)¡», ¡ºRoll (M)¡» Looking at this set of skills, Cedric couldn''t help but smile helplessly. They''re thetest addition to his skills that reached Lv.10 or Mastered as indicated. The crazy part about this is that it hasn''t even taken him a day to master these active skills. Yes, that soundspletely absurd, but it''s the truth. It''s not like he entered a state of enlightenment or something either. Sure, he got immersed into his training a little bit but that''s to be expected since this was his Core Skills as a Swordsman. If he entered a selfless state of enlightenment, Cedric was fairly confident that he''d know. Simrly, he''s also confident that he did not, so howe he mastered all these skills this fast? ''...I refuse to believe that it''s because of the sword.'' Cedric mused inwardly. There''s no way that it''s because of the Training Sword. Sure, the experience boost was nice and all but it''s not that great! He also doesn''t think that the sword contains any secret that he doesn''t know. With his ¡ºVision¡» skill at max, there''s no way he''d miss something like that. ''Since it''s not the sword, then what can it be? Even the ¡ºLearning¡» skill can''t be this broken, right?'' Cedric was in deep thought. After a solid minute of thinking, Cedric''s golden eyes suddenly glimmered in thought. ''I wonder...'' Cedric hummed as he raised the sword he was holding. He got into a stance, gripped the Training Sword firmly in his hands, and performed the ¡ºCleave¡» Swoosh! The air whistled as he performed the skill. Under the close inspection of his senses, he could tell that he performed the skill perfectly using minimal effort. He sliced the air cleanly so that even those with dulled senses would be able to sense it. Next, he performed the ¡ºStab¡». He then visualized a zombie attacking him and used ¡ºBlock¡» and ¡ºParry¡». After that, he performed thebat ¡ºRoll¡» to evade an imaginary attack. Each skill was done with seemingly minimal effort yet each performance was nothing short of perfection. A few hourster, Cedric would''ve patted himself on the back for doing the skills really well. Now, however, something else was on his mind after his performance. ''That''s not it...'' the glimmer in his eyes intensified. ''This isn''t Swordsmanship just yet!'' Cedric''s thought whirred as he focused, the brilliance of the ¡ºLearning¡» skill was now showing its might. ''Going through one stance after the other isn''t the essence of Swordsmanship. Although the videos I watched confirmed that I am indeed performing the skills correctly, they did say that this was just an introduction to Swordsmanship.'' ''In other words, I''m barely scratching the surface of the art itself!'' Cedric''s eyes brightened in realization. ''That would make sense! After all,pared to the other skills I mastered, these activities are a little bit underwhelming.'' With his ¡ºVision¡» skill and ¡ºLearning¡» skill mastered, Cedric has a clear perspective of what a max level of skill has to offer. Compared to those two, simply slicing the air with every swing of his sword doesn''t sound too appealing to him. Plus, these are active skills! He''s spending chunks of his energy just to what? Part the air for a brief moment? That doesn''t seem right... ''...this tells me that this isn''t their final form.'' Cedric continued with his line of thought as he began performing one skill after another. Gradually, his consciousness gathered and focused on this task, cing everything else on auto-pilot. Under the dim re of dusk, Cedric''s figure could be seen slowly shifting from one skill to another. With each rotation, he''s bing faster and faster. Cedric was so immersed in his training that eventually, he had fallen into a trance. His zed eyes turned dull yet his body moved vigorously as if it had a mind of its own. The wind whistled past his body and Cedric suddenly shivered. All of a sudden, he stopped and stayed in position for a solid minute. After that, he was moving once again but this time, something''s changed... ''...connection. Smooth transition from stance after the other.'' Cedric murmured inwardly. ''Stancing one skill after the other causes one to be rigid. The Art of Swordsmanship shouldn''t be limited like that. There must be a connection with each move.'' ''It should be free like the wind. It should flow like water...'' Cedric''s body then shifted to the stance of the ¡ºStab¡», once his arm stretched to its limits, the tip of his sword released a cold and threatening gleam. If this was before, Cedric would''ve pulled back his arm before performing the next skill, but this time he did it differently. With his arm still outstretched, he twisted his grip on the sword and swung it horizontally to the side, clumsily shifting into a ¡ºCleave¡». His ¡ºFootwork¡» stabilized his bnce, allowing him to ride the momentum of the ¡ºCleave¡» causing his sword to arc beautifully around him. Cedric essentially spun as this happened, and just before hepleted his spin, he adjusted his hold on the sword, bringing it up. An imaginary foe appeared before him, attempting to crush him, but with what he did, he essentially ¡ºParried¡» the attack, connecting ¡ºCleave¡» to it. The feedback of his senses told him that the performance just now was clumsy but he didn''t mind. Then, Cedric continued sparring with his imaginary foe. The longer he did so, the more his attacks started connecting. In his trance, Cedric lost his sense of time. He had also lost count of how long he had been fighting against his visualized enemy and he still didn''t show signs of stopping. Currently, Cedric''s mind was as clear as a wless piece of ss. He wasn''t a stranger to the way his body felt whenever he wlessly connected one skill after another. Under the pale brilliance of the moon, Cedric was akin to a fatal dancer. His skills were artistic yet carried a fatal threat. He was so immersed in his training that he didn''t notice how drenched his clothes became. With how much he was moving, it was impossible for him to feel cold. In fact, looking closely, one could see wisps of smoke rising from Cedric''s body as he continued to dance under the moonlight. His blood thrummed in glee as he skillfully and wlessly refined his swordy. Sadly, he could tell that his trance wasing to an end. As the sensation ebbs away, Cedric silently withdrew his sword and panted heavily. Taking out at least three bottles of water from his Inventory, he giddily looked at the System Alerts which swarmed his vision. [User Cedric has fallen into a trance. Disabling System Notifications until further notice.] [The User discovered the Hidden Synergy between the Swordsman ss'' basic skills!] [Detected! Skills: ¡ºStab¡», ¡ºCleave¡», ¡ºParry¡», ¡ºBlock¡», and ¡ºRoll¡»could be Synthesized into the ¡ºFencing¡» skill!] [Checking Skill Levels...] [Confirming Aptitude Rating...] [Synthesizing...] [Congrattions! Your skills evolved to the ¡ºFencing¡» skill!] ¡ºFencing (Lv.1)¡» : Fencing is the Art of Swordy. This skill represents the true mastery of the fundamentals of Swordy, establishing a seamless connection with each move and increasing their lethality sharply. : This skill is a must-have for those who desire to master the Art of the Sword. Possessing this skill allows the user to reveal the true might of Swordy. : Note! This skill can possibly evolve. * "Awesome!" Cedric gasped in delight as he finished reading the prompts. He certainly wasn''t expecting to slip into a trance while thinking about his dilemma, yet he''s happy it happened, nheless. ''Really, ¡ºLearning¡» is such a perverted skill to have!'' He eximed inwardly. Cedric wasn''t disillusioned. He knew that all of this was only possible because he had that skill. Now that his skills have evolved into a true Art of Swordy, his doubts have been dispelled. He had felt the lethality carried by the ¡ºFencing¡» skill, and the fact that he could now seamlessly transition into another move brought forth an unpredictable side to his attacks. Since the skill was just Lv.1, there''s still a lot to be desired about it. But that''s perfectly fine for Cedric. He has time to spare, a lot of it actually. What''s more important to him is that, now that he has this skill, he could now call himself a True Swordsman. Even the System itself recognized this fact and that made him feel good about himself. With this much progress, Cedric couldn''t help but feel increasingly confident about his chances. In fact, he''s now having a difficult time trying to humble himself. He knows that he achieved a lot within these past two weeks, and there is hardly anybody out there who could replicate the sheer amount of progress he made. That being said, Cedric needs to keep himself in check. He can''t let pride ruin everything for him. Sure, he had achieved a lot but in the grand scheme of things? He''s still just an ant. Actually,pared to the previous owner of his eyes, his achievements wereughable. What he achieved in two weeks was just three days'' worth of effort to ''that man''. Cedric spent some time humbling himself before returning to his room and taking a bath. Hopefully, he could actually sleep this time around. Chapter 11: Friend

Chapter 11: Friend

"Geez, man! Look at you!" Harold eximed as he sized up Cedric. "I almost didn''t recognize you! I can''t believe someone could change this much within mere weeks!" "...my sleeping schedule has been fixed, that''s why," Cedric replied calmly. His nd expression showed no signs of changing despite blurting out such an obvious lie. "Bullshit!" Harold mmed his te on the table before sitting down next to him. "If that''s all it takes for people to suddenly experience a growth spurt, and be more swole, then this world will be filled with giants." "I''ve always been like this." Cedric lied once more. "I''m just gued by insomnia and have a really bad posture. My diet is also trash and I''m depressed. With all of those piled up, it shouldn''t be surprising that I look different than normal." "But...eh? Really?" Harold trailed off, seemingly nearly convinced by Cedric''s lie. "You mean, all of this is just from having a good sleep?" "Surprising, isn''t it?" Cedric chuckled, evidently intent on pushing through his lies. "I''ve read some blogs about the benefits of good sleep. There are also tricks there that I used to maximize its benefits. I tried it and it worked. Never felt so awesome in my life, I''ll tell you that." "...what about your diet then? Don''t tell me that you''re satisfied with this shit?" Harold asked, emphasizing his words by raising the contents of his te. A grimace found its way to Cedric''s face, he knew he couldn''t lie about that so he decided to add some truths to his lie... "Hell no!" He eximed softly. He watched his tone since he didn''t want to offend the cooks. "I''ve been buying food from the shop instead. Also some nutrient solutions. It helps me sleep better." "Oh, I see! Yeah, that makes sense." Harold nodded, finally looking convinced. "And here I thought you had a Sugar Mommy/Daddy or something." "Wait, what the fuck!?" "What!?" Harold eximed in innocence. "I mean, being sexually active has its perks too you know? Plus, that would exin how you have more Demon Souls to spend on cosmetics!" "And how would you- no, no don''t tell me! I don''t wanna know. Keep it to yourself." "Shut the fuck up, Dude! I just overheard the details from others! Don''t look at me like that, I''m telling the truth!" Haroldined, his voice low and embarrassed. "Something tells me that if your assumptions were correct, you would join in on it." Cedric and Harol stared at each other for a solid minute before Harold said: "Okay...you got me there." He snorted as faced his meal. "But that is not a crime." "Why would you even-...you know what? Whatever, I really don''t want to know." "I''m just saying, you know?" Harold replied, exasperated. "As long as the other party knows basic hygiene, I wouldn''t be ''opposed'' to it. Especially at a decent price!" "..." "I mean, think about it, right? You get to have sex, although it''ll be debatable whether it''s good sex or not, and get paid while doing it!" "..." "Beggars can''t be choosers. We don''t have that kind of luxury. Can you really me me for considering it? No, right? Life here already fucking sucks, but it doesn''te with a ''Dry Spell'', so at the very least, we still have that. Don''t you think so, too?" "...it almost sounds like you''re convincing yourself more than defending the idea." Harold mped his mouth shut, a sign that Cedric certainly didn''t miss. It wasn''t that hard to realize the deeper meaning behind that. Not only did Harold essentially spell it out for him, but his senses also picked up the hidden messages that Harold''s body released. Cedric could almost interpret Harold''s thought process, but for the sake of giving his friend some level of privacy, he stopped himself from doing so. "You do you, Brother. That''s all I have to say. Just don''t involve me in it, and we''ll be fine." Cedric said after a while of silence. "Ey, let''s talk about something else!" Harold scratched his head while eating. "How confident are you on your next service?" "...quite confident." Cedric replied after thinking, "I mean, it''s whatever at this point. I''d still have to try my best despite what I feel, right?" "True..." Harold absent-mindedly yed with his food, seemingly in deep thought. "How about you, though?" Cedric ryed the question back to him. "Still feeling as confident as ever?" "Of course! Who do you think you''re talking to?" Harold eximed while smiling, "I told you didn''t I? I don''t n on living the rest of my life in this ce." If it was the old Cedric who heard this, then he wouldn''t have to think twice before believing Harold''s ims. He''d probably feel some level of envy and a little awe with the confidence of his friend. However, the current Cedric was leagues beyond his old self... ''He hides it deeply but his expression is strained. His smile was forced but disciplined. There''s a slight tremor in his voice as he makes his ims. His heartbeat turned erratic when I asked him the question. His posture turned mildly defensive when he replied as well...'' ''...he''s lying. But why?'' Cedric''s realization urred without alerting his friend. Thanks to ¡ºMultitasking¡» he could process the information swiftly while still maintaining his schooled expression to prevent Harold from suspecting him. He did say that he wants to leave some level of privacy to others, that''s why he''s often trying not to read their bodynguage. But that in itself was challenging to do, especially with how sharp his senses were. Cedric was fairly confident that, if he decided to put his mind on it and grill Harold even further, he''d most likely discover the truth beneath his lies. But because he didn''t want to offend him, Cedric decided to not pry any further. Harold was one of the people who befriended him the moment he arrived here. And when everybody else started losing interest in him, only Harold remained as his friend, and he''s really thankful for that because, without Harold, he might''ve already ended things sooner. Loneliness can be that fatal... ''He probably doesn''t want to worry me, that''s why he''s trying to act tough.'' Cedric mused inwardly, ''I don''t want to make him ufortable so I''d offer himpany instead. After all, if he doesn''t want to talk, then there''s no use trying to force him. That would just strain our rtionship.'' After concluding his thoughts, Cedric lets go of it. He and Harold talked for a while before thetter excused himself to go to the bathroom. He''d probably return to his room after that so Cedric didn''t wait for him. Cedric only came to the Mess Hall to talk with Harold, he didn''t eat there since frankly, the food was horrible. He had already eaten his fill earlier and was no longer hungry. Now that Harold''s gone, there''s no use to stay here any longer. He also returned to his room, he took a quick shower, and changed his clothes. The new ones looked just like the one he removed, only cleaner. He made a mental note to do hisundry tomorrow before proceeding to lie down on his bed. Cedric started at the ceiling for a bit. His thoughts were a bit of a mess but he already has a skill working to remedy that so he just allowed them to fix themselves. Later then, he opened his Profile to check his progress. * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: B- Energy: B Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: B Skills: Actives: Fencing Lv.7, Kickboxing Lv.5 Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Breathing Lv.8, Smell lv.8, Multitasking Lv.7, Taste Lv.7, Touch Lv.7, Listening Lv.8, Footwork Lv.8, Recovery Lv.8 Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Current Record: 12 minutes Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 1/3 * A small smile appeared on his face as he looked at his updated profile. There were only a few days left before he had to attempt toplete his month''s Mandatory Service. In truth, he could''ve started his attempts as soon as the start of this month, but he decided against it since he was still preparing himself. Now, there are only two weeks left for this month. He ns on starting his Hell Dive on thest week of the month to give himself some wiggle room. This means that he only has a week''s left work of practice before he throws himself to the real thing. It''d be a lie if he said that he wasn''t nervous, cause he definitely is... Sure, he felt confident about his chances but he''s also aware that there are many factors out there that could jeopardize his chances. Sadly though, he doesn''t have the luxury to choose other than direct confrontation. Lying on his bed for a solid while, Cedric already knows that he won''t be getting sleep, so instead of wasting his time here, he gets up, leaves his room, and goes outside. ''I''ll try my best to master the ¡ºFencing¡» skill before this week ends.'' Chapter 12: Commence Hell Dive!

Chapter 12: Commence Hell Dive!

Inside his room, Cedric could be seen sitting on his bed. His eyes were closed and his expression was serene. His chest expanded as he took a deep breath which thenter deted as he breaths out. This has been happening since the day started for him. It was clear that currently, Cedric was in a deep meditative state. As his senses extended and covered the vast majority of the Risk Management Center including the area within its walls, Cedric could clearly feel the tension in the air. At times like this, the RMC bes unusually quiet. All convicts preferred to stay within their rooms; nning, and strategizing, and some even started praying for luck to be on their side so that they couldplete their Monthly Mandatory Service. It is currently the first of the month''s final week. And it''s during this time that most convicts start their Hell Dives. The same could be said for Cedric of course, but he hasn''t done it yet. For some reason, somethingpels Cedric to wait. And thanks to his obscenely sharp senses, he relented to his instinct and just sat in his room, meditating. He really doesn''t understand why and currently, he doesn''t particrly care. All he knows is that he can trust his senses since it has never failed him so far. Obstructions are proven useless to the extent of what his senses have grown to. As a result, even at the confines of his room, Cedric could tell what was happening all over the center. He had seen convicts like him disappear out of thin air, then reappeared 30 minutester. Whenever they returned from their Hell Dive, they would express varying expressions ording to the result of their experience. First of all, no matter what kind of task Ac gives to an individual, no matter how long or short it takes them toplete the task, only 30 minutes will pass in the real world. This is something that has been established ever since the dawn of the Superhuman Era. Additionally, Mandatory Task evaluation always ends at 12:00mn at thest day of each month. So whether one passes it or not, it''ll be decided by then. As soon as the clock hits 00:01, signaling the start of a new month, the Mandatory Task will be updated by Ac. People could start their attempts as early as that too. If they seed, then congrats to them. If they fail, well, they still have the rest of the month to make up for it. That''s how it usually works. However, it is very rare for people to attempt a Hell Dive on the first day of each month. Most people do it in the middle of the month or even in thest week of the month, using the previous weeks to increase their strength as much as possible to maintain or increase their chances of clearing them. After all, the Mandatory Service would only turn more difficult the stronger they get so they need to make consistent progress or else they''d be left behind. From his observations, the majority of his fellow convicts who made their attempt today managed to pass their Mandatory Service just fine. Of course, others despaired at their failure. Cedric saw a few of those who failed to go nearly mad. He had seen the way how their monitoring chips, the ones imnted on their napes, turned crimson red and blinked multiple times. That was then followed by wardens appearing in their room, forcefully dragging those people and taking them to the ''Judgement Room''. From here on out, Cedric refused to watch since their endings were already obvious to him. By the end of the month, the number of convicts here would lessen. Some would lose friends orpanions. They would most likely feel depressed after that. New people woulde in within the first week of the next month. He''d be surprised if there were no new people actually. And then, the cycle continues... This is how it goes here in the Risk Management Center. Cedric would even dare say that this happens to all RMCs out there. He already knew this beforehand. Yet, seeing it with his own eyes just drove the idea even further to his brain. Cedric couldn''t help but feel frustration welling up from his chest. He was no saint at all, but life like this just dulls the colors of this world. It''s miserable, demoralizing, and pathetic. Yet, even if hates it so much, there''s nothing he can do to change it. He could only harden his heart, close it to their suffering. There''s a voice telling him to help them out but he ruthlessly squashed it. Cedric couldn''t afford to babysit anyone. He knows this too. Despite the blessing he got, he''s notpletely out of the woods yet. In fact, he hasn''t even started yet. It was ridiculously unfair though. Not having sufficient strength to control your life, that is. This has always been the thing that vexed him the most. Yet he''s utterly helpless against it. For this is how this world works. It''s merciless, uncaring, and unspeakably cold to those who do not have power. A shiver ran through his spine and Cedric''s eyes jolted open. His gaze was filled with fierce intent and determined glint for survival. A cooling sensation appeared in his head, dousing the heat from his eyes. The world then turned unspeakably clear for Cedric. It''s as if he just inherited this pair of eyes all over again. Through this, Cedric only felt serenity. This time, he no longer felt angry, sad, or heated. His expression was nk at best as if he was a dead piece of wood. Releasing the breath he''s unknowingly holding, Cedric did ast-minute check on his person. He checked his inventory to see if he had everything he needed. After confirming that, he then paid attention to his equipment. ''This sword will probably be destroyed after this.'' He mused to himself as he looked at the worn-out sword in his Inventory. Next to it was the Training Sword that''s still in pristine condition. He nned on using his old sword first until it broke to maximize its value before switching to the new one. Aside from themon convict clothes he wore, along with military-grade boots, and a very worn-out vest, he had nothing else. He was initially saving up to buy new equipment, but that changed due to the unique opportunity he got. Still, despite not having any new equipment to use, Cedric could clearly tell that his chances were way higherpared to his previous attempts. Finally, he opened up his Profile to see just how much he changed during the past month... * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Aptitude: Body: B- Energy: B Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: B Skills: Actives: Fencing Lv.9, Kickboxing Lv.5 Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Breathing Lv.8, Smell lv.8, Multitasking Lv.7, Taste Lv.7, Touch Lv.7, Listening Lv.8, Footwork Lv.8, Recovery Lv.8 Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Current Record: 12 minutes Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 1/3 * In the end, he didn''t manage to master the ¡ºFencing¡» skill, but that''s perfectly fine. He''s close to doing it anyway. Compared to his Profilest month, Cedric had certainly grown a lot. It brought aprehensive evolution not only in his physical state but also in his mental state. The current Cedric was a far cry from the old one. The old one wouldn''t even be able to touch the hem of his current self''s clothes. Clenching his fists, Cedric stood up and felt that he waspletely ready. He could feel every inch of his body raring to go. He''s alert, prepared, and sufficiently warmed up. Shaking thest bits of jitters off from his body, Cedric turned his attention to the System and said: "Commence Hell Dive." [User Cedric''s Monthly Mandatory Task initiating in 3...2...1] [Warping the User to Purgatory!] Fwoosh! Cedric''s body then disappeared from his room. Thanks to his heightened sense, he could feel the transfer in crisp rity and detail. He felt how the space around him warped, rolling off and crumpling thanks to the mysterious influence that probably came from Ac. It''s times like this that his heightened senses backfire because he felt the sensation so clearly that he felt nauseous. Thanks to ¡ºRecovery¡» though, he adjusted pretty quickly. Regaining his bearings, Cedric opened his eyes only to be greeted by the awful surroundings of Purgatory. The foul stench in the air, the dark gloomy clouds that loomed above, the absence of any celestial bodies, the thick killing intent and corruption surrounding him... Cedric took all of this in, feeling strangely familiar with it despite not wanting to. In front of his heightened senses though, this ce just became even worse than he remembered it. "Great, and here I thought I couldn''t hate this ce anymore than I already do." He grumbled softly as he summoned his worn-out sword. "Either way...time to begin, I guess." Chapter 13: Purgatory Zombies

Chapter 13: Purgatory Zombies

Zombies are Tier 1 Undead Demons. Mindless humanoid creatures with an instinctual craving for life. They consume living beings, draining their gift of vitality to strengthen their corrupted ones. They can be considered weak since they''re slow and predictable. Their bodies are fragile and vulnerable to fire. Sure, they''re more durable than mortals but Superhumans shouldn''t have a difficult time killing them...so long as there''s only one of course. The problem begins when there''s a horde of them, and that''s precisely what Cedric has been facing since he awakened as a Superhuman. In the Purgatory battlefield, Cedric''s visage could be seen jogging at a brisk pace, followed by a trail of Zombies in his wake. His expression was rxed and serene. One could tell that he''s not having a difficult time handling his pursuers for now. If things continued like this, thensting for 3 whole hours shouldn''t be a problem at all. That said, Cedric knew that''s not gonna happen. He''s experienced in this after all. Pausing in his tracks, Cedric brandished his sword as he promptly disappeared from his position. Shortly after, he reappeared behind the group of Zombies he was luring. He didn''t look back, he just flicked his sword to get rid of the bloodstains before shifting into a jog once more. Behind him, the group of zombies froze before their heads suddenly exploded into bits. They would never know how they died, not even if they still had consciousness. "System, tally the result of my kills after I''m done here. I can''t afford to be distracted." Cedric ordered softly. [As you wish, User Cedric. Do not disturb mode, on!] Nodding to himself, his eyes shed as he caught several groups of zombies appearing out of thin air on his vision field. ''A group of 10 at 4:00, 15 at 12:00, 20 at 6:00.'' The closest to him was the group of 20 and they were already marching in his direction. Cedric took a deep breath to keep himself steady, his thoughts whirred as the ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill came to life. His brain processed information at a mind-blowing speed. His senses were primed to react to all stimuli while his brain processed everything in microseconds. Like a wolf amongst the sheep, Cedric charged the closest group of zombies. His sword emitted a faint light as he sliced, and stabbed his foes. Destroying the head of Zombies was the most effective way of killing them. Stabbing their hearts or ripping off their limbs hardly does anything, Cedric knew this from experience as well. With the help of ¡ºFootwork¡» skill, along with the grace of someone who almost mastered the ¡ºFencing¡» skill, Cedric''s silhouette has yet to be touched by these nasty things. He was light-footed, graceful, yet extremely lethal. And thanks to his ¡ºBreathing¡» and ¡ºRecovery¡» skills, Cedric wasn''t even sweating just yet. Five minutes have passed since the start of the Hell Dive. Last month''s Cedric would feel the exhaustion creeping up to him at this point, yet for the current Cedric, this can''t even count as a warm-up. Snuffing the seed of arrogance and recklessness sprouting within him, Cedric focused his thoughts on his task. His eyes darted all over the field, almost covering it entirely. Cedric wasn''t straining his body and mind to get the most out of his ¡ºVision¡» skill, he was using it just enough to serve his current purpose. Still, even with just that, Cedric''s sight could almost cover the entire battlefield that he''s in. And from his calctions, its size should be about 15 kilometers at max. Cedric''s sight could cover 10 Kilometers and it''s not just limited to linear sight, it''s a dome around him, allowing him to see what''s behind him as well, he could also shift his perspectivefortably in this range. In this radius, he could freely zoom in and out. If he concentrates on a certain spot, his vision would start prating his target, allowing him to peer past their shell and scrutinize them in crisp detail. If he decides to strain himself, Cedric would be able to cover this entire field, but the stamina cost of maintaining that isn''t something that he can afford right now. That is why he''s not doing it. Still, a 10-kilometer range of perspective was a lethal tool on any kind of battlefield. And this is just his eyesight alone. Cedric still has his other senses to rely on should his vision fail. The fight continued of course... Cedric''s shadow continued to dart here and there. He would attract the zombies'' attention in groups and instantly dismantle them. Sometimes, he wouldn''t even bother getting their attention, he would just kill them directly like they were nothing. As time passed, Cedric could feel his body warming up and adjusting to the environment of the battlefield. His clothes fluttered as the wind whizzled past him. His body and his sword turned into a blurry streak as he continued demolishing small groups of zombies in his wake. His senses worked wonders in his fight, allowing him to notice even the slightest twitch in their muscles. With how sharp his senses were, he could almost predict what their next move was going to be. He was also attuned to the changes in the battlefield as he immediately sensed it when the horde evolved. ncing at the digital clock hanging above the battlefield, Cedric instantly put the two together. The moment the clock went past 10 minutes, the Zombie Horde evolved. Still on the move, his brain analyzed the changes within the battlefield. In his field of vision, he noticed that more groups of zombies spawned out of nowhere. The size of each cluster increased as well. Previously, the maximum it spawned was a group of 20. Now, that became the minimum. At the edge of his maximum range of vision, he spotted a group of 50, slowly marching toward him. The zombies also appeared slightly more feral than before. ''Oh...so that''s what happens. Got it.'' Cedric remarked inwardly as he continued demolishing another group of zombies. The group of zombies spawn at 1-minute intervals. This discovery should answer the question as to why he always got swarmed before. Thinking to himself, Cedric wondered what would happen when the field became so full of zombies. Will they continue spawning until their body stacks like a mountain or will it pause? ''...I don''t feel like figuring that out right now.'' Cedric concluded that thought and continued his killing spree. Really, this has beenfortable so far. Yes, he could say that even with the increased number of Zombies around him. One has to know that Cedric has yet to sweat from all of this. He still looked as fresh as a daisy even after killing hundreds of zombies by now. His clothes were a little dirty from the grime and fluids of the zombies he killed so far but overall, it wasn''t that bad. Time passed by and Cedric continued on his killing streak. The longer he spent doing this, the morefortable he got. At least in the sense of finding his rhythm within the battlefield. Deep down, he could also feel himself improving even further. This must mean that his skills were growing at a rapid pace as he continued to fight as well. It wouldn''t be far-fetched to say that he most likely learned a new skill as well. But that''s a matter forter. He was so engrossed in his task that, by the time he noticed it, he had already gone past his previous record of survival. It was when he was in the middle of analyzing the changes of the horde at 20 minutes that he realized it. ''Oh shit! A new record! Damn!'' Cedric eximed inwardly as he swung his sword around, beheading several zombies in a row. That should be a double record break as well. Since he not onlysted longer than before, but he also killed way more zombies. ''Must be entering the four-digit amount on my kills too! Damn, if Iplete this, wouldn''t I be swimming in Demon Souls then?'' Excitement grew within him, but he snuffed it out to concentrate. Really, he couldn''t be too over-zealous right now. The horde just evolved for the second time, for crying out loud! The second evolution of the horde turned the Zombies more aggressive. They''re faster too. Now, groups of 50 were the minimum. He saw 100''s spawning in a cluster from his field of vision. Due to the increase in number, his killing rate needs to increase too, or else he''d be swarmed by them. ''Okay, now it''s starting to get challenging.'' He mused inwardly. Still, Cedric was doing just fine, killing ordinary zombies with his worn-out sword. It was then that he suddenly noticed a particr zombie appearing in his field of vision. He almost didn''t notice it because it looked like a normal zombie. He only discovered it when its stomach suddenly expanded greatly, and that happened while he was in the middle of demolishing a cluster of zombies. rmed, he focused on it and knew exactly what was bound to happen so he paused in his tracks and spun the sword in his hand so quickly that it somehow turned into a shield. Just in time to defend against the acidic spit that the mutant zombie threw up in his direction. Chapter 14: Hordes

Chapter 14: Hordes

Cedric looked warily at the unexpected foe. He nced at his sword and his hand. Only the handle of the sword survived from that acidic spit, his hands were also covered with burns and were emitting wisps of smoke. A grimace made its way onto his face. He wasn''t in as much pain as he would have expected, however, the surprise of meeting a new enemy type remained fresh for him. Clenching his hand, he adjusted his stance. He stomped forward and leaned his upper body backward, then with a grunt, he gathered his strength in his hand and threw the remains of his sword towards the mutated zombie. The projectile pierced several zombie heads before nailing itself to the head of the mutated zombie, who then exploded into a pool of vile acid. ''So they explode when they die. Good to know.'' Cedric sneered as he summoned his Training Sword. His burns were already healing thanks to his ¡ºRecovery¡» skill. It also didn''t hinder the way he held his sword so he just shrugged it off. In hindsight, he should''ve expected a Mutated Zombie to appear. He inwardly berated himself for letting his guard down and causing injury to himself because of his carelessness. That being said, this is the first time that a Mutated Zombie appeared in his battle and he certainly wasn''t expecting them. Mutated Zombies/Undeads are strongerpared to the normal ones because of their mutation. The one he killed just now was called a ''Spitter'' for they can spew toxic acids towards their targets. Normal Zombies and Mutated Zombies are of the same Tier. It''s just that, if Normal Zombies were Lv.1, then Mutated Zombies were Lv.2 and above. They shouldn''t pose a problem to Cedric so long as he remains careful from now on. That being said, knowing that they appeared this early into his run, then it''s safe to assume that their numbers will only increase the longer this goes on. Solving that particr problem, Cedric returned to his killing spree. His body once again turned into a blur of motion. Everywhere he passed, exploding zombie heads followed his wake. While the Training Sword wasn''t crafted withbat in mind, it''s still sharper and more durablepared to his old sword. Cedric noticed the difference easily as he was now killing zombies more efficiently than before. Now, he could easily demolish groups of 100 with less effort. ''Man, if my killing speed was this fast with a Training Sword, how fast would it be if I used a properbat sword.'' Cedric mused inwardly. Still, now''s not the time for that. He concentrated on his task, keeping an eye out for any Mutated Zombies that may appear anytime soon. A minuteter, another mutated zombie appeared. He didn''t miss this one because its mutation was obvious even with the naked eye. It was a ''Boomer'' - a fat yet deceptively fast zombie whose goal was to get close to its target and die by explosion. Spitters also explode on death but the difference between them and Boomers was the lethality of their explosion. The former explodes and leaves a pool of acid behind while thetter is akin to a grenade when it explodes. Of course, the stronger the Boomers were, the more lethal their explosion became. As soon as Cedricid eyes upon the Boomer, he immediately charged towards it. Seeing him getting close, the Boomer turned feral. Once he was close enough, the Boomer''s eyes lit up. It was then that everything slowed down for Cedric. Still keeping his eyes on the Boomer, he immediately caught the difference within its physiology. With how fast his brain processes information, he immediately knew that the Boomer would explode soon, but he wasn''t deterred. In fact, this was his goal. He wanted to bait the Boomer to explode itself. He already had a path of retreat nned out as well but...for some reason, he felt strangely confident. Moving along with his instinctual desires, he skirted around the Boomer. In his eyes, everything moves painfully slowly. He took a couple of strides around the undead; stabbing, and cleaving the other zombies that spawned along with it. When he saw the Boomer''s skin ripping apart, Cedric took a couple of steps back and paused. Time seemingly resumed by then. The ground shook and the air screamed after the Boomer exploded. All the zombies who were caught within the explosion radius got blown up as well. ''Would that count as my kill or not?'' Cedric mused to himself. He then shrugged as that wasn''t important right now. Moving his legs once more, he went towards the nearest cluster and continued his killing spree. Time then passed and Cedric realized the current trend of the spawn. At the 20-minute mark, a single Mutated Zombie will spawn each minute that passes, surrounded by a cluster of ordinary zombies. Cedric has seen numerous types of Mutated Zombies at this point... Aside from Spitters and Boomers, there are the ''Constrictors''. They have mutated tongues that can stretch up to 50 meters. Their task was to bind their targets using their tongue, allowing the other zombies to have their way with the target. ''Wailers'' are Mutated Zombies who have mutated vocal cords. Their cries turn all zombies around them more feral, making them faster, and more aggressive. ''Runners'' are the infuriatingly fast ones. These zombies were so fast that they could runps around mortals easily. They weren''t faster than Cedric of course but their reflexes were sharper. They''re the first type of zombies who manage to evade a strike from him but so far, they''re not a problem. ''Brutes'' are considered as the Giants of Zombies. They''re slowerpared to other mutated but they''re incredibly tough. They could take hits and hit hard. They couldn''t hit Cedric of course since he was too agile for them, and their weak points are highlighted in his vision. They didn''t cause him a problem so far as well. And thest one he identified so far, was the ''Scavenger''. ''Scavengers'' are probably the most feral type of Mutated Zombie out there. It''s impossible to miss them since they''re really fucking loud. Even louder than ''Wailers''. What makes them different is the way they hunt their target. They''re fast, could leap high, and are probably on steroids. Their limbs are mutated. They have ws that they love to use to dig the intestines of their targets, seemingly scavenging their bodies in search of something important. That''s how they got their names. One by one, the Mutated Zombies didn''t pose any threat to him. Even when they''re surrounded by a cluster of zombies, his sword cuts through them just as easily. Their vulnerable spots were visible to him. His senses could also pick up their intent, allowing him to react ordingly and ahead of them. ncing at the digital clock, he was just in time to notice that it was reaching the 30-minute mark. This meant that the horde would evolve once more. And just as he expected, it truly did. The horde evolved and he immediately took note of the changes. First of all, the number of spawns didn''t increase, the minimum was still at 100''s. The difference was in their strength. If previously, themon Zombies were at Lv.1, now they''re at Lv.2, meaning that they''re tougher, faster, and more aggressive. Mutated Zombies appeared in pairs now too. Increasing the pressure on Cedric even further. ''Damn, no wonder previous me didn''t manage to get this far. This is absurd.'' Cedric grumbled at the changes he observed so far. This trial was really trying to kill him. How can Ac give something like this to anyone? Like, what''s the big idea? Either way though, this was his problem. Thankfully he came prepared or else this attempt would end up in failure as well. Now that the pressure increased, Cedric had to exert more effort into his killing spree. It''s still within the realm of abilities, meaning that he could still handle it. Cedric''s clothes were now being drenched in sweat. It didn''t make him ufortable though so it''s still fine. From his looks, it seems that he''s still not having a difficult time with this sharp increase in difficulty. That''s not entirely wrong though, but it doesn''t mean that he''s lowering his guard down. It''s the opposite actually. He just doesn''t show it in his face but Cedric was immersed and attuned with his senses. He''s conscious of all actions he is doing thanks to his ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill. He tore through hordes of Zombies like he was reaping wheat. His foes were trying hard enough to catch him but he was too agile for them to handle. Even the ''Runners'' and ''Scavengers'' couldn''t touch him at all. His clothes were already dirty though. It has turned sticky and yucky from all the grime that umted from his killing spree. Still, he didn''t concern himself with this and focused his efforts on killing as many zombies as he could. Time then passed in his personal purgatory. Immersed in his killing spree, Cedric reached another milestone. The 40-minute mark arrived, bringing forth another evolution to the horde... Chapter 15: Cleared!

Chapter 15: Cleared!

At the 40-minute mark, the Horde evolved to its next level. 3 Mutated Zombie spawns each minute, surrounded by 150 Ordinary Zombies at minimum. The Mutated Zombies became stronger, from what he noticed, they should be Lv.3 at the minimum. Cedric was starting to try harder at this point. Obviously, he needs to, or else the pressure will crush him. His killing speed was slightly affected but not to a concerning degree just yet. At the 50-minute mark, another evolution urred. The number of ordinary zombie spawns reached 200 at minimum. The amount of Mutated Zombies that spawned with them didn''t increase but they became even stronger. The sharp increase in difficulty was starting to wear Cedric down. With the zombies being more aggressive than before, he needed to put more effort into killing them. At this point, his entire body was already covered in sweat. However, thanks to his ¡ºBreathing¡» and ¡ºRecovery¡» skills working overtime, his body was able to support his energy consumption. Without these two skills, it would utterly be impossible for him tost this long, much less even hope of clearing this whole task. When the clock hits the first hour of his Hell Dive though, something surprising urred. In gaming terms, a BOSS fight urred. A giant zombie, which was a bigger and meaner version of a ''Brute'', showed up on the battlefield. The good thing about this was that all the other zombies disappeared. Both ordinary and mutated zombies were gone, only the Boss was around so Cedric suddenly had a wide room to y with. That being said, fighting against a BOSS Brute was still challenging. Unlike other zombies he fought so far, the BOSS showed signs of consciousness. Cedric has proven this by trying to target the weak point of the BOSS only for it to deliberately hide and protect it. It took Cedric a whole minute to y that BOSS and was visibly spent after doing it. The good news is, that he had been given time to rest after killing the BOSS. He had been given a 15-minute rest. Cedric was of course puzzled by that sudden information but he didn''t dare to dally. He took it in stride and didn''t question it. Cedric immediately sat down, drank several bottles of water, and ate some protein bars. After that, he regted his breathing and allowed his passive skills to do the rest for him. He meditated and rxed his mind, silently waiting for the timer to run out. With the gracious rest period spent wisely, Cedric stood up at thest second to wee the next wave of zombies. The fight against the horde then continued... There weren''t tons of changes after that. The trend of the horde''s evolution remained the same as far as he was concerned. They evolved every 10 minutes, making his life significantly harder than thest. At the 1hr and 10 minute mark, two hundred and fifty Lv.3 Ordinary Zombies spawned including three Lv.4 Mutated Zombies. Reaching the 01:20:00 mark, the ordinary zombies leveled up to Lv.4 while the rest remained the same. 01:30:00, the number of ordinary zombie spawn increased to 300 at minimum. The mutated zombies were now at Lv.4 as well. 01:40:00, the number of Mutated Zombie spawns increased to 4 per minute, along with ordinary zombies. With their increased numbers and strength, Cedric was starting to unleash his entire strength to keep up with his killing rate. 01:50:00 - the ordinary zombies leveled up to Lv.5. At 02:00:00, Cedric faced yet another BOSS. This time, it''s a BOSS Wailer. It spawned with twenty Lv.5 Mutated Zombies. Since Wailers were essentially the ''Support'' ss of the Zombies, the BOSS Wailer turned into aplete nuisance along with its minions. The giant Wailer turned its minions into crazed and positively murderous zombies who did not care for anything else other than ripping Cedric to shreds. Cedric decided to take care of the ads first before turning his attention to the BOSS. It took him a solid five minutes to kill all of them. Afterward, he looked visibly exhausted. At this point, it''s already a miracle that he could still stand. Anybody who was in his position would''ve died by now, he''s certain of that. This task was just that cruel. He couldn''t really think of any reason as to why Ac would give this kind of task to humans. Still, he had no time to think much about that. After killing the second boss, he was given a 30-minute rest. Cedric would be a fool to not take advantage of that. Once again, he ate and drank before proceeding to let his passive skills work their magic. Since his resting time was increased, he managed to recover even further, allowing his confidence to rise once more. Alert and ready, Cedric stood up and embraced the approach of the final hour. In his mind, this was it, thest stretch. If he could see through the end of this, then he would''ve achieved something that should bepletely impossible to do for those at his level. It would be quite an achievement, but most importantly, it would a proof that all of his efforts weren''t wasted. It would signify that the miraculous gift he received was meant to be for him. If he could survive this, then his life would turn for the better. It''s almost within reach, and Cedric was determined to see this through. When the clock started moving once more, Cedric immediately sted to action. His killing spree continued as his mind focused on the changes of the horde. 02:10:00 - the horde becamerger. There''s a minimum of 300 Lv.5 Ordinary Zombies spawning at each minute, apanied by four Lv.4 Mutated Zombies. 02:20:00 - Mutated Zombies became stronger, reaching Lv.5, putting them at the same level as the rest. But since they''re mutated, they''re inherently more dangerous than ordinary zombies. 02:30:00 - the number of Mutated Zombie spawn increased to five at a time. They became stronger too but their levels didn''t increase. 02:40:00 - Ordinary Zombie spawn increased to 500 at once, apanied by 5 Mutated Zombies each minute. Cedric wasn''t saving his strength anymore. He was finally being pushed to his limits since his enemies were bing more and more determined to kill him. 02:50:00 - this is where the challenge rose sharply for Cedric. At this very instant, the levels of the zombies skyrocketed. Ordinary Zombies were at Lv.8, while the Mutated Zombies were at Lv.9 It was such an insane difficulty spike. And since they spawn in clusters each minute that passes, Cedric was swarmed. Even so, he fought valiantly against them. His skills were being honed to their limits due to the sheer pressure he was facing. His senses were being used to their utmost degree and limits. Yet, with how immersed Cedric was in his task, this wasn''t any of his concern. He killed and killed. His sword turned into a mere blur with how fast he was swinging it. His eyes were strained to their limits, sensing, reading, and processing information at speeds that far surpassed what his current body could handle. Cedric was so attuned in his battle that he failed to notice that he wasn''t breathing through his nose or his mouth anymore. Instead, it was his entire body that was breathing now. He wasn''t just taking air anymore, he was breathing in energy from his surroundings. His entire body was converting them into something that it could use to fuel his energy expenditure. He had unlocked the pinnacle achievement for his ¡ºBreathing¡» skill, allowing him to unlock his ''Inner Breath''. But that''s none of his concern right now. Because the moment that the clock reached 02:59:00, everything disappeared. When it transitioned to 03:00:00, another BOSS appeared. This one was a Scavenger, but not just any BOSS Scavenger either. It was a Tier 2 Lv.1 BOSS Scavenger. Cedric didn''t even have the time toin, not even to catch his breath either. The moment the BOSS appeared, the battle already started. There wasn''t any room for hesitation here. Cedric was primed from all the fighting he''s been doing. As expected, the BOSS was something that he couldn''t easily handle even if it was alone. He''s tired and he knows it too, but like what was mentioned, he didn''t have the luxury to even entertain the thought itself. The Tier 2 BOSS was fast and strong. Even his sharpened senses were struggling to keep up with it. The Scavenger was relentless in its attacks. It''s positively feral and determined to reduce him to shreds. Cedric got injured in this fight. Within the first minute of encountering the BOSS his entire body was covered with bruises and cuts. Still, Cedric remained steadfast and focused on his goal. He pushed himself to the absolute limit. He employed his ¡ºFootwork¡» to an extensive degree just to match the speed and ferocity of the BOSS. Eventually, his efforts paid off. All it took was one careless mistake from the BOSS and Cedric capitalized on it. Cedric lodged his sword to its temples, even kicking it hard enough to make sure that it destroyed what it was meant to destroy. As the body of the BOSS dissipated into specks of light which fused to his body. Cedric only had the energy to see the congrattory message of the System before he lost consciousness. Chapter 16: Generous Rewards

Chapter 16: Generous Rewards

Cedric certainly felt the consequences of taxing his body. He woke up with his entire body sore. He was even tempted to ask somebody if they saw the truck that hit him. Despite feeling sufficiently energized, his body wasining to him. None of his limbs wanted to move. In the end, he had to force his body to get up from his bed. His body screamed at him when he decided to do some stretches. The soreness he felt intensified as he practically forced himself to do yoga but he persisted through it. After 15 minutes, however, the pain subsided altogether. Cedric could feel a deep-seated warmth coursing through his body, he was even sweating a bit but he obviously did not mind. This is when he realizes that he is still wearing the same clothes he had during his Hell Dive. He winced at the foul stench he emitted. Cedric then stood up and saw his bedsheets that also got dirtied in the process. He grabbed the sheets and tossed them into theundry. After doing that, he ran to thefort room to have a hot bath. When his body dipped into the hot bath, Cedric wasn''t able to stop the pleasured groan from escaping his lips. He didn''t think of anything else and decided to just enjoy this for now. Once he''spletely rxed, he allows his thoughts to race. The memories of his tough fight reyed in his mind. Things surely got hectic, especially on the 3rd BOSS fight. It came way too close forfort. Now that he thought of it, was it really necessary for him to kill the final boss? The stiption of his Mandatory Task says that he only needed to survive for three hours under the siege of the Endless Undead Horde. It didn''t say anything about killing the final boss. Oh well, it''s just a thought. He went ahead and did it anyway so there''s no use pondering over it. Now that he had caught up with everything, it was time to face the music. "System, show me all the alerts that I missed." [Disying...] [Congrattions, User Cedric! You havepleted your Monthly Mandatory Service.] [Your current streak is 0.] [Task Failure Counter dropped to 0] [As a reward for clearing your Mandatory Service. You will receive 100% of the Demon Souls you gained during your time in Purgatory.] [Ordinary Zombie killed: 19,500. Killing an Ordinary Zombie grants you 10 Demon Souls. Amount gained: 195,000 Demon Souls.] [Mutated Zombie killed: 320. Killing a Mutated Zombie awards you with 100 Demon Souls. Amount gained: 320,000 Demon Souls.] [You have killed the 1st BOSS. 10,000 Demon Souls awarded.] [You have killed the 2nd BOSS. 50,000 Demon Souls awarded.] [You have killed the Final BOSS. 100,000 Demon Souls Awarded.] [Notice! The Final Boss reached Tier 2 in strength. Additional Award: One (1) Tier 2 Demon Soul.] [Total Amount: 675,000 Demon Souls and 1 Tier 2 Demon Soul.] [Forpleting a task that is way above your level. The Ac System decided to round up your final earnings to 700,000 Demon Souls and 10 Tier 2 Demon Souls.] [Performance Rating: S+] [Congrattions! You received a phenomenal grade for your performance! Reward: Rainbow-colored Treasure Box (T1).] "Aha..." "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Cedricughed uproariously as he read the messages just now. He felt as if all of his efforts, pain, and suffering were worth it thanks to these rewards. Just as they say; the greater the risks, the greater the rewards. Clearing this almost impossible challengeted him riches that he could only dream of before. ''Ac sure is generous!'' He eximed. On the corners of his mind, he couldn''t help but think that he should get more than that since even the Ordinary Demons reached Lv.9 when he''s only Lv.2, he thought that Lv.9 Zombies shouldn''t amount to just 10 Demon Souls per kill. But this was just his greed talking. He''s already more than happy to receive 500,000 Demon Souls and 10 Tier 2 Demon Souls. Ac was already nice enough to increase his rewards so you won''t hear himining. There''s also that Rainbow-colored Treasure Box. Although it''s only T1, Cedric still ced great importance on it since something like that wasn''t all thatmon. In fact, he''d even dare to say that only a handful of people receive this kind of reward at a given time. The reason why the Rainbow-colored Treasure Box''s value was so great was because of the items that came from it. Although it''s limited to a T1 item, this box will always provide the most essential tool for its owner. That''s what makes it special. Right now, the box was on his Inventory and he wasn''t in any hurry to open it. After all, he still has a lot of System Alerts to go through... [You have pushed yourself past your limits during your Hell Dive. As a result, several Skills of yours experienced massive growth.] * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Jr.Undead yer, Schr, Sword Child Aptitude: Body: A Energy: A Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: A Skills: Actives: Sword Breath Lv.1 (NEW!), Kickboxing Lv.8 Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Internal Breath Mastery Lv.1 (NEW!), Smell (M), Multitasking Lv.9, Taste Lv.9, Touch (M), Listening (M), Intuition Lv.3 (NEW!), Footwork (M), Recovery (M), Tolerance Lv.4 (NEW!), Tactics Lv.3 (NEW!) Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 0/3 * Cedric''s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he looked at his updated Profile. He didn''t just level up a few of his skills, he even evolved some of them and learned new ones! The ¡ºInternal Breath Mastery¡» was the evolved version of the ¡ºBreathing¡» skill. With it, his breaths now carried sufficient vitality and prated deep into every cell of his body. His breaths have now turned into a source of energy which not only strengthened him but also pushed his entire being to evolve even further. Its effect was obvious through the changes in his Aptitude Rating. Now, he''s an A-Rank Superhuman. Of course, his other skills also helped with this. ¡ºSword Breath¡» should be the evolution of his ¡ºFencing¡» skill. ording to its description, it should be the method of incorporating his Inner Breath into his sword strikes, increasing their speed and lethality. Increasing its level further maximizes the quality and quantity of the Sword Breath he can release. With this, his skills as a Swordsman entered another realm of greatness. Out of his basic senses, only the ¡ºTaste¡» wasn''t mastered. He even learned the fabled Sixth Sense or ¡ºIntuition¡» as the System defines it. This pushes the might of his senses to a truly absurd degree. ¡ºTolerance¡» should be the lesser form of ¡ºResistance¡», at least based on Cedric''s prediction for the skill growth. It increases his body''s adjustment towards foreign or harmful elements which will obviously help him a lot in the long run, especially if his prediction is proven to the correct. ¡ºTactics¡» was a passive skill that improved his mental capabilities. It helps him discover the most effective way to deal with enemies. Maximizing the damage he could deal with minimal effort. [For killing hordes of Undead at once, you have been bestowed with the title of "Jr. Undead yer"!] [For reaching a high mastery over your Skills despite being low-leveled, you have been granted the title of "Schr"!] [For reaching an unbelievable level of sword finesse despite being low-leveled, you were granted the title of "Sword Child"!] And things just keep going with these notifications. Cedric truly couldn''t believe his eyes. Titles! He really received Titles! Titles are a unique monicker that the System provides based on achievement. To his knowledge, only a handful of people receive Titles nowadays. Back in the beginning of this Era, they said it was frequent but it''s way different now. The fact that he received, not just one but three titles all at once, was mind-boggling for him. He initially thought that this might''ve been a mistake, but recalling how he survived a nigh-impossible challenge, he changed his mind and took it in stride. Since it was given to him, then he would use it. After all, his Mandatory Service would only be harder as time goes on so he might as well take everything that he could use for his survival. "Jr.Undead yer" - Undeads could sense the foul stench of their kind''s blood on your body, making them more aggressive towards you. At the same time, they also fear you since you could ughter them easily. Your mere presence intimidates them, lowering theirbat prowess by 20%. "Schr" - Your thirst for Learning is insatiable. You also desire to see the utmost limits for all the abilities you have. Effect: Skill Growth +50%. "Sword Child" - You were born to handle the Sword. You love the Sword and the Sword loves you. Effect: Sword Skill Growth +50% "Such powerful Titles!" Cedric eximed to himself. It''s still unbelievable that he got all of this after a single battle. You won''t hear himining though. After all, he''d be a dumb idiot to refuse such riches like this. He''s still uncertain if truly deserved all of this, but nobody said that he couldn''t work hard to be deserving of it, right? So that''s exactly what he nned to do. Chapter 17: Techniques

Chapter 17: Techniques

Cedric was in a really, really good mood. The rich rewards he got from his hard work were the main reason behind it, but there''s also the fact that, for the first time in a while, he truly felt strong. Clearing his nigh-impossible Mandatory Task was the proof of this. And while he knows that things will only get harder from this point on, he still feels really good about himself. He weed a new day with a smile on his face. He didn''t get any sleep at all, but he still felt refreshed from an entire night''s worth of Meditation. At this point, he''s close to epting that sleep was slipping out of his grasp. His skills made his body way too active and energized. Thankfully, he could distract himself with other things. As the sun started rising from the horizon, letting out the first few rays of sunlight to grace thend, Cedric got off from his bed to sit on his table. He checked his inventory and saw that he received a new package just now. Taking it out, he opened it and saw its contents. It was a full-course meal, still fresh and piping hot. It also includes beverages and supplements that nourish his body. This package came from a meal service business he checked out yesterday. They offer good deals on their subscription n and Cedric registered himself to it. His timing was great too since they''re offering the first 3 months free of charge to new subscribers. They charge 1000 Demon Souls per month, which was on the more expensive side. That being said, the reviews on their page were good. Of course, that could be faked but Cedric decided to try it out anyway. Cedric at his meals and was deeply satisfied with it. It seems that the reviews they got weren''t faked since this was some good stuff. And to think that he could eat meals of this quality three times a day every day was something he could really get used to. After taking the supplements, Cedric finished his morning routine. Getting out of the shower, he sat on the edge of his bed to think about his ns moving on. ''...right, I still have that box.'' Cedric mused as he yet again opened his Inventory. He took out the Rainbow-colored Treasure Box and inspected it closely in his hands. His senses tried their best to analyze the thing but he didn''t get much out of it. All he could tell was that the box couldn''t be opened through normal means, and it would only react to his DNA. Everything else about the box was an enigma to him. Cedric didn''t concern himself too much about it. He didn''t need to know much about theposition of the box anyway. All he needed from it was the item it would give to him upon opening it. Raising his thumb, he pressed on the sensor in the middle of the box. It then released a brilliant rainbow-colored light, which then converged into a foreign shape thatnded on his hand. When the curtain of light faded, Cedric was astonished to see what he got. "It''s a Restriction Stamp!" He eximed. The ''Restriction Stamp'' was a Tier 1 item. Its purpose was to restrict the target''s movement. It even increases the target''s personal gravity as well to truly make it more difficult for them to move. This stamp wasmonly used to arrest criminals but it could also be used as a training tool. And even though it''s only a Tier 1 item, it is very rare for only people with authority could purchase them. Cedric admired the stamp on his hand, still somewhat in disbelief that he got something like this from the treasure box. This thing would fetch at least 15-20,000 Demon Souls in the shop. The stamp''s value was of course lower than the treasure box itself. After all, the box provides its owners with immediate needs. Still, Cedric wasn''t too concerned about that since he really did get what he needed from it. Brushing his thumb over its interface, the stamp disyed its functions to him. Basically, the Stamp leaves the Restriction Seal on the skin of the target. The user only needs to think about the level of restriction they want before pressing the stamp. Cedric tried it on himself, thinking about adding 0.5 restrictions to his current one. The moment he released the stamp, he immediately felt the difference. He felt a heavy burden pressing on him, permeating deep into his bones. Also, it''s like he''s bound by ropes. Even the act of raising his hand became a little challenging for him. Cedric clenched his hand and nodded to himself. This is exactly what he needed, more pressure which he could use to squeeze out his body''s potential. Even though he was now an A-Rank Superhuman by all means, Cedric was no longer satisfied with just that. He has to aim higher if he wants to be stronger than most. An A Rating for his Body and Energy might be good but Cedric was determined to strive for a great rating. His aim was at least S Rating for his Overall Aptitude. But with the momentum he had, he knew he had a chance to reach the fabled EX Rating. If people were to know of his desires, they''d probably mock him for swallowing more than he could chew. Aiming for an EX Rating was simply a Myth. For most people, such a rating could only be something that you''re born with. No amount of effort or money will get you there. But see, Cedric isn''t exactly normal. The moment he received these eyes, he had long surpassed that realm. It''s also these eyes that pointed him in this direction. The path he''s walking on might be uncertain but it allowed him to transcend a nigh-impossible challenge, did it not? It only brought immense benefits to him so far, so why doubt it? He already had to tools to make it, only his efforts were missing and he got that in spades. This is the main reason why Cedric still refused to increase his level. He wanted to squeeze as much benefit from his Aptitude Ratings as he could to create a firm foundation for his strength. Every Superhuman knows that the Aptitude Rating represents the rate at which the stat grows each time it levels up or advances its ss. The higher one''s Aptitude Rating was, the more power they get each time they increase their strength. Aiming for an EX Overall Rating might seem impossible, but Cedric''s going to try anyway. Back to his training grounds, Cedric held the Training Sword, swinging it here and there, getting used to it while being restricted. ''Even my Internal Breath flow got affected by the restriction.'' Cedric inwardly mused as parts of his consciousness observed his body. Still, he''s already nearly used to 1.5 levels of restriction. Taking up a stance, Cedric cycled through his moves, his body darting across the training ground, leaving sharp gleams of steel in his wake. Cedric could tell that his form was off thanks to the restriction but he didn''t stop. He didn''t even need to focus on it since his body was already correcting itself before he could do so. He paid attention to the flow of his Inner Breath as he moved. Thanks to his sharp senses, he could sense the thin thread of mystical energy coursing through his body. It brought inexplicable warmth andfort to everything it touched. Cedric''s regr breath causes his Inner Breath to move. From his observations, it seems to have a pre-determined path already. That thought got Cedric thinking... ''A path for the Inner Breath...wait!'' Cedric''s eyes widened. Gone was his desire to practice with his sword some more. He even forgot about the restrictions he ced on his body. His multiple thoughtpartments, born out of the ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill, all worked to recall the memories he possessed so far. Cedric doesn''t recall anything about the ¡ºBreathing¡» skill on the forums, much less about Inner Breath. There might be some on upper-tier forums but he has no ess to that since his authority wasn''t high enough just yet. What he had though, was memories of the Godking who was the previous owner of his current eyes. And with all of his skills working in wonders, he remembers all of it with crisp rity, The fundamentalws of his world and Godking''s world might be different but when ites to things like ''Breath'' they bear uncanny simrities. Which made him wonder if his theory works here... In the memories he inherited, the Godking came across numerous Breathing Techniques. He amassed so many that they could fill an entire country''s library with it. The majority of those Breathing Techniques were blurry not just in his memories but for the Godking as well, that is because he didn''t put too much importance on them since he had seen better. But amongst the mountains of Breathing Techniques that the Godking came across, there were five that left a deep impression on him and one that he used to reach the peak... Chapter 18: White Lotus Core

Chapter 18: White Lotus Core

ording to the memories of the Godking, Breathing Techniques are used to cultivate Internal Breath. At its core, Internal Breath is already something that elevates a person''s strength and prolongs their lifespan. Using Breathing Techniques further enhances the gifts that the Internal Breath possesses. From what he could remember, five Breathing Techniques left a deep impression on the Godking. The first one was the [White Lotus Core Technique]. This technique encapstes true neutrality. It allows one''s Internal Breath to be pure and epassing at the same time. This was one of the most sought-after techniques in Godking''s world since it allows its cultivator to adapt to pretty much anything, and that''s not an exaggeration. The second one was the [Boundless Ocean Art]. Those who cultivated this possess monstrous stamina, allowing them to battle for weeks, even straight-up months, nonstop atter levels. This art specializes in umtion and flow. There''s also [Fiend Celestial Art] which allows one to harness the power of Celestial Bodies. They cultivate their art by absorbing Astral Energy or, at itster stages, absorbing stars ands, swallowing their core to improve their strength. Those who practiced their art had extremely strong bodies. They could even survive the explosion of a star directly. The fourth one was the [Immortal Scripture]. This was the most elusive art ording to the Godking. Even with its simple name, the might of the art wasn''t to be questioned. This technique does allow its cultivator to extend their lifespans indefinitely. The only reason why the Godking didn''t choose this was because it wasn''t suitable for his lifestyle. And finally, the technique that the Godking favored above all else, the one he used to ascend to his throne: the [Universal Harmony Art]. The [Universal Harmony Art] allows its cultivator tomune with Nature and Laws, providing them with a deep understanding of it which also allows them to peer through the secrets of the world. Using their knowledge, each move they make bes the movement of the Universe itself. In other words, they turn into a walking and talking force of nature. Of course, there are still other techniques on the Godking''s memories as well. It''s just because these five made a really deep impression on Godking that it became prominent in his memories. After recalling these techniques, it''d be a fat lie if he were to say that he wasn''t tempted. Well, duh! If Cedric could have even a fraction of the Godking''s power, then his life would be infinitely better! That being said, nothing''s for certain right now. Even with the knowledge of each technique memorized in his mind, he still couldn''t tell if they would work in this world since the Laws are different. ''But it''s still worth a try. So long as I''m being careful, then I won''t risk injuring myself.'' The question for him now is, what to choose? Really, any one of those five would be amazing. And since he memorized them all, he knew that he already minimized his chances of making a mistake. Truth to be told, he was gravitating towards the [Immortal Scripture]. It''s just in his nature to care about his life, and the temptation of being Immortal was simply too great for him to ignore. However, based on the Godking''s memories, the [Immortal Scripture] was a pain in the ass to cultivate. It requires tons of mind-boggling resources, some of which might not even exist in the world he''s in. ''Come to think of it, I can only really choose between the [White Lotus Core Technique] and the [Universal Harmony Art]. The other Breathing Techniques require resources that may or may not exist in this world. Choosing them and then knowingter that my progress would be blocked due to theck of resources would be quite depressing.'' Cedric sat down and started weighing his options. ''Since I''m starting this early, I''m pretty much a nk te. Meaning, any of the two should fit me perfectly. But what should I choose?'' He''s having a dilemma over this. Cedric actually found this funny since he still had no clue if they would truly work or not, yet here he was stressing over it. After spending half an hour, pondering over his choices, Cedric ultimately decided to go with the [White Lotus Core Technique]. The [Universal Harmony Technique] was incredibly tempting, especially since Cedric had the memories of the Godking, meaning that he would essentially have his guidance as he practiced it. However, Cedric didn''t want to follow in the footsteps of the Godking. Ultimately, Cedric knows that he''s not the Godking. He might be counted as his sessor but the path they walked wasn''t necessarily simr. They live different kinds of life and what worked for the Godking might not work for him. Cedric trusted his senses for his choice. With them, he was urged to choose the [White Lotus Core Technique]. His ¡ºIntuition¡» practically chanted its name to him. That''s why ultimately decided to choose it. He might be making a mistake here but...he''s willing to shoulder the responsibilities of his choices. ''Alright, I''ve made my choice. Now, it''s time to see if it actually works. Hopefully, it does since it''d be pretty embarrassing if it didn''t.'' Cedric took a deep breath and focused his attention. All of his thoughtpartments were primed. He reviewed the information about the technique he chose, memorizing it by heart in no time. When he was ready, he began operating his Inner Breath ording to the cycle that the technique imparted. The act was painful, especially for a beginner like himself. Just from his initial attempt to control his Inner Breath, he could tell that he was being met with great resistance. This was because his body thought that what he was doing was harmful to itself. After all, he''s disrupting the natural flow of his Inner Breath and that may lead to severe consequences that he might not be able to handle or survive. It''s a defense mechanism of some sort. Cedric didn''t force it then. Instead, he opted to nudge his Inner Breath ording to the path listed on the technique. From his first attempts, Cedric immediately realized that this would take some time but he didn''t mind. At the very least, this method was safer. Unknowingly, Cedric has already been at it for so long. By the time he was done with his first cirction, the sun was already down. Still, judging from his ecstatic look, it was clear that it worked. His entire body was in pain but the thickness of his Inner Breath practically doubled after a single cirction. How could he not be happy about that? With the amount of Inner Breath he has, he practically boosted his overall process by a lot. And that''s just from a single cirction. Yes, he was hurt and tired but that didn''t stop him from celebrating his sess. This also meant that his theory was correct. The elements of breathing from Godking''s world also worked here. He tried to look for any acknowledgment from the System but found nothing. He only saw that his ¡ºInner Breath Mastery¡» reached Lv.2 after that. Cedric doesn''t care though. What''s important to him is that he has discovered another way to improve himself. What Cedric didn''t know was that things could''ve been easier if he removed the Restriction Seal on his body. Remember, the restriction also applies to Inner Breath, making it more challenging to utilize it. That being said, it''s ultimately a benefit that he didn''t do so. After all, this would''ve happenedter anyway. Plus, the restriction boosted his experience at leveling the ¡ºInner Breath Mastery¡» so it was all good. Knowing that he can''t make another attempt at circting his Inner Breath, Cedric decided to stop for today. He was confident that over time, his body would adjust to this activity and he''d be able to circte the technique more than once on a single attempt, but for now, it would be wise to listen to his body. Even though he was just sitting there, Cedric actually felt spent, which was quite a surprise for him. Nevertheless, he didn''t bother too much about it. He returned to his room to have a meal, freshened up, and returned to the training ground to practice his skills. After dedicating a good amount of time to his practice and noticing that his body was already used to the 1.5 Restriction, he added another 0.5, making it a Lv.2 Restriction. He then moved around, immersed himself in the feeling of pressure, and did his best to elerate his adjustment period. Cedric spent a good portion of his stamina with his taxing activities so he returned to his roomter that night. He ate dinner, showered once again, and changed his clothes into a set of pajamas. Laying on his bed, Cedric wore a smile. It seems that he discovered a way to spend his energy effectively. He knew that this wouldn''tst long so while he still could, he''d take advantage of it. That night, Cedric slept peacefully like a baby. Chapter 19: Rumors

Chapter 19: Rumors

"Hey, have you heard?" Harold nudged Cedric''s shoulders. "Heard about what?" Cedric asked back, facing his friend. "They said that there will be visitors," Harold revealed. "It''s been the hot topic these past few days. Apparently, someone heard the wardens talking about it." "Huh...weird. Why would anyone go here willingly? Are you sure that''s what you heard?" "Yeah, man! My ears are sharp you know!" Harold eximed. ''Not as sharp as mine but go on.'' Cedric inwardly thought. "But yeah. I also personally heard it from the wardens so it should be true." Harold added, "I don''t know who''sing through, but whoever they are, I''m certain that they won''t be here for vacation." "...it''s official business then. Don''t get too curious about it. Nothing good wille out of it." Cedric advised. "Yeah, I know." Harold nodded, "I don''t want any trouble either. The same couldn''t be said for others though." Cedric sighed and said: "It''s better to just stay on the sidelines. Let''s just mind our own business." "Right. That''s for the best." Harold agreed. Cedric didn''t reveal that he too had heard about rumors. It''s hard not to with how sharp his senses were. He just didn''t concern himself with it since it''s none of his business. It''s rare for people toe here, willingly that is. Themon people this ce receives are convicts like him, not visitors. And because of this environment, it''s hard to believe that people would want to go here at all. This wasn''t the first time it happened though. There had been a couple of times when the Risk Management Centers entertained visitors in the past, and each time it happened, Cedric made himself scarce. The reason is that people from the other side of these walls don''t look at them in a favorable light. It''s one of the factors that vexed Cedric in the past, now though he couldn''t care less about it. Still, he doesn''t have any ns on making contact with anyone from the outside now. He talked with Harold for some more before they went on their separate ways. Cedric had no clue when the visit would happen and frankly, he didn''t care. He had other matters to attend to and he didn''t have the time to cater to people who didn''t care about his well-being. The same couldn''t be said for others though, but that''s their problem, not his. Cedric was walking slowly towards the ce he imed for himself as his training grounds. He could''ve arrived here faster but right now, he couldn''t. Not with the Lv.3 Restriction Seal he ced on himself that is. His face showed no reaction to it but in reality, he''s having a challenging time even making a simple movement. The restriction seeps all the way to his bones, making it difficult for him to move. Still, Cedric pressed on and endured it. This punishing training hurts him, yes. But it won''t kill him, so it would only make him stronger. Even picking up his sword turns into a challenge with this level of restriction. Even so, Cedric went ahead and did it anyway. He didn''t allow the pain to discourage him. With this, he began swinging his sword as if his life depended on it. Looking closely, one could see a faint light shrouding the entirety of his sword. This is the trace of the ¡ºSword Breath¡» skill, which just turned Lv.2 recently. He can pour his Inner Breath into his sword, making it sharper and tougher. Each swing he made sliced the air. At first, they were clumsy but through his persistent practice, his form gradually corrected itself, making it perfect. After practicing the basics, Cedric would then incorporate his ¡ºFootwork¡» with it. Once again, he would start clumsily but after practicing diligently, his strikes would return to its perfection. This has been the cycle that Cedric was on during the past few days. Each time his body perfectly adjusted to the current level of restriction he put on himself, he would raise it by 0.5 and train until he once again grew used to it. Through this, Cedric''s body was being sculptured to tolerate and adjust to immense levels of stress. Anyone would agree that this was a masochistic kind of training, some would even go as far as to call it a barbaric way of training, but did Cedric care? Obviously, no. They''re not him. They''re not facing a seriously growing and constant threat to their lives at each step of the way. They''re not the ones facing the Endless Undead Horde on their lonesome. So how would they understand? Cedric wasn''t disillusioned. He knows that his Mandatory Service will only get more difficult as time goes on. He had been ruthlessly pped by that reality multiple times now, so how could he forget? The previous victory he imed for himself made himfortable, yes, but not rxed. He earned himself some capital to continue surviving but that''s that. If he doesn''t do anything to that capital, then his situation will turn for the worse again in the blink of an eye, and that''s something he doesn''t want to happen again. Cedric has learned his lesson the hard way before, and that''s enough for him. During his practice, Cedric could tell that the evolved skills he got were growing slower than before, even with the buffs he received from his titles and items. He wasn''t too concerned about it though. He understands that it''s more difficult to level them up since the benefits he receives from them are greaterpared to the previous ones. For example; his ¡ºInner Breath Mastery¡» only reached Lv.3 after a couple of days while he mastered ¡ºBreathing¡» within the same amount of time. That being said, the benefits he received from the former almost matched what he got from thetter, even though it''s only Lv.3. The same could be said for the ¡ºSword Breath¡» skill as well. Due to his extensive training, the level of his ¡ºTolerance¡» skill experienced an explosive rise. This is what his Profile now looks like after a couple of days after clearing his Mandatory Service: * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Jr.Undead yer, Schr, Sword Child Aptitude: Body: A+ Energy: A+ Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: S- Skills: Actives: Sword Breath Lv.2, Kickboxing (M) Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Internal Breath Mastery Lv.3, Smell (M), Multitasking (M), Taste (M), Touch (M), Listening (M), Intuition Lv.5, Footwork (M), Recovery (M), Tolerance Lv.9, Tactics Lv.5 Mandatory Task: Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 Hours. Rewards: 100% Demon Soul gain. Failure: +1 Strike. Current Strike Counter: 0/3 * Almost all of his passive skills had been mastered, filling him with glee each time he looked at it. The best part about it is that he never wasted any Demon Souls on leveling up. He achieved this through sheer effort alone, and that makes him prouder about his progress. While he could certainly start using Demon Souls to increase the level of his other skills, he didn''t feel like doing so. He quite liked the idea that he was refining his mastery of his skills through sheer effort alone. Something about it feels more rewarding to him. And while he certainly has a lot of Demon Souls now, in the face of his growing skills, it''s not a lot. If he were to upgrade the ¡ºSword Breath¡» for example, he would need a whopping 100,000 Demon Souls to increase it to the next level. Why do that when he could achieve the same results after a couple of days'' worth of effort? Plus, it will only get more expensive from that point onwards, so unless he couldn''t think of a way anymore, he wouldn''t consider it. Once he could feel that his skill sword skills weren''t being affected by the restriction anymore, Cedric put his sword away and went under the shade of a tree to sit down. He entered a meditative state and sank his consciousness deep within his body. In there, he discovered his inactive Inner Breath, forming a circle around his heart. Rousing it to activity, he began nudging its movement ording to the path of the [White Lotus Core Technique]. This took a considerable amount of effort to do, and now Cedric was aware of why that was. Once again, it''s because of the Restriction Seal he ced on himself. But even so, Cedric didn''t back off from that difficulty. He faced it and continued his ministrations despite the obvious challenge. With his ¡ºInner Breath Mastery¡» reaching Lv.3, he was now able to cycle his Inner Breath twice a day. Doing that was a lot more difficult with the restriction seal but it did not stop him. As a result of his efforts, the quality and quantity of his Inner Breath grew drastically during these past few days. That being said, it still didn''t count as him earning his first sess at cultivating the ¡ºWhite Lotus Core Technique¡», but he''s getting there. By the time he was done cultivating his Inner Breath, the day was almost over. When he opened his eyes and stretched his body, he stopped abruptly because he sensed several presences within the edge of his senses. ''Are those the people they''re talking about?'' Chapter 20: Lifestyle Guild

Chapter 20: Lifestyle Guild

"Ugh...do we really need to be here?" "Endure it. We''re here on official business. Do your jobs right and on time, then we''ll be out here as soon as possible." "Yes, Captain." Along the rocky road, a vehicle drove forward, carrying several people in it. These people wore unique sets of uniforms that had a mixture of white and blue themes. Badges could be seen attached on the right side of their chest and each person carried some hint of dignity on their person. Looking outside the vehicle, they could see the bright sunlight illuminating the breathtaking view of the Blue Jewel Valley. There were lush trees surrounding them, the atmosphere was damp but not ufortable. This ce exudes the kind of beauty that could not be seen in civilizations made out of concrete, yet for some reason, the people who are in the vehicle couldn''t bring themselves to admire the ce fully. Some of them wore impassive expressions while others openly wore displeased an expression on their faces. From this, it was clear that they did not like where they were going. Inwardly, some of themmented the fact that such a beautiful ce like this now serves as a prison for criminals. What makes it worse is that they are forced toe here on official business. If they were to be asked, none of them would even want to waste even a single second on this ce. The wise decision was to stay as far away as possible. But like what was mentioned earlier, they have to, or else, they''ll lose their jobs. After a couple more minutes of traveling, the vehicle approached the tall and sturdy walls of the Risk Management Center. The Captain and his crew scrutinized the walls, seemingly in deep thought as they did so. "...tch, it looks fine the way it is. They''re just wasting time by calling us here." One of the crewmatesined out loud after a brief inspection. The Captain of the crew looked at the guy whoined and said: "You''re awfullyining a lot for someone who''s just new to this whole thing." Instantly, the man froze and his face paled facing the cold and impassive expression of his Captain. "S-Sir I just-" "Shut the fuck up." The Captain coldly remarked, causing the guy''s mouth to instantly close shut. "I don''t want to hear any of your shit. You''re already under close observation due to your behavior. Run your mouth again and I might just decide to leave you in the RMC. Let''s see if your n can bail you out of there." "..." Despite wanting to retort to the statement, the guy wisely chose to keep his mouth shut instead and lower his head in submission. He''s not about to challenge his Captain''s authority, especially now that they''re on official business. The guy heard someone snorting behind him and it incensed him, but he didn''t dare to raise his head. He could still feel the re of their Captain on him. "As I was saying before. We''re here on official business." The Captain started his briefing. "This branch of the Risk Management Center called us to inspect the protective formation of this ce. ording to the reports, our responsibilities would be centered around maintenance." "Should we find that the formation needs repair, we shall also fix it as soon as we can." "Now, I know all of you aren''t fond of this ce." The Captain roamed his eyes on his team before continuing, "I understand that. Frankly, I too don''t want to be here." "But this is included in our job description. We are part of the Heavenly Seal Branch of the Lifestyle Guild. The formation built around the Risk Management Centers isn''t meant to protect its prisoners. Instead, it protects us and the innocent lives within the nearest civilization to this ce." "Should any of the prisoners sumb to their failure, they would turn into a ''Node'' - an entrance which Demons could then use to infiltrate Prime Earth and ughter many lives. Maintaining the protective formation around this ce bolsters its defense, meaning that we will be lowering the risk towards the innocent lives out there." "Like I said before, we''re here on official business. We will go in, do our jobs cleanly and properly, then get out. Just like you, I don''t want to be here any longer than necessary so I am expecting everyone to be on their best behavior and do their responsibilities properly. Are we clear?" "Yes, Captain!" "Good! Now, do yourst-minute Inventory check and we will enter the facility." The team then moved ording to the orders of their captain. They performed a drill to check their tools and once they confirmed that they had everything, the Captain told the driver to enter the facility. As soon as they entered, they could immediately feel how the atmosphere changed around them. The crewmates gulped, sensing the tension in the air. Those who were more sensitive to their environment felt the sheer desperation and madness in this ce. It made their skin crawl. As the vehicle parked and the crew got the order toe down, some of them felt hesitant to do so. Even their Captain looked solemn about the idea but went ahead and did it anyway. Once they got out of the car, they were approached by a squad of wardens who looked quite intimidating. Each warden wore a hardened expression. They also looked incredibly alert, like their war instinct could be provoked by a single wrong move. Leading these intimidating soldiers was a tall man biting on a cigar. He was bulky and scary, the scar on his face was certainly not helping with people''s initial impressions of him. He had cleanly swept ck hair, thick brows, a squarish jaw, a bulky nose, thick lips, and a tanned skinplexion. He''s built like a bear, he''s also wearing a fur cape on top of his military uniform. "Wee to the Risk Management Center: Blue Jewel Valley Branch." The scary man said, his voice carrying a deep bass that almost shook them to their soul. "Greetings, General Brightstone." The Captain greeted politely facing the freakish man. "I serve as the Chief Warden here so Chief Lucas or Chief Brightstone would do," Lucas replied, exhaling a puff of smoke as he spoke. "It''s been a while, Little Gustavio. I heard that you have a brat now?" The Captain smiled and replied: "Indeed, Chief. My wife recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy. I''m surprised you heard about it..." "You forget that your wife was one of my students. She''s the one who told me." Lucas shrugged, causing the Captain to smile wryly. "Anyway, so that means that makes him Gustavio IV, then?" The captain had to prevent himself from choking after hearing that question. He certainly wasn''t expecting the Chief to know about this weird quirk of their family, yet here he is. "..." Seeing as how the Captain was having a difficult time replying was all the confirmation Lucas needed. He bellowed out aughter which could almost be heard echoing to the entire center. He even nearly dropped his cigar from how hard he wasughing. The Captain wanted to find a hole that he could use to bury himself alive. He certainly wasn''t expecting to be grilled like this, not especially in front of his team. He felt like his reputation had taken a full-on dive in the mud. "My bad, my bad!" Lucas huffed thest bits of hisughter. "You have one hell of a weird family I tell you that. Anyway, the pleasantries are over. Let''s move on to official business. Follow me to my office." After saying that, Lucas turned around and started walking deeper into the territory of the center where his office was. The crew was then escorted, well...more like surrounded protectively by the squad of wardens. Before they could go far, however, Lucas suddenly halted his steps and faced them. With a hardened expression, he told them: "Oh and uh, do try to not wander around too much here." He warned. "Keep a tight leash on your curious nature because that might kill you here." "This ce is filled with crazy motherfuckers, if you can''t tell that already." He continued, "As much, as I couldn''t care less about your well-being, I don''t want you brats to die here. It''d be a pain to exin that to my supervisors so consider yourselves warned." "On the other hand, if you''re confident about your abilities, feel free to disregard my warnings. You won''t be in trouble even if you identally killed one of these fuckers lurking around here." "But remember, if you can kill them, they sure as hell can kill you too. And unlike you, most of the crazy fuckers here have nothing to lose, so consider that before doing some meandering." "Anyways, I won''t be held responsible if you lose your lives here. After all, I''ve already warned you. If you want to ensure your safety, make sure that you''re always around a warden or two. That''s the best advice I could give you." "Well, then...let''s go." Chapter 21: Visit of the Vexing Vixen

Chapter 21: Visit of the Vexing Vixen

The atmosphere within the Risk Management Center was a little weird today... It is unusually quiet and serene, a stark differencepared to how it usually was. The convicts themselves were also acting a little weird. They''re jolly, well put, and looked ''friendly'' for some reason. All the more reason why the wardens were staying away from them. Some of the newly hired wardens felt weirded out by the sudden changes of the ce while the ones who had been here for a couple of years acted as if they didn''t see anything. The veterans tried to warn the new blood, telling them to act normally and not let out any important information. Unfortunately, some of the convicts cannot be underestimated. They used all means of getting out information about the ''visitors'' from the weak-willed wardens without them being the wiser. Speaking of the ''Visitors'', currently doing their rounds at the walls, doing their jobs as cleanly and as fast as possible. Although they''re wearing disciplined expressions, judging from their stiff postures, it was faintly clear that they''re ufortable. It was only thanks to the experienced wardens that they haven''t been touched yet but the crazed motherfuckers of this ce. They have been receiving all kinds of looks from the moment they arrive. Even when they''re by themselves, they can still distinctly feel the gaze of someone. It''s as if someone was watching them at all times. Don''t get these people wrong, they do like attention from time to time, the problem is where it''sing from. The gazes that the convicts gave to them made their skin crawl. It gives the impression that they''re very lucky to have escorts because if they didn''t have them, they would''ve been stripped clean of their belongings and forced to give in to all sorts of unreasonable demands of these demented people. In truth, they''re generalizing. Not everybody here was that bad. The majority of them do though, and that doesn''t really help. And it''s not like those who were of sane mind could me them. After all, all of them are in desperate straits here, some are just unabashed and unapologetic while using their means to survive, even if it means terrorizing and traumatizing the innocent. Also, they couldn''t me the visitors even if they were generalizing. After all, this ce isn''t for the sane of mind. This ce is worse than any mental asylum out there. Still, even under these ufortable environments, the ''visitors'' tried their absolute best to do their work. Upon further expectation, the formations etched on the walls were a little outdated. It wasn''t in a terrible condition, but its ws were exposed. Should they be triggered, then any of these ws would cause the formation to shut downpletely, meaning that the convicts would have more reason to act on their survival instincts. Of course, that is something that they need to rectify, especially after seeing how this ce operates. That being said, this also means that they would have to stay here longer than they wanted to. They didn''t like it of course but...duty calls. "Captain, how long do you reckon it would take for us topletely fix this thing?" One of the crewmates asked. "...three days earliest, a week at max." Captain Gustavo replied after thinking for a bit. The entire crew then sighed, not liking that. Even so, there''s nothing they could do other than their best. The faster they do their jobs, the sooner they can leave this ce. "Thank god for the Wardens. Like, really. I''m so thankful for them." One of the crewmates mumbled, "If they weren''t around us at all times, we would for sure have a more difficult time in this ce." This guy spoke softly but his voice could still be heard clearly within the room. They guessed that the wardens also might''ve heard it as well. The wardens assigned to them were just outside the room after all. Still, nobody seems to mind that since it''s not like they insulted them. In fact, it''s the opposite. "They look cruel though, but that''s apliment! Especially considering where they''re stationed. Ironically, their stoic faces make me feel a bit of peace." "I don''t particrly care about their face, so long as they could keep us safe from the prisoners of this ce, I''ll be d for their service." "Hey, should we...you know? Give them something?" "What? Like a bribe?" "Yeah! Cause, you know! What if...just what if, you know? I think it would be better if we do that." The crew then looked at their Captain to ask for his opinion. Gustavio on the other hand just shrugged and said: "Up to you. I''m not familiar with how this ce works either. But it wouldn''t hurt to try. That being said things should be fine the way it is. Just remember Chief Lucas'' warnings and you''ll be good." Gustavio truly didn''t have a say in their idea. Like he said, it''s up to his team if they want to do that. He doesn''t mind either way. Unlike them, Gustavio was strongly confident that nothing would happen to them so long as they followed the advice of the Chief. He knows that the wardens were already briefed by that man and considering his reputation, they wouldn''t dare to ck off on their duty. Lucas Brightstone didn''t earn the title of a ''General'' for absolutely nothing. Gustavio saw him personally and could tell that everything he heard about the man was true. That''s why he''s not scared at all. Moreover, Gustavo isn''t weak. He''s a certified Tier 3 expert who received tutge from an esteemed academy. He''s also abat specialist despite joining the Lifestyle Guild. When pushes to shove, he wouldn''t mind getting rough against people. But that''s of course, hisst resort. So long as he''s not provoked, then he shall not provoke either. That''s his rule. "Oh my...what an arousing sight!" The entire crew shuddered in rm as they heard a foreign voice echoing across the room. They immediately huddled together and searched for the origin of the voice. "My, my. No need to be on guard! I don''t bite. Well, that''s unless you''re into that of course!" They heard muffled sounds of steel right before the hatch above the room fell. Then, a shadow dropped from the ceiling,ing down from the opened hatch. When the shadowy veil disappeared, it revealed a blood-curdling yet strangely arousing sight for the men to feast on. The stranger was a fiendishly alluring woman who was as bare as the day she was born. She stood there in the middle of the room, standing confidently in her naked glory. Her devilish smile widened upon hearing the audible gulps from her targets. Even the Captain of the crew had to bite his lips hard to keep himself from gawking at her naked body. "Like what you see?" The woman coquettishly asked, teasing the poor men even more by slowly and alluringly running her fingertips at her sensual curves. "Don''t hold back." Her sweet voice echoed in their ears, sounding like the devil''s whisper. "You can touch me...and feel me up. I certainly won''t mind. It''s been a while since I felt the warmth of a man...and I''m not lying when I say that I crave it...sooo much!" Oh, she got the reaction that she wanted alright. Their eyes were on her, locked and loaded with all sorts of thoughts that were leaking with the way they followed her movements. Biting her lips, she ran her hands on her breasts, fondling them and moaning unabashedly, causing an intense reaction from the men in front of her. "Boo hoo...I''m so lonely...mnn! My hands aren''t doing it for me anymore. I want...I need you! All of you...hmm? Won''t you apany me, Gentlemen?" And as if her act wasn''t already arousing enough, she went down on her hands and knees, then she began crawling towards them, swinging her hips seductively as she looked at them one by one with a pitiful and longing expression. "Please? Touch me? Feel me up? You can do anything...I mean anything, you want to me...I just need you to warm me up! Please? Daddies?" One guy almost caved into his desires, but that''s when the doors suddenly swung open. A figure then dashed and appeared directly above the crawling woman. It was one of the wardens who were stationed outside. Hearing themotion, he entered and immediately raised his fist, knocking to woman unconscious with a blow to her head. He hits her hard enough to cause a small crack on the floor, and he doesn''t look apologetic about it. Not even a little bit. While the crew was still reeling about the sudden change, the warden lifted the naked woman and threw her by his shoulders, carrying her like a sack of potatoes. They then heard the warden whisper: "Fucking horny bitch! I swear I put something to prevent her from using the vents! How did she even bypass that without raising an rm?" His partner then rushed inside and bowed at the men, saying: "I apologize for that. We''ll make sure it won''t happen again." After saying that, they left the men on their own to tend to their painful erections. Chapter 22: Side-Effects

Chapter 22: Side-Effects

Suffice it to say, the day after that event was awkward for the crew. Out of all the things they''ve expected to happen whilst they''re here, they certainly weren''t expecting that. Hell, they didn''t even know that a woman of that caliber was being kept here, and the fact that all of them got affected by her seductive charm certainly didn''t help. "Man! I''d hate to be those guys right now. They look like they''re in pain." "Who?" "The visitors, I mean." "What happened?" "Emilia happened." One of the convictsughed out loud. The fact that most men around him immediately understood what he meant was hrious. "Oh, so that''s why I couldn''t see her around. Where did they take her, anyways?" "My guess is probably the Istion Chambers. Don''t worry, she''s used to it by now. It''s the first time she''d be in there anyway. If anything, that''d just make her crazier than before." "Did you hear what she do to them?" "No, but it''s Emilia so I think everyone knows that already." "Yep. She probably visited them in all of her naked glory. From the faces of our dead visitors, it seems that they''re very affected too. They probably got blue balled by the wardens though." "Well, that''s for the best." One of the convicts replied while smiling wryly. "If they went all the way, they''d probably be sucked dried at this point, reduced to nothing but dried corpses." Right, this is something that Emilia would do. Her ss was a rare one but not in a good way. ''Seductive Dominatrix'' that''s the name of her ss. It''s the Humans'' version of a Subus. Her powers are borderline irresistible for men and men at heart. This wasn''t the first time that she capitalized on her womanly charms to get what she wanted. In fact, that''s what she did for a living before she got admitted here. Her ss, as one might''ve already realized at this point, isn''t fit forbat at all. Emilia herself can fight but against Demons? She''s helpless. Her seductive charms don''t work on Demons either. If anything, it only angers them even more. The one thing factor that Emilia wanted to capitalize on, was the skill ''Essence Drain'' that she got from her ss. Each time she consumes her victim - by sucking them dry of their manly essence, she can raise her stats permanently. This meant that she had an effective way to increase her Aptitude Rating without needing to buy elixirs or train like there''s no tomorrow. That being said, the higher she wants her aptitude rating to be, the more victims she needs. What makes her worse is the fact that she''s a known sexual offender, a deviant through and through. She''s also a little insane on the head, so most men avoid her like the gue. Her information was widely known here because of her loose lips, not the lower one of course. She makes no effort to hide who she is. In fact, if you straight up ask her, she would exin it to you in clear detail while making you ufortable. That''s just how she rolls. "But how did she exactly get close to them? I can''t imagine the wardens simply letting her through them." "Well, they certainly didn''t. I heard that she used the vents to go to their room. She actually nearly seeded too, truly a frightening woman!" "Really? The wardens didn''t block those? And here I thought they already learned their lesson..." "Except that they actually did...you know, block those vents." One of them replied, "I heard that they even ced rms that will be triggered should those blockages be disturbed." "Right, that''s what I heard too. The wardens also have no idea how she did it. They only knew that she did somehow manage to bypass their rms to traumatize our poor visitors." "Damn! She''s really too fierce. What a woman!" "Hey, do you think we should tell them about the side-effects of Emilia''s charm?" "Eh, I don''t think there''s a need to." One of the convicts replied while scratching his bald head. "I mean, that wardens must''ve already informed them." Unfortunately for the crew, the wardenspletely forgot to tell them about that specific thing. On the side of the crew, Captain Gustavio was rubbing his temples in stress and irritation while looking at his absent-minded colleagues... "Guys! What the fuck is up with you!?" He roared to get their attention. "First, you all wake upte! Second, you keep forgetting your tools and finally, you keep messing up even with the simplest orders! What''s happening to you? Why are you acting like an old man who''s experiencing dementia!?" His team couldn''t help but lower their heads in embarrassment. None of them could even refute his words because every single one he said was true. The worst part about this is that they don''t know what''s up either. All they could tell was that their bodies seemed to have something against them. On a more embarrassing note, the truth is that they keep remembering what happenedst night. Really, it''s so shameful but they just can''t seem to keep Emilia''s figure out of their minds. Each time they closed their eyes, they could see her silhouette. Her bewitching voice kept echoing in their ears and tantalizing eyes kept them from functioning normally. What they didn''t know is that this was the side-effect of falling to Emilia''s charms. Once they''re hooked, there''s very little they can do to keep their hands to themselves. Their body and mind will continuously keep searching and yearning to be with her. The stronger their attraction was, the crazier this gets. The only way they could wlessly resist her is if they were stronger than her or if they used some medicine that could clear their mind of any outside influence. But judging by how they''re reacting, it''s clear that they''re not the lord''s strongest soldiers. Captain Gustavo wasn''t affected because he was a certified Tier 3 expert. Emilia was only at Tier 2 Lv.8, so her passive charm didn''t have any effect on him. Sadly though, because nobody informed him so far, he too doesn''t know that Emilia''s charm was still affecting his team. "You keep messing up like this and we will prolong our stay here! Don''t tell me you actually want that!?" He yelled at his crew. He seems to think that they''re lowering their heads because of their poor performance. If only he could see the way their eyes gleamed when they heard about the prospects of staying here longer, they''d probably know that something was up....both mentally and physically. "We will take a 10-minute break." The captain sighed, "I want you all to clear your heads properly. When we return here, I expect you all to do your jobs properly. Am I clear?" "Loud and clear, Sir!" After that, the team then dispersed to take care of their business. Captain Gustavo remained at the site while the others were scattered off to different ces. Their minds were so muddled that they failed to notice how everyone else was acting weird, save the Captain of course. Unbeknownst to them, they''re starting to scheme against each other. Their ultimate goal was Emilia...to touch her, bed her, and be with her for as long as they could. Try as they might, deep down they can''t fight what they feel. They can''t resist her allure, especially not when she obviously begged for them unabashedly in the middle of that room. The one who had it the worst was that one guy who nearly took actionst night. His name is Fallon. In his hazed consciousness, he was feeling extremely bitter. His inner alpha was wailing in despair. Why did that warden have to enter that time? He was about to im her as his right then and there! Why did that warden have to hit her and take her away? His poor omega woman who''s longing for his touch and warmth...he wondered about her horrible state at this wretched ce and couldn''t help but feel extremely bitter. ''God! Why wasn''t I born with a good nose! If only my sense of smell was strong, then I might''ve been able to track where they took my woman! Her smell...ooh! Her smell!'' Fallon wasn''t aware that his face already be extremely lecherous as he recalled what Emilia smelled like. He even subconsciously shifted in his seat, trying to make his hardening problem a little morefortable. His mind already wandered far from what he was supposed to do when all of a sudden, he saw something at the corner of his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and looked outside the window. They''re inside the walls right now and are pretty high up, allowing him to see the majority of the scenery below. Down there, just behind the lush forest, there was a clearing. Fallon saw a man wearing the same clothes as the convicts here. The blonde man was swinging his sword repeatedly. Fallon''s eyes gleamed. This wasn''t the first time that he had seen this guy. And from his observations so far, this man always stays upte from his practice. An idea blossomed in his mind, a creepy smile appeared on his face as he whispered: "Good, you would do just fine as a sacrifice to my reunion with my beloved." Chapter 23: Madness

Chapter 23: Madness

In his training ground, Cedric remained focused on his goals, mostly unaware and uncaring about what was happening around the center. Well, he had some idea at least, it was difficult for him not to notice anything with how sharp all of his senses were but he didn''t care about it and was also not curious at all so he didn''t know everything. What interested him though, was the work those visitors of theirs were doing to the walls of this ce. Don''t get him wrong, he''s not entertaining the idea of escaping from here. If this was before he got these eyes, then he probably would, but then again he''d be too weak to do anything so he''d just be dejected about it. Cedric was sound in mind, he knows and epts that he is a risk to society and he''s not someone who would want to endanger the lives of innocent people just to make himselffortable. What interests him the most was the job of their supposed visitors. He had seen them of course, and although he didn''t analyze everything about them using his senses, he knew enough to know that most of them weren''tbat-oriented. He had seen their badges, and after searching the web, he discovered that they were from the Lifestyle Guild, particrly in the Heavenly Seal Branch. The Lifestyle Guild was an organization created for people who didn''t receive abat-oriented Job ss, such as; Merchants, cksmiths, Alchemists, Tailors, Miners, Farmers, Oracles, and so on... This organization stood to protect them and contribute to society because even though its members couldn''t actively participate in the fight against Demons, their services were too valuable to ignore. The Heavenly Seal Branch, on the other hand, are the Inscriptionists of the guild. They are the experts when ites to Mystical Languages such as; Runes, Arrays, Formations, etc. Blue Jewel Valley''s branch of the Risk Management Center probably called them for maintenance. That electric current, which was rumored to be strong enough to fry even Tier 3 experts to a crisp in mere seconds, was the result of a formation built within the walls. This group was most likely here to perform maintenance to it. And that''s what got Cedric interested. He wants to learn more about Inscriptions. It wasn''t so much of a desire to be one of them of course. This was mostly his curiosity urging him on. He just wants to know more about it since he''s always eager to learn more but it''s not a necessity for him. He can obviously make do without it. There''s also the System Shop for that, but he knows that they won''t sell introductory books in there since it''s avable to the public anyway. Sadly, he''s not in public right now, he''s in prison, so he doesn''t have ess to it. Anyway, Cedric didn''t think much about it. It wasn''t a big deal. His goal still remains the same with or without it. Since he doesn''t have ess to it, he might as well focus on what he has. "Whew..." Cedric opened his eyes, pupils gleaming slightly as he did so. He released a breath which caused a gust of wind to disturb his surroundings for a bit. He ced his sword away and took out a towel to wipe his sweat off. Practicing using his sword while under a Lv.5 Restriction was truly draining. It was hard for him to move at all, yet at the same time, it was also rewarding. He could feel his body adjusting to the pressure in real time and he could also feel himself getting strong. It''s still unknown how explosive his overall power would be should he release the restriction, but he could tell that it would be quite astonishing. He should really try it out sometime. "Hmm?" Cedric paused in his actions. He sensed a presence nearby. Frowning, he unfolded his field of senses and saw who the intruder was. It was a man who was wearing the uniform of the Heavenly Seal Branch of the Lifestyle Guild. Even though it''s currently dark around, Cedric could clearly see his expression. His ¡ºIntuition¡» rmed him about the man''s behaviors, and as such, he didn''t hold back and released the full might of his senses to analyze everything about this man. From the man''s expression, his walking and breathing pattern, how much he sweated in anticipation, his quickening pulse, his dted pupils that seemed distracted...nothing escaped Cedric''s senses. Cedric''s frown deepened as he realized that this man had most likely escaped the watch of the wardens. And that got him confused for a couple of seconds. ''Why would he do that? Wasn''t he warned about what kind of ce this is?'' After that thought though, Cedric shook his head. No, it''s impossible for them to not be warned. These are no kids, they are adults with sound minds, even before arriving here, they should already know what they''re getting themselves into. ''Yet, why? Why did he ditch his escort?'' Cedric then recalled a certain rumor around the center. He didn''t know everything about it, he just heard snippets. Something about them being harassed by a sexual deviant... ''Oh shit!'' Cedric''s eyes widened upon realizing it. ''Emilia! She did to them!'' Of course, Cedric knows about Emilia. How could he not when he had be her target once upon a time? Recalling his memories of those times was embarrassing for him. He suffered greatly because of her. Thankfully though, he coincidentally discovered a way to resist her charms. ''But that''s weird...they should be warned about thesting effects of her charm, but looking at this guy...'' Cedric was once again confused. Were the wardens really that sloppy? They can''t be right? Especially under the supervision of the current Chief? There''s just no way! But...why is this guy still like this? ''Oh, I''m not looking forward to this.'' Cedric scratched his head and pursed his lips in displeasure. It''s also toote to escape now so he could only confront this. "Hey, you!!" A deep and ragged voice sounded in his ears. From the nearby shrubs, the man from the Heavenly Seal Crew appeared. He was looking at him with a fake smile, but Cedric obviously didn''t fall for it. "Yeah, what''s up?" Cedric asked. "I need...I need Emilia! Tell me where she is!" The man demanded, causing Cedric to groan in irritation already. ''Oh, he''s too far gone. This is bad. How did he even know her name? Did she tell them?'' Cedric inwardlyined. "Emilia, who?" Cedric feigned ignorance. Not wanting to deal with this at all. "Who? Who!? What do you mean ''Who''!?" The man agitatedly eximed, "Emilia! The most beautiful and alluring woman that ever graced this wretched ce! The fairest and sexiest maiden of them all! My one true love and vixen! How can you not know who she is!!? Are you an idiot!? You must be blind!" "..." Cedric was speechless. Really, he''s actually speechless. "Actually, it would be better if you were blind! Because if you are, then you wouldn''t see how beautiful she is and wouldn''t be attracted to her as well! That means I wouldn''t need to deal with you at all! Ha! Hahaha! My god, I am so smart! But you can see...that''s not good! I need to remedy that. Sorry buddy, you made me do this!" ''...wow!'' Cedric was really stunned with how that went from 0 to a 100 real quick. Man, Emilia was truly something else, huh? "Trust me, man. You are not that guy." Cedric sneered. "You really don''t want to do this. Snap out of it." "Oh yeah?" The man sneered back, "You can talk some shit, but you''re just a mere criminal. How can you everpare to someone such as I? Enough talk, time for your eyes to go, Bud!" The man then yelled and charged at Cedric. And Cedric, for all that it''s worth, just sighed at the man''s irrationality. Cedric was of course not threatened at all. He only needed one nce at the man to tell that he''d never killed anyone before. Even the way he''s holding his dagger is too clumsy, but that might also be a result of his lust-addled mind. Just as he was starting to get tired of waiting, the man arrived close enough to him. He raised his dagger but Cedric simply tilted his head aside, looking bored and so done. Then, he moved slightly to the man''s side, he then tripped the man and pped his dagger away as he was falling. The mannded on the ground with a loud thud, frozen in disbelief for a few seconds, looking as if he couldn''t ept what just happened. Cedric could almost hear his thoughts, but he simply had no desire to do so. He had seen enough already. Trying to get up, the man''s wind was suddenly knocked out of his lungs when Cedric kicked him at his sides. Now, lying on his back, the man froze as he felt Cedric stepping on his chest. He then saw Cedric''s chilling re and felt cold steel pressed on his neck. Before he even realized what was going on, a sword was already pointed at his neck. And just before Cedric moved his hand to cut off the man''s head, they heard a shout nearby: "STAY YOUR HAND!!!" Chapter 24: Shock Therapy

Chapter 24: Shock Therapy

"STAY YOUR HAND!!!" Cedric sighed and looked at the source of that voice. He paused his movement but made no effort to change it either, meaning that if he really wanted to, he could still easily kill the man beneath him. Several people appeared in front of him. Cedric figured that this should be a colleague of this poor excuse of a man. Gustavio looked at Cedric nervously. When that pair of cold and emotionless golden eyesnded on him, the man couldn''t help but feel a shudder running through his spine. Behind him was a group of wardens who were just as nervous as he was. The moment they saw what was happening, they instantly knew that they were in deep shit right now. Inwardly, they were praying that Cedric wasn''t as crazy as the rest, or else, things would be messy. "P-Please! Can we talk about this? I don''t know what my colleague did to you but please don''t kill him! I-I''m willing topensate in exchange for his life!" Gustavio pleaded while sweating a bit. Cedric raised a brow and sneered: "Hoh? Is that so? Then, can you legally get me out of here as soon as you can?" "..." Gustavio froze on the spot, unable to say anything in front of those demands. Even the guards behind him facepalmed at his stupidity. They couldn''t me him though. Something like this wasn''t an everyday urrence, there''s no way he could''ve prepared for something like this. "...as expected, you can''t right? Next time, don''t be impulsive especially when you don''t know who you''re dealing with." Cedric sneered at the man. "Release me, you bufoon! You! Wardens! What are you doing? Apprehend this fool! Can''t you see what he''s doing? Don''t just stand there like idiots! Tell him to release me! I want to- no! I need to go! I can''t waste time here! Emilia''s waiting for me!" "Fallon, you-!!" Gustavio was stunned, the guards behind him were also stunned. While the former was still confused, thetter was enlightened. Finally, they''re starting to understand what''s happening here. "...this is getting annoying." Cedric droned. He then raised his foot and kicked Fallon in the temples, shocking the onlookers. Fallon''s eyes rolled at the back of his head, losing his consciousness. After doing that, Cedric lifted his foot and looked at them once more. "I''m sure you guys understand what happened here." He then looked at Gustavo and continued: "You on the other hand might be confused." "..." "I''m pretty sure that nobody has informed you about this yet, but the woman you encountered, Emilia, her charm is a passive skill that is deadly to all men and men at heart. Its effects don''t end even when she''s out of your sight. It will linger and cause those who are already attracted to her, to go crazy. They will keep yearning for her up to the point of absolute desperation." "!!!" Gustavio shook in his ce upon this revtion. "You aren''t affected since you''re way stronger than her, but this guy? He''s nuts. He came to me plotting something. He wanted to use me and bring him to her. Obviously, I can''t do that so things ended up like this. You got it now?" "...I see." Gustavio muttered. Now, things are finally making sense to him. So that''s why everybody has been so distracted earlier. "I don''t know why the wardens haven''t informed you about this, but that''s no longer my fault." Cedric sighed, the people behind Gustavio on the other hand stiffened up at his remark. "There are ways to get rid of Emilia''ssting influence in their mind. The first method is to kill her of course." That got him shocked looks from his audience. He shrugged and said: "What? I mean, Emilia can simply get rid of it, but knowing how crazy that bitch has be, do you honestly think she would do that willingly? No, right? Killing her would obviously get rid of it, so that''s your first option." "..." the wardens couldn''t refute his words at all. Deep down, they knew he wasn''t lying at all. "The second method is by hiring a skilled Superhuman to deal with it. Unfortunately, that can get a little expensive and would take some time to happen. Mind you, the longer this goes, the crazier it gets. So I don''t rmend it." "Finally, the simplest method to deal with it is to throw her victims butt-naked into a freezing Ice Bath. I mean, that''s how we dealt with it. It''s a horrible experience but it works just fine. If they''re still affected even after that, then throw them there again. Do it enough times until theypletely wake up." After exining his piece, Cedric started walking away. "It''s up to you on which method to pick. Either way, it doesn''t concern me." Cedric didn''t want to stay here any longer, but then he sensed something happening within his field of senses which made him pause in his tracks. He looked back at them and said: "You left the rest of them unattended, now they''re no longer holding back. I suggest you people return as quickly as possible or else, Emilia would raise hell in there." "Shit! Shit!" The wardens started cursing obscenely like veteran sailors after realizing what they had done. They immediately took out their devices and started dialing theirrades in panic. Meanwhile, Gustavo gingerly picked the unconscious Fallon up, carrying him like a sack of potatoes on his shoulder. When he stood up, Cedric was no longer there. It''s as if he was just a ghost. Smiling wryly, he sighed in relief. That was a close call just now. Thankfully, Cedric wasn''t a crazy one, or else, Fallon might''ve been dead the moment he found them. ''Shit! What a mess! I need to look after the rest of the team as well. Hopefully it''s not toote yet!'' Gustavio was reminded of his present situation so he immediately ran after the guards. He has to be there or else, the wardens might just kill the rest of his colleagues for what they''re about to do. *** After that messy night, the Heavenly Seal crew spent the majority of the day undergoing shock therapy. They raised quite a ruckusst night. They nearly reached the cell where Emilia was being held. If it weren''t for Cedric''s early warnings, they might''ve actually seeded. Things would''ve gotten a lot more hectic then. Thankfully, it was averted. After giving him such a headache, Gustavo unceremoniously threw them all into a freezing bath, shocking them awake after they got knocked out by the wardens. At first, they didn''t know what was happening but nobody cared. Gustavo, with the help of the guards, forced every single one of them to be submerged from head to toe under that freezing pool to clear their minds properly andpletely get rid of Emilia''s remaining hold of them. The majority of the team ''woke up'' after their first dip. Unlike the others, their attraction towards her didn''t run deep so they managed to shake it off easily with the help of the Ice Bath. Fallon and two other guys, however, needed to be drowned. Like, actually drowned, in the Ice Bath before they began showing signs of rity. When asked, the wardens exined that these three had it really bad and this was the only way. Gustavio then recalled the casual conversation he had with his team before. They talked about their preference for women, and coincidentally, these three had the same type. Emilia happens to possess the qualities they''re looking for so it made sense that they got instantly hooked upon seeing her for the first time. These three idiots were deeply snared by her charms, that''s why they needed more sessions in the Ice Bath. Still, by the end of the day, everybody had enough. With their minds cleared once more, they shuddered after realizing what happened to them. And that only made them more terrified of this ce. To think that this ce was hiding something like that... They were obviously relieved that Emilia was locked deep within the Istion Chambers and would not be allowed to get out until they left this ce. Additionally, they were also d that this whole fiasco wouldn''t be med on them. Gustavio then asked the wardens why he wasn''t informed about this earlier and the exnation he got was barely satisfactory. Apparently, the wardens who were assigned to them the night Emilia got to them, were scheduled to have a vacation the day after. They were looking forward to that so much that they slipped up in their jobs, forgetting about Emilia''s abilities altogether. They assured him, however, that those two guards would be fired as soon as their paid vacation was over. Chief Lucas himself said so, so he could only let it go. Because of this event, the team''s stay in this ce got extended for one more day despite their obvious displeasure. Nevertheless, it''s to be expected that from that day onwards, none of them left without the wardens as escorts anymore. Especially Fallon who nearly died at the hands of a convict. Chapter 25: Ki

Chapter 25: Ki

[AN: ''Inner Breath Mastery'' will now be referred to as ''Ki Mastery'', it''s cause thetter is easier to type. Also, ''Sword Breath'' will now be referred to as ''Sword Ki''. That''s all, enjoy the chapter.] *** Swoosh! The wind whistled as Cedric swung his sword. His body was drenched his sweat as he freely went through each motion with machine-like precision. His Training Sword gleamed with a very faint white light but make no mistake. Although this was all but faint, this light possessed a power that elevated Cedric''s attacks to the next level. As his figure blurred through the training grounds, he left behind a trail of silvery light which flowed fluidly like water. His sword never faced any resistance no matter how much he swung it. Each move he did was trained to perfection, all are connected as well, making it look like he was dancing. After finishing his 101st cycle of swordsmanship, Cedric released a breath which kicked up a cloud of dust. Then he straightened his back, ced the sword away, and wiped the sweat on his face. He sat under the shade of a tree and rested his aching body. It''s been a few days since the group of Incriptionists left the Risk Management Center. Normalcy returned to the ce, well...at least the level of normal that fits this ce. They didn''t have a single second longer here. As soon as they were done, they immediately cleared their logs and expressed their desire to leave this ce as soon as possible. They didn''t even rest at all. They were determined to get as far away as possible from this ce. It seems that what happened to them left some scars behind, and Cedric truly couldn''t fault them for that. On another note though, Cedric received a gift from Gustavio. 50,000 Demon Souls, given to him as thanks for saving Fallon and the rest from their predicament, it''s alsopensation for Fallon''s offense. Of course, Cedric graciously received it. After all, who was he to refuse that kind of offer? He might''ve earned a lot from his previous run in Hell but he certainly wouldn''t mind earning more, especially if all he had to do was to lift a finger. Following that, nothing really changed in Cedric''s routine. He''s still practicing his skills day and night. Not needing to sleep allowed him to have more time on his hands to use for training. He most practiced his Ki Cirction at night though. It''s not because he needed a quiet environment or anything, he could focus on his cultivation despite the noise because of his ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill. He just finds it morefortable to do it at night since he''s supposed to be sleeping anyway, but since can''t, he could just spend time meditating after circting his Ki. Cedric then practices his Swordsmanship under the re of sunlight. He liked the warmth of the day, it made him feel more active and energetic. He''s not entirely fond of sweating but he''s used to it. ''It''s already almost time for another Hell Dive.'' He muttered to himself as he stared at the sky. Yes, this month was already in its 2nd week. Meaning that another Hell Dive was bound to happen. Cedric summoned the System to check the details about his Hell Dive. [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 0, Failure Streak - 0 * ''It''s still the same.'' Cedric sighed. The contents of his Mandatory Service remained the same as the previous ones. Still, Cedric couldn''t help but feel skeptical, and this was his ¡ºIntuition¡» speaking to him. For some reason, even though the contents were the same, he was not convinced that his encounters inside would go exactly as it was previously. And since Cedric now trusts his senses more than ever, he''s inclined to believe that they''d be right this time as well. ''That''s to be expected, I guess...'' Cedric mused. ''Even though I''m not leveling up or advancing my Tier, I am getting stronger. That has always been the trend anyway.'' He knew that the challenges of his Mandatory Service would increase in difficulty. That''s just how it is for everybody. This was Ac''s way of humbling the Superhumans, preventing them from beingcent and arrogant. Of course, Cedric still felt a little bitter about his situation. Now, he could say with full confidence that his Mandatory Service was truly unreasonable. He''d be surprised if there were other people out there still alive after receiving this kind of task. It was simply pushing one to the absolute precipice of despair. This was a very unique task and he''s the unlucky one who received it. How he wished that he had gotten something easier. Wouldn''t he have a more rxed time then? That being said, having this has some advantages too. On the premise that he seeds, of course, he would receive a hefty amount of Demon Souls. Imagine earning nearly a million Demon Souls after just one sessful hunt at Tier 1 Lv.1! Not many people could earn that much within a month, not to mention overnight. But again, that''s under the premise that he clears the task. That in itself was the main problem. But like they always do, the bigger the risk, the bigger the rewards. And Cedric was a different man now. If someone of his caliber couldn''t clear this task, he doubted that anybody could, to be honest. Releasing another breath, Cedric closed his eyes briefly to sense his Ki. With his sharp senses, he could almost see his internal body. He could vividly sense his Ki forming a circle on his heart, like a ring. When he was just starting, his Ki was only a faint wisp. Barely visible and felt. Now, however, it formed a discernable ring around his heart. It almost looked like a pure white halo circling his heart. Now and then, tiny threads of Ki were absorbed by his heart, allowing the pure energy to pump throughout his body, nourishing and strengthening him passively. Still, even with this much progress, this doesn''t count as him stepping on the first stage of the [White Lotus Core Technique]. Only when he umtes enough Ki to form the shell of a Hollow Core would it be considered as him sessfully entering the first stage of the technique? The [White Lotus Core Technique] is divided into the following stages: Hollow Core, Solid Core, zed Core, Core Seed, Sprouting, Blooming, and Atavism Stages. From this chart, it''s clear that he still has a very long way to go. But Cedric wasn''t in a hurry. He knows that he couldn''t rush this process at all. Besides, even though his progress was minimal, his umtion was steadily giving him benefits, so it wasn''t that bad. After confirming that his Ki reserves were replenished, Cedric wasted no time and went back to his practice. He summoned his sword once more and swung it vigorously with a machine-like precision. The cycle then continues. Cedric would train until he exhausted his Ki, rest or maybe eat until he recovered his reserves, and practice again. Come night time, he will return to his room, enjoy his dinner, browse through forum posts online to keep up with thetest news, practice his Ki cirction after that, and once his body can''t circte anymore, he will meditate through the rest of the night. Of course, sometimes he would break his routine. He would look for Harold and join him to talk about pretty much anything that interests them. Cedric was aware that he needs rest from time to time and since he''s longer feeling that desperate, he intends to listen to his body''s needs. If there''s anything that''s missing in his current life, it would be sex, but considering where he''s at, he would rather not have it all. Cedric would admit that the dry spell was causing him some pain, but he''s not that desperate for it. Even back then when he was at his lowest, he didn''t be desperate so how could he now? It''d be nice to experience sex again, Cedric reckons, but it''s not a necessity. Plus, all women here have a few screws loose, and he''s not really into that. Emilia would be a prime example of this. He''s also not looking for a rtionship either. He simply has no time for that. It would just get in his way and honestly, nobody here was his type. Additionally, he''s been stuck in this awful ce for far too long and he has already forgotten how normal romantic rtionships work. He never had any before being admitted here. He also never looked for any since he was too focused on trying to survive. And just because he now has the capital to survive, it doesn''t mean that he''s free to do so either. Most of his time nowadays is focused on strengthening himself to meet the rising threat to his life. In short, Cedric was just too damn busy to enter a rtionship, that''s he never bothered in the first ce. Chapter 26: Shopping

Chapter 26: Shopping

It''s the third week of the month... Cedric just finished with his day training and was making his way back to his room. Upon arriving there, he brought out some food and started eating while watching some videos online. After that, he freshened up and sat on his bed. Rubbing his palms together, he summoned the System Shop for a single purpose, and that is to buy equipment for his next Hell Dive. "It''d be a sin to not spend the Demon Souls I earned from my hard work to make me stronger." He mused as the shop loaded its contents. Being poor is no longer an excuse for him. He had earned a sizable amount of Demon Souls as a reward for clearing the previous month''s mandatory service. With this much on hand, he should be able to secure some decent items for his next run. The first one he searched for was something to protect his body. He wants armor but he first checked if he could afford a Combat Suit instead. Combat Suits are a piece of modern equipment that has been made popr these days. They were skintight like spandex suits of old age heroes, meaning that they''re lightweight but make no mistake, they are durable. It is said that even those at the lowest tiers were impervious to mortal weapons. They''re weak against blunt damage but that can be remedied by attaching pads here and there. It is also said that these suits are resistant to the harsh environment of Purgatory. They''re also flexible, breathable, and easy to clean. As a result, customers can purchase something lightweight,fortable, and offers a decent level of protection. Cedric himself had no idea what they''re made of but the reviews this product got were overwhelmingly positive and didn''t look fake. Filtering his search to strictly disy Combat Suits, the shop window updated and his vision was immediately swarmed by multiple products for him to consider. All of them passed through the standards of the Lifestyle Guild so their quality shouldn''t be questioned. ''Ack! There''s too many!'' Cedric groaned. He then added some more filters for his search to disy exactly what he needed and after loading, the list became more manageable. Cedric strictly searched for Tier 1 Combat Suits. He didn''t bother with those at the upper Tiers since he''s fairly confident of his ability to dodge the attacks of zombies. He just wanted some measure of protection against them should he be cornered, which was already very unlikely to happen, so for now he doesn''t need those super high-end products. [Violent Wind Combat Suit (T1)] : Offers a decent level of protection. : Special Effect - Speed +10% : Price - 19,999 DS [Red Power Combat Suit (T1)] : Offers a decent level of protection. : Special Effect - Striking Force +10% : Price - 25,000 DS [White Crane Combat Suit (T1)] : Offers a decent level of protection : Special Effect - Energy Consumption -10% : Price - 25,000 DS [Coiling Python Combat Suit (T1)] : Offers a decent level of protection : Special Effect - Flexibility +12% : Price - 21,999 DS *** Even with the filters he had set, there were still at least 1000 items that were listed on the shop. Cedric certainly wasn''t expecting this many versions of Combat Suits to exist. He also noticed their quirky names and he honestly doesn''t know what to feel about those. They had varying prices too which is most likely due to the bonus effects they offered. In his opinion, these suits are expensive, but this was mostly his prudence talking. He could afford them, but best believe that he would peruse the list as sternly as he could to get his money''s worth. After browsing each item on his list, he eventually decided to pick the best one in his opinion: [Undead Hunter Combat Suit (T1)] : Offers a decent level of protection : Special Effect - (Undead Hater): Against Undead ss Demons, this suit''s effectiveness increases by 15% : Price - 25,000 DS It''s practically tailored for him. This suit would serve him well for a long time, considering that the System wouldn''t suddenly change his Mandatory Task. While that''s very unlikely to happen, it could still happen. Still, he''s had the same task for years now and it''s still the same so this suit should fit his needs the best. Its price was reasonable, especially since the special effect was situational at best, but it''s a guarantee for him so he didn''t need that long to make a decision. He added his choice to his cart and continued shopping for more equipment. [Purgatory Striders (T1)] : All-terrainbat boots for Hell Dives : Special Effect - All Terrain Traversal (Purgatory) : Price - 5,000 The ''Purgatory Striders'' are another famous piece of equipment. Its creation even precedes his. When ites tobat shoes/boots, you can never really go wrong with a pair of these since they''re specifically made to make Purgatory traversal much easier. Of course, Cedric doesn''t have that problem anymore. With his ¡ºFootwork¡» skill, he could be barefoot and still not have any difficulties going anywhere within the Purgatory. What he''s paying for here is quality in the sense offort and durability. Again, the Purgatory Striders were created to traverse all kinds of harsh environmental conditions that the Purgatory could throw at its challenger. The next thing on his list was a new sword of course. While the Training Sword was still viable, it wasn''t created with the actualbat in mind. And since he still has plenty of capital to spend, he wouldn''tpromise. Once again, he was surprised by the sea of choices presented to him. While this wasn''t the first time that he perused the list of avable swords for his level, it''s still overwhelming. Especially since every day, new products would be registered in the shop. To minimize his list, he refined his filtered search. Disying products that only came from stores that have at least 4.5 Stars and above reviews, he also entered the same star ratings for the item reviews as well. He even added the ''System''s Guarantee'' in his filters which further shortened the list avable. After sorting through the filters, he was only left with less than 500 items. It''s considerably less than what it was previously but make no mistake, the remaining ones are the cream of the crop. Cedric inspected the disyed items for sale one by one, carefully making notes about the swords that left an impression on him. Once he saw everything, he weighed his choices and eventually, he made his decision. The addition to his cart was: [Refined Carrion Longsword (T1)] : A bnced, durable, and refined longsword, made by the descendant of a renowned Craftsmen Lineage. : Special Effects - Sharpness +15%, Durability +20% : Price - 50,000 DS It was a damn expensive sword. Something that the old Cedric wouldn''t even dream of holding. This item was embedded with the logo of the Carrion Family, a famous lineage of smits that hailed since the beginning of the Cataclysm. They''re also one of the founding members of the Lifestyle Guild and held a major political power due to their umted merits since the Dawn of the Superhumans. Just the fact that someone from the Carrion Lineage made this sword, it doesn''t even matter if they were from the direct line or not, was already a justification for its price tag. In addition, this sword has the ''System''s Guarantee'', meaning that the System itself deemed this product a good one, a cut above the rest, which makes it worth it. Cedric went through the list of swords and already confirmed that this one was the best for his needs, so despite feeling a fine pinch in his wallet, he still added it to his cart. He also purchased a dagger, protective paddings, headgear, utility belt, shorts, underwear, tank tops, and other misceneous things like incendiary bombs, smoke bombs, Molotov cocktails, shbangs, medic kits, a respirator, and so on. By the time he was done, the total amount he spent was a little over 470,000 DS. Cedric wanted to cry because he hadn''t spent that much before, even if hebined all of his previous check-outs. Even so, despite feeling hesitant about it, he still bought everything since his safety and security were more important than hoarding this many demon souls. This just made him even more thankful that he learned things at an elerated pace. Because without it, he would be more pressed about the amount of demon souls he needed to spend just to make himself stronger. Once again, the best thing about using the system shop was the speed of the transaction. The moment he paid for everything was also the same moment he received the items he bought. Of course, Cedric inspected the quality of the items he bought and as expected, every single one was worth their price. Now that he was done securing his equipment, he would spend the next couple of days training with his new equipment. The faster he gets used to them, the earlier he canplete his preparations for his next Hell Dive. Chapter 27: Increased Difficulty

Chapter 27: Increased Difficulty

''I knew it...it really did rise in difficulty.'' Cedric mused as he sliced through several zombies at once. While he hadn''t stopped moving as soon as the timer started, Cedric''s senses were sharp enough to pay attention to everything that was happening around him. He knows where the zombies are, how far were they from where he was, and how many spawned in clusters. Since his brain could process multiple thoughts at once, organizing information was a simple task for him. At the same time, the wonders of the ¡ºTactics¡» skill were giving him an absolute edge in his fight against the horde. Even though the spawn rate of Zombies definitely increased in numbers and lethality, Cedric was able to handle everythinging his way with rtive ease. His tactical skills allowed him to minimize his energy expenditure while producing maximum results. Cedric was like a ghost on the battlefield. Wearing his new equipment, he was like a tiger that had grown wings. It''s been nearly 20 minutes since he started his Hell Dive and so far, he was confident that all of his victims fell before even seeing his silhouette. Since his Body Rating increased, he''s exponentially faster than before and that''s without leveling up at all. This just further proves the importance of Aptitude Ratings, even more so if there was a way to increase them. Cedric''s title as the "Jr. Undead yer" was working in real-time as well. Even though the zombies were braindead, they showed an instinctual reaction against him. He noticed the subtle pause in their movements the moment they spawned, something that only happened this time, and he allowed that to the effect of his title. Continuing his work, Cedric dashed through the battlefield with grit and vigor. He sliced through zombies, his sword was like a hot knife through butter. He met no resistance at all. He was in his prime. His Ki thrummed beneath his skin, supplying him with a vigorous flow of energy that supported his activities. The gleam of his sword became the only thing his first few victims saw before they died. Cedric was admittedly having a fun time tearing through clusters of zombies with rtive ease, but he wasn''t showing that on his face. He was calm and collected on the outside but he runs hot on the inside. With his zombie-ying rate, it''s the battlefield that couldn''t keep up with him. It could spawn enough zombies to keep him still or even slow him down. Additionally, Cedric hasn''t missed so far. Whenever a zombie gets touched by his sword, they will die. He has yet to require a second strike to feel like a zombie. Cedric was akin to a bulldozer at this point. He demolishes every cluster of zombies he encounters. He couldn''t be slowed down or touched at all, he fluttered like a gracious dancer across the battlefield, carrying a lethal grace that proved deadly to all zombies he encountered. Soon, the Mutated Zombies started appearing. But, so what? For Cedric, that change could hardly be felt. To him, Mutated Zombies are just a tad bit stronger zombies. Against the cold gleam of his sword, they all fall the same. Of course, he prioritized the Mutated Zombies first. After all, if they''re left alone, they could pose a problem to him, but that won''t happen if he could get to them before they could do anything, right? It is truly absurd for someone of his Tier and Level to have this kind of strength, but if one thinks about it, it would start making sense. People who had the same Aptitude Rating as his could do as much as he could. Of course, that''s under the assumption that they have the same skills and dedication that Cedric possesses. In fact, they might even perform better than he could. It makes Cedric wonder if there were people who discovered this method and are capitalizing on it. This fighting capability was just too out of his world. And the fact that he could still increase his overall strength by leveling up was utterly insane. Cedric always knew that Superhumans were powerful. He had seen them in action after all. But honestly, the power he possesses currently was something only a Tier 2 or Tier 3 could disy. He''s Tier 1, for crying out loud. Possessing this kind of capability feels illegal to him, but you certainly won''t hear himining. ... especially not when faced with this, frankly, unreasonable Mandatory Service. As he was having fun, Cedric decided to test out his other toys. He threw all types of explosives avable to him to see how the zombies reacted to them. The Incendiary Bombs did their thing, incinerating zombies inrge clusters, reducing them to ash in mere seconds after exploding. Smoke bombs obstructed their already dull senses even further, he even saw them mistaking each other as prey. shbangs caused permanent blindness to all zombies who had the unfortunate fate of looking at it. It quite literally burned their eyes, causing them a world of pain. Molotov cocktails produced a simr effect as the Incendiary Bombs did minus the explosion. The difference was that the former''s mes spread more than thetter''s did. He also tried Decoys which either produced sound or contained rotten flesh that attracted the zombies'' attention. He also tried deadly traps and so on. Of course, he took a mental note of their reaction towards them because it would naturally affect his decision the next time he shopped for supplies. But of course, the most important aspect of everything was his skills and his main equipment. His Combat Suit worked wonders. He could feel the special effects applying already the moment the first zombie spawned. The difference was obvious to him since he possessed heightened senses. Cedric was also fairly certain that he loved his new sword. While it might be longerpared to his Training Sword, that posed no problem to him thanks to his expertise at handling swords. Even though the ¡ºFencing¡» skill evolved to ¡ºSword Ki¡», that doesn''t mean that the effects of the former were lost to him. The former allowed him to basically use all types of swords almost instinctively since he maxed it out. Thetter was the budding essence of what Swordsmanship truly was. With these skills, he didn''t face any difficulty transitioning from a regr sword to a longsword. The weight was also not one of his concerns. Hell, if he so desired, he could fight just as well while holding a Collosal Greatsword. That''s the type of guarantee that his skills give him, especially when they''re maxed out. Eventually, the first BOSS appeared. And again, Cedric wasn''t surprised nor panicked about its arrival. He already knew that he would be facing one ahead of time so he was quite rxed about it. Sure, the first Boss was stronger than before, but again, it hardly made any difference for him. Cedric killed it with a single strike aimed at its head. The horde continued to evolve since then. Increasing the challenge again and again after every 10 minutes. Slowly but surely, Cedric was being forced to reveal his strength to deal with them but that''s not surprising at all. His Ki reserves have grown, and his Sword Ki remained just as sharp even after an extensive period of usage. All in all, Cedric remained fierce as he eliminated all zombies that entered his field of senses with extreme prejudice. The surprising part urred at the very end of the run, where he was supposed to face the Final Boss... Instead of a single Tier 2 Boss like he was expecting, he was met with two Tier 2 Boss; one was a Scavenger Type, and the other was a Brute Type. It was mildly rming for him, but not enough to cause panic in him. The Scavenger screeched in ferocity at him while the Brute started throwingrge chunks of stones at him. Still, with how lithe and agile Cedric was, he managed to evade most of their attacks. Somended on him, but because of his flexibility and ¡ºTolerance¡» he could shake them off. The injuries didn''t do much on his equipment either so it''s all good. Since he was facing two Tier 2 Bosses, Cedric didn''t dare to hold back. He unleashed every strength he could muster to eliminate them and eventually, he did. He won and cleared his Mandatory Service for this month. Now, he earned his +1 Clearance Streak. And with his growth, it''s to be expected that this count will only increase from this point onwards. When he returned to reality, only 30 minutes passed as per usual. He unequipped his armor and sat on the bed to assess his earnings. Cedric killed thousands of zombies in one go, and because their spawn numbers increased, his rewards also increased as well since he killed every single one of them. He once again received an S-rank rating on his performance which made him giddy. He also received a rounded-up total of 1 million Demon Souls, plus 20 Tier 2 Demon Souls as his reward. There were no bonuses but that hardly mattered to him. In the end, Cedric retired for the day knowing that he had be a millionaire. He''s truly grateful for his progress... Chapter 28: Hollow Core

Chapter 28: Hollow Core

[Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Jr.Undead yer, Schr, Sword Child Aptitude: Body: S Energy: S- Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: S Skills: Actives: Sword Ki Lv.5, Kickboxing (M) Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Ki Mastery Lv.6, Smell (M), Multitasking (M), Taste (M), Touch (M), Listening (M), Intuition (M), Footwork (M), Recovery (M), Tolerance (M), Tactics (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 3, Failure Streak - 0 ** Two months passed by quickly like a serene river. Cedric, who''s now an entirely different person from who he was a few months ago, barely felt the passage of time. Focused on his task to be stronger to ensure his survival. His routine hasn''t changed. He still trains every day, taking it easy at least once a week to allow his body to keep up with the strain. As a result, he had seen explosive growth in his overall strength, making him as one of the most powerful fighters within the Risk Management Center. Since he was able to keep up with the ever-rising challenge of his Mandatory Service, his monitoring chip now turned yellow, meaning that he had more wiggle room when it came to his survival. Should he fail to clear his mandatory task, it would once again turn his chip red but Cedric obviously doesn''t n on letting that happen. Besides Harold and himself, of course, nobody seemed to care about his progress, which was fine with him. He knows that everyone else here was too absorbed in their own fight for survival to even congratte him, and that''s understandable. Hell, he''d actually feel weird if they praised him now since he''s used to being ignored by the rest. That being said, Cedric knows that the Wardens are now paying close attention to him. Not to the extent that they''re watching his every single move, of course. Just close enough to see if there''s foul y happening, and since they had yet to approach him, that means that they haven''t found anything yet. And it better stay that way since Cedric was truly trying hard here. Cedric wasn''t really concerned about the eyes that were following him. It''s not like they''d discover his deepest secret anyway. It''s impossible for them to discover where his true strength lies unless he tells them that himself. Any type of skill that allows one to view the System Profile of strangers was prohibited by Ac. It is only allowed within professional background checks. Even then, the information they will receive will be limited. The Risk Management Center might be a government-funded facility but they hardly cared about the people who ended up here so Cedric was extremely confident that nobody would discover his real secrets here. Not even the Chief Warden will know, that''s unless Cedric himself informs them. And he''s not that stupid to do that. Cedric knew that they already reported his activities to the Chief Warden. It''s actually hard for him not to know considering how sharp his senses were even at their limited degree due to his purposeful dy of his personal growth. Yet even so, so what? Their reports won''t really have a significant difference. He already knew that they had discovered his training routine, but he was not hiding that. In fact, Cedric was pretty sure that someone already reported his activities to the Chief way before this and it was already recorded. So,paring that to the recent reports, they wouldn''t really discover anything different from his activities. This has been Cedric''s daily routine. He''s like a machine now actually since he would often discover himself doing the routine before he gives the mentalmand. It''s like his body was now moving out of sheer instinct. Cedric doesn''t know if that''s good or bad, but it hasn''t injured him so far so there''s no harm in letting it happen. On another point, Cedric was a multi-millionaire now in terms of Demon Souls. He''s actually quite stumped with how many Demon Souls he earned just by clearing his Mandatory Task. With how much he had, he could live in luxury...well, as luxurious as this ce would allow, and still have enough to keep up with his daily expenses. The more times he clears his Mandatory Task, the more he will earn so he doesn''t see himself running out of Demon Souls anytime soon. Of course, there''s the idea of spending his hard-earned money on stuff that would make his life easier and morefortable. He''d wanted to buy more high-endbat suits, swords, skill books, and so on. But this is where his indecisiveness reared its ugly head. Cedric had no real need for those right now. In fact, the way he is right now could already be considered as overkill for his Hell Dives. Sure, the Hell Dives are bing harder and harder each month that passed, but his growth from his relentless training manages to keep up with that. Even with the fairlymon equipment he has, it''s already akin to giving wings to a tiger. His Hell Dives recently give him pressure but not enough to actually push him to the brink of insanity like before. So really...buying more equipment to strengthen himself even further sounds excessive to him. So, he chose to save his Demon Souls for now. It wouldn''t be toote to purchase items he''d actually needter anyway. Especially since the System Shop''s transactions would always remain fast. That being said, Cedric was prepared for emergencies. He had bought an extra pair of equipment and necessities just in case he got ced in a tight spot. Beyond that though, he kept his expenditure at a minimum level offort. Currently, it was midnight... Cedric could be seen sitting on the floor in his room. Looking closely, numerous sigils and runes are glowing around the room. They''re nothing special though, just something to iste the rampant Ki from escaping the room. He didn''t want to cause rm throughout the entire center with his nightly activities. With his legs crossed in a meditative position, a strain could be seen on his face. Sweat dripped down his entire body as he continuously circted his Ki through his entire body. Each sessful cirction purified his Ki to a higher degree. His entire body was emitting a faint white light in the process. His powerful heartbeat echoed across the room as he continued and his body was also releasing a subtle amount of pressure. In his body, his Ki was just about finished with its 100th cirction for the night. Once it has returned to its previous location, an explosive change urs. Tremors rocked Cedric''s body as his Ki suddenly condensed into a faint yet solid core. It reduced its size to a hollow marble which prated his heart, turning into an aperture in there. An unprecedented rity illuminated his entire being. Cedric could feel his entire existence ascending to a level unlike before. The feeling was positively euphoric and he couldn''t help but release a groan due to the sensation. His field of senses expanded and elevated to a finer degree. The abundance of Ki within his body practically doubled, and he could vaguely feel his spirit being uplifted despite knowing that he shouldn''t be able to ess it for now. When the tremors ceased, Cedric felt an unprecedented level of calmness surging within him. He felt like there was nothing that would ever surprise him anymore, nothing would ever disrupt the calmness and serenity of his mind, and that in itself was shocking ironically. Cedric felt so light, it''s like the Resistance Stamp became worthless just like that. Of course, he would increase the level of resistanceter once he''s done appreciating this feeling of freedom. When he opened his eyes, a cid and serene calm seemingly washed over his entire room. It''s like his immediate vicinity resonated with his mental state, it was incredible. Then, his state slowly subsided. Cedric already knows that it''s only a fleeting thing but he still enjoyed it to its fullest. With this breakthrough over, he officially stepped into the first stage of the [White Lotus Core Scripture] - the Hollow Core stage. It took him some time but that can''t be helped. The origin of this technique was different from where he was. He''s already lucky that it was even recognized by this world so you won''t hear himining. Because of his breakthrough, his ¡ºKi Mastery¡» jumped all the way to Lv.7 from Lv.5, with that increase, he''s expecting his ¡ºSword Ki¡» to enter a short period of explosive growth as well. He just got even stronger, and that came with the confidence that, just like the previous months, this month''s Hell Dive should be a piece of cake for him. "Alright, now that that''s over. It''s about time I do something about this smell...urgh!" His breakthrough also came with the expulsion of impurities from his body so after riding out his high, he didn''t hesitate to run towards the bathroom to clean himself of this filth. Chapter 29: Sudden Development

Chapter 29: Sudden Development

Cedric swears that he wasn''t a narcissistic guy... He has never been one to pay close attention to what he looks like on a daily basis, that has never been one of his hobbies. He tries to look at least presentable enough whenever he goes out, but beyond that, he doesn''t care about how others perceive him. If anything, this just got worse when he got admitted to this ce... With how difficult life was here, how could he have any time to take care of his personal appearance? He had no space nor time for vanity, he''s focused on survival, just that. Believe him, he''s really not that narcissistic. He''s merely admiring his reflection in the mirror now since it has truly been a while since he had taken a good look at himself. His reflection disyed a six-foot-tall man with healthy and glossy blonde hair long enough to tie up in a bun. A pair of golden-colored pupils stared back at him, seemingly seeing right through his soul, exposing even the deepest and darkest secrets he kept. With a bronzed skinplexion and rippling muscles hiding underneath a very loose shirt and baggy pants, the man was certified to be a head-turner. His face was angr; sharp jawline, high-bridged nose, freckled cheeks, sculpted physique, thin lips, perfect set of teeth... Tall, lean, mysterious, and extremely handsome. That''s the summary of what he saw from his reflection. A guy with a face like this would never have any difficulties scoring a girl or two on a bar. Add the fact that he''s far fromcking down south...there''s no doubt that he could make any woman happy and satisfied. Cedric smiled wryly at himself. He could''ve passed as a perfect young master if it weren''t for his status here. It''s just a shame that his looks don''t help with his Mandatory Service. If it does, then he would''ve certainly had an easy life with a face card like this. Shaking off the weird thoughts swirling in his mind, Cedric wiped his face and stepped out of the bathroom. He sat on the edge of his bed and looked at the Restriction Seal ced on the back of his left hand. Summoning the seal, he saw its disy; Lv.9 restriction. A Lv.9 restriction was enough topletely paralyze a Tier 1 Lv.9 Superhuman from head to toepletely. Of course, that''s assuming that they don''t possess any method of escaping the restriction itself. Yet, here Cedric was, shrugging it off like it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. If he were to get rid of this seal, Cedric bets that his speed and explosive strength would reach a mind-boggling degree. Truly absurd considering that he''s only still Lv.2. Of course, this was thanks to his most recent breakthrough in his cultivation. Reaching the Hollow Core Stage of the [White Lotus Core Technique] already gave him this much power. What more on itster stages? If he wanted to, he could do some serious damage to his room. Give him five minutes and he would be able topletely pulverize it just with his bare fists alone. If his enemies'' bones weren''t as tough as concrete, there''s no way they''d survive a full-powered punch from him. That''s how absurd Cedric has gotten after his breakthrough... Sadly though, his recent breakthrough made the Resistance Stamp almost useless. The highest level of restriction it could go was Tier 2 Lv.5, and due to Cedric''s growth, he had no doubts that he would surpass that very soon. In his generous estimates, it would only take him a month and a half before the stamp loses out all of its worth for him. He didn''t sweat much over it though. That''s gonna happen sooner orter anyway. The breakthrough just expedited the process. Cranked up the restriction level to Tier 2 Lv.1, Cedric felt the familiar strain on his movements. He started wriggling his fingers, then his arms. He did the same with his toes and legs. After that, he stood up slowly. He wasn''t in a rush. He sank his perception into his body and felt his muscles pulsing to adjust to the restriction. Once he was able to walk around freely, he did some stretches which caused more strain on his body. Cedric took this in stride, however. Not really minding the pain and just working out his way through it, allowing his body to get used to the restriction. Once he was done with that, he walked out of his room, striding as if he didn''t have the seal on himself at all. His expression was cid as he made out of his way to his training grounds. He was aware that he was receiving looks from his peers but he paid no mind to them. As far as he knew, he didn''t know them and they don''t know him, he didn''t mind it staying that way. The wardens were also observing his movements but they didn''t stop him. From what his senses picked up, the wardens just took note of his presence and went back to their respective duties. Cedric felt the rowdiness of the crowd. Nothing has changed in this ce. It still reeks of desperation and insanity. He''s used to it at his point. Upon arriving at his training spot, he took out his sword and started swinging. Today, just like any other day previously, he nned on following his set routine. While it is true that the growth of his skills slowed down at his point, even with his titles applied, he still stuck to it faithfully since this was the best he could do. This ce had no ess to high-end facilities that offered a boost in his training speed. Such luxury isn''t avable to people of his status. He also couldn''t ask anybody here to be his sparring partner since he doubted that they''d be able to keep up with him. Plus, he didn''t want them bothering him at all so really, this was the best he could make of his situation. Cedric could feel someone staring at him. Focusing slightly, he discovered that a group of wardens, who were on their break, were watching him from the upper floors of the RMC as he trained. He could even hear them talking about him... "He''s at it again...is that what he always does every single day? Doesn''t he get bored?" "Well, considering that that''s his routine for months now at this point, I''d say no. And hey, I actually would much prefer if every single convict here were like him. Maybe the atmosphere of this ce wouldn''t be as horrible as it is now." "True, true." "His chip is yellow. A few months ago, that was red. It seems that whatever he''s doing was working." "Good for him then. To me though, I''m just d that he''s not crazy like the others were. I''m relieved to see that he hasn''t lost hope yet." "You know, it really makes me curious, what changed? I mean, I''m fairly certain he wasn''t like that before." "By ''that'' you mean?" "I meant hard working. I''ve seen his records before, a few months ago, he''s one of the worst cases we have here. He looked malnourished like he was one gust of wind away from toppling over and dying. He also used to be an emo, yet look at him now." "If it weren''t for the fact that I saw the same reports as you did, I could swear that you''re talking about someone else. But yeah...his progress really makes one curious. That being said though, you know our rule about curiosities and all that." "I know, I know. I never said I''d investigate. I''m just wondering, that''s all. Besides, the guy''s different in a positive way so I have noints." Cedric subtly shook his head. He didn''t overreact because he didn''t want to know that he could hear them. Besides, they''re just gossiping anyway. It''s not like they''re harming him through that, so he also has noints. Doing his best to ignore their conversation, Cedric returned his focus to his warm-up. He brandished his sword slowly, allowing his body to adjust to the resistance while maintaining the perfect execution of each strike. His body acquiesced to his will like a machine, slowly but surely, he could feel his body getting used to the new level of restriction when all of a sudden, dread washed throughout his entire body. He froze in ce. His mental rms red dangerously at him as his head sharply shifted through the direction of the center. It was then followed by the sharp screech of the rms echoing across the facility. Cedric almost couldn''t believe it. His hands shook as he hurriedly manipted his field of senses to focus on the interior of the center. He then felt the wave of panic, heard the rmed cries of his fellow convicts, smelled fear and corruption, and saw several silhouettes jumping out of a newly formed spatial crevice in the middle of the reception area of the center. It was then that reality truly sunk in for Cedric. Paling ever so slightly, he whispered: "Somebody just turned into a ''Node''!" Chapter 30: Node "Fuck! What the hell is going on!?" "Aaah! Demons! Demons are here!!!" "How can there be Demons here? Fuck! Move out!" "Help! I-I can''t stand! Please! Somebody, help me!" Frantic screams and cries for help echoed across the entire facility. It was apanied by explosions, tremors, and sounds of battle. The convicts were obviously panicking, it caused them to be unable to fullyprehend what was happening around them. Some desperately tried to run away, others hid, some locked themselves in their respective cells, while opportunists tried to use the chaos to their advantage. The wardens were busy trying to pacify the scared convicts. Most of them are helping with the efforts of quelling the chaos that descended around them. Sadly, this developmentpletely took them by surprise, and thus, they didn''t have any time to prepare themselves. Beast Demons took the Risk Management Center like a storm. Nobody knew where they wereing from. All they knew was that the demons were killing everybody who didn''t look like them, and for the convicts, this was bad news since the demons were too strong for them to take care of. The wardens were doing their best. They summoned their weapons and called upon their powers to drive the demons back. Sadly, there''s just too many. Furthermore, the demons were too swift and strong. They''re certainly not your ordinary demons. It''s like they took steroids before arriving here, causing them to gopletely berserk. Within the Reception Hall, a group of wardens covered each others'' backs while defending against a group of Beast Demons... They''re facing one Pig Demon, three Avian Demons, and four Bull Demons. The wardens went all out. They have armor equipped as well as weapons. They threw spells, skills, debuffs, and many more. Unfortunately, the flesh of these demons was too tough. They just tanked whatever they threw at them. Demons already possess an innate physical superioritypared to humans, add the fact that there are Beast Demons who prided themselves on their absurdly strong physical bodies, and it is no wonder why the wardens were having a difficult time. And if the wardens themselves had it hard, what more could be said for mere convicts of this ce? It''s not like they''re here because they are strong, it''s the opposite in fact. "D-Damn it! I don''t want to die here!! I never wanted to be in this ce! This is so fucking unfair!" Cried out by the dying man from one corner of the facility. He wasn''t alone in this sentiment. Pretty much everyone who just lost their lives within the first few minutes since the raid started, shared the same thoughts as him. They never wanted this. They never wanted to live like this. If they had a choice, they would rather choose to be normal, unevolved, humans instead of living in a miserable ce like this. And to think that this is the way they died...it''s just so fucking unfair. They simply can''t reconcile with their deaths being like this. The worst part about this is that the demons were also spreading corruption wherever they went. Said corruption, carried horrible power which consumed the victims of the demons, turning them into mere puppets ¡ª Undeads that just added to the number of demons invading this ce. "...well, I''ll be damned!" BOOM! A loud explosion shook the entire facility. A cloud of dust kicked up, obscuring the vision of both the convicts and the wardens. Raising their guards, they all felt nervous, thinking that a demon caused that loud explosion. That''s when they heard a deep and gruff voice rousing them from their stupor. "You punks! Get the convicts to the bunker in the basement! You''ll find the rest there! Come on! Move along already!" "Sir, yes Sir!" As it turns out, that voice belonged to the Chief Warden himself, Lucas Brightstone. While the wardens gathered the scared and trembling convicts, the Chief Warden took a puff of his cigar. He then turned around and faced the Beast Demons who were now looking at him warily. "Hmph!" BOOM!!! The demons didn''t even see what happened. In their perspective, they only heard the human snort and suddenly, everything turned ck for them. Their heads exploded like watermelons, scattering bits and pieces of their flesh all over the hall, painting it with gruesome and filthy ck blood. Chief Lucas wore a somber and frightening expression. He certainly didn''t like what was happening. "To think that someone turned into a ''Node'' right under our noises..." He mused as he scattered his senses to locate the other demons that invaded his turf. "...It''s either our security turnedckluster, which shouldn''t happen, or there''s foul y here." In the years that he had been assigned the Chief Warden here, there had never been an event like this. His punks might be timid sometimes but he could confidently say that he trained them well. As such, he doubted that it was their fault for not seeing thising. Moreover, he was there when they reviewed the list of convicts who were at ''Extreme Risk''. He personally monitored the candidates and almost all of the convicts they had each day. With his experience as a soldier for almost decades now, there''s no way he''d make such a rookie mistake like this. With this in mind, he could only think that there must be foul y here. And being the Chief Warden came with some privileges. He had connections outside of this ce, and there have been talks about a certain group of cultists who became a prime suspect for all of this. Blowing up another cluster of demons, Chief Lucas groaned in irritation. If his thoughts were proven correct, this means that this little group of cultists managed to orchestrate this event right under his nose. If that wasn''t enough to make him irritated, there''s also the fact that he would take the burnt of this in front of his supervisors since he''s the one in charge here. "Human..." Chief Lucas heard a call from behind him. He turned around and saw a lone demon towering over him. Chief Lucas wasn''t surprised about its presence as he already felt this oneing already. He wasn''t intimidated by its size either so he just looked up at it calmly. "You look strong for a Human." The demon uttered, there was a trace of curiosity in its voice. "That''s no good. You will have a problem with our ns. As such, you shall remain here. You shall be my ymate until we finish our task here." "Tch." Chief Lucas clicked his tongue as he realized that he was already trapped and isted. "Great...my Boss will chew my ass for this..." *** In the basement where the bunker was, chaos reigned. Gunshots, explosions, shes of light, and colorful projectiles rained as the wardens, along with a few capable convicts, did their best to defend the bunker that was keeping them safe. Numerous Beast Demons swarmed towards them, hell-bent on sinking their ws into their flesh. Their attacks were barely doing anything to the demons but at the very least, they could push them back. "Shit! We can''t go on like this! We only have so much energy to spare! These demons are like sponges, they''re just absorbing our attacks and shrugging them off like they''re nothing! We will be overrun soon!" One of the wardens cursed. "What do we do? I-I don''t want to die here! I''m still too young! I still have a future beyond me!" "Fuck! If you don''t wanna die, keep attacking! You lot as well! If you have the energy toin, use it to kill these fuckers instead! Comining won''t get you anywhere!" "That''s right! Less talk, more gas! Fire!" "Die, you fucking demons! This is all your fault!!" Chaos continued happening around the bunker. People could hardly see anything due to how many attacks were being thrown everywhere. Unfortunately, even with their fearsome firepower, they were barely doing damage to their foes. ROAAR!!! That loud roar shook everybody''s soul, causing them to freeze. An overwhelming sense of dread washed over their entire being, causing them to sweat coldly. It didn''t matter whether it was a warden or a convict, they all felt that primal fear, and some even passed outpletely. From therge dust cloud, a towering figure emerged. It was another Beast Demon ¡ª a Tiger Demon. Standing tall in its hind legs, the creature was about 10 meters in height. Its very presence brought a level of despair to anyone whoid eyes upon it. Its eyes were crimson red, emanating a palpable killing intent that caused anyone''s heart to constrict. It hasrge paws, bloodied with bits and pieces of flesh hanging from it. Not only was this demon huge, but its body looked incredibly tough as well. Just from a single nce, one could tell that they wouldn''t be able to damage its flesh using the weapons they have now. "...it''s over..." It was unknown who said this, or if it wasn''t even said by someone in the first ce. Either way, nobody refuted this statement, especially when the Tiger Demon started walking towards them. But just as they were bracing for their imminent deaths, something shocking happened. The Tiger Demon whined pitifully and copsed on the ground, kicking up arge dust cloud as it did so. When the dust cloud cleared up a bit, they saw a blond-haired man with gleaming golden eyes standing over its corpse with a bloodied sword in hand. Chapter 31: True Demons - shback - "Somebody just turned into a ''Node''!" Cedric eximed in bewilderment. At that very instant, he heard the screams of people around him and felt the sheer panic that descended in the ce. Observing through his sharpened field of senses, Cedric took all the information he could to know just what they were dealing with. "Beast Demons!" He eximed. He had seen and learned about Beast Demons before. They are incredibly tough, possessing a blessed physique and instincts, making them extremely deadly inbat. They''re also highly territorial and savage. A grim countenance appeared on his face. This was bad, Cedric could already tell that most of the people here, yes that includes the wardens, wouldn''t be able to contend with the Beast Demons that appeared here. Speaking with Human terms, Beast Demons would have a Body Rating of A at the minimum, and this is inborn. It is very rare for Beast Demons to have a physique weaker than that. And since this was an innate aptitude, this would only raise the gap between and Humans even more, especially as the Beast Demons grow up in their hostile environment. Cedric wasn''t one to underestimate his own race, but the facts couldn''t be denied, especially now that he''s seeing them. What''s more, is that these Beast Demons aren''t the ones from Purgatory, they''re the real thing! He of course wasn''t privy to this information yet since he didn''t possess high enough authority... But the truth is, there is a huge difference between Purgatory Demons and actual Demons. The Purgatory was a buffer ne ¡ª a defense system that Ac created to protect herself and Humans. If all Humans were forced to participate in Hell Dives since the start of the Cataclysm, it wouldn''t make sense for Demons to still exist to this day. Additionally, for the Demons at least, the Purgatory was more like a full-dive Virtual Reality. Only their consciousness enters that ne, not their real body. Of course, there is a price for them to pay and that''s the very existence of themselves ¡ª the very thing that made up these so-called ''Demon Souls''. The more they experience death within the Purgatory, the faster their deaths woulde. It would first begin with them losing their memories, the oldest first. Once it reaches the point that they can no longer remember anything, they will turn mad and their health will start to deteriorate. Once they''re sucked dry, turning into a mere husk of their former self, that''s when they will die permanently. This was the way how Humans and Demons fought since then. But of course, the Demons didn''t like this arrangement, especially since they were forced toply. As such, they devised a way to bypass Purgatory so that they could subjugate Prime Earth already. By fighting Humans within the Purgatory, the Demons could also collect intel from them. And while some Demons are stupid, not all of them are. They could scheme just like Humans could, and they possess innate cunningness that Humans can''t match. If Ac could force Demons toply with her terms, they too figured out a way to force Ac to their set of rules. That''s how the ''Nodes'' came out to be. ''Nodes'' were the Demons'' method which allowed them to bypass the Purgatory directly andnd on Prime Earth to do whatever the hell they wanted. And since Humans are too careful, Demons would do their best to capitalize on any chances they can get. Again, Purgatory Demons are vastly different from True Demons. One could even say that the former was a watered-down version of thetter. That''s why it isn''t wise to judge their strength ording to the pre-conceived list of the power-scaling chart. Shaking his head from any distracting thoughts, Cedric resolved himself to move. While he might still carry a little bit of bitterness, sarcasm, andints in his heart about the unfairness of the world, he just couldn''t sit still like this and watch as his fellow convicts die. Not when he could obviously help... So, he donned his armor. Not even bother to change his outfit into the Combat Suit. He just attached the armor to his prisoner''s uniform and took out hisbat sword. Then, his figure started dashing towards the mouth of the conflict. With his speed, he reached the first group of Demons real quick. He hade across some of his fellow convicts that are either running away in fear or trying to take advantage of the situation. Nevertheless, he didn''t bother stopping any of them... He raised his sword which emitted a faint white light. He then took a deep breath and confronted the demons that sensed him already. Cedric''s silhouette seemingly disappeared from their vision, causing their bestial instincts to go haywire. Unfortunately, their reaction time was a littlete and it failed to save them. He reappeared behind them. He didn''t even bother looking back, he just moved towards his next targets. When he disappeared, the bodies of the Beast Demons suddenly copsed. Each of them has a gaping hole on their respective weak spots. ''Those were about Tier 2 in overall strength, but I could also tell that they''re just Tier 1. Indeed, the usual power-scaling chart is only strictly for Purgatory Demons.'' Shaking his head, Cedric''s figure once again shed, turning into a mere blur as he stabbed and shed at the respective weak spots of the Demons he faced. Surveying his surroundings, he also discovered that the Demons'' Corruption was turning the corpses of fallen humans into undead. Normally, this would be a problem for anyone, but not Cedric since his title [Jr. Undead yer] was in full effect. He already understood everything there is to know about undeads so he was obviously not fazed. ''I''m not getting any Demon Souls from killing them.'' He pointed out inwardly. ''This means that it only works in Purgatory.'' ''But they do leave a body behind.'' He mused, ''Sadly, I''m not a smith so I can''t make use of their remains. Oh well, I''ll just collect their valuable parts anyway.'' ''Maybe I could sell themter, or maybe I can teach myself how to smith. I do have the memories of that Godking, maybe I can use that as a reference.'' Cedric continued dashing here and there. He was moving faster than the naked eye could see, it''s even to the point where he''s leaving afterimages behind. With the Sword Ki coating his weapon, the physical superiority of Beast Demons meant nothing to him. His sword was like a hot knife through butter as he stabbed and sliced them apart. It''s also during this that he learned that his Ki had some restraining effect on the Demons'' Corruption. He had a thin film of protective Ki around his body, and whenever he passed through an area that had been corrupted, his Ki automatically got rid of it, turning the spot he passed through back to its usual appearance. Sadly though, Cedric doesn''t have know aplete method on how to get rid of all corruption at once. Passing through every single corrupted area will take too much time and he''s kind of in a hurry right now. Maybe he can try it outter, for now though, he had to focus on his task. "If everybody hasn''t turned mad from fear just yet, then it''s safe to assume that they called for backup." Cedric mused to himself. "It would be dumb of them not to, especially after seeing what kind of Demons appeared here." Cedric was confident that the Chief Warden wouldn''t be a petty person, he was confident that the reinforcements were on the way, and that''s somewhatforting since he might encounter something that''s beyond his paycheck here. As he continued his killing spree, Cedric opened his field of senses to its absolute limits. His numerous thoughtpartments whirred into activity and digested all information he sensed. Yet despite this, Cedric still couldn''t locate one person... "Harold, where the fuck are you?" Cedric groaned softly as he continued searching the ce. A foreboding feeling swarmed to his chest because he couldn''t find him. Harold was his only friend here, and also the majority of the reason why he bravely charged toward the demons. He wanted to save his friend, but he couldn''t see him. Thoughts of Harold being dead crept up to his brain but he forcefully shut it down. He steeled his resolve and was determined to find out where his friend was. ''He better not be dead or I swear, I''ll kill him!'' He inwardly stressed. It was then that his field of senses detected an rming development. He froze in his tracks and saw that the basement was about to be overrun. He already knew that the majority of the convicts and wardens went there, upying the bunker and defending together against the Beast Demons. However, Cedric just saw the hulking figure of the Tiger Demon rushing towards that ce. It is not there yet but he already calcted its route so he''s confident about its destination. Grunting to himself, he turned around and started dashing towards the Tiger Demon to intercept its path. Chapter 32: Clash Cedric ughtered his way towards the Tiger Demon. His silhouette blurred like a ghost as he moved from one kill to the other. By now, he''s mildly convinced that some people already saw his actions, but told himself that he''s gonna deal with thatter since he had a target to neutralize. The Tiger Demon sensed him immediately. As a Beast Demon, its instincts were primed. It knew that a challenger was making its way towards this ce and the beast responded in kind. It roared at Cedric''s position, releasing a potent sound of aggression and terror, yet Cedric wasn''t fazed. To him, the threatening roar of the beast was nothing more than hot air, a foul one at that. When they saw each other, both disappeared from their previous positions. There was no need to size up or threaten the other party, they immediately kicked into a fight which resulted in shockwaves rocking the foundation of the facility. The Tiger Demon''s pawnded on one of the pirs supporting the building, shattering it with just raw power alone. Cedric wasn''t caught though, he utilized his stature wisely, as well as his flexibility to stay out of its way. ''Tier 3 at least...somewhere around Lv.4 to Lv.6'' Cedric mused inwardly as he analyzed his opponent''s raw power. For someone like him, who''s a Tier 1 Lv.2 Swordsman, this goes above and beyond his pay grade. Anybody in his shoes wouldn''t hesitate to retreat at the sight of this monstrosity. Not Cedric though... He knows that he''s outssed in sheer power. Even with his upgraded Aptitude, there''s nopeting with a beast like this. But that doesn''t necessarily mean that it''s a hopeless battle. From the moment he set eyes upon this beast, he already saw the ws in its body. His mind already developed several methods tobat it effectively, all he needed to do was to apply them here, and that''s why he was not afraid. Evading the beast''s attack, Cedric didn''t hesitate to immediatelyunch a counterattack. Brandishing his sword, he made a deep cut into its flesh, on its outstretched arms specifically, invoking the beast''s ire. Another paw swiped in his direction but once again, Cedric evaded it with grace and calmness,pletely unbothered and confident that it won''t harm him. Due to the nature of his dodge, it ced him closer to the beast''s body, which Cedric capitalized on. He lifted his sword and poked its vicle, earning a pained whine from the beast. Cedric didn''t stop there... While the beast took some time to assess the damage done to itself, Cedric took out something from his Inventory. He then hopped to gain some elevation and pushed something into the beast''s mouth. Tick! Tick! Tick! Before the beast knew it, it felt a strong blow on its chin, which caused the beast to swallow whatever Cedric fed to it. The ticking sound continued and after five seconds, an explosion¡ª, well...it''s more urate to say that an implosion, rocked the beast''s entire existence. As it turns out, Cedric fed it a grenade. He knew that the demon''s body would be tough, but the same shouldn''t be same at its internal organs, and that in itself was a weakness that even Beast Demons wouldn''t be able to ignore, but... "Ohe on! That''s not enough to blow you up?" Cedric whined as he charged again. Sure he used a low-levelled explosive, but to think that the beast only coughed blood from it was simply absurd. He obviously would like to do that again but the Tiger Demon was already alerted, so the chances of that happening were very low. If he ever had the chance though, he''d probably make it eat an incendiary grenade instead. Since feeding it explosives didn''t work, Cedric moved on to the other method he has, and this one should be more reliablepared the to previous one. Cedric began surrounding the Tiger Demon through sheer speed. Don''t be mistaken, the beast was a fast and Cedric would bet that it could react to his speed, but he wasn''t concerned about that. He did this to agitate the beast. The irritated it gets, the more telegraphed its attacks would be and it would be easier for him to implement is follow-up method to take it down. Once it was obvious that he had the full ire of the beast, Cedric''s eyes shed dangerously. He waited for the perfect timing beforeunching an opportune strike at the demon''s joints. With his sword flowing with Sword Ki, his de didn''t meet any obstructions. Sure, the beast''s body was tough, but with how sharp his Sword Ki was, it was akin to a paper. Cedric lodged his sword into its arm, with a grunt, he jerked the handle of his sword, causing the beast''s arm to be dislocated. And just to be extra sure, he twisted his sword before pulling it out, leaving a gaping wound behind. With that, the chances of that arm recovering while in battle would drastically be reduced. Cedric effectively lessened the attacksing his way while also impeding the beast''s mobility. The Tiger Demon growled painfully at the injury it took. If looks could only kill, Cedric must''ve probably dropped dead at this point. In the mind of the beast, it couldn''t even begin toprehend the situation. Never in its wildest dreams did it think that a mere Human like this could be this strong? Well, truthfully the human wasn''t strong. The beast''s instincts were urate and it said that the Human was certainly weaker than it. But in reality, the human was only outmatched through raw power. Everything else was fair game. The Human was quicker and more flexible. He''s also more cunning than the beast expected. Plus, the human had the means to bypass its fleshly superiority so the Human was dangerous. This injury will make this battle more challenging, yet the beast couldn''t afford to back down. It has been given a task that precedes itself, and if it couldn''t take down a puny human such as this one, then there would be no hope of seeding with that task. The Tiger Demon growled and pounced at him with renewed vigor. Unfortunately, since one of its arms was dangling uselessly on the side, its danger significantly lowered. Cedric still took the battle seriously, but he''s more reserved now. He wasn''t ying with his food like this, in fact, it''s the opposite. A cornered animal will bear its fangs, even domesticated ones, and Cedric wasn''t interested in experiencing its wrath by courting his own death like that so he remained careful. Another chance presented itself and once again, Cedric disable its other upper arm. With another injury like that, the Tiger Demon''s lethality took a huge drop. It was then that Cedric released his own killing intent, cowing the demon ever so slightly with a show of resolve. Cedric sent numerous shallow stabs on the demon''s body, leaving it wounded and bleeding. The Tiger Demon did its best to avoid his sword stabs but it failed miserably. Cedric''s attacks were too quick and sharp to be evaded, especially in its current state. Cedric seemingly fell into a frenzy as he did not stop stabbing the demon. His killing intent rose too high that the demon felt death beckoning to it. That''s when the demon realized its mortality. It could feel its demiseing quickly. The demon also realized that if it were to fall here, then its task would fail, and itsrades in the afterlife would certainly be disappointed. So, fearing that would happen, the Tiger Demon stopped hesitating and fled as far as it possibly could, away from this scary human. "Eh?" And that''s certainly surprised Cedric. He didn''t understand what the demon was thinking and even if he could, he wouldn''t have cared. He had no time for sympathies here since this was a battle, one that he simply couldn''t lose. So, Cedric immediately followed the fleeing demon. Which was honestly disorienting for him as a demon of that size and power was running away from him. He never knew something like this was even remotely possible but here we are... Cedric''s mind calcted the route of the Demon. He then figured out that the demon was heading towards the bunker in the basement, where most of his fellow convicts and wardens were hunkering down, which alerted him. He had no idea why this demon was heading there, all he knew was that, whatever its goal was, it absolutely could not happen. So either by hook or by crook, he will kill this demon before it arrives there. Pushing his footwork ever more, he was able to catch up with the beast. His determination to kill it was disyed in the way of numerous stabs on its back, leaving more bleeding wounds in the process. The beast whined pitifully from pain but it didn''t stop running. In desperation, it managed to reach its destination by punching a huge hole as a shortcut. However, it didn''t expect to spend all of its remaining longevity with that blow. As such, even though it managed to arrive at its target location, it died before even doing anything. And just for extra insurance, Cedric stabbed it on the back of its head, driving his de straight to its brain. The beast then fell, not being able to do its task as Cedric stood on top of its corpse. He then looked at the bewildered stare of the crowd and muttered: "He''s not here either..." Chapter 33: Traitor Cedric could''ve stayed behind to check on his fellow convicts or at least, re-assure them that everything will be fine cause god knows they need it, even the wardens too. But Cedric was preupied. He didn''t think that it was necessary for him to do that. He''s neither a Hero nor a member of the staff, so that kind of responsibility doesn''t fall on him. Hell, even if it does, he doesn''t want it. After giving them a considerate nce, which looked like an act of intimidation to the eyes of his targets due to what they''d just witnessed, he turned around and disappeared into a blurry shadow. With the Tiger Demon down, the rest shouldn''t have a difficult time repelling the remaining invaders, especially since he''s also cutting down their numbers. The pressure they would face shouldn''t be as heavy as before. Still, in search of Harold, Cedric continued to dash around the center, opening his field of senses to the maximum so that he could spot his only friend amidst all this chaos. In his search, he stumbled upon a weird thing... It was in the Reception Hall. There''s a ck bubble here which almost upied the entire section of this center. He had a troubled expression on his face upon seeing this. Cedric saw what happened here even though he wasn''t physically present. Another demon of the Tiger Demon''s caliber, or perhaps stronger, appeared here. That demon confronted the Chief Warden who was helping his men. It trapped itself and the Chief Warden inside this bubble, preventing him from providing help to the rest. He contemted for a brief second here. Thinking to himself if he could somehow help the Chief Warden. He tried to slice an opening to the bubble using his sword with Ki, yet it barely did any damage to it. The shell was too hard and weird for him to do anything to it. After that attempt, Cedric decisively turned around and continued his search for Harold instead. Cedric couldn''t afford to waste time here. He already realized that he was too weak to help the chief so he might as well spend his time wisely and achieve his goal as soon as possible. Besides, with the bubble still around, it means that the Chief isn''t dead yet. It''s illogical for the Demon to keep that bubble up if it already dealt with this enemy so since it''s there, that means that the fight was still ongoing. The Chief Warden was strong, he could tell that much. He should be able to handle this. With that, Cedric scoured the entire ce for clues about Harold''s whereabouts. He searched high and low, looking for any signs of his friend. He already searched Harold''s room but only his belongings remained there. He already went to the bunker, he''s not there either. Obviously he wasn''t in the Reception Hall since he already passed by that location. Cedric searched the quadrants, cells, rooms, offices...hell, he even checked thefort rooms to see if his friend got caught with his pants down; which was horrible by the way, but he wasn''t there either. He also checked if Harold was amongst the people who were trying to take advantage of the situation, attempting to leave this ce while the tragedy urred, but even afterbing through the people one by one, Harold was still missing... Cedric was starting to feel nervous. His hope was draining as the number of his options dwindled. Even with his field of senses at full bloom, he couldn''t spot his friend at all. He''s now starting to think that Harold might''ve already turned into a demon''s kiddie meal and that it''s toote for him to do anything. That was when he sensed a distortion on the edge of his senses. Something appeared just now and what he saw caused him to freeze in his tracks. Cedric''s heart sank to his stomach. His pupils constricted and an overwhelming sense of failure washed over his being. His grip on his sword tightened as he began to hesitate about his next actions. After a minute passed, which felt like forever for him, Cedric wore a steeled expression. Gritting his teeth, he pivoted his foot and began running towards the source of distortion. He was now heading towards where Harold was... *** ''...feels weird.'' That''s what Harold felt upon opening his eyes to reality. There was a strange sensation coursing through his veins. Something unfamiliar...dirty, and unpleasant. There''s this urge for him to get rid of...whatever this was. His instincts screamed at him, telling him that this wasn''t right. It irritated him so much that he wanted to w at his own skin just to get rid of this unpleasant sensation. But that thought didn''tst long... It was followed by an overwhelming sense of euphoria, which nearly gave him a whish. The feeling was positively pleasant...orgasmic, even. He couldn''t help but release a groan from his lips. He then felt something growing on his head. Something thick and quite weighty. Opening his eyes, he was momentarily confused about his new perspective. ''I''m...taller?'' He mused to himself. Sinking his senses into his body, he could also feel additional limbs behind him that certainly weren''t there before. Looking down at his hands, he could see that his forearm was scorched ck. It didn''t hurt of course, but it was an unfamiliar sight. He knew that he was a changed man already, he just didn''t know how much. Looking around, he saw chaos around. It''s as if a storm just passed by. The walls were cracked and the windows were gone. His stuff was scattered all across the room as if a thief just went through them. He could hear cries and groans of pain. He''s also more sensitive to the environment now than ever... Then, he spotted a shard of ss on the floor. Before he could even think about moving, the shard of ss already floated up in the air and towards him. Harold let out a surprised sound and smiled, thinking to himself: ''Oh, how convenient!'' That''s when he saw his reflection in the mirror. What he saw, caused his smile to freeze. He still looks the same...at least considering his face and upper torso. The difference is that his forearms were scorched ck, his eyes also adopted the same color as wine-red eyes, and he now had a pair of horns stemming from his forehead. As for the lower body though, it waspletely different... He now had the lower body of a horse, which exined the additional limbs he felt earlier, hell he could even feel the wagging of his tail. By all means, Harold was no longer a human at all. Judging from his transformed state, he was now a Centaur. More specifically...a Centaur Demon. Harold stared at himself for a good while. His thoughts turned chaotic at once before regaining their calm. ''What''s done is done...'' He sighed to himself. ''I made a decision. It''s all a little toote to regret it, after all the conversion already happened.'' Closing his eyes, he discarded the ss which shattered upon impact with the ground. Harold paid that no mind, of course, he was more concerned about how he would move in this new body of his. Well, as it turns out, he didn''t need to worry at all. This new body of his felt like he had it since birth. He could move everything subconsciously just fine. It all came naturally for him which made him relieved. At least he wouldn''t need to spend time re-learning his motor functions since that could prove deadly in a time and ce like this. He also just discovered that he''s holding a spear. There''s also a bow strapped on his back as well as a quiver of arrows attached to his hip. Lifting his spear, he did some experimental thrusts and nodded to himself. This felt natural for him as well. It would seem that being a Centaur Demon felt natural for him so there''s no need for him to be worried. After checking everything, a small smile appeared on his face. "Not bad, I guess..." "Right, not bad at all." A voice agreeing with him certainly rmed Harold. Instinctively, he started looking around in search of where the voice came from. But deep down, he couldn''t help but notice that the voice sounded extremely familiar. When the realization struck him, he paused... That was when a shadow solidified in front of him, revealing the familiar face of his friend ¡ª Cedric, who was now looking at his entire being impassive. His thoughts remained a mystery to the newly converted demon. "Oh! Hey, there." Harold, unable to think of how to approach this situation, automatically reverted to how he usually talks with his friend. "Man, this is awkward...I guess you caught me, huh?" "..." Cedric said nothing. Inwardly, Harold started sweating. The way Cedric seemingly studied every single morsel of his body brought shivers down his spine. It''s as if his friend was trying to discover all manner of ways to properly disembowel him. "You know...I really...and I mean ''REALLY'', didn''t want you, of all people, to see me like this." Harold muttered softly, steeling his resolve. "But shit, of course, you''d be looking for me so I guess I should''ve seen thising. Never thought you would seed in doing so but damn, here we are I guess." "..." "Sorry, dude." Harold shifted his spear, "I can''t stop here. Know that I never want it to end to end this way, but I''m gonna have to kill you here." Chapter 34: Doing the right thing None of them moved... They just stood there for a good minute, sizing each other up. Even Harold, who just said that he would kill Cedric, just stood still. It''s as if he''s waiting for Cedric to do...something, anything at the very least. Because if he was being honest here, this isn''t what he''s expecting at all. It seems that Cedric not having any violent reactions to his transformation really threw him out of the loop. "...not gonna say anything, huh?" Harold scoffed, tightening his hold on his spear. Seeing that Cedric still wore that stoic expression on his face, Harold couldn''t take it anymore. His hooves stomped the ground as he began charging towards Cedric, hell-bent on provoking any kind of reaction from thetter. It wasn''t until his spear was just about to hit Cedric that the guy reacted. Even then, his reaction didn''t amount to much... He merely raised his sword and parried the iing attack. His face was still impassive, looking as if none of this concerned him at all. And since Harold isn''t truly used to his new form just yet, he stumbled upon receiving the parrying blow, causing his huge figure to brush right next to Cedric. Picking himself up, Harold looked at Cedric once more, still wearing that empty expression. This fueled his irritation even more. Harold was starting to think that this man wasn''t Cedric at all, it should be an imposter instead. This thought caused him to stop holding back. Whether this was Cedric or an imposter, really doesn''t change anything in his situation. Harold still needed to kill this man before him to im true freedom. ng! ng! ng! Loud and heavy sounds of steel shing could be heard within the hallway. The venue of their battle was a little too tight forfort but it didn''t stop these two from fighting. Harold used all means he had to force Cedric into a difficult ce. The more they shed, the more familiarized Harold got for being a Centaur Demon. He expertly wielded his spear, used his bow and arrows, and he even tried using the sheer advantage and weight of his flesh to push Cedric into a corner. Sadly, to Harold''s absolute shock and terror, Cedric just wasn''t having it... For all intents and purposes, Harold has yet to do any substantial damage to Cedric. Hell, he''d even go as far as to say that he has yet to touch Cedric''s clothes from their sh just now. It was painfully clear at this point that Cedric was just not afraid of him. Not even a little bit. Everything Harold did to him in this form was met with an equal ¡ª and therefore neutralizing force. He shes with him with steel, and Cedric meets him in the middle, blow by blow. He tried sniping him, but the guy just gracefully dodged them, not evening close to him. He tried adding his weight into his attacks, Cedric takes it head on, not a trace of difort on his face as he does so. Harold never expected Cedric to be this good. Hell, he never even dreamed of it. It was somewhat dibobting for him since the Cedric he knew was the weak, sarcastic, cynical, and envious guy who was still holding on to life despite failing miserably. Even after his apparent ''change'', the roots of Cedric''s attitude and views haven''t changed at all. Sure, he knew that Cedric has gotten luckytely but that''s just it...luck. He never knew that Cedric hid this much strength beneath that attitude of his. So imagine how shocked Harold was at this current moment. These thoughts caused Harold to pause their fight. And thankfully, Cedric also stopped. He stared at Cedric, feeling slightly betrayed and displeased, yet also helpless. Harold realized that, maybe, this wasn''t the way to go. Maybe he can use a different approach here. "I didn''t expect you to be this strong, Cedie..." Harold muttered softly. And if Cedric heard that, well he didn''t say anything at all. "..." "How about you join me instead, yeah?" Harold asked. Yes, this was his idea. Why fight Cedric to a standstill like this? It''s of no benefit to him at all. If anything, he''s dooming himself by wasting too much time here. Harold knew that the wardens of this shitty hell hole already called for backup. More people will being here soon and if he doesn''t hurry up, he will meet his demise here, surely. Besides, from the looks of it, Harold felt that Cedric didn''t want to fight him. Why else would he just stand there and all when he clearly held the advantage in this fight? Harold wasn''t blind, Cedric was strong and if he wanted to, he could kill him right now. But he hasn''t done it yet, so this means that he''s trying to send a message. "We don''t have to continue fighting like this." Harold convinced him, "I know you like a good brother, Cedric. I know that you tooment on his unfair this fucking world is!" "..." "I grew tired of it, Cedie." Harold sighed, "Every single fucking month, we dance at the edge of life and death. All for the sake of survival, for what exactly? A situation that we never wanted to be in? A kind of life that we do not deserve at all? You know it too, Dude. This is fucking unfair!" "..." "But demons...I''m aware that they''re bad. Shit, that''s what everybody told us the moment we were born! But at the very least, they''re honest! They want to subjugate our world, yes, and they will kill humans to do so, yes! But they take care of their own! If we join them, then we will prosper too!" "..." "I''ve seen what''s on the other side, Bro!" Harold eximed as it was all still vivid to him. "We stood no chance at all! The Purgatory? Scoffs! They could tear it like paper if they really wanted to!" "..." "It''s meaningless to fight them. They''re a force of nature! It''s better to go with the flow instead! Unlike being Human, being a Demon isn''t so bad at all. At least, we don''t have to worry about the monthly mandatory service anymore. We can grow strong at our own pace, Cedric! Being a Demon means being free! Don''t you want that too? Come! Let''s escape this cruel fate! Join me, Bro!" "..." An ufortable silence descended between them. Harold did his best to convince his friend to join him, despite being unsure and feeling anxious. He did his best to avoid fighting his friends because clearly, none of them wanted any of this. It would truly make Harold relieved if he could fight alongside Cedric as a Demon, instead of fighting against him to death. That''s why he hoped, truly hoped, that Cedric would join him and the demon''s cause. Sigh... Cedric looked exhausted and aged upon releasing that sigh. He looked down, his bangs covering theplicated look in his eyes. A profound air enveloped his body, causing Harold to shiver with the sudden change. Shank! Harold''s eyes widened, followed by his coughing out blood. He looked down at his chest and saw the edge of Cedric''s sword protruding from his chest, a wry smile appeared on his face. He then felt movement near him and saw Cedric''s shadow appearing right next to him as his body crashed weakly on the ground. Harold''s lower body lost strength all of a sudden, causing him to copse just like that, and Cedric was there, sitting right next to him, his bangs were still covering the look in his eyes. "Damn!" Harold eximed and chuckled weakly, blood trickled from his mouth. "Didn''t see that shiting...you''re an ass, Bro! How did you get so strong all of a sudden?" "..." "Heh..." Harold chuckled and spat some more blood, "I guess this was your choice, huh? You sure are an enigma. You say some things that you truly don''t mean at all. I hate you sometimes..." "..." "S-sheesh...still not speaking to me? Do I look that horrendous to you? I-I''m sorry already, g-geez!" "Don''t be," Cedric muttered softly next to him, speaking just loud enough for Harold to hear. "Believe it or not, I get it. I really do." "I-I could...tell. B-but you do have the right...to be angry...at me...I betrayed your trust...after all." "I''m not angry...not at all, just...sad." "A-a...I''m sorry, alright? If it makes you feel better...k-know that I''m not angry at you, too. Not even after what you did just now." "..." Harold lifted his hand, sending a quick pat on Cedric''s back despite feeling his life being drained from his body. He didn''t want to corrupt Cedric so that''s all he did, even though he really wanted to at least give his friend a final hug before he departed. "I hate this world..." Harold softly whispered, "And I also hate Demons...I hate that I was born unlucky, and I hate that even after working so hard, none of it mattered in the end." That''s when Harold saw Cedric looking at him directly in the eyes. His breath stagnated with how sad his friend looked and the sheer mortification his gaze held. A chuckle escaped Harold''s lips for the final time as he uttered his final words: "Kill more of them for me...and if there''s another life after this...let''s be bros, again." And just like that, Cedric lost his only friend in this miserable ce. The way he died was the same exact way how his parents and siblings died as well. He was weak then, but he was strong now. Still...he failed, again. And that''s exactly why this was even more painful than before... Chapter 35: Nightmares and Resolve "...Mom! Dad! Please, no!" "C-Cedric! Listen to me...focus!" "...no!" "Listen! H-Hide! Find somewhere to hide!" "P-Please, no! I can''t lose you!!" "Son, this is not the time for you to be stubborn! Listen to me! Dad''s got this okay, buddy? I need you to hide until the monsters are gone! I promise I''ll find you once this is over! For now, find somewhere to hide." "Dad..." "You''re good at that right? Cough! Y-you always win against your buddies whenever you y, so you must be really good at it! Now''s the ultimate test to that, you hear me, boy!?" "Mn!!" "Good. Now, run and hide. If we''re lucky, we''ll each other soon, okay? Go! Quick!" "...if there''s another life...let''s be bros, again..." Gasps! Cedric''s eyes flew wide open as he was startled awake. The familiar ceiling of his prison room greeted him, allowing him to re-organize his thoughts up to speed. He sighed as his head throbbed. Painfully being reminded of that awful past. He had thought that he was already past this since he hadn''t had this nightmare for a couple of years now, but it seemed that he wasn''t over it yet. Harold''s death certainly didn''t help either... Sitting up on his bed, he rested his back on the headboard. He closed his eyes and tampered his senses down. He didn''t want to know what everybody was up to right now, he certainly didn''t care either. He just wants to spend time in silence. To mourn for the passing of Harold, his only friend, and brother in this shitty ce. What irks him about this is that he can''t openly mourn for the loss of his friend. To the rest of the world, Harold was the worst... A traitor to humanity. A willing participant of the Demons'' n to conquer Prime Earth. The worst scum to ever grace this, and so on. He already heard histe friend making the headlines. He even saw some articles about him online. He read and listened to the remarks of the ignorant people outside. They called him names. They spat on him. Criticized and cursed him to eternal damnation. Yes, what happened to the RMC already spread to the rest of the world. But none of that concerns Cedric at all. God knows how much Cedric wanted to defend the honor of histe friend. He wants to justify his actions and tell the world how pitifully ignorant they all were. He wants to call them out for their hypocrisy because they have no idea what it''s like to live a desperate life like the rest of them have here. Yet...he truly can''t do that. Not that he''s afraid of being criticized or having his public image smudged with dirt (he''s already a prisoner of this ce, public opinion about his existence was already at its lowest, so how can he care about that?) He can''t call them out because it''s just a waste of effort. It''s not like arguing with them would bring Harold back to life. Even if it did, the world would certainly not wee him, it''s as simple as that. Harold wouldn''t want him to do this in his stead either, so all he could do was silently mourn for him. Even after turning into a demon, Harold was still Harold. His mannerisms, his attitude, even his voice, it was still him. Cedric could tell this much since he was the one who went against him. He''s the one who killed his friend to stop the madness. Unless they''ve been locked away in his ce for years, those people would never understand Harold''s decision. But Cedric? He gets it...he really does. He already processed his emotions, and he didn''t find any resentment towards his friend for doing this. Hell, he''d even go as far as to say that hepletely understands why. Cedric was just not expecting it since, in his eyes at least, Harold was still doing good. His monitoring chip hasn''t turned green yet, but given time, it will be. That''s why Cedric was confused since Harold stood a chance. ''There must be a deeper story here...sadly, I might never have the chance to know. He''s dead, after all.'' He wasn''t angry about his friend''s apparent ''betrayal''. As he mentioned, he gets it. He understands why. And frankly, if Cedric didn''t receive these eyes, he''d probably consider the idea himself. Cedric only ever felt immense sadness about this whole ordeal. Harold was right, Cedric is a cynical and sarcastic guy, he says things that he truly doesn''t mean but most of them are, in fact, the truth. This world was so fucking unfair. The lucky ones get to livefortably while those who aren''t so lucky must always keep one eye open whenever they sleep since there''s always a threat to their lives. Cedric doesn''t me Harold for siding with Demons since that''s a valid, though immoral, option to survive. Sadly, even though Cedric doesn''t me his friend for his decision, he couldn''t just ignore what he did. As much as Cedric hates this world and the life he lives in it...it''s still home. Harold bringing with him all those demons caused the poption of this ce to significantly drop. A lot of people died. Most of them are unresigned, unwilling, and resentful about their deaths. They too were fighting for their lives. Holding on to it despite living in absolute despair, yet they met their demise because Harold decided to side with Demons. Hell, he could almost feel the lingering resentment in the air because of how thick it was. He wouldn''t be surprised if resentful ghosts start appearing here and there in this ce. Cedric wished that it wasn''t him. Truthfully, he was waiting for the reinforcements during his fight against Harold, hoping that whoever came to be the one to put down his friend. That way, maybe...just maybe, it would lessen the pain he feels. Sadly though, that didn''t happen. Cedric truly believes that his friend isn''t a bad guy. He just received unfair treatment from the world, which pushed him to the brink of desperation, and it caused him to cling to whatever means just to survive...to live. That''s all there is to it. Sadly, the world would never see it that way. And that hurts more. What makes the pain even worse is that this wasn''t the first time this happened. This is the second time that Cedric lost his loved ones because of the Demon invasion. The first time was when he and his family were just returning from the Awakening Center. Cedric could still vividly remember being so excited at the prospect of finally getting some training from his father. Yet, on their way back home, they got attacked by a horde of demons. Someone turned into a node right in the middle of the city, causing a tear in space to appear which demons used to infiltrate the ce. The savage demons attacked their ride and killed many people. Due to his recurring nightmares, Cedric could still vividly remember it. As soon as their bus got hit, his siblings died. He remembered clutching their unconscious bodies as he desperately cried for help. In his panic, he searched for his parents only to see them gravely injured. His father was trapped under the rubble while his mother was nowhere in sight. He tried to help his father and managed to free him but he was bleeding heavily. His father then instructed him to hide, to live. Promising that he would find him as soon as everything was over... A promise that he had failed to keep. After the incident, he was met with the dead bodies of his family. Only the bodies of his siblings remained intact, his parents weren''t so lucky. Only his mother''s left arm and his father''s skull remained. And that left young Cedric severely traumatized. That image haunted him for years, and by then, he was already deep in his personal hell, which was the only reason why he managed to ''move on'' from it. But with Harold''s death, everything came crashing down once more. Perhaps, it''ll be even worse than before. Only time will tell... And whether he likes to admit it or not, he''s scared ¡ª no, terrified. When his family died, he was weak and that was understandable, he just awakened that day, after all. But now, he''s decently strong, yet in the grand scheme of things, it''s still nothing. He couldn''t save them. Even with the heavenly gift he received, he remains just as weak and vulnerable as he was before. And that scared him a lot. How many people close to him would he lose before he achieves the right amount of strength to protect them? How long would it take? How much must he suffer, before finally having a break from this miserable life? As far as he could tell, he had nobody anymore. No family, no friends. Just him and their ghosts, probably ming him for their deaths. This event was like a cold bucket of water dousing his enthusiasm. Although he could say that he hadn''t cked off the moment he received this heavenly gift, he knew that he could do something more. "...never again..." "More..." "I need more power...more strength..." Chapter 36: Cult Due to the incident, the security around the Risk Management Center became stricter. The wardens are watching the convicts more closely than before, everyone could feel their solemnity and that was enough for most of the troublemakers toy low for now. They didn''t want the ire of the wardens toe crashing down on them after all. This isn''t to say that the convicts were oppressed. They still have some form of freedom, allowed to roam the vicinity of the center''s territory. However, the management imposed a curfew on them and they had to follow or else, they''d be punished. And even if the wardens could be stricter than this, some of them didn''t have the heart to do that to these people... The incident was certainly eye-opening, and just like most of the prisoners here, the wardens are also aware of what everybody who''s been here went through. They''d never admit this out loud, but deep down they sympathize with the fate of the convicts. They''re disappointed that someone decided to side with the demons, but honestly? None were surprised. The wardens could see that the convicts looked less energetic than before, and they could understand why. The sudden invasion forced them to face how fragile their lives were. It''s a crisp p that awoke them to their reality. And because of their current situation, fear was starting to creep even closer to their hearts. It''s no surprise that the atmosphere within the center became much more solemn and direpared to before. And nobody, not even the wardens or the Chief Warden himself, could change this. If there''s someone who refuses to wallow in this kind of atmosphere, it would be Cedric, who - despite losing a friend and being under close observation, still continued to train as his life depended on it. ...well, in hindsight, it kind of does, doesn''t it? The curfew and stricter security hardly affected his training regimen. He still went out during the day to practice his sword and cultivated the [White Lotus Core Technique] during the night whenever he didn''t feel like sleeping. Cedric was using every moment he could to increase his strength. He wanted to be more stronger now than before. In his mind, he''s really getting tired of crying about the unfairness of this life. He''s tired of letting the world dictate how he lives. He''s tired of losing the ones he loved, all because he wasn''t strong enough to protect them. He''ll be damned if he still doesn''t do anything about it with the gift he received. That''s why he''s pursuing a grand path for himself. One that would allow him to control his own life, not wanting to let anybody interfere with it anymore. That being said, he still has a long way to go. He already theorized the best way for him to grow. It''s still notplete, but for his immediate future, he already had everything nned. Cedric''s already establishing a path that would give him the perfect foundation for his future endeavors. It is nearing itspletion so he just needs to have more patience. Cedric was just about to return to his room, when all of a sudden, someone stood before him, blocking his path. He raised his head and met the gaze of the warden. Due to his sharp senses, he could immediately tell that the warden was somewhat wary of him. His sharp memory allowed him to gain some notion as to why this man felt this way. As far as he could remember, this man witnessed Cedric''s act of razing through clusters of Beast Demons, reaping their lives like wheat. The ease and swiftness with which he did so was certainly eye-opening ¡ª freakish, even. And he truly couldn''t me the man for being wary of him since, if he could do that to those demons, then who''s to say that he couldn''t do the same to him? "What''s up?" He asked. And he could''ve sworn that he saw the man flinch every so slightly when he spoke. "T-The Chief Warden wishes to talk to you." The warden spoke, trying his absolute best to be neither servile nor overbearing with his tone. He didn''t want to offend this man, after all. Cedric was slightly surprised about that. He wasn''t expecting that the Chief would call for him. He didn''t show his surprise though. Instead, he merely nodded and gestured for the man to lead the way. Then, they made their way toward the Chief Warden''s office. Upon entering, Cedric was immediately greeted with an unexpected sight. The Chief Warden was currently at war...with paperwork, it seems. The man was mumbling things that the rest couldn''t understand, but Cedric could. ''Death to paperwork, death to paperwork, death to paperwork...'' he chanted this phrase over and over again as he went over the mountains of paperwork on his desk. Cedric prevented himself from reacting. Instead, he just waited for what wille next. "C-Chief..." "WHAT!?" "Eep!" Cedric looked at the guy next to him incredulously. His senses didn''t fool him. This guy was indeed the one who let out that scared squeak just now. Before the warden could even say anything, he was interrupted by the Chief who had already seen Cedric. "Oh, so you''re here." The Chief regarded him with a huff, he then turned to the frightened guy and said: "Alright, scram now you!" "Sir, yes Sir!" The guy didn''t even excuse himself to Cedric, which was rather rude, but meh...it was fine. Cedric''s just a convict anyway, he doesn''t deserve that kind of treatment. "Sit." The Chief looked at him briefly before ordering and returning his attention to the mountains of documents on his desk. Cedric followed obviously, and the office became silent after that. The Chief called him here but he had to talk to him yet, leaving Cedric alone with his thoughts. ''The AC''s nice at least...'' He muttered inwardly. His room doesn''t have an AC in it, so during the daytime it''s hot and cold during nighttime. Though the shift in temperatures doesn''t really bother Cedric much, especially now that he''s changed, it would be nice to have it uniform. Sadly, that kind of luxury wasn''t meant for a convict like him... "Ugh!!! Fucking losers...ming me for something that''s out of my control...hmph!" Cedric blinked, but he refrained frommenting. He just watched as the hulking man suddenly raised his head and finally paid attention to him. Unexpectedly, the man just rolled his eyes at him, which nearly made Cedric gawk in disbelief, thankfully though he caught himself before it happened. The Chief then stood up and went to the nearby coffee machine to brew some for himself. It was then that he suddenly talked: "...Cult of the Demon Saint. That''s the name of the people that corrupted your friend." "..." Cedric wasn''t expecting this. Here he thought that the Chief invited him here to interrogate him because he was close to Harold. It seems that he had a different idea in mind. "They''ve been around for a while now, but they''re very low profile. So much so that we don''t have much intel about them even though it''s been years since we first caught their activities." "..." "Their whole ordeal was to apparently ''enlighten'' humans. Luring them to a false sense of belief that should they convert themselves into demons, all their misery and plight would disappear. They brainwash people, making them believe that by bing demons, they would be divine beings with evesting lifespans." The Chief finished brewing his coffee so he returned to his desk. He''s even nice enough to give Cedric a cup as well, which he obviously graciously received. "...and they manage to hack the Monitoring Chips?" Cedric asked tentatively. "Huh, you''re a sharp one." The Chief grunted with a raised brow, he took a sip of his coffee and nodded. "Yes, they did. Nobody knows how they do it, though. And that''s why my supervisors are chewing my ass out recently." In Cedric''s mind, the Cult''s means were certainly threatening. If they could hack the Monitoring Chips, preventing the authorities from getting an urate read on them, then they could certainly cause too much chaos in human society. "Sounds unfair," Cedric replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "Right!?" The Chief scoffed in disbelief. "Those sons of bitches couldn''t spot it themselves if they were here, yet they have some gall to reprimand me? How ridiculous!" "..." "Hmph! Either way, what I''m trying to say here is that your friend isn''t entirely the one to me here." The Chief continued, "Matter of fact, the appearance of ''Nodes'' is bing frequent in many other RMCs out there." "..." "On one hand, it''s bad news because many convicts are dying. On the other hand, it''s good news since the more frequently they do this, the more chances we get to analyze their methods and figure out how exactly they''re hacking the chips." "I don''t know if I''m supposed to be worried or relieved by that." "Both or neither..." The Chief shrugged. "I don''t particrly care about what you feel anyway." "..." Chapter 37: Old Men Cedric was mildly speechless but in all honesty, he wasn''t surprised. Chief Brightstone always struck him as a man who just couldn''t give a fuck about what others think of him. This isn''t to say that the man was rude and obnoxious, no. The old man was just really honest and a bit crass, but he''s a good guy. The fact that the old man told him that Harold wasn''tpletely at fault for what had happened was already proof of that. He didn''t need to go out of his way to call him here in his office for that matter anyway, yet he still did. Ignoring thest bit, Cedric sighed and said: "We might think that Harold was just another victim but others don''t see it that way." "Well, fuck them!" The Chief scoffed in disdain, causing Cedric to smile wryly. "Boy, I''m old enough to be your grandfather. I''ve seen and heard all types of shit in my long ass life, believe me when I say that the public''s opinion doesn''t amount to shit in the grand scheme of things." "..." "Since you''ve been stuck here, I''m sure that it''s already painfully clear to you how ugly and miserable this life is. Most of those parroting idiots haven''t experienced even a fraction of what you lot had been through." "They see the world in rose-tinted sses due to the sheer fact that they''ve gotten lucky." The Chief scowled, "Have them face a real demon and I''m sure that they''ll soil themselves before they could even plea for their lives." The Chief''s words were heated. He wasn''t merely saying those words tofort him, his tone has a basis but that''s a story for another time. Still, the mere fact that he showed fiery displeasure upon saying those words made Cedric think that the group of people he was talking about might''ve been really terrible. Possibly even beyond his imagination. "...anyways! Learn to ignore them. Words are just that, words. It won''t be anything else unless you make them so." "I''ll keep that in mind." Cedric nodded to show his agreement. "Right, another thing," The Chief took another sip of his coffee before continuing, "Take this." He then hands him a mask that has holes in his eyes and mouth. Cedric frowned but he still took it. Unable to help himself, he inspected it using the System. * [White Mask (T3)] : A in-looking mask that helps the user hide their feature. It also prevents skills/abilities that discern that user''s identity. * "...not that I''m ungrateful for this, but..." "The stunt you pulled during the invasion will certainly catch their eyes." The Chief interrupted him. "Hell, I wouldn''t be surprised if they''re already investigating about you. After all, you did y a big role in thwarting their invasion. Surely, they''re not pleased with what you did. Not by a long shot." A grimace made its way to his face. Right, Cedric certainly forgot about that matter entirely. He forgot that the Demons are using every means they have to collect intel about humans. They''re surely profiling those who show enough talent and if they could, they would nip them in the bud before they blossom into a real problem. Because of his carelessness, not wearing anything to hide his features, and all of that, he probably already provoked their ire. The Chief was right, it''d be a miracle if he was still unknown to them at this point. The same goes for the cult as well. "You better start learning how to act." The Chiefmented in amusement. "I''m quite sure that they will start sending scouts in your Hell Dives to learn more about you. The more you fight, the more you''ll reveal yourself to them. The more intel they have on you, the easier it''ll be for them to kill you. That''s, of course, assuming that you maintain your clearance rate of your Hell Dives." Cedric felt a headacheing. This wasn''t good at all. Because of his carelessness, life had just be even more of a bitch to him. "This...this should help...for a bit at least. Thank you, I''ll use it well." Cedric replied with difficulty. "Right, the mask could only buy you time. It''s not a permanent solution. Well, it''s up to you to find it, so good luck I suppose." The Chief snorted in amusement. "Thanks a lot...I guess." Cedric replied with some snark. "You''re wee." The Chief teased, "Well, that sums it up. You''re doing well in terms of recovery. Continue that and you might just be a miracle for the people here." "..." Cedric was confused, but it seemed that the Chief wasn''t in the mood to rify things for him. "Also, you don''t have to return to your ''prison cell''. If you want to, you can just build a temporary residence anywhere within these walls. You have enough Demon Souls to sustain yourself anyway so feel free to do that." "...can I really?" Cedric was surprised by that sudden offer. "Yes, you can." The Chief nodded, "So long as you continue to behave like you''ve always been, we won''t have problems. I also know that you value your privacy but of course, you''ll be monitored still since you remain within these walls. This is just a little bit of freedom I can give you in exchange for saving my useless brats." ''Ah, so that''s why.'' Cedric nodded inwardly. Still, this was good news to him. With this, he could have more space to maneuver. If he''s being honest, being stuck in the prison cells was starting to be stuffy for him, especially after Harold''s death. Harold was his only friend here, and now that he''s gone, Cedric couldn''t see himself making connections with others. He will still be monitored, yes, but that''s to be expected, this wasn''t a deal breaker to him so he''ll dly take the offer. "If that''s the case, then thank you, Sir. I can certainly use some space." "I know." The Chief replied, "Anyway, that''s all I called you here for. You may now scram." Cedric smiled wryly before standing up and bowing at the Chief. Bidding his farewell, he exited the office and made his way out of the building. Silence permeated within the Chief''s office once he left, creating some semnce of peace before it was interrupted by the sudden appearance of an unknown person who sat on the same seat Cedric used previously. "...so? How was he?" The Chief asked the neer. "Needs to work more on his poker face, but overall not bad." The man who just shimmered into existence uttered. He also shamelessly helped himself to the remains of Cedric''s coffee before wincing at its vor. "Ack! Too sweet! What did you put in this, diabetes?" "Too sweet, my ass! It''s the perfect ratio, bitch! And did you just seriously drink on a used cup? You''re fucking creepy, you know that?" The Chief red at the man. "...it''s part of the investigation!" The man at least had some decency to look ashamed after that was pointed out. "It helps me learn more about him." "By what? Tasting his spit? That''s fucking disgusting, you and I both know that. Plus, you''re almost as old as me. The kid''s not even 25, so yes, you are fucking creepy." "Do you wanna hear my thoughts about the kid or not!?" The man was incensed and it shows. For what it''s worth, the Chief just snorted at the man''s outburst before asking: "Lay it on me, then." "He''s clean." The man sighed and then rubbed his face at the implication of his words. "I MEAN!! He''s not a spy, nor he''s brainwashed by the cult. He''s perfectly sane...well, as sane as any person who''s been here for years, that is." If the Chief released a sigh of relief after hearing that, neithermented about it. After all, both of them had an image to maintain here. "Also...he spotted me, so there''s that." The man smiled ever so slightly at that. The Chief raised a brow in surprise and said: "You mean to say that you, Arishem Romanovia ¡ª one of the slimmest and creepiest assassins this city could offer, have been spotted by a Tier 1 Lv.2 brat like him? You sure you''re not senile yet?" "Shut the fuck up! Slimiest and creepiest, my ass! You''re sullying my fucking reputation!" The man now named Arishem, red at the Chief. "I''m not senile yet, bitch! And I didn''t slip up either! The kid''s senses are just way too sharp!" "...really?" "Yes! Really!" Arishem snorted, "He was paying attention to every nook and cranny of your office without so much of an effort on his part. It''s insane honestly. I almost couldn''t believe that he''s only Tier 1 Lv.2!" "Huh...you got all of that from tasting his spit?" "Can you fucking stop emphasizing that part!?" (Unbeknownst to these two, Cedric heard their entire conversation, and the face he was making right now looked certainly ufortable. Unfortunately, he couldn''t just march back in there and protest since that would reveal his cards even more, and he''s not specifically ready for that talk just yet. Even so, Cedric agrees with the Chief that this Arishem guy was really creepy.) Chapter 38: Plans [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Jr.Undead yer, Schr, Sword Child Aptitude: Body: S Energy: S Spirit: (S) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: S+ Skills: Actives: Sword Ki Lv.7, Kickboxing (M) Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Ki Mastery Lv.7, Smell (M), Multitasking (M), Taste (M), Touch (M), Listening (M), Intuition (M), Footwork (M), Recovery (M), Tolerance (M), Tactics (M), Deception Lv.3, Willpower Lv.3 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 3, Failure Streak - 0 *** Staring at his status board, Cedric sighed dismissively. Despite his, admittedly, morous stats Cedric could already sense that he was approaching the limits of his growth. This isn''t to say that he''sining, no. Of course not. He''s extremely grateful and satisfied with his overall growth so far. He had achieved feats that not many could boast about. Hell, it wouldn''t be surprising if he turned out to be a unique existence by now. With an S+ rating for his overall Aptitude, in addition to new skills: Deception, and Willpower, there''s really not much he could squeeze out from his potential without levelling up and undergoing Tier Advancement. Well, he could look for other ways to increase his arsenal/expertise. Like say; learning how to craft something, maybe studying anothernguage, looking into other hobbies that might interest him, and so on... But in terms of explosivebat force, he''s already nearing the limits of what he could have. At least for a Lv.2 Swordsman, that is. Yet even though he could clearly advance his strength by arge margin through simply leveling up, Cedric didn''t feel like doing so. What he pursued was the perfect foundation. Something that would set him apart from the rest. He wants to excavate every ounce of potential his body had, perhaps even go beyond it. He wasn''t interested in fame, glory, wealth, etc. Those would follow him eventually anyway. What he wanted out of this, was power. True power to ensure that he could survive in this cruel world and take control of his own life. True power to make a change... But he clearly still has a long way to go. So that means, no rest for him... It''s been roughly a week since Chief Brightstone called him into his office. Since then, Cedric lived like a hermit within the walls of the RMC. He had built a simple hut around the area where he usually trains, iming the spot as his. He didn''t show himself around the other convicts since he wasn''t interested in knowing anybody anymore. Despite feeling lonely every now and then, Cedric was quite fond of the silence he received, all thanks to the small amount of freedom he was given. As expected, none of the wardens troubled him for doing this. They were informed about his unique status and only observed him from a distance. Cedric obviously knows this since he can sense them. His fellow convicts weren''t aware of this arrangement though. That''s because nobody told them. And even if they were told, it''s not like they could do anything about the Chief''s decision. They''re not that brave or stupid to question their jailors. Besides, nobodyes around this area anyway, so Cedric wasn''t entirely worried about his privacy. While his temporary home might look shabby from the outside, it wasn''t that bad on the inside. He wasn''tcking in furniture since he was practically a millionaire in terms of Demon Souls. Hell, everything he ordered for the house barely made a dent in his savings, so really, he had no problems at all. Besides, Cedric has never been used to luxury. Well, considering his current status, it''d be surprising if he did. He''s already grown used to a simplistic way of living. His house didn''t have any electricity but that''s fine with him. He''s not one to use that many electronics anyway. The things he used had batteries in them which he could simply order online once they ran out. Overall, it''s peaceful, quiet, and slightly lonely. Compared to the sheer madness that this ce had? His ce was practically Heaven. With his living conditions secured and morefortable, Cedric was now facing a new problem altogether. In fact, it''s the sole reason why he learned the art of Deception. Demons are once again, proving to be a pain in the ass for him. When he realized why the Chief had given him the mask, Cedric had been searching for a method on how to solve this problem. He doesn''t know how much the Demons knew about him, but the sheer fact that they will now be watching him closely made him incredibly ufortable. Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, this isn''t surprising. It shouldn''t be. After all, it happened multiple times already. Demons are always watching. Consistently collecting information about notable humans that could pose a threat to their nefarious ns. With the Cult''s appearance, their source of information grew even more and honestly, it''s terrifying. Once the Demons assessed the threat level of a person, they would make ns for them. If possible, they will eliminate the budding talents to lower the chances of Humanity''s morale. They will stoop low, that''s for certain, they''re demons after all and they''re at way so it''s all fair. Sometimes, it''s very easy to forget that Humans and Demons are still at war because of the peaceful environment around them. If it weren''t for the Hell Dives, Cedric wouldn''t have guessed that they were at odds at all. And that''s precisely why he''s trying to be cautious. Cedric was training to survive. If he had already registered himself under their radar, then that''s theplete opposite of what he''s trying to do. The mask he was given wasn''t a solution, only a temporary stopgap. Hell, it''s already questionable whether it would work or not. This mask would only cover his facial features, not his entire body. It wouldn''t conceal or transform his physique into something else. It wouldn''t hide the way how he moved or conceal his skills. Depending on how much the demons knew about him, this mask may or may not already be useless. That''s why he''s searching for another way to divert the demons'' attention away from him. He nned on putting up a show, something he learned from the art of Deception. If he''s already being monitored, then there''s not much he could do about that. What he can do, however, is to control how much he will show to them. Cedric nned on slowly tapering off. Like, he will show his face in Hell Dives, continue clearing it and, as time passes, slowly show that he couldn''t keep up. Showcasing just enough strength to barely clear the task with so much difficulty. If they see that, then they will slowly but surely conclude their judgment of him, eventually diminishing his real threat and leaving him alonepletely. That being said, there are a lot of ws in this n. Mainly the fact that he''d be purposefully failing his Hell Dives. If he goes through with this, he will also be slowing down his progress a lot. And that''s something that he''s very reluctant to do. He couldn''t ept that he would have to tone down his personal growth just to escape the Demons'' scrutiny, mainly because it had to be convincing, and the Demons aren''t dumb. One slip up and they will realize that he''s hiding his strength, and while Cedric is confident about his skills, who knows what other methods the Demon has to discover his secrets? Yes, he knows that that''s probably for the best since it''s only a small sacrifice to ensure that he lives, but he just didn''t like that idea. Remember, Cedric had grown this much in just a few months. It hasn''t even been half a year since he had received these blessings yet he already possesses this level of strength! If he went through with this n, he''d be dying his growth so much that, he just knew, he''d regret it. Knowing this, he could only think of other ways to do this, but so far, he didn''t have any idea where to start. That''s the dilemma he''s facing right now. Thankfully though, he still has some time left. On the next Hell Dive, he will show himself still. He would showcase as much strength as before. He would still be under observation and he wouldn''t be able to prevent it, but at the very least, the Demons wouldn''t move on him just yet. That would buy him enough time to search for other options. So that''s to say that he would be using the n he made for now at least, right until he finds a more pleasing solution for this problem. Suffice it to say, for now at least, nothing has changed. He has a lot in mind but he had time as well. Of course, he wouldn''t stop training even while searching for a possible way to solve his problem. He still has some room to grow and the sooner he reaches his limit, the earlier he could start leveling up. He just hoped that he could find a solution soon because his anxiety wouldn''t let him be a peace with this problem at hand. Chapter 39: Cleared - Time Skip - Hordes of manic zombies ran towards Cedric, hell-bent on devouring his flesh... There were so many that they almost formed an actual sea. Their movements were erratic but frenzied. They tripped and fell but never stopped pursuing him like moths attracted to fire. For the record, it''s not like Cedric was being idle. He was moving. Sword shed as he carved a path through the hordes of zombiesing his way. It''s just that there were too many that spawn at once that, even with his frankly absurd killing rate, he''s still being mobbed. Believe it or not, he''s forced to face a horde of nearly 500 Zombies, all spawning at once with each passing minute. The majority were ordinary, others were mutated. This Hell Dive started 30 minutes ago, yet it already reached this point of madness. Frankly, anybody who sees this wave would have doubts about their survival. Not Cedric though... His body blurred, disappearing like a ghost. When he reappears, and only briefly whenever he does, several zombie heads would either explode or be detached from their bodies. His longsword was covered with a thin veil of bluish light. It looks underwhelming but make no mistake, it''s that same energy that allowed him to slice through hordes of zombies like a hot knife through butter. By now, Cedric was already covered with filth and grime from all the zombies he killed. Sadly, there''s just no time for him to rx or wipe it off since there''s always a trail of zombies behind him. They didn''t know the meaning of exhaustion so Cedric always had to stay alert. Amidst the regr zombies were the mutated ones. At this point, there''s at least one of each type harassing him through whatever means necessary. Try as he might to target them first, the sheer number of ordinary zombies throwing themselves at him made that challenging. Still, Cedric refused to be stopped. He never stayed in the same spot for more than a second. He roamed the battlefield like a wolf unleashed on a herd of sheep. How many stepped forward was also how many died. Cedric was intent on killing every single one he encountered since, even a single one''s value was low, a Demon Soul was a Demon Soul. Cedric wasn''t broke, Demon Souls-wise. Hell, he still has millions in his savings simply because he didn''t need much to begin with. That being said, he''s no idiot who would refuse a, practically, free Demon Soul. With his speed, it''s hard for the zombies to keep track of him. Only mutated ones could react to him and find him in time. s, this only applies this early on the run. The zombies he faced evolve in strength, speed, and numbers the longer he''s here so it wouldn''t take long before they be even more challenging than they are right now. Covered in his light but sturdy armor, Cedric had some level of defense going for him. While his goal was to, preferably, not be touched by any of the zombies at all, he truly couldn''t dodge everything. Yes, even with his supercharged senses and evolved physique, he couldn''t. Still, his armor was still intact. He had only suffered from a handful of blunt attacks since the start of the Hell Dive so he''s still fine. Cedric was also wearing the White Mask that the Chief gave to him. Its purpose was to prevent anybody from discerning his facial features, and he could tell that it was working his magic thanks to his senses. He had to hand it to the demons, they know what they''re doing. While he''s aware that, at the very least, someone from many hordes of the zombies he killed so far, was sent as a spy to gather intelligence about him, he wasn''t able to clearly differentiate them from the others. And yes, this is also the case even with his absurd senses. These demons are way too cunning. They had the means to silently and effectively spy on humans without being found out. It''s very irritating but he''s helpless against it. He was the one that fucked up and now he had to face the consequences of his careless actions. Still wondering if the mask was even a need at this point, Cedric continued wearing them anyway. Better be safe than sorry. Even so, however, he did try his best to showcase a level of strength that seemed ''convincing'' for his performance. Frankly, Cedric could go much faster than this. He could kill more efficiently and more quickly than this. But he purposefully held back for the sake of deceiving the enemy. s, he still hasn''t found a reliable way to solve his problem but for the most part, that''s still okay. With his level of performance, he shouldn''t be too eye-catching for them just yet, just worthy of attention, nothing more. He could still continue his act without damaging his rate of progress, and each time he seeds, he''s only bringing more time to himself. Taking a deep inhale of the putrid air in Purgatory, Cedric winced due to the sheer odor, yet underneath that, he could also feel his pulse thrumming under his skin. His Ki billowed within his body, coursing like raging water through his bloodstream and making him feel alive. Despite the sweat running down on his face underneath the mask, and how his back felt drenched, Cedric didn''t feel exhausted just yet. He could feel his body on metaphorical fire. He remains fast, deadly, and silent throughout the battle. He charges with the sword in hand,pletely unafraid of the hordeing his way. ''I should probably start looking for AoE Skills...'' he muttered to himself as soon as he was finished decimating another cluster of zombies with minimal action. In all honestly, the only sword skills he possessed as of currently were nothing more than thebined basics of sword-wielding and his Ki. Cedric didn''t have anything that he could use to kill enemies inrger groups with one attack. Don''t get him wrong, his method was still effective. While it might be the only thing he could rely on for now, it''s sufficient at the very least. It gets the job done so you won''t hear himining. Besides, even though he wanted to learn more skills, people are stingy you see. Nobody would sell AoE Skills for Tier 1''s since that''s reckless and nobody could buy them. Well, a few Tier 1''s who are born to a rich and lucky family could. So could he since he''s a millionaire, but again, nobody sells them in the shop. If they do, they''d target the stronger market first; Tier 2 and above... It''s a shame really, but there''s nothing he could do about it. Schwing! Schwing! The sound of his de cleanly slicing off or poking zombie''s heads continued. Cedric brandished his sword with machine-like precision as he decimated hordes of zombies in his wake. Just then, he felt another probe going off but didn''t react to it. He maintained his pace, seemingly not sensing anything while in truth, it was as clear as day for him. Sadly, he just couldn''t track where it came from so even though he wanted to take them down as a priority, he couldn''t since it''s only a fruitless endeavor. The mask once again did its thing though, and he could''ve sworn that he almost got a reaction for that but that might''ve just been his imagination. Either way, he continued his ughter... Time passed by and soon, the first two hours and bosses of his Hell Dive breezed past him. Somewhere along the run, Cedric lost count of how many zombies he had killed. His entire being was soaked in all sorts of dirt, grime, bits of flesh, blood, etc. Even with the mask on, his face was still dirtied by them. Hell, he might''ve ingested some things that sttered on his face at one point, who knows? Cedric got so absorbed in his vendetta against the zombie horde that he had relinquished all other thoughts that had nothing to do with killing zombies. His many, many thought chambers focused on a singr task. He had but all stopped caring about the probes toward his real identity at this point. With the horde continuously evolving, it reached the stage where Cedric could safely stop holding back since it was no longer necessary. In fact, it would be detrimental if he did so since he''s risking failure. Not only did the Hell Dives be more harder the higher his streak goes, but it''s also evolving in real-time. Truly a seemingly impossible task but Cedric nevertheless pushes on. Cedric''s focus was so sharp that he almost had a whish when the final boss appeared. A giant zombie unceremoniously appearing out of thin air would probably do that to anybody. Thankfully, Cedric didn''t take too long to recover his focus. And so, after clearing the rest of the zombies as well as the final boss, light engulfed his entire body as he disappeared from Purgatory, appearing on his hut within the walls of RMC. Still panting from exhaustion, Cedric heaved his body towards the nearby creek,pletely missing the fact that his monitoring chip... ...has now turned green. Chapter 40: Free Man "The Chief wants to talk to you." Cedric blinked after hearing that. If he were to be honest, he wasn''t expecting that at all. In his mind, he didn''t think that he did anything that would warrant the Chief''s attention so it was surprising that he''d want to talk to him now. "Give me a moment." He replied nheless, still thinking about what prompted this all of a sudden. The warden arrived as soon as he was done bathing by the creek, he wasn''t even properly dressed yet so he asked for some time to clothe himself at least before going with him. After changing into a fresh set of prisoner uniform, he stepped outside of the hut and nodded to the warden, who then led him toward the Chief''s office. On their way, he could feel his fellow inmates whispering about him. Normally, he would already know what that''s all about but right now, his field of senses was off. By ''off'' he meant that it''s suppressed to the bare minimum, almost to the normal levels. The reason behind this is to prevent sensory overload which could happen especially when he''s exhausted. He just got off from his Hell Dive after all, he hadn''t had proper time to rest aside from his time rxing in the bath. He''s still rtively low on energy and he didn''t want to overload his senses so he suppressed them. The warden didn''t follow him inside, he just motioned for him to enter, so he did. As soon as he entered, he was greeted by the cold air within the office thanks to the AC, causing him to visibly rx. He then saw the Chief, still waging war with paperwork on his desk. Smiling to himself, he knocked on the door despite being inside to catch the man''s attention. The Chief looked up at him and groaned. He then motioned, with his head, towards the chair in front of him. Cedric bowed slightly and made his way to his seat. Just like before, the Chief doesn''t seem too keen on talking to him right away. His attention was focused on the documents he was reading, sporting a deep frown on his face whilst he did so. Cedric didn''t mind that. He instead just rxed inside the office and basked in the peaceful silence in there. ''I could fall asleep here...'' He thought, fighting back a yawn. After a couple of minutes, however, the Chief grunted out loud, catching his attention. He then signed the documents he was holding and ced them right next to a smaller pile on his desk. It was then that the Chief finally regarded his presence by looking at him and asking: "So? What are your ns now?" Cedric blinked. Then he blinked again. He stared at the Chied, trying to process what he meant by saying those words but he couldn''t. "I''m sorry?" "You heard me, brat! What are your ns now?" Chief Brightstone stressed. Cedric was confused, obvious by the appearance of a frown on his face. He doesn''t have any idea what the Chief is talking about. "Don''t tell me you...really? You haven''t noticed it yet?" "Sorry, am I supposed to ''notice'' anything?" Cedric asked, still confused. "Oh Lord, this is rich! Hah!" The Chief snorted inughter. "And here I thought your senses were supposed to be sharp!" Cedric frowned deeper as he carefully released his field of senses. He didn''t release it at its maximum capacity, just enough to sense his surroundings. Still, even with that, he didn''t discover what the Chief was telling him to ''notice''. "I''m not¡ª" "On your nape, brat. See it for yourself." The Chief interrupted. Cedric raised a hand to clutch his neck, he even warped his sight to see what the Chief was referring to, and when he did, his eyes widened in realization. "Oh..." "Yeah, oh..." The Chief droned, causing Cedric to feel slightly embarrassed for only discovering this now. There on his nape, was the Monitoring Chip that is now releasing a vibrant green light. Meaning that he, like all of those lucky ones outside of this forsaken ce, had turned into a ''regr'' person. One that no longer has to be worried about their monthly mandatory service because they could clear it just fine. Realizing this caused Cedric to feel awed by the passage of time. As it turns out, this has been the 7th month since his life has changed. For a refresher, someone who had been considered a ''Risk'' ¡ª a person whose monitoring chip turned Red because of their constant failure to clear their Hell Dives, to recover their ''civilian'' status, they''d need to clear their Hell Dives sessfully for 6 month''s straight, turning that chip to Green once more. Cedric spent a month building his foundations after receiving his eyes. The month after that, he cleared his task and it continued until this very day, when his own Monitoring Chip finally turned green. "No wonder I was receiving those stares..." He murmured loud enough for the Chief to hear. "Right, ''cause what you achieved, in their eyes at least, was practically impossible. But seeing you with on, that myth was busted. Congrats, boy. You''re a star now." The Chief snorted as he rested his back on his seat. "But what do you mean when you ask me about my ns?" Cedric innocently asked. "Are you fucking¡ª!? Boy, do you not know what that green signal represents? No, that shouldn''t be! You must be fucking with me!" The Chief was outraged. "Uh...i-it turned green? Alright?" Cedric was still confused. "Oh, Dear Lord! You are nuts!" The Chief looked at him in disbelief. "Seriously? You don''t know? Or did you just forget? You know what, fuck it! Whatever!" "..." "You''re free, boy!" The Chief stressed out. Looking a bit miffed by having to constantly exin. "Green means you''ve regained your ''Civilian'' status. You can now leave this ce and be amongst your ''people''." Cedric blinked. Then he blinked again. Then a rush of uncertainty flooded his mind, turning his thoughts chaotic. "...well, shit! I can''t believe I forgot about that." Cedric whispered, looking embarrassed even more so than before. Right, out of all the things he forgot, it''d be this. He really wanted a hole to crawl into right about now. For someone like him who used to say that he had a sharp memory, this was certainly embarrassing. How can he forget about this? Unbelievable! Now that his Monitoring Chip has turned green, it means that he will be regaining his freedom soon. He no longer had to be cooped up within these pesky walls. He could leave and rejoin civilization as a ''Free Man'', living the kind of life that he had always wanted. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that he''s now getting his second chance, or he could continue living after so long. But instead of celebrating this idea, Cedric found himself stumped by this sudden freedom. Second chance? What''s that? Forget about receiving a Second Chance at life, he never had one to begin with! His life had been miserable since he awakened as a Superhuman, so what ''Chance'' exactly are they talking about? Continue living? Would it really matter where? All Cedric knew was within these walls. He''d been here since he was at the tender age of 15. This is all he had. ns? What ns? Hell, the reason why he didn''t get it for the first time was because he was already convinced that he''d remain here for the rest of his life! Yet now, all of a sudden, the Chief calls him to his office and asks him what he ns now that he''s a ''Free Man'', how can he answer that? ''I-...what do I say to that?'' Cedric mused inwardly, still shell-shocked from the sudden revtion. He never thought this far to be honest. Again, he''s been here since he was 15,pletely convinced that he''d be stuck here for the rest of his life. Everything that he knew outside were things he saw and heard of online and on television. To him, the ''Outside World'' was almost a myth even though that''s where he came from before ending up here. Even with his sharp mind, memories of his youth were already blurry to him, buried by the many memories of his despair and loathing about his situation. He truly doesn''t know what to think at the very moment... "Well...I''ve seen thising..." The Chief slowly sighed after seeing Cedric''s reaction. Deep down, he felt pity for the kid. He had read his file, memorized it, even. He knew that the kid had been here for years. He had already forgotten what it''s like to be free. So now, faced with this foreign status, the child has no idea what to think of it. "Oh well, in any case, I''m sure you''ll figure it out. I already have your documents. You can only stay for three more days here." The Chief didn''t miss the sudden burst of anxiety emanating from Cedric, causing him to sigh inwardly. "I...I can''t stay here?" "No, absolutely not." The Chief''s words were direct and final, causing Cedric''s expression to crumble. Chapter 41: Verdict Sufficed to say, Cedric isn''t in proper mental headspace right now. The revtion he received so far was just too shocking and he''s too exhausted to keep up. Even the idea of him staying here instead of enjoying his well-deserved freedom was a spur-of-the-moment thing. He wasn''t really thinking properly, that''s why he blurted that out. Of course, it didn''t help that the Chief ruthlessly denied his request, but he could hardly be med for that. "Come on, Kid. Get a grip. Take some deep breaths and analyze what''s currently happening. I know you''re still tired but this conversation couldn''t be dyed since I''m busy." Chief Brightstone instructed. Cedric took a deep breath to center himself. He closed his eyes and pondered deeply, realizing shortly that he was indeed panicking. He initially thought that he was above this since he had the ¡ºWillpower¡» skill but it turns out that it doesn''t work like that. Nevertheless, he managed to get a grip of himself. Realizing that he was being hasty here. He regained some rity in his clouded mind, enough to get some ideas as to why his previous offer was turned down mercilessly. "You good?" The Chief asked. "Yeah." He nodded in reply. "Great. I''ll tell you why you can''t stay here." The Chief continued. "Well, the main reason is that you''re potential is wasted in this shitty environment." That got Cedric''s attention at once. "Like I said, Boy. I''ve read your file. I know what you''re going through." The Chief paused before sighing. "Actually, no I don''t. But I have an idea at the very least." "..." "The sheer fact that you''re here, sitting in front of me, alive and well, means that you''re far from a pushover like the rest out there." The Chief stated, "Not only did you manage to hold out this long, you even regained your civilian status despite how difficult your Hell Dives were." "That means that your skills are the real deal..." "Kid, this isn''t where you belong." The Chief shook his head softly. "You''ve known this ce like the back of your hand. You''ve experienced the madness, desperation, greed, and corruption that drowns this ce." "I don''t want you to rot here." The Chief stared directly at him, trying his best to send his genuine words across. "Staying here will only hold you back. You have so much potential to be, and I''d hate to snuff that just to keep you here. The world is big, explore and live, boy. Don''t waste your youth here." "...I''m not sure if they''d even want me there. I have nowhere to return to. I have no one, period. I just...I just don''t see the point." Cedric muttered loud enough for the Chief to hear. Chief Brightstone grimaced upon hearing the vulnerability in the child''s voice. He inwardly cursed since he''s not an expert at handling things like this, but he figured that he had to since he just couldn''t let this kid rot here. "Don''t let that stop you, boy." The Chief uttered softly. "You don''t have to ''return'' there per se. You can just start a new one. Start a new chapter of your life and make it memorable. I won''t say that it''ll be easy, but it''s much better than staying here, that I''m sure of." "...start a new life out there? A broken man like me? Do I even deserve that?" Cedric bit his lips in indecision. "What''s broken cannot be fixed." He said, to which the boy winced, "But that only applies to items and other things out there. You''re not an item, boy. You still have a chance to heal. You won''t find it here, so you must brave the world outside of these walls." "..." The Chief looked at the boy who was contemting right now. He sighed inment, seeing how miserable the boy felt about himself. This ce really got to him. He might''ve staved off the madness but the despair permeated deep into the boy, causing him to end up like this. It''s this part that the Chief hated about this ce. Anybody who stays here long enough will turn into lesser husks of themselves due to their environment. The Chief had always hated to see how it broke all manner of men that arrived here. Much worse, kids like this one. "You will receive help, of course." The Chief continued, causing Cedric''s attention to return to him. "It''s pretty obvious that you''re not yet ready to socialize. I''m sending you to a rehab facility, specialized for handling people like you." "It''s free of charge, you won''t spend a dime on any counseling or courses that will help you improve. Of course, you''ll need to provide for yourself but you''d obviously understand that." Cedric looked pensive about the idea but not in a negative manner. In his mind, he recalled some information about that and if he were to be honest, it doesn''t seem like a bad idea to start. "I guess that''s my next destination then," Cedric replied after a while of deliberation. "Good. I''ll arrange a meeting for you. I just need your signature here, and here." The Chief then handed him a stack of papers, which he signed shortly after. Of course, he read the documents himself and didn''t discover anything shady about them. This isn''t to say that he was suspicious of the Chief. He''s just being careful since these are legal documents. It''s never been a bad idea to be thorough about those. Once he signed the papers, the Chief gave him some more advice and did his best to cate Cedric''s still turbulent emotions. After that, he sent him away because he still had mountains of paperwork to wage war with. Cedric didn''t overstay his wee. As soon as he stepped outside of the office, he turned into a blur and returned to his humble abode. He did this to avoid the attention of other convicts, he didn''t want to deal with them right now. Back in his hut, Cedric groaned and dropped face-first on his mattress. He stayed like that for a couple of minutes before switching positions. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered if that just really happened. Well, kind of toote for that since he already signed his release papers, but still... He truly didn''t know what to feel about his sudden freedom. Normally, it should be celebrated since, well...he''s gonna be free of this ce! No more madness, no more harassment from fellow convicts (never been a problem to him but whatever), no more close inspection from the authorities, and so on... But like he confessed earlier, is there even a ce for him out there? He had truly doubted it simply because he would never be ridden by what he did. His status of being an ex-convict of the RMC will always remain with him. It will stay on his public profile forever and for others, that''s enough to change their opinion of him. Cedric was never under the illusion that it would be happily ever after once he got out of this ce. He was not expecting to be weed with open arms upon leaving this ce. Hell, even if that was the case, he wouldn''t want it. It''s just...daunting, to say the least. For others, starting a new chapter of their lives might sound exciting, but not for Cedric for some reason. He just doesn''t see the point you see. By all means, he is young, especially considering how long the Superhuman lifespan was, he is really young. It''s partly the reason why he doesn''t rebuke the Chief whenever he calls him ''Kid'', ''Brat'', or ''Boy''. Cause for a man of that age, Cedric truly is that young. That being said, even if he''s young, Cedric has been exposed to the ugly side of Humanity. Hell, he''d even say that he''s neck-deep in it. He had seen the worst part of it, and that obviously warped his perception about their kind in general. He wasn''t the most optimistic guy out there. Nobody who shares the same experiences with him ever would. So he truly wasn''t convinced that life out there would be any ''better''. Still, that''s where he''ll end up next. He already signed the papers for it after all. He''s gonna go under rehab first but that''s to be expected. Speaking of which, he also has mixed feelings about receiving therapy since he really didn''t need anyone telling him that there was something wrong with his brain. Of course, he knew, duh! But since he didn''t need to pay for it, he might as well cooperate. After all, who knows? Maybe that''s just the thing he needs to face in this new chapter of his life. Closing his eyes briefly and spreading his senses ever so slightly, Cedric sighed shortly after. Despite everything that this ce did to him, he just knows that he will miss this ce. Whether he''d like to admit it or not, this ce has served as his home for years, and it''d be a lie to say that he didn''t get attached to it. ''Alright, that''s enough sentimentality for today. I''m tired now, I need some sleep.'' Chapter 42: Leaving ''Today''s the day...'' Cedric took a deep breath after ending his meditation. He nced outside to see the first few rays of sunlight peeking through the horizon. Deep down, he felt weirdly nervous for some reason. The mere idea that from now on, his life will change provokes a feeling of hesitation in him. Despite that though, he knew that this was bound to happen, so he could only ept his fate. Knock! Knock! Cedric stood up to answer the door, he was then met with a warden who briefed him about their schedule. ording to the Chief''s order, they''ll leave at 9 a.m., so he still has a few hours to himself. The warden also told him that he no longer had to wear his prisoner''s attire since he was technically a ''civilian'' now. After receiving that, the warden left and Cedric tended to his needs. He ate his breakfast courtesy of the meal n, bathed himself, and wore a fresh set of clothes he ordered online. Nothing too fancy, just a loose white shirt, a pair of jeans, rubber shoes, a ck jacket, a cap, and a face mask just to look presentable. Still, with how much he changed during these past few months, even this simple attire almost made him look like a supermodel. Used to how he looked like by now, Cedric merely shrugged upon seeing himself in the mirror. After spraying some perfume on himself and deciding that he looked presentable enough, he stepped out of the hut that had served as his temporary home. Looking at it and the RMC building for a good while, Cedric saw his life here shing past his eyes. He couldn''t help it, as weird as this might sound, this has been his home for a couple of years now. He doesn''t know if he''ll miss this ce or not, but it won''t change the fact that he was one of the desperate people who lived in this ce. That''s something that will never change. ...it''s also something that he will never forget. The Chief, along with a couple of wardens, saw Cedric''s mncholic look but they did nothing to stop him. They allowed him to bid farewell to this ce in his unique way. After a couple of minutes, they heard him sigh and turned to them. His gaze met them and they saw him nod. Without a word, the Chief turned around and started walking towards the gates, followed by the wardens and Cedric as well. Once they arrived at the parking lot, the Chief paused, and so did the rest. He then turned to Cedric and said: "Well, Kid. This is it." Cedric sighed to himself, feeling the weight behind those minuscule words. "I''m afraid I can''t apany you to the Rehab Center because I''m needed here. If I leave, I''m sure the other brats here will cause chaos." The Chief snorted at that. "That doesn''t mean that I''m not sending you an escort. These people here wille with you, additionally..." Swoosh! A man appeared seemingly out of thin air, wearing a hooded suit with a camo design. ''Talk about an entrance...'' Cedric mused inwardly. The man had violet-tinged eyes, grayish hair, pale and slightly wrinkled skin, sporting a clean-shaven stubble, and a stern expression. He looked to be as old as the Chief but smaller and on the leaner side. "See that? He''s not surprised at all! I told you he knows that I''m here." The man sounded like he was whining at the Chief when he said this. To that, the Chief just snorted. Cedric on the other hand was moderately weirded out, but he didn''t dare to show it on his face. "Anyways, you might''ve seen him before...or not, I don''t particrly care. But this is Arishem Romanovia. This old skank will be escorting you to the nearby city ''til you arrive at the Rehab Center." Arishem looked like he was about toin when he heard how he was referred to by the Chief, yet he didn''t after Cedric silently but politely acknowledged his presence. "Well, at least he still has some manners." Arishem muttered, "If I hadn''t seen you in a prisoner''s attire before, I would seriously believe that you aren''t somebody from here." That is apliment for Cedric but also a direct insult to the rest of the convicts here. Cedric only smiled wryly at that because he really couldn''t think of a way to refute it. "Bah! Whatever! Get on the convoy and get moving! We don''t have all day." The Chief snorted and the rest scrambled. The Chief then walked closer to Cedric and said: "Here are your files. Keep that secured at all times. Never, and I mean NEVER, ever give that to someone without them showing their license/proof of authority first. That is the proper protocol and procedure. Got that, Kid?" "Yes, Sir." Cedric nodded after receiving the documents. "When you have the time, read everything that is written in there. If you could memorize the entire thing, even better. But if you can''t be bothered, like 90% of the poption does, you can just memorize the highlighted parts on your documents. Trust me, you would need it." The Chief then patted Cedric''s shoulders. Thetter nodded and kept the Chief''s words in mind. While the rest already got in the vehicle, they noticed that Cedric still hadn''t done so. They were starting to wonder if he was hesitating due to the look on his face...and he does, but for apletely different reason. "What''s wrong?" One of the wardens asked, catching the attention of the rest including the Chief and Arishem. "Uh...is that guy on the trunking with us?" Thump! "Fuck!" The suspicious guy cursed in pain and shock after being thrown. It literally only took a blink of an eye for Arishem to move and fetch the suspicious guy from the trunk of the vehicle and throw him on the ground. Cedric was able to follow the movement but not fast enough to react. "Shit! How did you even notice me?" The guy groaned in despair and unwillingness. His expression then turned into fright when he sensed the Chief walking towards him. Of course, the wardens were shocked by that. They were sweating since none of them sensed the presence of the man which was obviously their fault. They even shivered when they felt the Chief''s gaze roaming past them briefly. Then they thought that even the Chief and Arishem didn''t discover the man so this shouldn''t be taken against them. On the other hand, though, they were surprised by how Cedric managed to see what all of them missedpletely. The Chief looked annoyed, Arishem did too but his amusement prevailed more than anything. Biting on his cigar, the Chief crouched down, picked up the guy by the cor, and threw him in the direction of the building. Not caring whether the guy survived or not from what he just did. A loud crash and cry of pain and surpriseter, the Chief turned towards Cedric and said: "Case and point." He huffed a smoke, "Good catch, by the way." Cedric could only smile wryly. He''s worried about what happened to the guy that just got thrown but at the same time, it was none of his business. It was the dude''s fault anyway. He noticed that the wardens were once again, double-checking their vehicle, intent on seeing if there was another one they missed. Cedric could confirm that there was none since his senses couldn''t trace anyone, but he figured that he''d just let them do their jobs. Cedric didn''t want to be the reason for their unemployment after all. After the security check, which cleared across the board, Cedric finally hopped in and made himselffortable. It didn''t take long before the engines hummed to life. He also heard the unmistakable sound of walls opening. Taking onest look at the RMC Building and the Chief, Cedric let out a sigh and settled down on the back seat of the vehicle. Then, off they go. The vehicle he''s in was escorted by two more; one in the front and the back. Arishem, for some reason, was sitting on top of the car as they moved. Cedric could tell that the old man was in stealth while he was there. He''s weirded out by that at first but he decided to ignore it. Shortly after that, they made their way out of the facility. And for the first time in years, Cedric finally saw what the outside world looks like. Looking past the window, he saw the unmistakable and breathtaking view of the Blue Jewel Valley. Aside from the paved road and a few cell towers here and there, the rest of the valley was untouched by mankind, letting nature take its course and preserving the wildlife around here. He had seen animals that he hadn''t seen in person for so many years. Deers, snakes, smanders, boars, etc. Cedric also notices the sheer difference in the air he breathes around here. It''s purer and more natural, unlike what it''s like behind those giant walls. The mere fact that there were no signs of desperation, madness, and cruelty in his immediate surroundings, made Cedric subconsciously look forward to what the nearby city was likepared to the RMC. Chapter 43: ReNewLife Institute The Blue Jewel Valley was once a famous tourist spot before the Cataclysm/Demon Invasion.'' It is 100 kilometers long, 20 kilometers wide, and 1.5 kilometers deep. It housed all manner of flora and fauna. ording to history, many people were fond of this ce, making it a famous spot for various activities all year round. The valley wasn''t spared from the invasion, however. It took humanity a lot of time and resources to restore its nature and make it habitable again. Even then, it''s never been the same. Nowadays, the Blue Jewel Valley serves entirely as a spot to contain the convicts of the Risk Management Center, it wasn''t the only one of course, but it''s one of thergest branches out there. The whole valley serves as a trap for any possible outbreaks, it''s also far enough from the nearest civilization so it gained its purpose. Inside the vehicle, Cedric looked outside to see that they were about to leave the valley. The distinct infrastructure of the RMC has long vanished from his sight, it''s also way outside his field of senses. Still feeling a little nostalgic and nervous about this whole thing, Cedric could only sigh. There''s nothing else for him to do other than to look forward to their next destination. Well, he could technically distract himself by surfing online. Neither the Wardens nor Arishem seem to have any interest in speaking with him so he could just do that instead. But Cedric didn''t do so since he knew himself. ''I''m feeling quite anxious. There''s no way I''d be able to focus on anything. I might as well sate my curiosity by observing the journey.'' Cedric mentally remarked. His ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill wasn''t helping with this either. It doesn''t work like that. If anything, he would say that it''s even making it worse. Cedric could also meditate but again, he''s not in a proper mindset to enter that state so it''s useless. That''s why instead of trying to see if there''s anything else he could do, he just stuck on observing the journey towards the destination. This way he could, at the very least, recall the road the way they took. Cedric continued looking outside until he discovered that they were out of the valleypletely. They''re still following the paved road and Cedric uses that opportunity to unfold his field of sensespletely. That''s when he saw their next destination...the ck Thread City. The ck Thread City was one of the cities under the Vulbane Kingdom. It is named after a unique material; ck Thread - that has once been the unique product of the city. The city has lost the monopoly over ck Thread but the name stuck around ever since. And despite its old name, the city itself looked futuristic. Even from a distance, he could see the towering buildings and all manner of scientific inventions all over it. He''s even starting to sense the sheer hustle and bustle of the city from where they were. Despite being under the jurisdiction of a Royal Family, the real authority that governs everything falls under the Earth Federation. The Vulbane Imperial Family technically owns the city but they don''t manage it alone. Well, more like they couldn''t. They needed the government''s support for that. Cedric knew this because of his musings online. It''s public knowledge at this point so he was able to ess this information despite having a low search authority. As the convoy neared the city, the more antsy Cedric got for some reason. They hadn''t even entered the city yet but he already felt overwhelmed by the sheer things that were happening within in. Even his numerous thoughtpartments were having a difficult time keeping up with everything. But he''s adjusting though... It''s just a bit troublesome for him since he''s not used to this level of activity. Sure, his fellow convicts at the RMC were rowdy but not to this extent. He had already sensed hundreds of people even before they entered the city proper, and that''s not even a portion of them. That being said, he''s adjusting. Quickly, too. The wonders of his enhanced and disciplined perception were working their magic to help him with this. Cedric also discovered that the city was walled as well. However,pared to the security of the RMC, the city''s security was morex. They''re probably not expecting any attacks to happen, which resulted in this. Either way, that''s none of his business. The convoy then arrived at the city. They got stopped by security which included personal inspection too. He noticed the looks that the guards threw at him when they discovered that he was an ex-convict. It was subdued but he didn''t miss it. In any case, he didn''t mind since he was already expecting something like that to happen. Arishem remained hidden. He''s meditating on top of the car he''s in. Cedric knew that the old man knew what was happening, he just couldn''t be bothered to show himself so he stayed like that. After getting the clear from security inspection, they continued on their way to the city, and that''s when everything sunk in for Cedric. ''Oh boy, this is really happening...'' He''s feeling anxious again. There''s just too much happening and he''s not used to it. This level of activity was something that was out of hisfort zone. Cedric was used to and loved his solitude. Years and being used to loneliness taught him to love the silence and serenity it brought. Now however, he''s forced to ept the reality that this is where he''ll be for the foreseeable future, and if he were to be honest, he still doesn''t know what to feel about that. Unfortunately, the wardens absolutely couldn''t care less about his rising anxiety. They just wanted this task to be over, so they continued on their way towards the heart of the city. On their way there, Cedric carefully inspected the people under his field of senses. He gauged their strength and so on, and he concluded: ''The ''Civilians'' live near the center of the city while the Superhumans are scattered on the outskirts.'' ''That may be the reason why the security of the city wasx. With the Superhumans close to the gates, they could respond immediately to outside threats, allowing them to protect the civilians.'' ''The City Hall was at the very center of the city, and that ce should be filled with experts so there''s no reason to doubt its security. Such an arrangement should be on purpose, and I can''t say I disagree with it.'' Cedric mused. Either way, this is just his opinion. It doesn''t matter in the grand scheme of things, only serving as a minor distraction from his real concern; which was their final destination. The ReNewLife Institute... "We''re here, Boy." Arishem''s voice sounded in his ears. ''So they''re admitting me here? Man, I must''ve impressed the Chief, then.'' Cedric mused as he got out of the vehicle. The ReNewLife Institute was one of the most famous medical corporations in the world. It started as an initiative and grew to its current heights within mere years. Rumors said that the founder of this institute was also one of the founders of the Lifestyle Guild, but again, that''s just that - rumors. In terms of medical care, however, this ce was the real deal. At the same time, their services were on the more expensive side which bnces it out. Still, the fact that Chief sent him here meant that he had left a favorable impression on the old man. ''Not gonna lie, I''m feeling the pressure here...'' He mused inwardly as he followed Arishem inside. When they arrived at the reception, Cedric was greeted by the bright scene inside. The smell of sanitation and medicine lingers in the air. He could feel some kind of buzz around the area too which made him curious. "Hello, Gentlemen! How can I help you today?" One of the nurses who was tasked with receiving patients greeted them. "Hello to you too, Miss. This is Cedric, he''s on parole as of three days ago. I believe he had been arranged for a meeting?" Arishem said. "Alright, let me check my list here, give me a moment." The nurse then opened her database to check the admissions and returned to them shortly. "Cedric Stormrider, yes?" "Yes, that''s right." This time, it was Cedric who answered. "Great! You''re just in time. Congrattions, by the way." The nurse smiled sweetly at him. "2nd Floor, room 205. Look for Dr. Vega, she''ll be assisting you for today''s check-up." Cedric thanked thedy and turned to Arishem who just shrugged at him. "Quit shaking on your boots, Boy. You aren''t in Purgatory. I''m sure you can do this on your own." Rolling his eyes at the old man, Cedric sighed and made his way to the elevator which then took him to the 2nd floor. In there, he could see several patients and visitors going to and from. He didn''t mind any of them, he instead proceeded to the room that the nurse pointed out earlier and knocked on the door before opening it. "Yes?" "I''m sorry, is Dr. Vega here? I was instructed toe here for a check-up." "Oh Dear, that''s me! Come in so we can begin!" Chapter 44: Diagnosis and Plug-ins Dr. Vega guided Cedric through the physical exam and the psychological exam. On both exams, the psychological exam took the longest, requiring him to spend at least two hours talking with the kind doctor. The physical exam was short thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment they use courtesy of the Lifestyle Guild. "...in short, you''re as healthy as one could be, physically. I''d dare say that you''re one of the healthiest people I''ve evere across for someone at your level. This is a good thing so I''d suggest that you keep doing what you''re doing so far to maintain this." Dr. Vega started. "Psychologically, though..." Dr. Vega gave him a look that hepletely understood even without having her finish her words. "Your long-term stay at the RMC took a great toll on you. I assume that you''ve seen thising, yeah?" Cedric nodded to that, not bothering to lie to the good doctor. He saw Dr. Vega sighing as she continued: "The good news is, this isn''t the worst-case scenario. In fact, I''m astonished that, despite being exposed to all of that, its effects only did so much to you. Yes, it has taken a toll on you mentally, butpared to the rest? You are rtively sound, mentally." "..." "I''ve had other patients like you before. None of them stayed in the RMC for as long as you did. None were as young as you did. That said, they had to be admitted here wearing a straight jacket, so believe me when I say that you have a high chance of recovering, quickly too! But of course, that will depend on your willingness." Dr. Vega enthusiastically remarked. Well, Cedric couldn''t really say anything to that. He personally knew how harsh the RMC was to others so he believed her words. It didn''t feel good to know that there was something wrong with him psychologically but hey! He''s already expecting that. Actually, it would be surprising if the results turned out positive... "What should we do then?" He asked. "Oh, nothing much. Just therapy sessions at least once a week. I might suggest some activities that might help you improve your mental state and so on." "..." "From your results, you shouldn''t need medications. If there are developments though, then I''m sure to let you know." "This brings us to our next topic, which is the matter of your living conditions." The good doctor adjusted her sses before speaking, "You''re not required to stay at the institute for close observation. If you want to, you can stay anywhere you please so long as you make sure to visit me during our scheduled sessions." "Like what was mentioned to you by Chief Brightstone, you aren''t required to pay for our services so at the very least, take advantage of that. Don''t worry, you won''t be abusing the Chief''s kindness through this. If anything, I''d think that he''d be happy to hear that you''re using it to its full extent." "I understand." "Great! Here''s your record. Please bring this with you during your visits since we will be updating that. Also, this a great way to check your progress from time to time so don''t lose it, okay?" Cedric nodded to that. The two of them then exchanged some more words but it was mainly the good doctor giving him some advice here and there. She was truly helpful and Cedric could tell so he did his best to remember everything she said. After that, he was free to go. When he returned to the first floor of the institute, he saw Arishem who initially wanted to catch him by surprise. Suffice it to say that it failed since Cedric spotted him before he could even do anything. "Man, your senses are quite troublesome. Am I really that sloppy?" Arishem grumbled to himself. Cedric wisely decided to keep quiet instead of answering that. He''d say that his senses were just a cheat and that the old man was good, but that would be telling too much. "Anyway, what''s the verdict?" He asked. Cedric then gave him a rundown of what Dr. Vega said, and Arishem looked pensive for a moment. "...well, that''s great to hear. A bit surprising, but still great nheless." Arishem looked at him from top to bottom, causing Cedric to slightly raise a brow. "Yeah, you don''t need my help in looking for a ce to stay." He dered, causing Cedric to be speechless. "Meh, you''ll be fine on your own. You''re a big boy. Here..." Arishem then gave him a piece of paper which made Cedric confused. "That''s my Communication ID Code (CIC)." He said, "Get a Comm Plug-in and add me. Don''t spread it around. Burn it after adding me. Send me a message once you have the Plug-in installed and only contact me in case of emergencies. Got it?" Cedric nodded and stored the paper in his Inventory. After giving him that paper, Arishem bid his farewells and left him to his own devices. Anxiety swarmed through his chest once he realized that he was alone. It was then followed by a sense of loss. Cedric had no idea where to go from here and he was panicking. Thankfully, he was able to catch himself. He took a deep breath in and pushed his anxiety down while making his way out of the hospital. ''Get a grip, Cedric.'' He admonished himself inwardly. ''You can face literal hordes of zombies without flinching in fear. Integrating back into society should be nothing to you.'' Releasing a breath of air and looking at the towering buildings within the city, Cedric started to n ahead: ''The priority is to find a ce to stay. A hotel should be fine for a few days while I look for a more suitable home for myself.'' He mused inwardly. ''Additional objectives include; buying a Comm Plug-in for the System, buying more clothes, toiletries, and other essentials, familiarizing myself with the city by traveling to ces, and...socializing.'' ''Not looking forward to thest part but it''s necessary. I think I need friends...gettingid might also help. Ugh!'' Walking around the streets with his field of senses on, Cedric was re-discovering what it''s like to be with people. Being able to walk around this freely without being overly observed was somewhat refreshing. It feels weird, but it''s the good weird kind...if that even makes sense. He could feel some lingering stares at him, but that was mostly because of passing curiosity more than suspicion. In a way, it is also refreshing for him to be ignored for the most part. When he gathered enough courage to ask around, he got directions on where the nearest Plug-in Store was at. After thanking the kinddy, he made his way there next. Plug-ins are unique System functions that have been developed by the Lifestyle Guild. Its main purpose is to add more functions to the Ac System. This method was discovered by one of the known founders of the Lifestyle Guild; Alexis Desmond - the Technomancer dubbed as the ''Tech God''. Plug-ins could be many things, they could either add a Communication Function to the System ¡ª like the one that Arishem suggested him to have, or they could also add Gaming/Entertainment Functions too. There are a lot of plug-ins to choose from but Cedric didn''t need that many. Only a select few would do. It wouldn''t be toote to add another once he needed it anyway. On a side note, Plug-ins aren''t sold through the System Shop. Everyone who would like to have some would have to visit a physical store to have them installed by licensed technicians. Said technicians are professionals and signed a binding contract with Ac to never install any harmful or corrupted plug-ins to their customers. Cedric arrived at the Plug-in store which was thankfully near the ReNewLife Institute. He went through a verification process which included him presenting his identification documents. He recalled the Chief''s words about the protocol. The store representative did present their license and authority insignia first before asking for his. After going through the process, Cedric was then free to choose several plug-ins. He asked for suggestions and the store clerk was all too happy to give him some. Ultimately, after a long and exhausting list of selections, Cedric chose three Plug-ins: Communication, Entertainment, and Educational. The Communication Plug-in allowed him to have a profile he could use to send direct messages to people, he could even create a group chat, do calls, etc. The Entertainment Plug-in included lists of apps he could use to either watch movies, stream, y games, build an online presence, and so on. The default system already has a few of these functions but this plug-in borates on that even more. And finally, there''s the Educational Plug-in. It''s online learning/schooling in simplified terms. He could also take courses online through this plug-in so he''s looking forward to it. After having these plug-ins installed courtesy of the technicians and adding as well as saying hi to Arishem through chat, Cedric felt ready to conclude his first day at this city so he checked in to the nearby hotel and called it a day. Chapter 45: Civilian Life A week passed since the start of Cedric''s new life at the ck Thread City... By now, he could say that he has somewhat adjusted to the life of a normal civilian. This week had been refreshing in many ways and it opened his eyes to just how different it ispared to being stuck within the walls of the RMC. The sheer toxicity within the RMC''s environment really did a number on him. Even though, by all means, he''s already a ''civilian'', Cedric still felt that he didn''t belong here. That being said, he had worked hard for this chance so there''s no way he''s wasting it. He''s still staying at a hotel, by the way. The week flew by unknowingly since there was just too much to catch up on. He didn''t have time to hunt for an apartment. Luckily, he had no shortage of money, or else he''d be homeless by now. Despite being in a new environment, Cedric didn''t forget about his training. He''d been doing it for so long that it has been integrated into his being and he doesn''t feel at ease if he didn''t do it. While he might be in a different ce and had to adjust to it, it wasn''t an excuse for him to neglect his training. By now, his progress has slowed down considerably but it''s still moving at least. On that note though, thanks to the Educational Plug-in he had installed with the System, he was able to discover answers to things that he had been curious about. The one thing that struck him the most was how absolutely broken ¡ºLearning¡» was. See, because he struggled with his Monthly Mandatory Service, he never had the chance to enroll in a Superhuman Academy. Sure, there were courses online but they didn''t cover everything. Additionally, they are expensive too, and for a struggling man like him, he couldn''t spare Demon Souls to enroll. That''s no longer a problem anymore though, and with the Educational Plug-in, his ess to online courses became richer. He could browse for hours and he wouldn''t run out of things to study. Back to the subject at hand though, thanks to the ¡ºLearning¡» skill, he had learned and mastered; Superhuman 101 ¡ª the basics of Superhumans and the world they live in, ''Enochian'' ¡ª which is an ancientnguage, and the several mundane subjects like; Modern Science, Physics, Mathematics, History, etc. He quite literally breezed through those courses like a gust of wind. Hell, at one point, he even tackled two subjects at once - which wasn''t hard at all thanks to his ¡ºMultitasking¡» skill. Within a short week, he has surpassed the educational level of about 80% of the poption of ck Thread City. He wasn''t a certified genius just yet, but he''ll only need time to get to that level. Speaking of skills, he now has an answer as to why people couldn''t abuse the ''Mastered(Lv.10) Learning'' skill... It''s because, to them, it doesn''t exist... Well, the ¡ºLearning¡» exists but not as a Skill. It''s a ''Perk'' instead, which grants them 20% increased experience when leveling up their skills. It''s different for Cedric who had it as a skill that could also level up to 10. It''s even more ridiculous that he got it at that level right from the start. Simrly, the sensory skills such as; Vision, Smelling, Hearing, Tasting, and Feeling - well, they exist in some form but not like how it is for him. For example, the ¡ºVision¡» skill appears to others as: Eye of Insight, Mana Eyes, Spiritual Eye, Dark Vision, etc. Sure, they might appear as a ''skill'' and be leveled up to 10, but they''re still quite different from what Cedric has. His ¡ºVision¡» skill was the embodiment of those skills packaged into one. And frankly, at its maximum level, those skills can''t justpare to what he has. ...this also applies to his other skills. For Cedric, this meant that he had unknowingly turned into a unique existence. Not a lot of people could easily, or possibly, repeat what he just achieved. In short, he''s an anomaly. And that didn''t really make him happy. He''s already under close observation courtesy of their Demonic neighbors, he didn''t want more attention to him if he could help it. Thankfully though, it seems that nobody was bugging him about it yet. This gave him the idea that, so long as he kept it to himself, he could still pretend to be just another man out there. The Educational Plug-in answered many of his questions so far, and he''s really thankful for it. With the well of information he had ess to, he could n his future ording and solve his problems one step at a time. As for the Entertainment Plug-in, it''s also useful. He has been having fun with it, allowing him to unwind and rx. He had also caught up with recent releases in games, movies, etc. It''s a good way to pass the time, especially whenever he doesn''t feel like sleeping. The Communication Plug-in was the one that got the least use. While it offers a lot of functions in terms ofmunication improvements, Cedric doesn''t have that many people to chat with so he didn''t use it a lot. He had some contacts in there, yes. There''s Arishem - who he only contacted once so far and that''s it. Aside from that, there are the Official CICs of the Authorities which the plug-ines with, and two unnamed contacts of girls he had slept with so far in his stay here. ...what can he say? It wasn''t his fault that he was hot. They''re one-night stands though, Cedric made that clear before they did anything. Also, they''re the ones who approached him, not the other way around. So, in short, he had spent his first week studying, getting used to his new environment and freedom, having fun here and there, and getting therapy. Yes, he had his first therapy session and it went...well? Dr. Vega just encouraged him to talk about things. She asked very random topics and listed her analysis while being attentive to him. It felt nice and refreshing, but not life-changing. Well, that''s to expected. After all, mental healing never happens overnight. Dr. Vega did say that he was doing well so far, she encouraged him to go out and experience more of what the city could offer. Cedric wasn''t quite knowledgeable in Psychology so he just decided to listen to her, after all the doctor was nice to him. Right now though, he''s on his way to hunt for a new home. He had been in contact with some realtors and he filed for a visit to one of the properties that fit his requirements. Because of the unique arrangement of properties within the City, he''s heading to the outer area of the city, not that far from its protective walls. He''s registered as a Superhuman and since he''s new here, these are the properties that he could either rent or own. Upon arriving there, he was met with the agent he was talking to and they immediately began their tour. The property was ratherrge, and the offer was nice. The only downside is that the ce was in dire need of reconstruction. Yes, re-construction, not renovation. You see, this lot had been ownerless for quite some time now. For some reason, people tend to ignore it after seeing it once, it wasn''t worth its price in their eyes. ording to the agent, this ce suffered from thest invasion that happened to the city, and that was nearly a decade ago. Since then, it stayed like this, and again, nobody wanted it, which might also be the reason why it''s cheaper than what Cedric initially guessed. The remains of the house were decrepit, the walls had been reduced to rubble, shrubs grew wildly around the area, and overall the ce was just undesirable...which was exactly why Cedric barely hesitated to buy it. Weirdly enough, he could somehow rte to the state of the house, if that even makes any sense. He''s going by instinct here and so far, that hasn''t failed him yet. Cedric had seen other properties before this. All of them were nicer and fancierpared to this but none resonated to him like this one did. So, he took that as a sign and bought it. He didn''t stop there though. He also asked the realtor to hook him up with construction workers, which the man was more than happy to do. He listed his requirements right then and there, even going as far as giving the realtor a generous ''donation'' to make sure that the project was finished as soon as possible. After signing iming ownership of the plot ofnd, he gave a good look before leaving. Of course, he gave his CIC to the realtor to contact him whenever he needed to. ording to the man, it would take 2 weeks up to a month before the construction of his new home was done. That means that he''d have to stay in the hotel for now and that''s fine. Once they were done with that, they parted ways and Cedric returned to his hotel room to rx. Chapter 46: Evolution [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Schr, Sword Child Aptitude: Body: S+ Energy: S+ Spirit: (S+) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: S+ Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.3, Air-Hop (M) Passives: Vision (M), Learning (M), Ki Mastery (M), Smell (M), Multitasking (M), Taste (M), Touch (M), Listening (M), Intuition (M), Footwork (M), Recovery (M), Tolerance (M), Tactics (M), Deception (M), Willpower (M), Education Lv.3 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 6, Failure Streak - 0 * Cedric just got done training for the day. He rested inside his hotel room, wiping off his sweat as he stared at his enriched Profile Page. ''I''ve truly grown since then...'' he mused to himself, feeling pleased about his progress. If people were to witness the sheer difference between his stats then and now, none of them would dare to disagree with his ims. The results were in to see, it''s undeniable and it shows. With how much Undead he killed so far, the ''Undead yer'' title evolved from Junior to Veteran. It gave him increased intimidation against the undead, making them easier for him to deal with. Skills-wise, he had grown too. He had long mastered the usage of Sword Ki or just ''Ki'' in general, meaning that he had full control over it. He could fully adjust its output. He also refined it to the utmost degree he could handle right now. Not even an ounce of it would be wasted due to his sheer mastery over it. This, however, doesn''t mean that he had an inexhaustible supply. What shows in his Profile is his skill, not the quantity he has. Mastering the skill doesn''t mean that he magically had oceans'' worth of it. As for his new Active Skills: * [Iron Skin] : A defensive skill that provides an additional level of protection to the user. Depending on the user''s mastery of this skill, the protection it provides varies. : Mastered - When active, the user''s skin bes as tough as an iron te. [Multi-Stab] : A basic skill refined to its utmost degree. This skill represents the user''s mastery over the Basic Swordsman Skill: Stab, which they could perform multiple times in a row at a pace that transcends the norm. : Current Record - 5 Stabs in a second. [Air-Hop] : A mystical footwork skill that allows the user to step on air. : This skill could only be learned by those who have ess to special energies - Ki, Mana, Spiritual Energy, etc. * ¡ºIron Skin¡» was something he bought at the System''s Shop. He figured that, since the challenge of his Hell Dives was rising sharply in conjunction with his growth, having an additionalyer of protection wouldn''t be a bad idea. With this skill, his defenses essentially skyrocketed. His physique was already refined to an absurd degree, add this skill and his ¡ºTolerance¡» passive, Cedric could now shrug off most of the attacks that tend to be dangerous for him before learning the active skill. With the Iron Skin skill, he could take his time walking off the acid of the Spitter Zombie, tank a direct hit from Brute Zombies, shrug off the explosion of the Boomers, and so on... This skill can evolve, but its evolution depends on the user. From what Cedric could recall, the next stage was the ¡ºIron Flesh¡», followed by ¡ºIron Bones¡». There were more iterations of this skill as well such as Bronze, Silver, Gold, Obsidian Crystal, tinum, etc. As for the ¡ºMulti-Stab¡», that''s something he learned on his own. It appeared during one of his practices where he was refining his basic skills to the utmost degree. He vaguely recalled entering a trance-like state then. After that, he was awoken by the sudden rm from the System. See, Cedric has never been a fan of fancy/pompous skills. To him, simple was best. He isn''t into theatrics, he believes that the most effective skills are the ones that kill the enemy before they could even do anything about it. The Multi-Stab skill might not sound fancy enough but with his mastery over it, even Brute Zombies - ones that arguably have the toughest flesh in all Undeadkind, turn into Swiss cheese. Granted, he hasn''tpletely mastered it yet, but even so, its lethality wasn''t anything to scoff at. As for the ¡ºAir-Hop¡», well this is more of an insurance. Since he has mastered the skill, he could keep using it so long as he has Ki, and with his control over his Ki, the cost of using Air-Hop drastically fell. He couldn''t use it indefinitely of course, but he could get up to a decent height in one go. That being said though, he needed to be careful with this skill, especially once he decided tond. For Cedric, this skill is something that could help him deal with pesky flying enemies. Not that he has encountered anything so far, but it''s best to prepare just in case. With how much the Undead evolve during his runs? He wouldn''t be surprised if one of them decided to fucking grow wings (because why the fuck not?) and start harassing him. He doesn''t want to fail his attempts just because he can''t deal with a flying unit. * [Education] : This skill represents the user''s knowledge of both the mundane and mystical aspects of the world. It also provides an additional bonus to the user''s learning speed. : Current Learning Speed Bonus - 10% : Note - this skill''s level cap is currently unknown. * Most of his Passive Skills have reached full mastery. The new one; Education, was the only one he hadn''t mastered yet. And with its description, he wouldn''t be mastering it anytime soon. The learning speed bonus was nice, though. Add his, quite frankly broken, rate of learning thanks to the ¡ºLearning¡» skill, plus the bonus of the [Schr] Perk, Cedric was like a ck hole when ites to absorbing knowledge and information. Sighing in content, he dried himself and rested on his bed. He stared at the ceiling, feeling bored for a bit. But that''s when a sudden development rmed him... A grimace suddenly appeared on his face as he abruptly sat up from the bed. Closing his eyes, he sank his perception within his body, more specifically at his heart. There, he saw that his White Lotus Hollow Core was stirring. The abundant Ki circting within his body was causing a development that was quite troubling. Silently cursing to himself, he forcefully calmed down and stepped out of his room. He then speed-walked into the hallway, making his way towards the Gym on the ground floor of the hotel and upying one of the reinforced rooms there. Locking the door behind him, he sat down in the middle of the room and sighed. He then released his suppression over his Ki and allowed the development to naturally happen. His Hollow Core suddenly started quaking. It then siphoned all of his Ki out of nowhere. Cedric''s body then turned into a funnel that absorbed the potent energy within his surroundings, turning them into Ki to support its growth. Shortly after, the Hollow Core changed. It''s no longer hollow, it has now turned into a Solid Core, meaning that Cedric had a breakthrough and entered the Second Stage of the [White Lotus Core Technique]. But as Cedric was about to sigh in relief, a series of System Alerts swarmed his vision. [Alert! Host''s body gained an abundance of Ki which could be used to enhance the User''s aptitude.] [Checking parameters....confirming User''s current Aptitude...] [Notice! The user''s body is now eligible for a qualitative upgrade. Upgrademencing in 3...2...1!] Cedric then immediately lost consciousness, which was probably for the best since the sudden elevation of his aptitude was bound to be incredibly painful and torturous. The pain was something that he couldn''t tolerate at his current ss Tier and Level. [User Cedric''s evolution is underway. Referring to the database for following protocols...] [Applying for the ''Genius Protection Protocol''...] [Confirmed! User Cedric is deemed to be a Heaven-Defying Genius! Deploying the Istion Barrier!] Within the reinforced room, Cedric''s unconscious body was writhing. His muscles were squirming and his blood curdled. An invisible forcefield appeared around him, isting themotion that was happening. This was done with the Ac System. After two hours, strings of notifications appeared once more. [User Cedric''s evolution was sessful. Overall Aptitude Rating changed to [EX] - Rank. It is confirmed that User Cedric was the only one who achieved this within the past century.] [Unbelievable Achievement, acquired! Congrattions, User Cedric. Ac has granted you: "2nd ss Card Slot (L)", "Sub-ss Card Slot", 10k T2 DS, and a "Hell Dive Pardon Ticket".] [Alert! Due to the User''s evolution, changes have been made: Race: Human - ¡ºHuman II¡» Title Added: Heaven Defying Genius Titles fused: Schr + Sword Child + Heaven Defying Genius = "Son of Heaven" Skills Fused: Vision + Smell + Touch + Taste + Listening + Recovery + Tolerance = ¡ºSuperhuman Physique¡» Skills Fused: Learning + Multitasking + Intuition + Tactics + Deception + Willpower = ¡ºSuperhuman Perception¡»] Chapter 47: New Class and Sub-Class [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II ss: Tier 1 - Swordsman Level: 2 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: (EX!) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: EX Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.3, Air-Hop (M) Passives: Superhuman Physiology (U), Superhuman Perception (U), Education Lv.3, Ki Mastery (M), Footwork (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 6, Failure Streak - 0 *** [Race: Human II] : Gained through qualitative evolution of the Human Bloodline. : +15% Natural Charm, Increased Luck, Increased Life Expectancy, Greatly Increased Intelligence, System Authority Increased. * [Title: Son of Heaven] : You''re the real deal ''one-in-a-million genius''. What eludes the most is obvious to you. The world looks upon you favorably and anticipates the changes you might bring to your era. : Learning Speed Bonus: + 200%, Enlightenment Chances: Greatly Increased, System Autority Greatly Increased. * ¡ºSuperhuman Physique (Unique)¡» : Gained through fusing the mastered senses of a baseline Superhuman. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that this is the true foundation of Superhumans. : Note - the effects of the skills used for this skill don''t disappear. With this skill, their effects are magnified by an additional 50% * ¡ºSuperhuman Perception (Unique)¡» : Your mind ascended to a realm that most wouldn''t be able to understand. Your perception allows you to discover and analyze things that most either couldn''t sense or couldn''t even begin to fathom. With this skill, your status as a Superhuman was solidified even further. : Note - the effects of the skills used for this skill don''t disappear. With this skill, their effects are magnified by an additional 50% * "2nd ss Card Slot (Legend)" - opens up another slot for a ss. "Sub-ss Card Slot" - opens up a slot that allows you to gain an upational Sub-ss. "Hell Dive Pardon Ticket" - allows you to skip one(1) Monthly Mandatory Service. *** Cedric whistled upon seeing the numerous system alerts swimming in his vision. He certainly wasn''t expecting that a development like this would happen just because he broke through the 2nd Stage of his [White Lotus Core Technique]. It was a pleasant surprise though, if only a little bit embarrassing since he had to exin to the Hotel Staff what happened to him. Thankfully, they bought his lousy excuse; saying that the reason behind him losing consciousness was because he just pushed himself a little too hard. Still, with these changes, Cedric could feel the absurd difference between him and themon people around him. From his perception, he''s surrounded by Tier 2''s at most, they''re strong but he could confidently say that he could reduce them into a bloody mist with a single punch. Yes, it''s that absurd... His field of senses expanded to a kilometer radius around himfortably, meaning that he could maintain it just like this without feeling any strain whatsoever. If he pushes himself? He could cover half of the city under his surveince. His adaptability shot through the roof thanks to the ¡ºSuperhuman Physique¡». Hell, with his EX-Ranked Aptitude? He might even be able to contend withmon Tier 5s for a minute or two. ''The ss slots saved my problems too.'' Cedric inwardly cheered. While he wasn''t expecting to be rewarded with this achievement, no one would hear himining. Having an additional ss allows him to deceive demons more effectively. He can essentially create an Alter Persona out of it, and best believe that he would abuse the heck out of it. Earning a Sub-ss was good too. With his learning speed explosively raised with the recent additions to his Profile, this should provide him with sufficient distraction to get rid of his boredom. ''Stil...[Son of Heaven] huh?'' He pondered inwardly. He could honestly say that he doesn''t know what to feel about this title. He would even go as far as saying that he probably doesn''t deserve to be called as such... ''How can an ex-convict like me deserve such a title?'' He scoffed inwardly, ''If I were to reveal this to the world, they might kill me and call me a heretic.'' Still, though, this title has been given to him by Ac herself. It seems that the consciousness of the world couldn''t care less about its natives'' opinions. ''In hindsight, at least my information is more secure thanks to this title.'' He continued, ''A Lv.8 System Authority puts me at the same level as the Royal Lineage or Governors.'' This essentially means that Ac will now do her best to protect him since he''s considered as an important piece in the grand scheme of things. She will go as far as forging his documentsprehensively just to shield him from prying eyes. With this protection and Cedric''s cautious nature, he could take his time and develop his skills. As for what he might do in the future, well...Cedric''s still figuring that out, but of course, Ac wouldn''t dare to directly interfere with how he lives his life. That...and ess to more information is what Cedric liked with this increased authority. He''s thankful for it since it protects him. Once he was done cleaning himself, he stood in front of the mirror to see the changes that happened to him. "Geez..." heughed mirthlessly. Cedric was already handsome before but now, this is just pushing it... When people talk about the body of a Greek God, they''re talking about his body. His sheer beauty was enhanced sharply after his evolution. He''s taller, inherently charming and seductive, and extremely strong. Truly, he became one of a kind. Shaking his head, he stepped out of the bath and changed into a morefortable set of clothes. He then opened his inventory whilst drying his hair, after which, he used the 2nd ss Card Slot. [Alert! "2nd ss Card Slot (Legend)", used!] [Congrattions! You may now pick a ss amongst the ff:...] A long ss List appeared before him, catching him by surprise. "It''s letting me pick?" He murmured softly. "Huh, I guess that''s why it''s the legendary rarity." The item''s rarity wasn''t limited to letting him pick a 2nd ss from himself, it also included a broad range of ss Rarity for him to choose from. His Main ss: Swordsman, was of the Common Tier. It''s not bad but not so good either. During his Awakening Ceremony, this ss was automatically assigned to him. Now, he could choose something for his 2nd ss. And if he were to be honest, it''s a little overwhelming. Still, he took his time to analyze each one. Thankfully, he could read fast and had a sharp memory. It also helped that the System allowed him to eliminate others that he''s not interested in. Still, with how many there were on that list, it took him 30 minutes to pick. Even then, he had more than one to choose from, so he still needed some deliberation. ''Damn...this is difficult.'' He grumbled inwardly. He almost preferred that he be assigned a ss instead of choosing one. But of course, he still did his best to weigh the pros and cons of each ss he was interested in. Ultimately, he made his choice. And he picked: * ¡ºDemon yer (T1-Legend)¡» : This ss revolves around hunting and ying demons until there''s none of them left. By choosing this ss, you are painting a target to your back because Demons will sense the oozing blood of their kind at your hands. You will incur their hatred, but past that hate lies fear...they will be afraid of you. : Skills Unlocked - ¡ºDemon Lore¡», ¡ºyer''s Mark¡», ¡ºCorruption Resistance¡». * Choosing this ss might appear somewhat contradictory to his ns since he wanted to avoid their attention yet he chose a ss that''s specifically geared to get their attention. Still, nobody could deny that this ss was just too good to pass. ¡ºDemon Lore¡» - grants him ess to Ac''s Demon Database, albeit limited with his Tier. What makes them strong, their weaknesses, their tendencies, their preferredirs, etc? Cedric could study them directly from that source, meaning that the value of this skill was immeasurable. ¡ºyer''s Mark¡» - was a passive skill that gives him bonus stats depending on how many demons he killed so far. At base, he receives a 5% Buff whenever he''s facing any type of demons. This skill will level up the more demons he kills so that buff will increase as well. And finally, the ¡ºCorruption Resistance¡» - the skill gives him a t -10% Chance of being Corrupted when hees in contact with Demonic Corruption. And while he''s at it, he also used the Sub-ss Card Slot. While it is not of Legendary rarity, the item still allowed him to pick his Sub-ss. The list was quite long. He saw lists ofmon upations and those he had never seen nor heard of before. Eventually, he made his choice... He picked the [Scribe], which dabbles with Inscriptions. He initially wanted to pick the [Smith] but he decided to let it go for now. He chose the Scribe since it will help him with his immediate problems. And finally, since he had achieved his goal; with his Aptitude Ranking at EX-Rank, he could finally start leveling up. Chapter 48: Conspiracy Theory "System, show me my Public Profile please..." [Request epted. Confirmed: User''s Authority Lv.8, disying Public Profile...] // [User Profile (Public)]: Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Sex: Male Race: Human ss: Main - Swordsman, Sub - Scribe Short Background - : Cedric Stormrider was born in the fallen City of Fiore to Ravel Dcour and Derrek Stormrider. He''s the oldest amongst his siblings; Fiona and Robert Stormrider. An unfortunate ident befell his family (for more details, check the article about the fall of Fiore City) which took the lives of his family, save his. : Due to the difficulty of his Monthly Mandatory Service (Details: REDACTED!), he got admitted to the Risk Management Center of the Blue Jewel Valley branch and has stayed there for more than 6 years. : Recently however, through a stroke of good luck, Cedric cinched a close victory on his difficult task and ran away with it, allowing him to clear his sentence on his own and be sanctioned from the RMC. : Currently, he''s on parole and receiving therapeutic help from Dr. Vega of the ReNewLife Institute. He''s been diagnosed with Social Anxiety, Clinical Depression, and Mild Sociopathic Tendencies. That said, Dr. Vega imed that he has a great chance at recovery, showing signs of willingness to receive help. // Cedric blinked upon reading all of those. He then let out a snort and closed the window. ''Well, it''s not inurate to say the least.'' He mused to himself, ''With Ac''s interference, even I wouldn''t be able to tell that this Profile was heavilycking in information.'' ''Heh...that''s great. At least the world itself is on my side. That''s oddlyforting.'' The Ac System will never disy all the details of a person without their consent. Not even their Aptitude Rating will be there if the users themselves don''t want it to be seen, not to mention their skills or the details of the Monthly Mandatory Service. For the Overall Aptitude Ratings and details of the Monthly Mandatory Service though, some people might be able to bypass the initial security measure by having a decently high level of System Authority, as Cedric has. That being said, the Ac System tries to be fair... If a 3rd Party tries to use their System Authority to see a user''s private information, the target will receive an alert revealing who exactly did it. And since these alertse from the System itself, they couldn''t be any more legit and are enough to be used as proof for future use. Ac forging his documents ording to his tendencies was one hell of an advantage that Cedric ns to capitalize on. Cedric has never been a fan of showing off so he sees this as a huge favor. All of this was simply because he was deigned as a Heaven Defying Genius...or ironically, a Son of Heaven. The world wanted to protect his existence so it was willing to bend the rules for him a bit through the ''Genius Protection Protocol''. Sighing to himself, Cedric dismissed the alerts and checked his log. There, the recent alerts were recorded and it got his attention. [Congrattions on unlocking the Profession Sub-ss!] [You have chosen "Scribe" as your Sub-ss!] [Sub-ss: Scribe (Lv.1/100)] : The term for Ancient Record Keepers; Scribes are people who trante Ancient Texts and deciphers unknownnguages, inscriptions, runes, etc. They alsopile this information and leave it as their legacy for the next generation to use as a reference. : By choosing this Sub-ss, you are rewarded with the skills: ¡ºLinguist¡»(fused with ¡ºEducation¡» skill), ¡ºDecode¡», ¡ºSymbol Mastery¡», and ¡ºFocus¡». *** The difference between Main sses and Sub-sses is that the former can''t level up. Once you''ve been assigned a main ss, you''d be stuck with that until you advance to the next Tier and are given a chance to switch. Even then, users will only be given a single chance to switch their sses in their entire life. Thetter on the other hand doesn''t work like that. So long as one could reach the maximum level of their Sub-ss, they''d be given a chance to choose another one. Meaning that, if someone really wanted to, they could learn all the Lifestyle Professions out there. Leveling up a Sub-ss doesn''t require Demon Souls, it''s based on effort and results. That being said, simr to Main sses, the are tons of Sub-ss specializations out there that are almost limitless. It would be a daunting task to learn all of it, so nobody has tried to ever since. Cedric himself had no desire to learn all the Lifestyle Professions. There are only a few that caught his attention and interest. Even then, he had to focus on his main ss so at best, these would be side-projects. With his curiosity piqued Cedric brought up the skills he received from his Sub-ss: [Decode Lv.1] : The ability to break down information into manageable parts, allowing for ease of overall analysis of the whole thing. : +10% Decoding Speed [Symbol Mastery Lv.1] : Language, Inscriptions, Runes, etc. Everything has its own way of rying information, ''Symbols'' are the general terms for that. : +10% Symbol Analysis, +5% Symbol Carving. [Focus Lv.1] : This skill represents the user''s ability to dedicate their entire mind to a chosen subject, boosting the speed at which they absorb, process, and ry information. : +50% Learning Speed Bonus when Active. : Note! - Prolonged use might cause sharp headaches to the user. Use wisely. // "Damn! I''m loaded with Learning Speed Bonuses..." Cedric chuckled to himself. And isn''t that the truth? If he were to stack all of the things that gave him a Learning Speed Bonus, he might be able to have a Doctorate Degree by the end of this day. It''s that absurd. Hell, he''s actually struggling to prevent himself from studying right now because his instincts told him that once he begins, not even a natural disaster would pull him away from it. It''s quite scary actually, and he trusts his instincts well enough to not ignore it. He needed time to adjust to things, after all, he just evolved and received these skills yesterday. His physique and perception were already working overtime to adjust to it so he only needed to wait for a little more before he could safely go at it. Cedric also couldn''t level up just yet. Well...he technically could, but it would be wiser for him to wait. The main reason was that he wanted to refine/purify Demon Souls before using them to level up. In truth, this is more than a conspiracy theory more than anything since he only read it online and nobody has proven it so far. ording to the post he read, leveling up using Demon Souls might prove dangerous in the future since Demon Souls were no less than apressed ball of Demonic Corruption. Everybody knows that using Demon Souls to level up has always been risky. Users always had the chance to go mad during their level-ups thanks to the lingering essence of Demons in the souls. But so long as someone can endure the temptation and guard their sanity, they can safely harness its power. The post added a theory that the whispers of madness and temptations during the use of Demon Souls were only the beginning. They said that somewhere deep inside all superhumans, traces of corruption are present and that, one day, the Demons would use this hidden/slumbering corruption against humanity. The post garnered much attention, and Cedric could vaguely recall hearing about it on TV. It''s rming, but nothing has been proven so far. Many people don''t believe what''s written in the post. Some refuse to even acknowledge the idea. Cedric, being cynical at times, thought that the poster was making some sense. Then again, nothing has been proven so his judgment was reserved. Still, though, this sparked an idea within him. What if he could discover a way to purify Demon Souls? What if he could get rid of its foul aspects and make the assimtion process painless? Wouldn''t that be for the best? Hell, this idea might make him a Pioneer and win him some awards in the future! But his main agenda was preservation of course. If he''s gonna use a foreign substance as fuel to strengthen himself, he would want the best, so it''s worth researching for. With his speed at analyzing and processing information, it wouldn''t take him long before he concludes, at least a short-term one for now. He wants to level up and advance his Tier as soon as possible since he already dyed it for too long. He just wants to see if his idea is usible or not. If it is, then great! He would start purifying the hell out of them Demon Souls, maybe even sell some online just for the heck of it! If it doesn''t work, well at least he tried. His willpower should be strong enough to handle Tier 1 Demon Souls anyway. There''s practically zero risk for him to fall into madness or temptation. This is the reason why he chose the Scribe as his first Sub-ss. He wanted to build a purification array to help him with this task. There were other methods he could use, but none of them were cheap, and Cedric was saving money so he chose to do it this way for now. Now, he just needs to wait until his bodypletely adjusts to his recent evolution and he could start experimenting. Chapter 49: OWET [Alert! ¡ºDemon Lore¡»leveled up to 10/100!] [Alert! ¡ºEducation¡» leveled up to 4!] [Alert! ¡ºEducation¡» leveled up to 5!] [Alert! ¡ºEducation¡» ...] [Alert! ¡ºEducation¡» leveled up to 10!] [Skills: ¡ºDecode¡», ¡ºFocus¡», and ¡ºSymbol Knowledge¡» reached Lv.10/100!] [Sub-ss: Scribe (10/100)] *** Ever seen someone speedrun their way into a PhD? Well, Cedric almost certainly did, in three days too! That was absurd, but in a world filled with Superhumans, this feat wouldn''t be considered an exaggeration. Many have done simr things before, others even escted it to a whole new level, so Cedric wasn''t all that proud of what he had achieved. Still, he worked for it. His absurd learning speed felt like cheating, but nobody would hear himining. Seriously, even Cedric found this a bit absurd. There was a time when all he needed was to nce at the first few pages of the book and his mind would already go through extensive lengths and theories, which mostly ended up proven as he finished the book he was reading. He only needed minutes to consume all the knowledge avable in a book, and once he had read enough about a certain subject, he would take online exams to prove his knowledge and he passed them with flying colors. Now, Cedric''s mind was filled with all sorts of mundane knowledge about science, mathematics, engineering, and medicine that he could review whenever the need for it arose. On top of that, Cedric was also learning more about Demon Lore, as well as subjects that would help him increase his Sub-ss level. Cedric did all of this withoutpromising hisbat training too. This meant that he was extremely productive every day. Thanks to his studies, he managed to gauge the usibility of his n to refine Demon Souls. As it turns out, he wasn''t the first one to entertain the idea. There had been people who had tried it in the past, yes, even before the Article he had seen online was posted. Sadly, none of them seeded. Cedric wasn''t going to give up though. Although others before him failed in their attempts, it doesn''t necessarily mean that he too would fail. It was fortunate that their experiments were documented neatly and there were copies online. His System Authority was high enough to ess them and it would certainly help with his own research. From the clues he received, including the documentation of those who failed before him, the idea of purifying Demon Souls was usible. Still, this will be a work in progress but Cedric had time. Between training hisbat prowess and pouring hours into his studies and research, Cedric made sure to squeeze in some time for rest and rxation as well. By now, his aversion towards crowded spaces was slowly diminishing. The constant exposure to society and civilization was improving his mental state slowly. Dr. Vega said that he''s doing really good, and that if this continues, it wouldn''t be long until he''s fully cleared from the institute. *** Currently, Cedric is resting in his hotel room. The construction of his home was still underway so he could only stay here for now, not that he''s mad about it though, the onlyint he had was that the room service was expensive. Anyway...Cedric was absent-mindedly shifting through channels online, feeling quite bored since nothing was interesting so far. Just as he was about to shift to the gaming section, a news sh suddenly startled him...and also the others who were tuning in to the entertainment channel. *** "Just in! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your host; Chris Fugerson, giving you exclusive news right out of the oven! I hope everybody''s having a peaceful evening so far! Let me start by apologizing to everybody who was rendered surprised by my sudden appearance, BUT! A piece of surprising news has been ryed to us and we absolutely cannot wait to share it with everybody!" "ording to a trusted source, the Outer World Expedition Team (OWET) just returned from their mission!" *Insert Pic here!* "That''s them, everybody! Please don''t fret, ording to our source, the team was intact and uninjured when they encountered them. They''re only exhausted from their mission since they''ve literally just returned." "Our sources approached them with the intent of knowing how their mission went. And although the whole team was exhausted, they were eager to report that their mission had been a sess so far!" "For your information, the OWET is formed by the government with the sole purpose of exploring the outside world and checking for any recent developments. They also go on missions that might allow the Federation to reim lostnds to expand our home and secure resources to advance our civilization." "This team had been dispatchedst year, and their mission; ording to what we have gathered so far at least, was to scout nearby ces for any possible developments. Now, we aren''t exactly sure of the mission''s contents because neither the team nor the Federation were allowed to disclose it, BUT! With the team returning with a positive response, then we can be assured that, whatever they did out there, must''ve been productive!" "Because of the NDA, we could only specte for now. Did they discover a resource lode? Maybe we find traces of ancient civilizations that could help us improve our technology. Maybe, they found an untouched continent that we can use to expand our home and influence!" "Either way, these will all be just spections until the Federation releases an official statement. Even so, I, for one, am extremely excited about this. Best believe that I will be waiting in anticipation for what wille next!" "And that would be it for today''s sh News! Once again, I am your Host; Chris Fugerson, giving you exclusive news right out of the oven! Want to keep up with thetest news from yours truly? Then please consider subscribing to our channel and follow us on our social media tforms, turn those notifications on, and you will receive alerts as soon as we have news for you! Thank you for tuning in, and I will see you next time! Bye~" *** "...huh!" Cedric blinked after listening to that. He was initially surprised about the sudden mention of the Outer World, thankfully he was more than knowledgeable now that he managed to recover fast and focus on the news. Right, the ''Outer World''. That''s what modern people call that ce now. Some old timers would refer to it as the ''Old World'' or the ''Forgotten Continents''. Neither term was wrong so to say, it''s just preference. The Cataclysm did more damage to the world than what humans initially expected. Even though centuries have passed since it happened, its effects can still be felt through modern times. Back then, Humans were incredibly weak. As a result, they could only retreat and cower under the might of demons. The majority of Humans back then left their homes, leaving behind all traces of tradition, knowledge, and memories for the sake of survival. By the time Ac came to their aid, the Humans were already down to a fraction of their numbers and were cornered. Thanks to the emergence of Superhumans, Humanity was able to somewhat recover and carve a piece of the world to call home. Since then, they have done their best to bolster their defenses, recover their numbers, and raise strong warriors to keep existing. Humanity did manage to recover at least, but it''s never been the same since then. As society changed to amodate the existence of Superhumans, the homes they left behind were pushed to the back burner. They just couldn''t spare enough manpower to reim them. And even if they could, the expeditions would be extremely dangerous since the rest of the world had been infested by wretched demons who had already spread their corruption everywhere. It wasn''t until thest decade that the Federation decided tounch the OWET initiative -posed of groups of talented individuals whose task is to explore and discover ways for humanity to reim their old home. ording to what Cedric knew so far, the expedition missions didn''t always seed. In fact, 8 times out of 10, the teams would fail to do their missions; oftentimes returning defeat and with missing members, or never returning at all. This further stresses the sheer dangers of the Outer World. And this was also the reason why there haven''t been a lot of people who volunteered to join this cause. Cedric rewounded the clip and focused on the image of the expedition team. Upon closer inspection, the reporter was mostly right on his assumptions, the team was intact for the most part. They didn''t lose any members, which is already a miracle on its own, and returned with a mission aplished. That said, they look dead inside. Cedric was still now an expert in Psychology, but he could inly tell that the expedition team had been through some tough shit. They looked battered and beaten, quite possibly traumatized too. "I hope that whatever their mission is, was worth the trouble and trauma it caused them. Shit, they look even worse than the worst people I encountered at the RMC!" Cedric shook his head and proceeded to switch his viewing to the gaming channel... Chapter 50: New Home and Neighbor "...thank you for your hard work." Cedric bowed slightly towards the people in front of him. "Don''t mention it, it''s what we do anyway. Well then, since everything seems to be working just fine, we''ll excuse ourselves." "Let me treat you to a meal at least, before you go?" "We appreciate it, but there''s no need to. Besides, we must make our way to the next contract we have. Thanks for the offer, though!" "I see...well, I won''t keep you then. Thank you once again and take care." "You too, good sir!" Cedric escorted the construction team out of the property and sent them away with his gaze. Once they were out of sight, Cedric sighed and made his way to his newly constructed home. Looking at the interior of his new home, Cedric couldn''t help but think how time flies when one''s busy. It has been a month since he was released from the RMC. Now, he''s a homeowner in the ck Thread City. His house wasrge. Hell, one could say that it is way toorge for a single person to use, even Cedric would admit that himself. However, he didn''t mind. Sure he had to pay extra fees but he''s a millionaire, and he could afford to splurge on his new home. Cedric''s new house has a wide living room with a cozy theme. He had an outdoor pool as well which could be essed in many ways. His kitchen resembles those that can be seen in bars and clubs. Aside from the Master''s Bedroom, three more empty rooms in the house could be used by guests should he ever have one. It alsoes with an indoor gym, recreation room, andrge empty but reinforced court which he could use to train his skills safely - a must for every Superhuman Homeowners. He also asked the construction team to build him ab for future use. Aside from the rooms and everything else, there''s a fairly advanced security system installed all over the house. Cedric was strong, yes, but it wouldn''t hurt to have an extrayer of protection. He didn''t want to be consistently on guard, especially within his home. The installment cost him extra, but he didn''t mind that in the slightest. He already bought all the necessary pieces of furniture and tools he needed for his home as well as decorations and misceneous things not to mention, the bills. All of which barely made a dent in his pockets, though. And so long as the contents of his Hell Dive don''t change (which is very unlikely to happen), then he truly wouldn''t run out of Demon Souls to spend any time soon. A sense of satisfaction welled up in his chest as he roamed around his new home. If someone were to tell him that this was his future several months ago, he probably wouldn''t have believed it. Yet here he is. ''...yeah, I should do that.'' Cedric mused to himself as he suddenly remembered something from his childhood. He took out severalvender-scented candles. He put one in each room his new house had and lit them up, leaving them there to steep in the scent. This was something that histe parents used to do whenever they moved to a new home. It''s somewhat of a tradition. Cedric''s father had a demanding job from what he could remember, he never understood it so he didn''t know much, but it required them to move to a different ce from time to time, resulting in him, as well as his siblings, not having many friends. It reached the point where they got tired of introducing themselves to people since it became repetitive. Still, they couldn''t do anything about it. His father was adamant about not leaving them behind, and his mother shared the sentiment. And whenever they arrive at their new/temporary home, his mother will always leave burningvender-scented candles in each room until theypletely melt. Again, Cedric never understood why she did that, or whyvender specifically. He just knew that she did, and that''s it. He never asked either since he didn''t think it was too important for him to know. Still, this was one of the core memories he knew about his parents, and it''s something that he cherished. So, even though he had no idea why, he went ahead and did it anyway. ...besides, he grew to like the scent ofvender. Right now, Cedric was chilling in the dining room, eating his dinner, whilst watching some random gaming channel. He had forgotten training for the rest of the day since he already had his physical exertion for the day. On another note, Cedric didn''t use the "Hell Dive Pardon Ticket" just yet. It wasn''t because he had forgotten about it, it''s more so that he didn''t feel the need to use it just yet. While the ticket might''ve been nice, it wouldn''tpensate him for the Demon Souls he could potentially acquire if he were toplete his Hell Dive. Cedric might be a millionaire but that doesn''t necessarily mean that he''s gonna turn down a chance to earn more. Plus, he was confident in clearing his Hell Dive, so why would he use the ticket right away? Who knows when he''ll receive another one? Why use this one now when he could use it when the need arises? Ping! "Hmm?" Cedric raised a brow as he received an alert. Opening it, he found that it was an e-mail. He read the contents and dismissed it as soon as he was done, not finding it worth his time to write a reply. It''s one of those promotional e-mails. This one though, came from an Academy. They gave him an invitation to join their Academy, even going as far as adding a superfluous description of what they could offer to him should he join, and empty promises for when he graduates. Cedric didn''t bother with those. He treated it like he did for the rest before it. Which is by ignoring it after reading its contents once. He just considered it as a spam e-mail and nothing more. Seriously? What''s the point? He received these e-mails just because he applied for online lessons - all of which, he finished weeks ago. They wanted him to attend their physical school which Cedric found redundant. Again, what''s the point of that? Like the difference between the two would be that big. If anything, the only difference would be social interaction and other not-so-important details, besides that, the rest were the same. Cedric already finished the courses they offered so he didn''t need to reconsider attending their physical school. This isn''t him thinking that he''s above that. He just didn''t find it necessary, that''s all... Aside from Academic Institutes, Cedric also received invites from independent organizations - ones that are focused on building teams of Superhumans to do all kinds of stuff. Cedric had no idea how these people knew his e-mail, and he sincerely hoped that they could forget it so that he wouldn''t be bothered by their pretentious words. Simply put, Cedric had no desire to be a modern-day Olympic Athlete. He''s way too busy with other things he finds more important than that. Speaking of being busy... Cedric still hasn''t leveled up. He did makerge leaps in his research into purifying Demon Souls though, but that''s mostly thanks to thepiled knowledge of his predecessors. Right now, he has concluded that he will need to build a tool that could aid him in this specific task. So far, he was still researching for necessary tools and honing his skills in Symbols because they would help immensely to achieve the result. Once he got all the tools he needed, he only needed to experiment and adjust the form before reaching the jackpot. After that, he should be able to level up, and eventually, increase his ss Tier. Cedric didn''t doubt that his Hell Dive would be a lot more difficult once he levels up and/or increases his tier. That''s just the way it is. Hell Dives were one way to keep pressuring Superhumans, forcing them to grow and not remain stagnant in this kind of world. The stronger the Superhuman was, the more difficult their Hell Dive would be. It would synchronize with their growth to keep them progressing. After all, nobody would like to be referred to as a ''Risk''. Once he''s done with his dinner, Cedric soaked in a hot bath to rx his worked-up muscles. After that, he wrapped himself up in a towel and was heading towards his drawer to get a fresh set of clothes when all of a sudden, he heard his doorbell ringing. Frowning to himself as he was not expecting any visitor, he went downstairs towards the door and opened it to reveal a woman holding a tray of something gawking at him. "Hi?" He said in a confused tone. "U-uhm..." the woman stuttered as she gazed at him. He followed her line of sight and just remembered that yes, he was still very much naked under that towel. Color drained from his face as he hurriedly said: "I''ll get back to you in a moment..." Cedric immediately closed the door, cursing at his stupidity, while taking out a fresh set of clothes from his inventory. He was close enough to his door that he heard the woman muttering... "Oohla~" Chapter 51: Housewarming Gift She swears she doesn''t mean it... After all, who in their right mind would open a door for a stranger whilst they''re barely covered? She''s not a pervert and it wasn''t her fault, okay? But it''d be a lie if she said that she didn''t like what she saw, cause she did...she really did. Initially, the n was to check out her new neighbor. She got news that the old property near to her home had been bought by someone and they were constructing a new home there. She just wanted to say hi and introduce herself to her new neighbor, and give him a housewarming gift, that''s all she''s here for. But to her absolute surprise, she was greeted by her new neighbor in a very, very stimting way. He opened the door to her with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His gorgeous blond hair was still dripping wet with water. The moment she saw him, she could swear that the world freaking stopped all of a sudden, if not, slowed down at the very least. She couldn''t control where her eyesnded after that. She was stunned by his facial features; the man before him was like someone straight out of the romance novels she consumes on a daily basis. Hell, even Prince Charming had nothing on this guy. ''And damn! Those pecs? Gurll~~'' God was unfair as he sure took his time sculpting this man when he was creating him. He had a perfectly lean body and was bulky in all the right ces. Geez, his skin tone was enviable too, she kind of wanted to ask what skincare he was using. And...once again, she''s not a pervert, okay! It''s not her fault! The towel was carelessly wrapped around his waist, and she was too stunned to control her actions! It wasn''t her fault that she got a peak of his ''Excalibur''! ''Pinkish tip¡ª Ahhhhh!!!! Erica! Gurl, snap out of it!'' "Hi?" "Uhm..." ''Please stop seducing me?'' ''Maybe get dressed first before opening the door?'' ''You''re arms look big, can you wrap them around my neck¡ª aaaaaa!!'' What exactly was she supposed to say here? Nevermind that actually, can she even speak like this? Cause try as she might, her eyes just wouldn''t freaking leave his body! And it seems that her hot neighbor noticed that she was staring too much. He looked at himself and she watched as the color drained from his face. "I''ll get back to you in a moment..." ''Geez, that''s a deep voice he got. I wonder how deep he can¡ª AAAAY PAUSE!!!'' Erica shook her head as soon as the door closed on her. She took a deep breath and got rid of her hormonal thoughts...as best as she could at least. "Oohla~" she muttered, swearing that that''s the final horny thought before fixing her expression. Still, she could already tell that this was going to be awkward. It''s not like both of them could just ignore what happened just now, right? ''It happened at a bad time too...'' she muttered inwardly, ''I just came back from a long trip! Ugh!'' Not daring to continue that thought process, Erica sighed and waited till her neighbor was decent. And kudos to the guy, he didn''t make her wait long. The door swung open again, this time Erica nearly suspected that this person must be the previous guy''s twin because he had apletely different aura than before. "Sorry about that, I wasn''t expecting a visitor and I''m a little bit tired since I just moved. Anyway, my name is Cedric, how can I help you?" ''Oh, so it''s the same guy. I thought he had a twin.'' She inwardly said to herself. "Uh, Hi! My name is Erica, I''m just here to greet a new neighbor. I just got the news that you moved in today so I thought I''d bring you a nice housewarming gift!" She said, trying to appear cheerful despite the awkwardness. She even lifted the tray she was carrying to emphasize her point. She brought snacks and tiny decorations he could use for his new home. Erica then saw Cedric blinking at her, seemingly confused at first before his expression changed into surprise... "Oh! Thank you very much! I wasn''t expecting that at all." He smiled, and Erica could swear she heard the angels singing when he did so. "You didn''t have to though. But still, I''ll shamelessly ept." Cedric carefully received her gift. She nearly teared up when he saw how gentle he was. His expression was akin to a kid receiving birthday presents. It was so precious. ''How can someone be so daddy and baby at the same time? It doesn''t make sense? And to think that I should get used to seeing him most of the time since we''re neighbors? Lawrd! Give me the strength! I am not your strongest soldier!'' "Would you like toe in for a bit? It''s cold out here." Cedric gently asked, causing Erica to shake out of her stupor. "No need!" She eximed in a pitchy tune, which she didn''t do on purpose. "I have to go back soon anyway. I just wanted to say hi! Also, if you have any questions, feel free to knock on my door, or anyone''s really. This is a friendly neighborhood after all." "Thanks! I''ll keep that in mind." Cedric beamed at her. ''Gah! Too bright!'' She inwardly squealed. "Rightthat''sallbye~!!!" Erica just couldn''t stay there anymore, so she bid her farewell hurriedly and speed-walked her way out of there. She didn''t even turn back at all. Once she returned to the safety of her own home, she locked the door behind her and squealed. She felt heat creeping up her face as she recalled what just transpired. She became a drooling mess after recalling the man''s naked body, yet at the same time, she felt her heart being squeezed with how cute he looked earlier. "What the hell!?" She eximed at the confinement of her room. "How can someone like that exist? I thought they only existed in my imagination!" Erica buried her face on the pillows, groaning at the fact that her new neighbor would haunt her dreams for a bit. "Is he a celebrity? A model? He must be right? There''s no way he''s not!" In a bit of a frenzy, Erica opened her System and started searching the Entertainment Section for any artists named Cedric, only to be met with disappointment. She saw several people who shared the same name as him but none came even remotely close to what he looked like. (She also wouldn''t be able to see socials since Cedric had his on private and he uses a cartoon image for his profile picture) "Is he a ghost then? No, no he shouldn''t be. He''s too handsome and precious to be one. An angel maybe? Gah! What am I even thinking!" Erica slumped on her bed and felt quite disappointed. "Ugh, what''s wrong with me? Am I really this desperate? This easy?" "Nope, this isn''t me! I swear that was just a moment of weakness!" "I''m just tired. Yeah, that''s it! I just returned from an exhausting trip after all! Yup, that makes sense..." "Once I''m sufficiently rested. I wouldn''t make a fool of myself in front of him again. I''dugh and realize that he isn''t much once I get over this initial phase. Yup, that''s what will happen. Manifesting!!!" Sighing because of her ridiculous ims, Ericay weakly on her bed. Now that she had time to herself once again, she could feel exhaustion creeping up on her. As she was about to fall asleep, she was suddenly jolted by a sudden rm from her system. Nearly jumping out of fright, she red at the call alert. Huffing, she sat up and answered the call... "The hell do you want!?" "Hello to you too Erica. Good evening as well. Wow, I''m so touched by your warm greetings that I''m nearly reduced to tears. I knew that you have always been the sweetest girl that has ever walked this. Other bitches out there just couldn''tpare themselves to you." Veins protruded on Erica''s head as she listened to the words of the caller. "I don''t have time for your shit, Francis. Say what you want and leave me the fuck alone, I''m on vacation for crying out loud. I don''t want to hear or see you while I''m supposed to be resting." "Love you too, Erica." The caller, now named Francis, snorted on the other line. "Anyway, listen up since I want this to be quick. Don''t think that I want to listen to your ugly ass bitching voice either. I, too, am on vacation, just like everyone else. But we can''t escape from our responsibilities." "..." Erica rolled her eyes but didn''t say anything. "Captain managed to extend our vacation to a month. That''s the good news. The bad news is that, as soon as this month is over, we''re gonna be sent to hell again. This time, the Receding Hairline Committee wants us to capture thatnd pronto." "Ugh, god! Kill me now, please." "Mood." Francis replied, "Anyway, let''s enjoy our vacation but don''t forget to gather the materials needed for the next project." "Copy, that." Erica grumbled. "Great! Now if you''ll excuse me, I need to getid ASAP!" Beep "Ugh! Ew..." Chapter 52: Level up! "Shit...finally did it!" Cedric eximed as he rested his back against the chair. He closed his eyes and groaned when he felt their sting. He could feel a pang of exhaustion seeping through his body but it wasn''t that bad. In front of him, however, was a glowing orb of pure light. It floated on top of an iron te that had numerous inscriptions and runes carved on its surface. Cedric rested his eyes for a bit before opening them. Then, using the system, he confirmed the product of his recent experimentations: * [Purification Altar (T1)] : An altar created for the sole purpose of purifying tainted items. It has numerous Symbols carved on its surface which aids in its purpose. [Purified Demon Soul (T1)] : Demon Soul purified by a budding pioneer. Its side effects arepletely cleansed, making it perfectly safe to use for various purposes. : Note - Purified Demon Souls are 20% more effective than the regr ones. * Yes, Cedric indeed made it. He managed the do what others before him couldn''t. He purified Demon Souls using Symbols. He couldn''t take all the credit though. If it weren''t for the documentation left behind by his predecessors, it would''ve taken him longer before he reached this point. [Congrattions on achieving an incredible feat. Ac looks upon you in favor!] [You received a new title and an item!] [Title: Pioneer] : Given to those who forged a path that has never been seen before. : With this title, any research or experiments you do towards a new path will tend to bring more positive results. [Symbol Master''s Quill (T5)] : A tool used by an unnamed Symbol Master of the Ancient Era. : +15% Symbol Carving Stability, Great Energy Conductor, Indestructible, and All Material Compatible. Bound to Cedric Stormrider. * Cedric smiled after receiving those alerts. It seems that his hard work was recognized by the System. Given that Ac wasn''t his enemy, of course, he didn''t mind this praise. If anything, he was happy since Ac gave him rewards for his achievements. ''It''s a good thing that there''s no need for me to equip titles. So long as I have them, their effects will take ce.'' He mused to himself. He then took out the Symbol Master''s Quill and admired its design. The quill was 12 inches long with a pointed tip. It''s designed to look like a peacock''s feather, radiating with a vibrant jade sheen. It has a ruby and amethyst crystal embedded on it and it is also carved with numerous runes. Cedric twirled the quill between his fingers, surprised that it was lightweight despite its size. If this was because he was simply strong or because the quill barely weighed anything, didn''t matter to him. What''s important is that he now has an indestructible quill he can use to carve out symbols for future use. It''s also bound to him so nobody else could use it. [Alert! System Inquiry: Would User Cedric like to publicize your discovery to others?] ''Hm?'' Cedric blinked upon receiving that alert. In hindsight, he wasn''t too surprised. Of course, he had a clue on how important his discovery was. He eliminated the harmful side-effects of Demon Souls and made it more effective. The majority of the Superhumans out there use Demon Souls to strengthen themselves, this includes him of course. His invention could possibly change a lot for Humanity. s... "Not for now, at least." Cedric declined, sighing to himself. "Besides the fact that this isn''t a finished product just yet, I''m not strong enough to create a foothold in this society. Gathering attention to myself this early would be suicide." [Understood. Once User Cedric is ready to publicize your discovery and invention, please don''t hesitate to alert the System.] "Copy that." Cedric nodded. He dismissed the alert window and stood up from his seat. Now that he had sessfully achieved the method of purifying Demon Souls, he could now rx for a bit. He could afford to dy leveling up. He has already waited for years, he could afford one more day. Right now, he wants to rx to adjust his state of mind. Leaving theb and locking the door behind him, he went towards the dining room to eat something. His gazended to his kitchen and a grimace appeared on his face. "...haven''t had the time to use this kitchen at all, which is waste. I didn''t feel the need to since I''m still on a meal n." He mused to himself as he took out meals from the said meal ns. Sighing, he continued: "Maybe I should cancel my subscription to the meal n and learn how to cook. I mean, how hard can it be? That wouldn''t take long since I learn things pretty fast anyway." Shrugging to himself, he decided to think about thatter. He focused on his meal, ate it, and took a dip in the pool after heating it. Yes, his pool had heating built into it. He did it himself using Symbols purely because he could and he wanted to do it. As he rxed on the warm waters of the pool, he extended his field of senses. He didn''t unleash itpletely, just at thefortable 1km radius around him, which was its minimum after his evolution. All kinds of voices, scents, temperatures, and movements swarmed in his mind. Other people would''ve been overwhelmed by this much stimuli happening at once but not Cedric since he''s used to it. Admittedly though, it was kind of troublesome to keep this on at all times. While at its minimum, he didn''t feel any difort, he still felt that he was intruding on people''s privacy whenever it was active. For example, he could now see that his friendly and bubbly neighbor, who he quite literally shed when she visited him a few days ago, was ''flicking the bean'' as she watched¡ª "Shit!" Cedric cursed in surprise as he immediately suppressed his field of senses. ...see what he meant by intruding on people''s privacy? Rubbing his face in and feeling the heat creeping up his cheeks and neck, Cedric took a deep breath and profusely shifted his focus to something else before he started pitching a tent on his shorts. Unfortunately for him, his distraction tactic was barely working. He thinks that it''s toote now since he not only saw what she''s doing, but he also heard the sounds she and the ''purring cat'' were making. ''...god damn it!'' He hissed as he felt the tightness in his pants. Groaning in difort, he turned off the heating on the pool and made his way towards the showers to pour cold water all over his body. *** [Purified Demon Souls (T1)] ¡Á 1M "Whew!" Cedric blew a sigh as he finished his bulk purification using the altar. With a T1 Purification Altar, he could only purify 10,000 Demon Souls at once. That might sound a lot if it weren''t for the fact that Cedric needed 100,000 Demon Souls just to level up. Well, with Purified Demon Souls, he would only need 80k because of the 20% boost in effectiveness, but still! He needs to think of a way to increase the capacity without losing any effects of the purification. But that''s a problem for another day. Right now, after converting a million''s worth of Demon Souls, Cedric was finally ready to level up. He rested for a bit to adjust his mental state. After that, he made his way to the reinforced court. He sat in the middle and brought up the system to start the process of leveling up. "System, use Purified Demon Souls to level me up to 3." [Alert! Confirm the use of 80,000 Purified Demon Souls to level up. Y/N?] "Yes, go ahead." As soon as he gave his confirmation, he saw the number of Purified Demon Souls draining from his inventory. He then felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body. His instincts screamed at him and he immediately suppressed the movement of his Ki. If he hadn''t done that, Ki would''ve obliterated the power of souls, creating a battlefield within his body that could''ve resulted in grave injuries. Thankfully, he was quick on his act and it prevented a potential disaster. Keeping his Ki still, Cedric could feel slight difort within his body, but it wasn''t horrible. The power of souls seeped into his flesh, blood, and bones, bringing forth an empowering feeling. His muscles squirmed, his blood curdled, and his bones creaked. That didn''tst long before itpletely disappeared. Sensing that, he loosened his hold on his Ki, and thankfully, it behaved calmly. He opened his eyes and marveled at the sheer strength coursing through his veins. [Congrattions, User Cedric! You are now Level 3!] Finally, after many years of enduring and the recent months of pure hustle, he finally increased his level once more. A wide smile appeared on his face. Yet, as much as he was tempted to continue leveling up, it wouldn''t be wise. He needed to give his body ample time to adjust, and with his Superhuman Physique, that shouldn''t take long. "Soon...it will happen, I''ll be reaching Tier 2! I just need to have more patience for now." Cedric sighed before dropping down to do some stretches. Chapter 53: Class Change Quest [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II ss: Swordsman T1 (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Scribe (Sub) Level: 9 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: (EX!) - Locked. Tier 2 req. Final rating: EX Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.6, Air-Hop (M), Focus Lv.20 Passives: Superhuman Physiology (U), Superhuman Perception (U), Education Lv.17, Ki Mastery (M), Footwork (M), Demon Lore Lv.20, yer''s Mark Lv.1, Decode Lv.20, Symbol Mastery Lv.30, [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 7, Failure Streak - 0 *** "Whew!" Cedric blew out a breath as he concluded his morning workout. Smiling wryly, he clenched and unclenched his fists, still adjusting to the increase of his strength thanks to his continuous leveling up. If he wasn''t paying attention, he would''ve torn off his bedroom door right from the hinges with a casual hold. Even the max level restriction of the Restriction Stamp proved useless right now. That being said, the Superhuman Physique showed its wondrous effects on his adjustment. Just after he finished his morning exercise, he could already tell that he hadpletely adjusted to his new strength. The absurd thing about all of this is that he''s too powerful. Although he was asking for it, he was still surprised by how absurd this increase of strength was. Truly, as expected of the EX-Rank Aptitude. ''Geez, I feel like I could kill a Tier 4 Expert if I really tried my best.'' He mused to himself while smiling wryly, ''This is so unfair...'' As if Cedric needed any more proof that the world isn''t fair...not that he''sining though. With how unfair this world is, it was perfectly eptable for him to cheat. Now that he''s no longer afraid of ruining his furniture due to carelessness, Cedric confidently made his way to the kitchen to make himself a meal. Right, he could be considered a 5-star Chef now, he''s justcking certification. With how ridiculously fast his learning capabilities were, this was to be expected. The meals he prepares for himself are even way better than the ones he got from his meal n, which is why he already unsubscribed from it yesterday. The Cooking skill was absorbed by his Education Skill so it wasn''t disyed in his Profile Page. After gorging himself with a luxurious meal and taking a shower, he changed into hisbat gear and rxed for a bit. Once he was good to go, he didn''t waste any more time and said: "System, I''m applying for a ss Change for my Swordsman ss." [Notice! ss Change Quest application requires a fee of 100,000 Demon Souls, proceed?] "Yes!" [Alert! 100,000 Demon Souls deducted from the currency stash. Transferring User Cedric to the Hall of Heroes for the Quest in 3...2...1!] Swoosh! Cedric''s body was then seized by an unknown force that appeared out of nowhere, causing him to disappear from his house. He experienced a turbulent force rocking his world, causing him to feel dizzy and panicked when it suddenly stopped. With a loud thud, he was unceremoniously dropped into a ce that he had never seen before. Waiting for the world to stop spinning and fighting the urge to vomit, Cedric stayed in ce for a bit. When he felt fine, he opened his eyes and shook his head. He unconsciously unfolded his field of senses to scour the environment around him. ording to the feedback he received from his senses, he was transferred to a floating ind. Looking up, he saw that the sky was just a seemingly endless expanse of white. The only sound he hearses from his breathing and movements. The entire ce was eerie, with no soul in sight either. Aside from the boundless white ceiling, as he calls it, he also saw other chunks ofnd here and there. Some were nearby, others were beneath the ind he''s on or above. Some were sideways, others were upside down. Some were intact, while others were on the verge of crumbling. The entire ce doesn''t make sense at all. Cedric got the feeling that it wasn''t supposed to as well. It''s confusing, making him wonder if he was really in the right ce. [Wee to the Hall of Heroes, User Cedric! Please step into the nearby tform to begin your ss Change Quest.] Well, that answers it at least. He''s indeed in the right ce. He shouldn''t have doubted the System. Getting rid of his unnecessary thoughts, Cedric took a deep breath and walked towards the obsidian tform near him. As soon as both feet touched the tform, a System Alert shed on his face. [The ss Change Quest will now start for User Cedric. The test begins by allowing the System to scan your body to generate aprehensive test. Proceed?] "Go ahead." Cedric''s reply echoed everywhere. The scan then started, leaving a tingling feeling all over his body. He didn''t resist it nor it was ufortable. Once it was done, another alert appeared on his face... [Scanplete! ss Change Quest, given!] Cedric was then surprised by the sudden movement around him. Some of the inds he saw here and there began moving. They crumbled down and chunks of debris flew all over the ce. Shortly after, he saw them forming apletely new ind that looked remarkably the same as the Roman Collesium, this one though, was about 5 timesrger. [ss Change Quest, issued!] [Quest: Survive!] : Step into the coliseum and face waves upon waves of enemies. : There will be a 5-minute respite after youplete a wave. At every 10th wave, there will be a Boss Fight. The respite period will be extended to 30 minutes after each Boss Fight, though this is only applicable to the Boss Fight. Regr waves will only have a 5-minute rest in between. : Note - Please do your best. Don''t hold anything back. This ce is a separate dimension and nobody aside from you and the System will know what happens here. Your new ss will be decided by your final results. Good luck, User Cedric! * "Tch. Do you mean to say that this one is in Endless Mode too? What the hell is up with me and Endless Modes? Is this some kind of punishment? Is my life''s difficulty permanently locked to the Endless Mode, too?" Cedric could only reallyin about this. Seeing as the System didn''t even bother replying to hisints proved that it didn''t care about his opinions. Grumbling, he summoned his sword and refilled his utility belt (god knows he will need itter), then he started walking towards the coliseum. "At least the venue''s pretty..." He murmured to himself. Unlike what the Purgatory looked like in his Hell Dives, this ce at least had great lighting. The ground''s t too, though he''s quite sure that that''s not going tost for long. Cedric was suddenly struck by an idea once he arrived at the center of the battlefield. Seeing as the quest hadn''t started yet, he decided to run around the ce at a brisk pace. "If I wanted to, I could...like, leave traps for my enemies. They''d be in for a nasty surprise the moment they appear." He mused as he continued familiarizing himself with the battlefield. "Maybeter though, let''s see what this ce had in store for me first." "Start the first wave." [Spawning the 1st Wave of enemies...] Cedric''s gaze immediately located the summoning circles appearing not too far from him. The circles rose, it revealed the shapes of his soon enemies. ''Beasts, huh...'' He inwardly predicted once their shapes were revealed. His prediction was soon proven correct. A pack of wolves appeared, snarling aggressively at him the moment they smelled him. Without wasting any time, the pack began hunting him. Cedric''s gaze remained impassive though. He took a step and promptly disappeared from their sight. That was then followed by a sh of light before Cedric reappeared behind them. Blood spurted out of the pack''s bodies. The poor wolves didn''t even know how they died. As they fell, their bodies turned into ashes fading into nothingness within the next second, and their blood also disappeared. ''It''s like they never existed in the first ce...'' Cedricmented inwardly. Once he''s done with the first wave, a 5-minute countdown timer appears above him. Humming to himself, he said: "Looks like I''m not gonna be fighting demons. Meaning that thebat bonuses that the Demon yer ss gives me was essentially useless here." "Maybe I shouldn''t have allowed the System to scan me earlier, but if I did that, would I be allowed to continue with the quest? Hmm..." "Eh, whatever. It''s a little toote for that now. I might as well see what my next opponents are." The System took that as a sign that he was ready for the next wave. And so, the next batch of summoning circles appeared not too far from him. Cedric tightened his grip on the sword and waited until his next enemies materialized... Chapter 54: Quest: Cleared! ''Fuck!'' RATATATATATA Cedric ducked and weaved all over the ce, dodging the iing bullet hell. Not too far from him stood a group of faceless humans riding a tank with too many guns equipped in it. ''I don''t think I signed up for this.'' He groaned as bullets whizzed past his face due to him barely evading them. This isn''t to say that he''s having a hard time. Sure, the hail of bullets was annoying but he could manage. Cedric kept dodging the hail until he discovered a chance to end this wave. With a surprising burst of speed, he shed past the tanks, bisecting them in a blink of an eye. They exploded but Cedric was too far away to be affected. Releasing a breath, he saw the familiar timer above him counting down. "Wave 10 is next..." Cedric hummed as he spun the sword in his hand. Since he barely spent any energy dealing with the previous waves, Cedric didn''t think that it necessary to spend the entire 5-minute rest period. He summoned the 10th wave directly to cut the time he needed to spend here. Under his gaze, a single summoning circle appeared. Knowing that this round was supposed to be a Boss Wave, he wasn''t surprised, he''s just wondering what he''s going to face next. The shape that formed after the summoning, answered that though... A human appeared. Blonde, six foot tall, faceless just like the humans he had fought so far here. The man was wearing leather armor with extra paddings on the joints. A rapier was attached to his waist. The man then wordlessly took out his rapier and went into a fencing stance. Cedric observed this with a narrowed gaze, feeling quite bummed inwardly. ''He''s full of openings...'' Cedricmented to himself. Still, he didn''t dare to ignore his opponent. He focused and the two of them measured each other through gazes (which was a bit weird since Cedric''s opponent was faceless, but whatever). Then, the man suddenly attacked... Others might be surprised by the man''s speed as he lunges straight towards his opponent with his rapier thrusting forward. Unfortunately, Cedric wasn''t ''others''. Everything; from the way his opponent tightened his grip on the handle of the rapier, to the way his muscles contracted as he prepared for the attack, all the way to him lunging forward with a surprising burst of speed...Cedric perceived everything. Nothing could escape his senses. ''Must be a Squire then...'' Cedricmented as he waited for the man to close the distance. The moment he did, Cedric swung his sword to parry the strike. The parry was performed masterfully and itpletely broke the stance and the force that the man carried with him, leaving him reeling and open for a counterattack. Cedric adjusted his hold on his sword, he then lunged forward, not going far, just enough to stab the tip of his sword through his opponent''s skull, ending the battle just like that. All of this took ce within the span of 5 seconds. And for Cedric, who''s expecting a challenge considering that this is supposed to be a Boss Fight, it was extremely disappointing. And just to confirm that this is indeed supposed to be a Boss Fight, he saw the timer having 30 Minutes allotted for a rest period, not the usual 5 minutes. Pursing his lips in disappointment, he sat down on the ground, grumbling a little bit. He took out a snack and a drink to ease his boredom. Then he asked the System: "Hey System, how much time has passed outside?" [Notice! To put it simply, User Cedric, the time flow here is the same as Hell Dives.] [No matter how much time you spend here, only 30 minutes will pass outside.] "Ah, I see." Cedric hummed as he tore open the bag of chips, "Good to know." At the very least, though, this ce wasn''t as horrible as the Purgatory. Thetter was filled with so much Demonic Corruption that breathing becameborious, not to mention, that the weather could be horrible in the blink of an eye. That hadn''t been a problem to Cedric ever since he started his improvement though, but it''s annoying. What he''s doing now (eating snacks), was something that he couldn''t and wouldn''t do while he''s in the Purgatory. And just with that alone, this ce is already better than the Purgatory. That said, it''s boring so far... He could tell that his opponents would be stronger after each wave, but that''s going to take some time. Sighing to himself, Cedric decided to take his time eating his snacks. Afterward, he will continue breezing through the waves. ''Let''s see how far I can go here.'' *** Bang! Bang! Boom! "Wow, this is crazy..." Cedric deadpanned as he ran around the battlefield, dodging waves upon waves of iing attacks. He was being harassed on all sides. There were bullets, energy projectiles, arrows, bombs, shrapnels, and even a god damned orbital bombardment. Cedric was being forced to move here, and it''s quite displeasing but there''s nothing he could do about that. He wasn''t passive though. If anything, Cedric was blitzing at his top speed, taking out squads of enemies at once. Some of his opponents were ruthless though, the moment they see him near, they will immediately blow themselves up, causing him to be wary of them at least. This chaos was Wave 99, and as much as this was dangerous and chaotic, Cedric was having the time of his life. He got the stimtion he wanted. It took some time but his opponents did scale to the point where he doesn''t have to hold back anymore. Cedric was using all his active skills here. Hisbat experience was climbing as he studied the way to deal with the masses of enemies spawning around him. Unlike the Endless Undead Horde, the current wave of enemies he''s facing is far more dangerous. They carried all sorts of weapons and paraphernalia. Not all were humans, too. Yet for some reason, they seem to be working perfectly together as if they''ve done this before. Cedric was forced to utilize everything he had so far. And with that, he could feel himself growing exponentially. Despite being surrounded, Cedric was still full of energy. He dashed around, decimating squads of enemies in his wake. That said, this isn''t like his Hell Dive where the waves just constantly spawn without rest. The wave here spawns all at once, and once he reduces their numbers enough, their lethality also goes down with it. And so, just like the previous waves he cleared so far, Cedric also cleared Wave 99. The 5-minute resting periodes after that. Cedric wasn''t idle though. Adrenaline still pumps in his veins as he swiftly downed a bottle of water while moving around, leaving behind traps for the next enemy that''sing in. Yeah, he''s employing this strategy now. He leaves a nasty trap for the next wave during the resting period to gain just a slight edge for himself. He doesn''t do it often though since he has limited resources with him. So far, he''s only doing it during Boss Waves since every Boss recently had been apanied by groups of additional enemies, making it more difficult to handle them. The five minutes swiftly passed and by then, 100th Wave began. A Tier 5 Lv.1 Expert appeared, apanied by a military squad under hismand. The moment they spawned, however, the traps Cedric left behind were triggered. That got most of them so now, the pressure Cedric faces became lighter. Not wanting to be caught idle, Cedric dashed around once more. The Boss was hot on his trail while he dealt with the remaining small fries. When it was just him and the Boss left, Cedric engaged the Boss in a melee, putting everything he got on each strike. He''s facing a Tier 5 Expert, even if he wanted to, he couldn''t hold back here. It''s already mighty impressive that he could confront this phantom. Other people at his level wouldn''t even be able to reach this far. Hell, they wouldn''t even dream of it. Bang! "Shit!" Cedric groaned as his opponent suddenly exploded with an unknown force that blew him away. Despite his superior senses, he was unable to react to it, he couldn''t even sense it happening. He didn''t have time to dally either since he could literally feel the de of his opponent grazing his neck. Thankfully he was as flexible as a gymnast or else he would''ve been decapitated by now. With a timely parry, followed by a feint which his opponent fell for, and him capitalizing on that window of opportunity, he wouldn''t have been able to do substantial damage to his foe. Sadly, despite him squeezing everything he had left on his body to fight back and his opponent missing an arm, their fight ended up with them stabbing each other in the chest...a draw to be exact. Copsing to the ground, Cedric had enough time to see his opponent turning into dust and seeing the conclusion of the wave before the system determined that he couldn''t continue anymore. "...that was fun..." [Alert! ss Change Quest; concluded! Congrattions, User Cedric for reaching the 100th Wave!] [Notice! Obtaining New ss...] Chapter 55: Luminous Sage Cedric woke up with a groan of difort. He felt the stone-cold floor beneath him and the lingering smell of chaos in the air. His body hurts but nothing was out of ce. Sitting up, he immediately discovered that his clothes were drenched in his dried blood. Seeing that the bloodstains hardened already, he must''ve spent a long time unconscious. "Well, this is going to be a pain to wash off." Hemented as he slowly stood up. Despite being unconscious for a while, Cedric still felt exhausted. His Ki hadn''t recovered enough yet and his muscles were aching still. Fortunately, he''s not expecting any trouble right now. "Right, the quest..." He muttered. He brought up the system alerts and saw that it recorded his final results. The strange part of it was that, his ss Change hadn''t finished yet. Thest alert on his logs said that his New ss was being determined, yet when he looked at his Profile, nothing had changed yet. This was when he began surveying his surroundings. And to his surprise, he''s no longer in the coliseum. He''s on another ind altogether. This one seemingly exists in a different space because he didn''t see the other scattered inds around it. There''s nothing on this ind except the patches of grass growing here and there, broken pieces of flooring, himself, and a wide ritual altar that beckons him closer. "I guess I need to go there to conclude this quest?" Cedric mused out loud. He didn''t hear the System confirming his musing but he somewhat understood that it should''ve been obvious. Sighing to himself, he dragged his body towards the altar. Inwardly, he felt lucky that his previous gamble worked. You see, Cedric wasn''t entirely sure if he would survive a fatal injury here. The System didn''t indicate anything that ensured his safety. That said, he concluded his idea based on the context clues he received so far. The System said that this ce works just like his regr Hell Dives. Additionally, the System told him to hold nothing back since nothing could spy on this ce. To Cedric, the former was kind of a giveaway while thetter was an assurance. He already impressed himself by miraculously surviving until the 100th Wave. The fact that he tied with a Tier 5 Expert was an impossible achievement that he secured. Cedric was convinced that he couldn''t die here. He felt weirdly confident about that. He could''ve just asked the System of course, and the System might''ve answered him truthfully, but it''s toote for that now. Either way, he was lucky that his intuition saved him once more... Stepping into the alter, Cedric deadpanned at first since nothing happened. However, before he could evenin, the entire altar lit up under him, and a strange flow of energy drowned his senses. The energy wasn''t harmful. It''s the opposite actually. Cedric''s body greedily inhaled the energy without his consent. Normally, he would find this dangerous but now, he just let it go. Even his Ki weed this foreign energy. And as strange as this might sound, Cedric feltplete after absorbing the energy. It''s like there''s always been a missing puzzle piece in his life that was now filled. Closing his eyes infort, Cedric allowed himself to bask in this feeling. The sensation was soforting that he felt like he was floating...well, he was floating. [ss Changemencing...] [Due to User Cedric''s innate potential and incredible achievement, the Ancient Records stirred into activity. The System is now filtering the perfect ss to suit User Cedric!] Cedric couldn''t hear any of these alerts. He was too lost in thisfortable feeling and was slowly bing addicted to it. Even if a cmity were to strike his surroundings right now, Cedric would remain ignorant about it. The energy he was absorbing didn''t just make himfortable. It also nourished his entire body. Under that light, his skin peeled and regenerated at a visible pace. His muscles contracted and coiled tighter to his bones, his blood was being washed of impurities, and his bones were being refined. The foreign energy prated and nourished the deepest parts of his existence, even reaching his spirit, rousing it to wakefulness. Now that he''s transitioning to Tier 2, his Spirit stat was awakening too thanks to this ceremony. Once Cedric''s entire being reached a certain point of awakening, a miracle urred around him. An aurora curtain appeared above him, and manifestations of celestial bodies were summoned as well. Cedric''s body then erupted with a golden radiance which made him look like a newly ascended God. It was here that Cedric''s eyes suddenly shed open, and when he did, the golden radiance he exuded suddenly exploded and illuminated everything miles away from where he was. [Congrattions, User Cedric! You have been reborn as the new Luminous Sage!] [ss Changed from ''Swordsman'' to ''Luminous Sage''!] [Title Added: ''Young Sage''!] [Due to your new ss, your skills are being modified...] [¡ºSuperhuman Physique (U)¡» + ¡ºKi Mastery¡» transforms to ¡ºElementary Sage Physique (U)¡»!] [¡ºSuperhuman Perception (U)¡» bes ¡º Sage''s Perception (U)¡»] [Gained: ¡ºSage Arts (Lv.1/100)¡», ¡ºLightspeed (Lv.1/100)¡»] * [ss: Luminous Sage (U)] : A ss bestowed to someone who possesses heaven-defying potential, extraordinarily tempered Willpower, and an incredible drive to seek improvement. [Title: ''Young Sage''] : Provides a 15% Bonus on the growth of Sage-rted abilities. ¡ºElementary Sage Physique (U)¡» : An evolving physique possessed by Sages. Bestows a physique that could not only grow impervious to many harmful substances but also allow the possessor to harmonize with the world, allowing them to learn and understand more of its natural mysteries. : Note - This Physique can evolve (Elementary -> Profound -> Advanced -> Perfected). As for how the User must explore it himself. ¡ºSage''s Perception (U)¡» : A Sage has a mind open to numerous possibilities. They could see things others couldn''t and they understand far more than they let on. Their perception is also in tune with the world itself. : Grants - elerated Thoughts (1000 Thoughts/Second also affected by multitasking), Sixth Sense (Perception of Concepts), Heavenly Senses (Sense that could grow to perceive everything under the heavens), Sage''s Enlightenment (more likelihood of attaining Natural Enlightenment). ¡ºLightspeed (Lv.10/100)¡» : The ability to travel at the speed of light. : Current Speed - 1/10th Speed of Light, Duration - 10 seconds, Cooldown - 1 minute. : Note - Skill: ¡ºFootwork (M)¡» fused with this skill. ¡ºSage Arts (Lv.1/100)¡» : Thepiled knowledge of every Sage Practitioner that ever existed. Before increasing your mastery of this skill, the user must first designate a certain to follow. : Chosen Aspect - [None] * [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II ss: Tier 2 Luminous Sage Level: 1 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer, Young Sage System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.6, Air-Hop (M), Focus Lv.25, Lightspeed Lv.10, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.22, Demon Lore, yer''s Mark, Lv.20, Decode Lv.20, Symbol Mastery Lv.30, Sage Arts Lv.1 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 7, Failure Streak - 0 * "...that''s a lot of alerts." Cedric deadpanned as he finished reading through the text walls that swarmed his face. Still, Cedric could feel the sheer difference between the current him from the previous him. Right now, he could say without a doubt that if he were to fight that Tier 5 Expert from before again in this state? He would win. Truth be told, that Tier 5 opponent was lousy, most likely someone who barely reached the Tier. If he were to face a real, genuine Tier 5 Expert, then not even his ss Change bonuses would be enough to deal with it. That said, he became quite an absurd existence right now... "Luminous Sage, huh?" Cedric hummed as he felt energy coursing through his entire being. It''s a Unique ss - one that is bestowed by the System to those who deserve it. Earlier when he was basking under that radiance, certain understandings flowed to him. He knows that he''s not the only one who possesses a Unique ss, but he''s the only one who is a ''Sage'' in this current Era. There had been Sages before, and all of them left a visible mark on Human History. Cedric knows this thanks to the knowledge he consumed before. And now that he gained this title too, he feltpelled to do the same, yet only time will tell if he would actually do so. And don''t forget, Cedric isn''t just a Sage, he''s a Demon yer too... He now has a Legendary and a Unique ss at the same time. To say that he''s an absurd existence would sound an understatement if he were to be honest, but you''d certainly not hear himining. For now though, since he''s done with the quest, it was time for him to get out of here. Experiments could be der in the real world. Chapter 56: Aspect of the Sun Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Scribe (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.1 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer, Young Sage System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.6, Air-Hop (M), Focus Lv.25, Lightspeed Lv.10, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.22, Demon Lore Lv.20, yer''s Mark Lv.1 Decode Lv.20, Symbol Mastery Lv.30, Sage Arts Lv.1 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice (New!). : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 7, Failure Streak - 0 ** "The Mandatory Service Quest changed..." Cedric mumbled as he looked at his Profile Page. Previously, his Monthly Service Task was to survive the Endless Undead Horde for 3 hours straight. Now, that has been extended to 5 hours and he had to do it twice. It sounds unreasonable, especially considering how absurd the task was in the first ce. And if Cedric was still his previous self, he would''veined about this. Now though, this doesn''t faze him at all. If anything, his logical side thinks that this is just natural. The Monthly Service Task was made to keep Humanity sharp and ready for their enemies. It keeps their skills fresh and ingrained in their being. For this very reason, the task grows in difficulty to keep the pressure up. Cedric has grown considerably strong after he changed his ss to Luminous Sage. In addition to that, he still had a lot of growing to do. Therefore, it is understandable that the challenges he will face in his Monthly Service Task will grow in difficulty as well. That''s just the way it is... Don''t take this the wrong way, Cedric still thinks that this is unfair. He had just grown used to it at this point. That aside, Cedric was currently having fun with his new skills. Now that he has grown considerably in strength, his abilities have grown stronger as well. Though some of his skills were consumed by fusion or changed entirely, the benefits he got from the skills that disappeared still lingered in him, and that won''t go away. Right now, Cedric''s perception was downright terrifying... With just enough effort on his part, nowhere near the point where he''s stressing or struggling, he could sense everything that''s happening within the ck Thread City. No movement was hidden from him. No conversation was a secret. Hell, if he tries hard enough, he could even peer through themon folk''s thoughts. Yes, like mind-reading. To some extent, he could even predict what they''re going to do next. With how sharp his senses became, so too did his mind grow. Even with this much morsel of information, Cedric was handling all of it with rtive ease, that''s of course if he kept it at the minimum. Additionally, if he uses ¡ºLightspeed¡» just for the hell of it? He couldp around this entire city in an instant. How ridiculous was this? Just a reminder, the ¡ºLightspeed¡» skill was just at Lv.10, its maximum was Lv.100 - where he could literally run at the speed of light in a vacuum. Once he maxes this out, there''s nowhere in this world he couldn''t go. That said, the skill will certainly take some time before it is mastered. In addition, even with his evolved physique, his body still can''t handle light-speed travel. Still, this is already mighty impressive, especially since he''s only at Tier 2. "Okay, let''s see what this thing has to offer..." Cedric sat down on the empty gym and closed his eyes. He sank his perception at the depths of his mind and summoned everything he knew about ¡ºSage Arts¡». ording to the skill''s description, before he could even begin leveling up this skill, or using it even, he must first adapt an . From what he knew (thanks to the boatload of information he received during his ascension ceremony), ¡ºSage Arts¡» was just a list of Skills that were made for Sages like him. The skill itself was the amalgamation of all skills that all of the previous Sage created. Theption of them all resulted in the creation of ¡ºSage Arts¡» itself. The ''Luminous'' part of his ss Name; Luminous Sage, means that his affinity towards anything that is considered ''Luminous'' was the greatest. However, this doesn''t necessarily mean that he''s ''forced'' to follow that path. So long as he doesn''t adopt a that stands on the opposite spectrum of his affinity, then he shouldn''t face any real difficulties. Especially considering how absurd his learning speed was. Back to the , it would be more urate to say that this was an ''Attribute'' or a ''Concept''. By adopting an to his ¡ºSage Art¡», the skill will disy the effect of the whenever he uses the skill. Thanks to the well of information he gleamed into, Cedric had a fair understanding of which was considered ''Luminous''. Therefore, choosing an for his ¡ºSage Arts¡» hasn''t been difficult so far. ''With a Lv.8 System Authority, I''ve been given ess to information that shouldn''t have anything to do with the current me so far.'' He mused to himself. ''Amongst those many files was my discovery of the awful truth about the world we live in.'' ''A Demon has devoured the Sun.'' ''It urred centuries ago. That specific event plunged the world into a period of miserable darkness. Without the sun, nature copsed and humanity''s hope drained.'' ''It was only through the efforts of many ''Heroes'' that the Light was restored. In reality, though, it has never been the same.'' ''The Light that we see outside is fake. The Sun disappeared ages ago. The one that we have now is only an artificial one, produced by the ''Enduring Lighthouse''. Normal people couldn''t tell the difference, and maybe that''s for the best.'' ''Unfortunately, as convincing it may be, a fake cannot beat the original...'' ''Unlike the real sun, the artificial one cannot weaken Demons. Which is probably why it was the first thing they dealt with before trying to dominate humanity.'' It ismentable how this truth came to be. And the fact that it was kept as a secret by the authorities made Cedric uncertain as to what he should feel about it. That being said, it is this very truth that allowed him to choose an for his ¡ºSage Arts¡». ''This world is unfair, but that can hardly be med on the authorities or Ac herself. They''re doing their best to improve the situation. Sadly, they don''t have many options on how to do just that.'' ''It''s the demons'' fault. They''re the source of everything that''s wrong here.'' ''I''m no hero. Nor do I have any desire to be one.'' ''But...if I could help, even as miniscule as it can be, even if it ends up with me sacrificing my life just to make things a little bit better...'' ''...maybe, this will all be worth it.'' Cedric took a deep breath and did his best to harmonize with the world. His intent...his desire...they manifested in the form of fluctuations that blended with his surroundings. Slowly but surely, a change urred around him. The air got heavier and the heat suddenly rose. Light bent around him, causing Cedric''s body to phase in and out of existence. On his chest, specks of light converged, turning into a golden orb that scorched a mark in between his vicles. The mark looked very simr to that of the Sun''s... As soon as the mark appeared on his body, a plume of hot, golden mes crackled around his body. Cedric was hurt though. In fact, he looked stranglefortable for a man who''s quite literally in mes. [Notice! ¡ºSage Art¡» chosen!] [Alert! User Cedric has chosen the ] ¡ºSage Art (Lv.1/100)¡» : Thepiled skills and techniques of Sages. From the skill of manipting energies, performing rituals, magic, and martial arts, down to the disciplines and etiquette that Sages of the Old used are included in his skills. : - The User has chosen the Sun as the primary aspect of this skill, granting it Attributes and Concepts that are closely aligned to the Sun. ** When Cedric opened his eyes, the golden mes around him suddenly disappeared. The heat still lingered around but it didn''t bother him at all. Standing up, he stretched his hand forward and uttered: "Sage Art: Sunlight Manifestation!" Then, an orb of golden light appeared on his palms. ''Sage Art: Sunlight Manifestation'' was a skill that converted his energy into real Sunlight. This skill is also the representation of his control and mastery over Sunlight. Dispersing the golden orb of light, he once again focused and uttered: "Sage Art: True Sunfire!" Golden mes billowed on his hands all of a sudden. It was the very same mes that appeared earlier. Now, Cedric can release, control, shape, and master these mes as well. Knowing that the Demons eliminated the sun to press their advantages, Cedric wonders how far are they willing to go just to eliminate him as soon as possible. ''They would most likely send a Demon Emperor to deal with me.'' Cedric mused inwardly, ''I better keep this a secret for now.'' Chapter 57: Exam "Hey, Cedric! Good morning!" Cedric paused whatever he was doing, he turned around and saw Erica standing not too far from him. From what he saw, he assumed that she must be tending to herwn. "Oh, hey Erica! Good morning to you too." He greeted in return. "You''re well dressed, going somewhere?" "Ah, yeah." Cedric smirked, "Going to visit the nearby Lifestyle Guild branch to get my certification and credentials." "Oh!? You have a Profession ss? Can you tell me what it is?" "I''m a Scribe." He replied. "Wow!" Erica looked impressed at least. "I heard that that''s one of the more challenging professions. Good for you!" "Oh, it''s nothing." Cedric waved a hand in dismissal. "How about you? What are you up to today?" "Nothing much, just tending to mywn, giving it ast-minute trim cause lord knows that I won''t be able to do this for a while." Erica sighed. "Hmm? Why is that?" "...business trip." Erica paused before replying. "I won''t be home for...maybe a month or two? Who knows?" Cedric blinked as he caught that lie. Well...it''s more of a white lie, actually. One of the benefits of having superior senses than most is the ability to tell when somebody''s lying to him, white lies included. "I see. Must be troublesome, then." Cedric replied sympathetically. "Hey, if it''s alright with you, I can look after your home while you''re away." Erica paused whatever she was doing to look at him with a hopeful gaze. "Really? You''d do that?" "Yeah, no problem." Cedric replied, "I''ll be home most of the time anyway and your house is just in front of mine. It''s no sweat on my back. This way, you can focus on your job instead." "Great! I''m obviously okay with that! I''ll pay you when I return, I promise!" "Oh, there''s no need to pay me. It''s not like I''ll do much anyway, aside from making sure that you have a home to return to." "Really? You''re okay with that?" "Yeah...like I said, no sweat on my back." Cedric shrugged while grinning at her. He then looked at his watch and said: "Oh, look at the time. Well, I have to go now. See youter!" "Right, don''t let me keep you then! Drive safely!" Erica waved at him as he got into his car. Yes, Cedric is now a car owner as well. Public transportation was quite far from this part of the city, and since he had the funds to buy a car, he decided to buy one for convenience. Cedric set his GPS to the nearby Lifestyle Guild Branch. His purpose there was to officially register himself as a Scribe, getting his license and certifications as well. While having a Professional ss and raising its level was enough for one to be recognized as part of the Lifestyle Guild, it''s still advisable to officially register to the guild and fill out the paperwork. The additional credentials provide supporting documents for work and would make most professional endeavors smoother. The drive from his home to the nearby guild branch took 20 minutes since the venue was located near the center of the city. He passed through gates and numerous high-rise buildings as he drove there. Thanks to his evolved perception, he was able to admire the scenery within the city while driving. The majority of the poption could be seen roaming around here as this was the busiest part of the city. Thanks to his therapy sessions with Dr. Vega, Cedric was now fine mingling with the crowd. He''s still not a big fan of it, but he could exist with it. He no longer feels like a stranger or an outsider whenever he''s amongst them, so that''s an improvement. The Lifestyle Guild branch looked humble at first nce... It was designed to look like a tavern from the old times. It''s quirky, to say the least, and it does its job of attracting attention. Initially, Cedric was puzzled by the ce, thinking to himself: ''How can such a small amodate that many people?'' Well, that question was answered the moment he got inside. As it turns out, the ce was bigger insidepared to its outside appearance. ''Pocket Dimension, huh?'' Cedric was no stranger to the term or the idea even though he doesn''t understand how exactly it works just yet. Superhumans of the upper tier do possess an absurd strength, some of them also have a deeper understanding of concepts. So much so that they can harness its strength and use it how they see fit. Constructing a stable Pocket Dimension was something that Cedric himself would like to study. However, that is something for the future him to deal with. Right now, he had matters to attend to. The interior design of the guild branch was also starkly different from what it looked like from the outside. On the outside, the ce looked like an ancient tavern but on the inside, it couldn''t be more futuristic. All of thetest pieces of technology can be seen and used inside the ce. It was cool (metaphorically and literally with all puns intended) inside. It was surprising too since, like what was mentioned earlier, the interior of the ce was biggerpared to what it looked like outside. Cedric searched for a bit and found the reception area. Walking towards it, he took a breath and approached thedy sitting behind a desk for help. "Hi! How can I help you today?" Thedy at the reception weed him with a smile. "Hi, I have a registration appointment for today under the name of Cedric Stormrider." "I see. Let me check my list first for confirmation. It won''t take long I promise." Thedy then opened her database to search for details about Cedric''s appointment. A minuteter, she got back to him and said: "Thank you for waiting! I confirmed your appointment with us. Sadly, your facilitator is still preupied with something. We do apologize for the dy, but if you can wait for at least five more minutes, he will be with you." "I understand. I''ll wait." "Awesome! Please, take a sit in the waiting area. Feel free to help yourself with some snacks and refreshments too, if you feel like it. I''ll call you when our staff is ready." Cedric nodded to her. He turned around and went to the waiting area. While he''s waiting, he decides to distract himself by refreshing his knowledge about Symbols and the responsibilities of a Scribe cause he knows that he will need it. Time passed and before he knew it... "Excuse me, Sir. Our staff is now ready to receive you." Cedric looked up and saw the samedy standing near him. He nodded to her and dismissed the system windows he had brought up recently. Thedy then led him towards the ce where his appointment would take ce. When they got there, thedy told him to enter and didn''t follow him inside. Knocking (just in case) before entering the room, he saw that there were a few other people there as well. Scanning the room briefly, he assumed that he wasn''t the only one who had an appointment for today. He''s also not thest person to appear. He sat on one of the chairs avable and waited until something started. After five more minutes, a person suddenly appeared out of nowhere - a man who didn''te through the door. Cedric assumed that he teleported here. The others appeared to not sense the man''s arrival, but he certainly did. The same man then walked towards the podium at the far front of the room and gazed at the crowd. He saw the man sigh and pped his hands to get everybody''s attention. "Right, it seems that everybody''s here. If not, well I can only apologize since I won''t wait anymore. Better luck next time I guess." "Anyway! Wee, everyone. My name is Chrome. I''ll be facilitating your registration and examinations for today. If you seed, you''ll be officially recognized by the Lifestyle Guild as Professional Scribes. If you fail, you can always try againter." Cedric could sense the shift amongst the crowd. He could tell that at least half of the people here didn''t expect there to be an examination. He could even hear their murmurs clearly as if they were speaking right next to him. "You''re here so you might as well take the exam. Who knows? Maybe some of you would be lucky enough to pass. And it''s not like you''d lose your life by taking this exam. You won''t get injured either. And if you fail? So what? Like I said, you can try again next time. There are no trial limits either, so don''t be nervous." His words managed to calm down the participants. Cedric could tell that Chrome was used to this. "When the exam starts, your ess to the System will be heavily restricted. This is to prevent cheating. You will have an hour to answer the questionnaire as much as you can." "The passing score is 725 Points. Pay attention to the instructions, that''s all the hint I''ll give you." "That''s pretty much it. So, ready or not folks! Your exam starts...now!" Chapter 58: License and Registration ''Uh...it can''t be this easy right?'' Cedric seriously started doubting his knowledge as he reviewed the contents of his exam. Not that it''s hard. Actually, it''s the opposite. It''s easy...too easy, even. Someone who memorized the ''Symbols for the Stupid'' book - the introductory material for people who are interested, would be able to answer everything that''s in the questionnaire. Sure, there were some misleading questions here and there. Those who breeze through the exam, not reading each question properly, will fall into this trap. But even these questions could be counted with his fingers with some left. For an exam that would determine if someone could be considered a ''Professional'', this was a little disappointing. ''There should be a catch here...at least.'' Cedric sighed after reviewing his answers for the 5th time now. He looked at their examiner; Chrome who was dozing off in a corner and his lips twitched. Seriously, the guy was too rxed. He wasn''t putting on an act either, that much Cedric could tell. ''Maybe there''s none...maybe I''m just overthinking things.'' Cedric shook his head and decided to review his answers one final time. And even after doing that, he still had some time left. He waited until the timer was over before passing his answers. Once the time was up, Chrome told them that they would receive an e-mail about their results after a few minutes. There''s no surprise here. Cedric aced the exams. Not a single wrong answer on his papers. He received a congrattory e-mail as well as instructions on where to proceed from there. Leaving the exam room, he went back to the reception to get his credentials. After confirming his results, the staff gave him his license and congratted him for bing a member of the Lifestyle Guild. With his license and registration done, Cedric no longer had any business being here. Now that he''s officially recognized by the guild as a Professional Scribe, he could take requests or missions from the guild to build up his profile steadily. Granted, he could only do small missions right now. That''s the rule for any beginners like him. ''That may be why the test was so easy.'' He mused while he was driving his car. ''Even the low-leveled missions rewards Demon Souls uponpletion. They must be pitying those who are struggling financially.'' Most of the work listed on the quest board can bepleted online for the convenience of its members. Harder missions require a visit, like what the group of inscriptionists who visited the RMC did. Either way, if one desires to be a part of the upper echelons of the guild, then one must build their profile carefully. Cedric had no interest in participating in the politics of the Lifestyle Guild though. If anything, he just did this to add to his credentials as a civilian. That said though, his official registration would help him in the future. Just a reminder, Cedric did discover a way to purify Demon Souls. Although it''s still a prototype, for now, it worked phenomenally. If he wants to release his invention one day, having this license woulde in handy. And if he builds a decent portfolio with the guild, then his credibility wouldn''t be questioned. On his way back home, Cedric went to a drive-through to get something to eat. Once he''s back home, he is greeted by Erica who confirms if he is really okay with not being paid for his help. Cedric assured her that there was really no need. He was tempted to tell her that he was essentially a millionaire, far fromcking in financial terms, though he prevented himself from doing so. As it turns out, Erica was supposed to leave that same day so his timing was perfect. He sent off Erica, once she was out of sight, Cedric threw an array disk on herwn. As soon as the thingnded, it released a pulse of light that covered every inch of her property. This array disk was simr to a security system. It alerts Cedric of any disturbances within the area. It also contains traps and nasty surprises for any stranger who dares to entertain any idea about Erica''s home. As for trimming herwn...that''s not an issue for now. She just trimmed it. Besides, if it grew, Cedric could trim it in no time at all so there''s nothing to worry about. With that out of the way, Cedric returned to his home and decided to rx. While he was rxing, he was thinking about his future. Well, he''s Tier 2 now, something that he thought would never happen less than a year ago, but here he is. Additionally, he''s not just any ordinary Tier 2 Superhuman. He''s a Tier 2 Superhuman who has a Legendary Tier ss (Demon yer) and also a Unique ss (Luminous Sage) who also has an EX-ranked Overall Aptitude. He''s a uniquely terrifying person, one who has to keep all of this a secret if he wants to grow old in this world. ''...wait, isn''t there a Sage Art for this?'' Cedric hurriedly closed his eyes and reviewed his stock knowledge about Sage Arts. It didn''t take him long before he got what he needed... ''Alright, let''s try this out.'' "Sage Art: Jester''s Mask." Cedric''s face then suddenly warped, changing into something new. His hair color also changed to ck. He looked in the mirror and didn''t recognize himself. This meant that the technique worked. ''Jerster''s Mask'' was a Sage Art that was purposefully created to fool people. It changes the caster''s appearance based on the image they want. The technique was alsoprehensive since even the caster''s voice, height, weight, hair color, birthmarks, and so on could be changed. If Cedric were to master this technique, then he could fool even those with skills that could determine someone''s true appearance. And with how absurd Cedric''s learning speed was, this was a guarantee. ''This is perfect!'' Cedric inwardly eximed. ''Not to mention, I could keep this up permanently if I wanted to!'' This technique solved his immediate dilemma... Remember, the Demons are still spying on him. He could tell that they were still gathering sufficient intel about him to assess his danger to them. The White Mask that Chief Lucas gave to him was still working but that wasn''t a permanent solution. The Jester''s Mask, on the other hand, was more reliable. And if he acted ording to how he nned to, then he should be able to fool the Demons into thinking that he''s a lesser threat than they initially thought. Plus, with this technique, he can forge an Alter Persona. ''Cedric'' would still show up regrly in Hell Dives, acting semi-cautiously as he clears his Hell Dive. He would disy some of his skills but keep most hidden, only showing enough strength to barely pass the Monthly Mandatory Service. Meanwhile, his ''Alter Persona'' would also go in, but this time he will hold nothing back. He would use both the Demon yer and Luminous Sage Skills which will undoubtedly put him at the very forefront of the Demon''s scrutiny. ''He'' would attract their attention instead. But since he would appear out of nowhere, they will have no lead as to who he is in real life. The ''Alter'' would home his skills for both sses, steadily increasing his strength while provoking the demons thoroughly. He would be elusive but a show-off. And since he needed to clear his Hell Dive twice now, this works perfectly for him. Additionally, since Ac herself called him a heaven-defying genius, she would do her best to protect him. With this set-up, Cedric could continue building up his strength privately until the dayes that he bes strong enough that he would no longer need to hide his identity. That''s certainly going to take a while but Cedric wasn''t in a hurry. Time was on his side and he nned on taking advantage of that as much as he possibly could. With that n in mind, Cedric began to work. He activated the privacy seals in his room. He knows that he wasn''t being spied on by anyone right now but it wouldn''t hurt to be extra cautious. Once he''s assured that he''s alone, he starts sculpting the face of his Alter Persona. Scarlet red, long hair and eyes. A rugged middle-aged man appeared with a long diagonal scar across his face. Same weight and height to lessen the need for adjustment. This is what his alter-persona would look like. ''Derrek...that''s gonna be your name.'' He mused to himself. ''Just in case a need for a name arises.'' ''You''d also be a left-handed swordsman just to make it different. After all, I already have a fighting style. If there''s no difference between the two, then I''ll just be announcing who I am to the demons.'' ''Derrek would also incorporate guns in his fighting style. Just to really make a clear distinction. That should throw the demons off when they try to guess who Derrek was.'' Satisfied with his n, Cedric dismissed the disguise and deactivated the seals around his room. The next Hell Dive schedule was next week, meaning that Derrek''s debut was alsoing soon. He has a couple of days to prepare the rest but for now, he will continue rxing. Chapter 59: Derreks Debut [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Scribe Lv.45/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.1 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer, Young Sage System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Ki (M), Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab Lv.8, Air-Hop (M), Focus Lv.30, Lightspeed Lv.10, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.30, Demon Lore Lv.45, yer''s Mark Lv.4, Decode Lv.45, Symbol Mastery Lv.50, Sage Arts Lv.5 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 7, Failure Streak - 0 ** Currently, Cedric was standing before the undead horde. Adapting the identity of Derrek, he solemnly observed the growing number of zombies heading his way. Others would have goosebumps if they were to face this but not him. From where he stood, this was just another Monday to him. His long red hair billowed as the harsh and pungent wind of purgatory blew. Wearing a redbat suit and paddings, he adapted a rugged stance. He held a sword in his left hand and clutched an energy pistol on the right. As soon as the first group of zombies neared him, he lifted his pistol and started shooting. Peng! Peng! Peng! The first few shots were rough, he barely hit his targets. But as he continued shooting, his absurd learning curve started disying its wonders. With each shot he released, his aim got better and better. By the time he reloaded his gun on the 5th time, he already seemed like a veteran at handling it. [Alert! Through continuous action and focus, the Skill: Marksmanship was learned!] ¡ºMarksmanship (Lv.1/10)¡» : Represents the User''s expertise in handling bows and firearms. : +10% Precision and uracy, +1% Prediction Chance. ** Derrek (Cedric) adopted a cocky grin on his face. Next thing he did? He started running while shooting. He even put his sword on his back and brought another energy pistol just because he could. With the skill''s passive effect and his phenomenal senses, all of his shots were now hitting his targets at the spot he wanted them to go. He even started doing fancy reload moves as he did so. The guns he was using weren''t anything special. In fact, they''re the standard military-issued firearms that every soldier has. They don''t use ''bullets'' as ammunition. Instead, they siphon energy from their wielder and use that. This isn''t to say that regr ammunition wouldn''t work. They do, but even the weakest demons are resistant to those so it''s just going to be a waste of money doing so. [Alert! Skill: ¡ºMarksmanship¡» has leveled up!] [Alert! Skill: ¡ºMarksmanship¡» has leveled up!] ncing at the System alerts, the skill now provides a 30% bonus on Precision and uracy while also providing a 3% Prediction Chance. Derrek (Cedric) was having fun. This was a new thing for him and it''s always fun learning new things. Letting loose hails of bullets by now, Derrek continued his assault towards the horde. After he had enough fun, he started using his other skills to check their effects on the undead. "Sage Art: True Sunfire!" A cloak of golden mes suddenly appeared on his body. The very sight of the mes caused the undead to flinch by instinct. And since True Sunfire counts as Derrek''s energy, this means that he could infuse it into his guns, and that''s precisely what he did. Peng! Peng! Peng! Each shot was an overkill with the infusion of True Sunfire. It didn''t just kill the zombies, it evaporated them. And the best part was... [Alert! ¡Á30 Zombies killed! You gained ¡Á30 Purified Demon Souls!] "...are you shitting me? There''s a shortcut?" Derrek was speechless. Inventing the Purifying Altar - a tool that he could use to purify Demon Souls, took him weeks! Yet as it turns out, all he needed was the essence of True Sunfire to purify them directly from the source. Sneering in irritation, Derrek just clicked his tongue and returned his pistols to his inventory. He then drew his sword and vanished from his previous location. Swoosh! When he reappeared, a cluster of zombies disintegrated behind him. Yeah, shooting guns while doing tricks was cool and all but he''s still more used to wielding a sword. His killing speed was also faster with it. His sword was also now wreathed in True Sunfire. The Zombies who should be braindead, now regarded Derrek with fear. It''s an instinctual reaction brought forth by his Sage Art and his Title; Veteran Undead yer. "Okay, let''s try this next. Sage Art: Luminous Arsenal!" All of a sudden, Derrek''s weapon seemingly extended. He swung his sword horizontally, taking out at least 4 clusters of zombies at once. ''Sage Art: Luminous Arsenal'' was a skill that extended the reach of his weapons by forming an energy construct that adapts the general shape of the User''s current weapon, in Derrek''s case that''s a sword, a giant one at that. It also increases the lethality of any attack thates with it. "Hmm, can''t quite use that many times in a row. It''s particrly draining. Bummer..." Derrek mused to himself as he deactivated the skill. Next, he took a deep breath and used ¡ºLightspeed¡». All of a sudden, time itself seemingly stopped for everyone else except for him. He clenched his hand a few times, silently regarding what the skill felt like while on an active battlefield. Derrek then began running, he took out his pistols and proceeded to rain shots at his targets. Each shot paused in its trajectory as soon as it came out of the barrel. This gave Cedric an idea... He released a volley around him. Each one stopped in ce before they could even go far. He ducked and ran towards the other side of the battlefield. He did the same on the side, and on the other corner as well. When he''s finished, the ¡ºLightspeed¡»''s duration ended, and the bullets that were suspended resumed, streaking everywhere. That took out most of the zombie clusters there were. Derrek whistled at the sight of the massacre. ''And after a minute, I could do that shit all over again. Damn, that skill is awesome!'' Returning one of his pistols to his Inventory, he once again held his sword while wielding a gun on the other. Then, he began his one-sided genocide against the zombies around him. His sword shed as he cut down clusters of zombies while also releasing a barrage of bullets to deal with the annoying mutated zombies. By the way, the strength of the Undead he''s facing was set to Tier 2 Lv.1 at the base, and every ten minutes in here, the horde will evolve; either by increasing their numbers, or increasing their strength. Still, despite the scaling difficulty of his task, Derrek was having fun and it showed. He''s whopping, yelling provocations, andughing out loud as he demolishesrge clusters of zombies around him. Normally, Cedric wouldn''t do this kind of thing. But right now, he''s not ''Cedric''. He''s ''Derrek'', meaning that he''s acting right now. Cedric already cleared his task earlier. Following his ns for the long con, he made it look like barely did it. Currently, Derrek''s doing the same, but unlike Cedric, Derrek didn''t feel the presence of ''spies'' in this run. ''Well, that makes sense. For the world, today is Derrek''s debut. I don''t know how long it will take before they take notice but eventually, they will. I really am ying the long-con here.'' On top of his Sage Art, the effects of his other ss; Demon yer, were also taking ce. Thanks to the ¡ºDemon Lore¡» he knows every weakness of the Undead he faced. He knows where to hit them where it hurts them most. Additionally, the ¡ºyer''s Mark¡» was also scaling... ¡ºyer''s Mark (Lv.4)¡» : A Mark that absorbs a tiny amount of Demonic Essence that the yer felled so far. This mark empowers and grows the more Demons the yer kills. : Conditions for leveling up - Kill 12,345/50,000 Demons : Current Bonus - +40% Increased Damage against Demons ** ''The skill doesn''t seem to have a level cap, just like the Education skill.'' Cedric didn''t want to assume but it''s looking like this skill could grow infinitely, and isn''t that just scary? Right now, it''s giving a 40% additional bonus damage against demons. So long as he keeps killing Demons, that bonus will increase. Granted, the conditions for leveling it up would be more difficult than thest. Still, he''s essentially notcking any demons to face so technically, he will always have progress with this skill. It was really fun letting loose like this. Lord knows that Cedric couldn''t do this on the other side so he''s relishing this moment right now. And with how his bonuses stack, the seemingly impossible thing happened... The spawning rate of zombies couldn''t keep up with his killing speed. And isn''t that just an incredible feat? This task was supposed to drown him and bury him with hordes of zombies, yet now, he''s actually running out of enemies to kill. This just proves how absurd Cedric had gotten thanks to his recent evolution. Chapter 60: Noticed BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! In the middle of the decaying battlefield within Purgatory, Derrek (Cedric) ran and ran, leaving ruined zombies behind. It didn''t matter whether they were ordinary zombies or mutated ones, those who were touched by the golden mes on his sword and bullets dissipated into ash shortly after. From time to time, Derrek would cast ¡ºLightspeed¡» clearing every enemy his eye could see. The poor undead couldn''t even see how they died. Once the first hour passed, the 1st Boss appeared. It was a Tier 3 Brute Zombie - one that''s pure muscle and rage. But even with its thick sinew and explosive strength, Derrek''s True Sunfire proved to be its bane. Sure, it died slower than the others, but it still died nheless. And with how sharp Derrek''s senses were and how quick he could be, it was expected that the boss failed to graze even the hem of hisbat suit. After defeating the first boss, Derrek had to face Tier 2 Lv.9 Zombies at base. But since the horde evolves the longer he stays, it is certain that this isn''t going tost long. Still, Derrek continued with his massacre. Despite being severely outnumbered and ''technically'' weakerpared to the foes around him, he was doing a damn fine job and clearing them. But then, a surprising development urred when an hour and a half passed on the timer. The zombie horde suddenly ceased which confused him greatly. Shortly afterwards however, a new species of undead appeared all around him. "Ghouls?" Derrek muttered uponying eyes on them. A quadrupedal undead that closely resembles dogs. They have on fur coat, only a singed skin leaking foul blue blood. Their eyes glowed ghastly green in color and they were incredibly swift. They drool a lot too, and they are acidic in nature, melting the soil and leaving wisps of smoke as they fall. They spawned in packs - dozens, at once. They snarled at him, leaking killing intent and desire to feast on his flesh. Fighting Ghouls was different from fighting zombies. For one, the former was much quicker on their chasepared to thetter. Ghouls are also cunning creatures whopletely give in to their animalistic tendencies. They always act like cornered beasts - feral and extremely dangerous. "I guess I shouldn''t be surprised." Derrek mused, "Ghouls are Undead Creatures, and my task is to survive 3 Hours under the assault of the Endless Undead Horde. It didn''t specify that I''d only be facing zombies." Now that he had seen this, Derrek could safely assume that, as time went on, this battlefield would introduce him to other Undead variants out there. Still, that''s something that he''ll deal with in the future, for now, his attention calls to the present. The Ghouls treated him like proper prey. They ''hunted'' him instead of blindly running towards him and taking a bite of his flesh. They were persistent and never ran out of energy. They moved in packs too, so if one was attacking him, another wasn''t too far away. Still, since they count as Undead Creatures, his title exerts an effect on them. Additionally, he was geared tobat demons of all kinds, not to mention, he had ess to True Sunfire. So, even though they''re different from zombies, they still fall to his assault. His sword cuts them like a knife through butter. They could evade his bullets but not all of them, and since he was growing as the battle continued, his ¡ºMarksmanship¡» skill was leveling up as well so his missed shots were slowly but surely disappearing. Derrek alternated between shooting his guns and his sword. He did so to prevent his foes from adjusting to his fighting style. This fits right into the personality he made for this persona - a wild yet unpredictable fighting style. Despite being mobbed by a different enemy now, Derrek still whoops and yells in joy as he fights. Again, this was all an act that fit right into his character. He also practiced more Sage Arts he learned; ''True Sunfire'' burns his foes into ashes within seconds. ''Jester''s Mask'' was already doing its thing... ''Sunlight Maniption'' was also effective against demons but was mostly used to weaken them and illuminate the vicinity. Still, all corruption and demons this sunlight touches were singed due to its properties. ''Luminous Arsenal'' was tricky to use. It costs a lot of energy to do so but it''s perfect to demolish hundreds of foes at once. It''s perfect to give him some wiggle room whenever he feels like he''s being cornered. But again, it does cost him a lot of energy. ''Sunlit Stars'' is another Sage Art he tried just now. It''s a technique that leaves arge golden orb of energy that shoots out bolts of sun-infused projectiles. It stays in ce once it is cast, so it''s a lot like a turret. It couldn''t be damaged by normal means too. The skill fires out two shots per second andsts for a minute. Its current range was 200 meters in radius. The current problem with this skill is that it fires too quickly. It only requires a single shot to kill a Ghoul but with how fast it attacks, it would sometimes shoot the same target twice, which is a waste considering that it onlysts for a minute. Additionally, just like the Luminous Arsenal, this too costs too much energy so currently Derrek can''t spam it. Still, this was a good skill to have. And once Derrek''s mastery over the Sage Arts increased, the problems this skill had would automatically solve itself so he only needed more experience. As for other Sage Arts, they''re locked away in his memories for now. It''s either because he''s too weak to use them or because he''s not ready to learn them just yet. Again, he only needs time to learn them and that wille naturally the more he increases his mastery over the Sage Arts so there''s no point mulling about it for now. Derrek continued killing until the clock hit the 2-hour mark. Once there, he faced another boss. This one was a Ghoul King. But just like the Brute Boss earlier, this too fell under his assault. From this point onwards, he''s now fighting Tier 4 Lv.5 foes. He could still kill them but it''s taking more effort on his part now. That said, Derrek (Cedrick) was already used to this. The escting challenge of his Monthly Mandatory Task didn''t surprise him anymore. In fact, he''s actually looking forward to it now. He killed and he killed until the final boss came. This time, he faced two Tier 5 Lv.1 Ghoul Kings at the same time. This was a hard-fought battle, too. And to others, this might appear as a disaster or a death spell. But for Derrek? This was an exhrating fight despite its difficulty. And despite the odds being against him, Derrek imed victory over his foes. He stood as thest man standing in this ruined Purgatory Battlefield. He was tired, sweaty, and gross but he was victorious. Smiling to himself, he confirmed the conclusion of the fight and left Purgatory to return to the real world, unaware that as he left, a pair of eyes were looking at him. ** On the other side of the, and that meant quite literally, a kingdom shrouded in darkness could be seen. If it weren''t for the doom and gloom that nketed everything within sight around these parts, this ce would''ve been considered a prosperous empire. Sadly, this ce was antithetical to life, and humans weren''t weed here, not now or ever. On the outskirts of this dark kingdom, in a ce that closely resembles a military barracks, a flurry of activity was currently urring. Grrr! Raaagh! "Mmhm! Tell me more..." Grrr...grrr...huhu...raaagh! "Is that so? I see...well, thank you for telling me that. Here, a treat for you, you adorable thing." A Ghoul King hardly falls under the category of ''adorable'' but it didn''t matter to its owner. Said the owner standing up, looking quite solemn and intimidating due to therge horns adorning its head. Their skin was blood red, their sclera was ck with snake-like pupils. They were also wearing heavy armor that made grating sounds each time they moved. This one was a Demon. Not just any Demon either. It''s one of the stronger ones that regained their sentience by devouring arge amount of life to evolve itself. This demon made its way towards the nearby quarters, holding a piece of equipment that was made for demonkind. It closely resembled that of a handheldputer. The demon was jotting down reports on that equipment for the sake of documentation. Once the demon reached their destination, they entered and requested a personal meeting with one of the supervisors around this area. They were told to wait for a few minutes, after that, they were allowed entry. "F''aor! How can help you, friend? You look constipated though, what''s up?" Another demon that was sitting behind a desk asked worriedly. "One of my pets discovered Young Sage." The moment F''aor said that the atmosphere within the room suddenly turned soul-chilling cold. Fortunately, F''aor was already used to this kind of outburst. "Tell me more..." Chapter 61: Nightlife "...and this brings us to my final point. You have done extremely well in terms of adjusting to a new environment. I''ve observed your progress closely and I can confidently say that you''re in perfect health, and that includes your mental health too." "..." "Of course, if you ever feel burdened by your emotions or distressed, you have my number and you know where to find me. I''d appreciate it if you could visit me once every three months just to make sure that you''re taking care of yourself. Other than that...you''re clear." "Thank you, Doc." Cedric bowed slightly at the good doctor. "Oh shush, this is all you, all I did was to be a good listener. You did extremely well and I''m proud of you." Dr. Vega replied. Cedric scratched the back of his head. The doctor gave herst bits of advice before dismissing him, and as he walked out of the ReNewLife Institute, he couldn''t help but feel visibly less burdened. It''s a little surprising how fast time flies. He could still remember this ce being the first thing he ever visited the moment he arrived in this city. It has been a few months since then. Back then, he was still jittery that it''s hrious. He was wary of everybody around him like each and every single one of them was out to get him. His eyes were untrusting and his bodynguage was always guarded. It couldn''t be helped since that was his first time re-joining the civilization after many years. Being used to a toxic environment does that to someone. Now though, Cedric perfectly blends in with the crowd. If it weren''t for him covering most of his facial features, nobody would even notice his presence at all. It''s a little weird but Cedric feels at home now. After constant therapy sessions with Dr. Vega and him adjusting to the peaceful environment around him, Cedric learned how to properly rx and just...exist in peace. He''s just like them now...no longer deathly afraid of their daunting monthly mandatory service, has a steady flow of ie, is a homeowner, and is a proper civilian. For a former convict of the Risk Management Center, this is no less than a ster achievement. Now that he has received his psychological clearance from Dr. Vega, Cedric''s public profile will be updated once more. It will now have this little tidbit of information and in addition, because of his doctor''s assurance, he''s now allowed to travel outside of the ck Thread City. Not that he was forbidden from traveling before. He could, but it was extremely limited, plus the authorities will be extremely fussy about his status so there''s really no point. He might as well wait until this dayes before doing it. ''Well, there''s that but I never nned a tour.'' Cedric mused to himself as he slowly made his way towards his car. Cedric hasn''t developed any outgoing tendencies. He''s okay with staying indoors, only going out when it''s necessary or if he feels like it. However, if wanderlust ever urred to him, it wouldn''t be toote to n a vacation. After all, he had all the money he needed to make it happen. Driving back home, Cedric hummed along with the music ying in his car. It''s alreadyte in the afternoon. In an hour or so, the fake sun will be put to rest and the night will begin. Cedric contemted for a bit. He was debating if he should go straight home or experience the nightlife around these parts and maybe have some fun. "Eh, might as well. I don''t do it often anyway. Besides, this could count as a little celebration for me having my psyche cleared." He mused out loud as he drove towards the nearby district to walk around. The ce he ended up in was close to his home, about 20 minutes away. It''s a little district where ''fun'' was around, i.e. bars, gambling dens, food stalls, markets, bazaars, carnivals, etc. He left his car in the nearby parking lot and got out to have a look around. He kept his field of senses at the barest minimum, which was still several hundred meters around him. Cedric blended in with the crowd. He was wearing a loose in white shirt, camo jacket, a pair of jeans, rubber shoes, and a cap. He''s also wearing a face mask to lessen the attention he might get. The air was chilly but it didn''t dampen Cedric''s mood, if anything, he''spletely rxed in this atmosphere. Night lights flickered around. He was surrounded by the buzzing sound of activity around him but it no longer irritated him. The constant feedback on his senses didn''t bother him either since he''d grown used to it at this point. He made his way to the bar to get a few shots in. Due to these parts being filled with Superhumans, the ''No Drunk Driving''w was loose around here for Superhumans could simply flush the alcohol within the system in mere seconds. That doesn''t necessarily mean that Superhumans couldn''t get drunk. They could. There are even concoctions discovered thatpletely nullify the ability of Superhumans to sober up instantly. Cedric wasn''t looking to get absolutely hammered. He just liked the taste of alcohol and the buzz it gives from time to time. Besides, he wouldn''t get drunk easily...not with his aptitude, no. Even if downed an entire bottle of whiskey, he''d remain perfectly fine. Trust him, he would know because he tried that once before... When he entered the bar, he was immediately greeted by the loud music. He received strange feedback from his senses which caused his lips to quirk up beneath his mask. Making his way to the counter, he took a seat and ordered a shot. He briefly lowered his mask down to drink and put it back. Unfortunately, that little moment was enough for him to get some attention, mainly from the stranger next to him. Cedric could already tell that the girl next to him was staring at him...well, more like at his face, but the same thing. He acted as if he didn''t notice it and ordered another drink while slightly bopping his head at the beat of the music. As he downed another shot and was about to put back his mask, the girl suddenly spoke: "Keep it off..." the faint voice of the girl right next to him sounded in his ears. He turned his head towards her, keeping a disciplined expression. He leaned in a bit and asked: "Sorry, were you talking to me?" And the poor girl instantly flushed by his sudden query. She fidgeted, keeping her head down as she whispered: "Me and damn mouth." She said it very faintly, but due to how sharp Cedric''s senses were, he heard it loud and clear, but he feigned ignorance of course. The girl cleared her throat though, seemingly emboldened by the alcohol in her system. "I said, you might as well remove the mask. It''s kind of redundant since you''d be drinking anyway. Besides, you don''t hideous...in fact, you''re quite the opposite of that." She whispered thest part. Cedric shed her a smile. The bartender who was watching this on the side, rolled his eyes as he saw how the girl quite literally swooned just from a single smile from the pretty boy. He couldn''t me her for that though... "I agree, it is redundant." Cedric replied. Without breaking eye contact, Cedric removed his mask entirely, keeping it to his inventory. And while he''s at it, he also removed his cap, letting loose that mop of healthy blonde hair. "My name''s Cedric. May I know yours?" He asked. Oh, the poor girl was nearly in shambles. She squirmed in her seat as she felt his gaze focusing on her. She inwardly scolded herself because she could''ve sworn she actually drooled the moment the guy revealed his face to him. ''I...god, what''s happening to me?'' "M-my name''s J." She replied, once again scolding herself inwardly for stuttering. "Nice to meet you, J." Cedric held out his hand to shake hers. When their hands touched, J''s heart thundered in her chest. Cedric''s hands were big and warm,pletely covering hers and making her feel safe and protected. Sadly, the contact didn''tst long and she looked visibly disappointed when he let go of her hand. Her disappointment didn''tst long however because Cedric immediately ordered her a drink and started a conversation with her. As their conversation continued, J was feeling more and more at ease with him. She couldn''t help it, the guy in front of him fits her standards. Throughout their conversation, his eyes were focused on her face, not roaming all over her body like the perverts she met before. He kept his hand to his face and didn''t try any sleek moves. He also knows how to keep a conversation going on top ofplimenting her here and there, making her feel things. So, despite not nning anything like this tonight, J grabbed the opportunity by the hand despite her obviousck of experience. If Cedric noticed this, then he didn''t say anything. She could''ve sworn they must''ve talked there for hours before leaving but in truth? Only 15 minutes passed before she wasn''t able to take it anymore. The night was young, but none of the two were interested in spending it in that noisy ce. They prefer a more private and intimate location. However, before leaving, Cedric sent a message to Arishem about something he noticed in that tiny ce. [To: Arishem] 08:54 pm - Hey! You might wanna check out this ce [pin]. 08:54 pm - I felt something sinister in there earlier. Not quite sure though. 08:55 pm - DND me though, I''m off to have some fun. Ttyl! Chapter 62: Arishem Arishem is an entric old man... He doesn''t have a dazzling reputation nor a terrifying notoriety. In every, on paper at least, he''s just like many other people out there; a civil servant and married man. The old man is known by his close friends to be the ''clown'' of the group. He brings inughter with him and energizes conversations with his witty remarks. And for the most part, the majority of his family also knows him to be like this. That said, this was the image that he created for himself that increased his effectiveness as a Spec Ops agent. He created a fake persona, just like Cedric did, to make sure that he could remain as sharp as he could be against their enemies. With his tenure as an agent, Arishem had received a fair deal of experience when it came to scammers or rmists. There were some people who tried to use him after learning of his private identity. Suffice it to say, all of them received a bad ending courtesy of him, especially if they can''t keep their hands to themselves. So when he received a text from the kid which he honestly nearly forgot had ever existed, he was of course skeptical. After all, what could a kid fresh out of his parole, know about the underlying darkness of this city...this world? Yet at the same time, this kid had been nothing but polite to him. And Arishem knows that the kid wouldn''t try to scam him with a matter like this, especially after knowing where he came from and what he experienced there. Even the old fart of the RMC vouched for the kid. And Arishem himself did a background check on the kid, so he knows that he''s clear. Therefore, he decided to give it a shot. See what the kid was talking about, at least. If the kid lied to him, he will be punished for wasting his time. If it turns out that the kid''s right, then shit! Now they have a fucking lead! And wouldn''t that be great? So, there he was, apanied by brats training under him. He didn''t bring all of them for this preparation, just three. Using the cover of the night, they traveled. Unseen by many as they they jumped from one building to the next, eventually reaching a spot where they could overlook their target destination. "...a bar, Teacher? Are we here for Inebriation Training?" One of his brats asked. "Stupid." The other one spat at the previous one, "Teach already said that this will be an actual mission, weren''t you listening earlier?" "How about we wait until Teacher debriefs us before talking, yeah? I think that would be a much better option." The third student of his interjected before the other two students started bickering and giving away their positions. Arishem just sighed and observed the bar from his perch. For some reason, he fails to sense the ''sinister feel'' that the kid told him about, but he''s not about to leave this stone unturned just because he hasn''t seen a clue yet. He faced his students and cleared his throat before saying: "Infiltrate that ce and map out everything in there. If you see something strange or ''sinister'', you are not to engage. You have 20 minutes to learn everything you can about that ce. I want every room checked, every secret entrance marked, etc. Once the time is up, you are to return to me to give your report." "Yes, Teacher!" His students chorused. "If you are spotted and forced to confront the enemy, don''t hesitate to release a signal. And also, make sure that your identity won''t bepromised. Understood?" Arishem rified. "Understood, Teacher!" Jutting out his chin as a go signal, his students flew off and blended within the shadows to infiltrate their target. Arishem sighed seeing them so eager. Unbeknownst to them, they already received their first mark down as soon as they did that. "You three were supposed to work as a team, why not create a n before moving in to maximize your coverage?" Arishem mumbled to himself. He would make sure to tell them thister but for now, he had to watch over these kids cause, while most people wouldn''t sense him, there would always be a handful who would. And despite training these kids for a year now, their skills are still rather unrefined. He could easily spot a few mistakes in their footwork from where he was. ''No matter, it''s their first mission anyway. I''m just hoping that this won''t turn out as a disaster.'' Arishem thought inwardly. He himself changed positions. He created a disguise and entered the nearby cafe. He was far enough to not be a suspicious person but near enough to scan the ce with his senses. As he was enjoying a cup of coffee, however, his senses picked up something that just felt...wrong... ''Shit, Kid. You might really be on to something here.'' He eximed inwardly. He slipped out of the cafe, leaving his payment on the desk because he''s a civilized person. He turned into a shade of ck that blended in the shadows, smoothly infiltrating the bar without raising any of the rms scattered there. ''Teach, Gre¡ª I mean, ''021'' has beenpromised.'' He heard the faint and distressed telepathic message of his student echoing in his mind as soon as he entered the bar. Actually, Arishem already knew that. The moment he felt that ''presence'' he knew that one of his students had been caught sneaking around. It''s also the reason why he began moving. Nheless, this happening just proves that there really was something wrong in this ce. ''I''d thank the Kidter. For now, the mission is the priority.'' Arishem inwardly thought. Moving in an unseen, soundless, yet swift pace, he reached the location where one of his brats was being held up. Upon arriving, he saw Gregory...codename: ''021'' tied up to a chair, surrounded by a few people who wore ck priest robes and holding a few torture devices. Arishem also sensed his students nearby but he warned them to not get too close since the other party would sense them. Despite seeing his students beingpromised and clearly in danger, Arishem didn''t do anything to save him just yet. His brat had a n, and by the looks of it, he was already staging it. "So nice of you to join us here, little rat." One of the priests...more specifically, cultists said. "We have no idea who tipped you off, but we will soon. We''ll take ''good care'' of you." Another cultist added. "You''d be singing for us in no time, little boy." "W-what are you nning to do? What''s going on here? Who are you people?" 021 asked in a row, showing a panicked expression. ''Ah, so that''s his y.'' Arishem snickered to himself as soon as he saw his brat''s expression. "Oh, no need to be scared. We haven''t started yet! To answer your questions in reverse order; first, we will be your worst nightmare. Second, well you''re the dumbass that got caught so why don''t you tell us? And finally, well haven''t we said it before? We''ll take ''good care'' of you." "D-Don''t! Don''t touch me! I''ll scream! I''m loud! I''ll be alerting many people here!" "Oh please..." One of the cultists sneered. "You think we don''t know that? This ce is a soundproofed idiot! Even if you scream bloody murder here, no one from the outside will hear you!" "S-so you think you can make me talk, huh? Go then! Do your worst, freaking Heretics!" 021 spat in their direction. One of the cultists gasped, and with a feigned offended tone, they said: "Heretics!? My, how uncouth and uncultured! Kids these days have no breeding!" "Right? Why don''t we educate him, Sister?" "We should!" The female cultists grinned maliciously before proceeding to deliver a crisp p on 021''s face, leaving behind scratch wounds from her sharp nails. "We''re Zealots, you uncultured swine!" "...there''s a difference?" 021 dumbfoundedly asked. "Of course, you imbecile!" The other cultist replied harshly. "Heretics are those who simply turned their back against their faith. We, Zealots, have discovered a new God to worship! One that is infinitely better than the ones who have!" "That''s stupid...if your God is really that great? Then why are all of them operating in secret? And in a bar...really? Of all the possible ces you can think of, you''ve chosen a bar. Tch, some great religion this is." Smack! Pow! Boom! The cultists delivered a series of blows to 021 after he disrespected their faith. They weren''t able to control themselves and their strength. Once they''re done with him, 021 is bloodied, losing a few of his teeth, and seeing stars. The female cultist grabbed a mop of his hair and screeched loudly in his ears: "Mind your words, boy! If you haven''t figured it out yet, your faith is in our hands! We can summon all kinds of horrors to make sure that this experience bes unforgettable for you!" "O-Oh yeah? Like what? Demons?" 021 replied despite the difficulty in doing so. Thedy gave him a soul-chilling smile and said: "Yes, exactly!" A portal suddenly appeared out of nowhere and from there, a demon crawled out, drooling at the sight of the bloodied and tied-up human. Arishem who''s been watching this turned solemn. It''s as the kid said, something sinister was truly in here. Chapter 63: Interrogation Dementors...a specific race of Demons who feed on pain and misery. The art of inflicting pain is weaved in their very being. They don''t look much at first nce, being one of the smaller types of demons out there, yet the damage they cause goes directly to their target''s mind and soul, leaving them broken beyond repair. It doesn''t help that these creatures just love it when their meal is plucked directly at the peak of their misery. They have all the necessary means topletely break a person, and that''s what makes them absolutely terrifying and dangerous. Now...such a creature showed up in this hidden room amidst the outer reaches of the city. Lord knows how much Arishem wanted to break his cover the moment he spotted that creature. He shivered at the idea of what this thing could do to his precious brat. Unfortunately, the brat himself was the one who stopped him by sending subtle signs towards him. Arishem had to also use a trick to cover the presence of his other brats. Dementors are akin to sharks who smell blood when exposed to even the faintest trace of fear. Thankfully, he was quick and silent about it, or else their cover would''ve been blown by now. That said, it''s still up for debate if staying hidden was the right move. "God, you all have lost it!" 021 eximed in disbelief, "You colluded with demons!? Traitors!" "So fucking what?" The female cultist spat venomously, "So what if we switched camps? So what if you brand us traitors!? Do you think we care at this point? Your system is wed and nobody cares enough to fix it!" "You people have no idea how much we suffered from the unfairness of the world! You cannot imagine how much we lost because they refused to move! To change for the better!" "So what if we discarded our Humanity? At the very least, Demons were fair to us! They have never mistreated us ever since we joined them!" "That''s because they want something from you!" 021 eximed, looking furious. "The only reason why you''re still alive is because you lot still has some uses for them! Once you outlived your purpose, what do you think the first thing they''ll do?" "Bold of you to assume that we will lose purpose that fast." The female cultist sneered. "What? Did you honestly think that our only purpose was to abduct and kill humans? Ha! What a joke!" 021 looked appalled by the implications of her words. His eyes constricted as he asked: "Y-you can''t possibly mean..." "Yes indeed! While our goal was topletely subjugate humanity, that doesn''t necessarily mean that we can''t have a little bit of fun while doing it right?" The female cultist snickered at his face. "First, we will convert this city right under their noses. And isn''t it just that perfect? This city just happens to be near the heart of the continent! I''m sure that subjugating this city will open up a lot of opportunities for us." "And through our methods, nobody will know what will hit them! Yes, they wouldn''t! By the time we''re done here, humanity will be done for! A fitting end for an ignorant race like this one!" "You''re mad! Delusional! Do you really think Humanity doesn''t have someone to protect it?" "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The female cultist broke out inughter, "Oh, little rat. Isn''t that just adorable? It seems that you''re too deep in their propaganda and brainwashing that you remain just as ignorant as the rest!" "But let me humor you..." "Sister! I advise against this! We can''t possibly tell this child any more of our ns!" The other cultist in the room objected. "Oh, don''t be such a wuss, Brother. What can this child possibly do? And it''s not like he''d be able to tell anyone anyway. He''d be a dead man soon, so there''s no need to be worried!" The other cultist looked unconvinced but the mad glint on his Sister''s face prevented him from objecting her desires even further. He knew that this woman wouldn''t take kindly to further disagreement and he knew her sadistic tendencies so he had wisely chosen to keep his mouth shut. "Going back...You''re talking about those fussy old men behind the scenes, right? The so-called ''12 Zodiac Saints''? Them? If you are then you''re even more pathetic than I thought!" "W-What do you mean!?" 021 looked downright horrified by the implications of her words. Hats off to 021 though. He''s a talented actor. Even Arishem who''s been watching everything unfold right before his eyes, was impressed by the brat''s skills. "Did you really think that the 12 Zodiac Saints are all that? Those old farts became sessful because of their so-called ''contributions'' to humanity. I''ll admit that they''re intimidating and scary...but that''s only if they''re still alive!" ''Shit! How the fuck did they know that?'' Arishem was rmed as he listened. "W-what do you mean!? A-answer me!" "Gosh, you are an idiot! What? Did you honestly think that the 12 Zodiac Saints were a bunch of immortal men? If so, then you are a fool! Immortality doesn''t exist! Even Demons, who are way stronger and more capable than humans, don''t understand that concept!" "The 12 Zodiac Saints that you know are already dead! Dead, I tell you! Long dead! They fell many decades ago already! As for the people that are showing their faces to the public? Those are fake! A ''Double'' raised by the slimy men behind the scenes to put on a show to people, keeping up the peaceful facade for as long as they can!" "Of course, the legacy of the Zodiacs is still alive. As much as I despise those fools, I''ll admit that they''re strong. Though they''re long dead, theypiled their knowledge and wealth, passing it on to their chosen inheritors, who are also being raised within a greenhouse by those slimy old men behind the scenes!" "The sad part about this is that, even though the 1st generation of the Zodiacs were impressive and their inheritance was great, the same can''t be said for the following generations." "L-Lies!" 021 snarled. "Oh, but this is the truth!" The female cultist sneered once more. "Don''t you think it''s weird that there''s nothing in the news about the Zodiacs'' discovery? Weren''t they supposed to be pioneers? Leaders? Saints? Then isn''t that strange? What''s up with the inactivity?" "..." "That''s because the current generation of the Zodiacs were losers!" The female cultist screeched. "Prideful sons and daughters of bitches and self-entitled pricks! Their Aptitude Ratings aren''t that impressive at all! Trust me, I would know since if it were, then the Demons wouldn''t hesitate to send forces to assassinate them right away! But none has been sent so far." "They bought their way to those positions. Smearing the reputation of their long-dead predecessors and throwing their weight around like they saved the world. It is such bullshit! Hell, I could tell you right now that one amongst that current generation of bufoons had killed more humans than we cultists did so far, all for the sake of keeping his reputation pristine and his pockets full!" "..." "It''s because of that...filth, that we have suffered greatly! The world was already unfair to us humans in the first ce yet our supposed protectors are doing that? If so, then you should understand why I easily discarded my Humanity. I would never want to be lumped in the same description as that!" "Who is it!?" 021 demanded, looking righteously infuriated. "Heh...I like the look in your eyes. Well, to answer your question, it''s the ''supposed'' leader of the group. It''s none other than his highness ''Leo''." The female cultist spat that title with such venom and hatred. "Thank you..." 021 replied, sounding calm and collected at this point. "My, you''re wee, little rat! ''Leo'' is a hateful son of a bitch so he deserves to be hated." Sheughed impetuously. "No, no...not that." 021 shook his head, wearing a thin smile as he did so. "Whatever do you mean?" "I''m thanking you for being so talkative. Seriously, you have no idea how much you helped us with that loose mouth of yours." "Us?" Swoosh! That was thest thing that the cultists heard before they lost consciousness. 021 or Gregory heaved a sigh of relief after seeing his teacher showing up out of nowhere, directly knocking out the cultists and dealing with the Dementor who had been ignored so far. "Geez...what a mess." He muttered as he digested everything that he had learned so far. "Ain''t that the truth..." Arishem snorted upon hearing him. His other students helped 021 out of his captivity while Arishem rounded up the traitors. The brats couldn''t have possibly known that their first mission ever was going to end up like this. They have learned so much that it felt illegal somehow. "Clean up after yourselves and leave this ce. Wait for me at the top of the building we''re at before. I''ll secure all the evidence left in here. Once I''m done here, we''re returning to the camp." "Yes, Teacher." None of his students refused that order. Too much had happened here and frankly, despite theck of action, they felt drained, burdened by knowledge. All they want is to leave and turn off their brains for a while so that they can''t rest. Sadly, they all know that that''s somewhat impossible... Chapter 64: Visitors The atmosphere within the city was weird. Cedric didn''t need his superior senses to notice that. It was a prickly feeling that just rubbed you the wrong way. It''s faint enough that not everybody could sense it, only those who pay attention would notice the tension in the air. Ultimately though, Cedric was different than most... With howrge his field of senses has grown, he could tell the majority of the things he wanted to know wherever he was in this city. He didn''t need to unfold his field of sensespletely to notice a few figures dashing amongst the shadows. He didn''t intend to spy on them and it''s not his fault that he could sense them. It''s either they''re lousy or his senses are just way too good. ...thetter seems more usible. Flipping channels, he didn''t discover any news talking about this, which probably means that it''s a cover operation. His guess? It''s to catch the cultists that have scattered across the city. He did catch them in the act after all. And while he didn''t participate in their apprehension, he told Arishem where they must''ve sparked this covert ''witch-hunt''. ''Will they find them on their own?'' Cedric mused to himself. It''s not strange for him to have doubts. After all, if it weren''t for his tip, who would''ve known that hidden base? If not him, then the authorities might''ve taken longer to discover them. How much damage would they cause if they were given more time? ''Eh, I''ll leave it up to them. I shouldn''t underestimate their means. They''re in this business for longer than I have anyway.'' He didn''t like the idea of doubting the authorities but that couldn''t be helped. Right now though, he decided to not interfere. Was he testing them? Probably. But while he could say that he was already involved in this, Arishem hadn''t revealed his identity yet. He doesn''t have a firm grasp of Arishem''s attitude and tendencies but he would know if his identity waspromised. The System would notify him of that. And since the System hasn''t alerted him yet, it''s safe to say that he''s still a nobody in their eyes. "Cedric, hey!" He was woken out of his stupor by a sudden greeting from his neighbor. "Oh, hi Erica! Wee back!" He replied while rxing on hiswn. "Yeah, I just returned yesterday night." She said while adjusting her hat. "By the way, thanks for looking after my house. It looks just like how I left it. I thought that I''de home to a dust-filled house but I guess not. How did you do that? I don''t remember giving you a key." "Ah, that? It''s nothing. Just a little array I built during my free time. I didn''t enter your house, actually, I didn''t even step foot on your property at all. I just left the array disk on yourwn and that did the rest for me. Oh, speaking of which." Cedric took out a device and pressed it, causing the said array to deactivate. The disk then flew out towards him and he cleanly caught it. "There''s no use for this being there since you''ve already returned." He smiled as he pocketed the disk. "Wow, I didn''t know that you can make those." Erica sounded impressed. "I remember telling you that I''m a Scribe, though?" "You did?" Erica tilted her head and thought for a bit, then as if she suddenly remember, she grimaced and cursed: "Shit! I just remember. Yeah, you certainly did alright. Gee, me my and my poor memory. Sorry about that." Cedric stared at her for a bit before replying: "It''s alright. Happens to the best of us. But you look quite tired still. Have you gotten any sleep yet?" He raised a brow since he could just feel the sheer exhaustion emanating from her. Erica probably wasn''t aware of how haggard she looked or how unhealthy she appeared to Cedric. "I did get some sleep but not a lot." Erica smiled tiredly. "I don''t know, I want to sleep too but I just can''t for some reason. Maybe I just needed some sunlight and food and I''ll be okay. Don''t worry about me though, if things escte, I''ll call for a doctor." "Well, if you say so. I''ll leave you to it then. Rest well." "I''ll try. See ''ya!" Erica then left and returned indoors. Cedric however, kept looking her way, sporting a faint frown on his face as he stared at her retreating visage. Mumbling something to himself, he shrugged and returned to his home. All of a sudden, he paused. Then, he made his way towards the kitchen. He prepared several drinks like tea, coffee, soft drinks, lemonade, and in water. He also made several snacks while he was at it. He then brought all of them with him to the living room using a tray. He ced them down on the table and sat down on hisfy couch. With a wave of his hand, the security system of his house was deactivated. "You all cane in. I''ve prepared some snacks and drinks for you." Swoosh All of a sudden, three people appeared out of nowhere. One was an old man who looked a bit smug and not at all surprised that Cedric sensed them while the other two looked the exact opposite. "I told you, the brat''s senses are quite scary. He sensed using way ahead of time that he even made these for us." Arishem softlymented as he sat on the couch. "Well? Don''t just stand there with mouths agape,e here and ept the kid''s hospitality." The other two visitors woke up from their stupor and began moving. From their bodynguage, they appear to be on guard towards him. This behavior was understandable. After all, they just got a taste of what it''s like to bepletely exposed after so many years. Just like Arishem, hispanions were also people who move behind the scenes, it wouldn''t be wrong to call them assassins too. Assassins were meant to be unseen. In fact, they don''t ''exist'', yet here was a man who not only sensed from afar but also was decent enough to wee them openly to his house. This behavior alerted them greatly, but since Arishem seems to be at ease with the man, they have no choice but to believe in him. "Good tea, Kid. Much better than the shops around these parts." Arishemmented. "Thank you, Sir. I haven''t got much practice so I''m d that you liked it." Cedric replied politely. He then paid attention to the two stiff men sitting down beside their colleagues and asked: "Uh, is there anything not to your liking? If so then please tell me. I''ll try to amodate you." "N-no, no! There''s no need. We don''t mean to offend but you must understand that this is highly...unusual, for us. Please excuse our behavior." "Right, we''re just not used to being...noticed." "...I could imagine. Don''t worry, I mean no harm." Cedric smiled as he took a sip of his coffee. "May I know the purpose of your visit then? I''m afraid I wasn''t informed ahead of time." ''That''s because you weren''t supposed to know at all. In fact, this setup shouldn''t have happened in the first ce!'' The two strangers eximed inwardly. "I believe you already have an idea, but well...it''s about what happenedst night." Arishem unceremoniously revealed. Hispanions looked distraught by how casual he was acting. Forget about that actually, this whole thing was weirdly ''casual''. This wasn''t how they usually operate because...you know, they''re assassins and all. "Ah, that!" Cedric eximed but didn''t look surprised. "That discovery was quite a coincidence on my part though. I was originally out to unwind but my senses picked up a sinister presence. And since you''re the only person from the authorities I know of personally, I called you instead." "...was it a mistake that I did that?" Cedric asked, sounding unsure. "No, no, no!" Arishem along with hispanions shook their heads. "If anything, that''s probably the perfect move to make in a situation like that cause if the public were to know of what happened there, this city might''ve turned upside down." "Understatement of the year." One of his colleaguesmented softly on the side. "That bad, huh?" Cedric hummed. Now he felt a bit left out since he didn''t spy on the operationst night. Well, how could he have known that it was going to be big? He just senses a sinister presence, that''s all. Besides, he was with someone at that time so he didn''t think much about it. "Real bad. So bad that the reputation of the 12 Zodiac Saints is at great risk if this information were to be released in public." Arishem replied, much to the surprise of his colleagues. They weren''t expecting him to reveal that piece of information at all. "Am I authorized to learn of what happened?" Cedric asked. "Yes, you are. You''re at Lv.8 System Authority. If anything, I''d say that you''re supposed to know." "Lv.8 System Authority!?" The two beside him looked at Cedric incredulously. Cedric could only smile wryly at their reactions. Chapter 65: Attached Flesh? Their reaction was understandable. After all, you just don''t see people with a Lv.8 System Authority frequently. Not to mention, this man in front of them looked so underwhelming and harmless that they just couldn''t believe it. Just so you know, there''s only a handful of people who have a Lv.8 System Authority like Cedric here in this city; there''s the City Lord of course, the Royal Child who''s seeking refuge here, two personnel from the Empire that''s stationed here, and Cedric himself. There are more out there, of course! But all of them clearly know their worth. They''re heavyweights, VVIP, and are not shy to unt their status. Cedric however, was way different than them, that''s why they''re having a difficult time believing it. Hell, Arishem himself only had a Lv.7 System Authority, and he only achieved that after amassing so many contribution points. The two he''s with only reached Lv.5 and that took them decades to reach it. Cedric on the other hand wasn''t all too surprised that Arishem knew of this. He was already half expecting him to know. He might not know the guy but he could at least tell that he''s an important figure amongst the authorities. "You know, I''m actually surprised that you didn''t check it out yourself. I thought that you would since...you know..." Arishem trailed off. He was expecting that Cedric would take this personally because of what happened to Harold and the RMC. "Like I said, I only felt a sinister presence." Cedric shrugged. "Briefly, at that. I initially didn''t think of telling you but my instinct told me to do so. Plus, I was preupied when it happened so..." In truth, Cedric could''ve interfered, yes. He had the means to do so, after all. But really...he couldn''t just say that he didn''t want to be cockblocked now could he? Plus, it''s not yet time for him to take the center stage. Yes, he could''ve moved stealthily but doing that carries the risk of exposure to the wrong people and he didn''t want that...not yet at least. "Anyways, here''s what happened..." Arishem then proceeded to tell him everything that urredst night in that operation. Cedric listened closely and took note of a few important bits of details like the issue with the 12 Zodiac Saints, the ideologies of the cultists, etc. "...however, despite talking a whole bunch that night, the female cultist we captured was adamant about keeping quiet. While that''s understandable, it''s annoying. We used all manner of ways to make her talk but only a few were effective." "We discovered that she''s keeping more information from us. Actually, we confirmed it. That said, none of the methods that worked were able to get that information out of her." "Her colleagues were also tight-lipped and it''s fucking annoying." Arishem continued. "Hmm, so that''s why there''s a lot of movements since this morning. I''m guessing that you sent teams to scour the city for more hidden camps?" Cedric casually asked as if he hadn''t just revealed the fact that he could sense the teams of supposed assassins moving around the city. "Ha! I knew you would notice." Arishem cackled, "Be honest with me brat, how far do your senses reach?" "A kilometer and a half...more or less. The more details I want to see, the more burdensome it feels." His visitors gaped at him. Cedric merely shrugged to show that he was cool with it. He did this to convince them that he was lying. He could sense everything going on in this city if he tried hard enough, but he didn''t want to reveal that information just yet. But he also didn''t want to outright lie to them, that wouldn''t be a wise move against them. So, he chose to control the flow of information they''d know about him. This way, everyone would be satisfied. "Geez. And you''re only what? Tier 2 Lv.1?" Arishem snorted at the absurdity, "Makes me wonder how the hell you got stuck in the RMC with senses like that." "Hey!" Cedric feigned offense to that. "I was young and uneducated when I got there, okay? Plus, I lost my parents as soon as I awakened. The grief and desperation clouded my mind and that stunted my growth. That''s why it took me some time. Plus, what''s the use of sensing it if I''m not fast or strong enough to react? That''s mainly the reason why I was stuck there for a long time." "Well, now that you''re over that, it''s no wonder Ac granted you a Lv.8 System Authority." One of Arishem''spanionsmented. They''re still reeling at the reveal of his spying distance, by the way. A kilometer and a half at only Tier 2 was insane, and judging by what he said, he has control over how detailed that can get. They couldn''t think of anybody who had this sort of range. Plus, he''s only at Tier 2 at this point! If Cedric were to be given room to grow, his range would be increasingly terrifying! These poor guys though...if only they knew how much Cedric downyed the might of his field of senses... "Alright, Kid. I''lle clean here." Arishem leaned forward. "We''re here because we need your help. So far, the squads we sent haven''t been sessful with their search. Given that you were the one who revealed their presence to me, I would like you to help us search for them." "Just so you know, I''m not forcing you to do this. We''re in no position to do that. We are aware of the possible risks of your identity being exposed. But we''re running out of options here." "We only have limited options to use in the first ce, mostly because we can''t do this in broad daylight. That''s why we''re...outsourcing. Yeah, let''s go with that. But again, we aren''t forcing you to do anything. If you don''t want to, it''s fine. I promise that nobody will find trouble with you because you refused to help." Cedric went silent for a bit. He was weighing his options right now. Thanks to his elerated thoughts, however, he didn''t make them wait for his decision for long. "I could offer limited help I guess." Cedric mused, "I mean, I was the one that tipped you, so in a way, I''m also responsible for this. But please understand that I don''t want many eyes on me yet, so I won''t be apanying you." "Valid and understandable," Arishem replied. "But my question is, how would you help?" "Well, for starters, I''d go around the city. Visit some ces here and there while keeping an eye out for any signs of the cult. If I sense some, I''d point you towards them. I''d prefer to go alone of course, since it''s safer that way." "Understood." "Also..." Cedric brought out his ¡ºSymbol Master''s Quill¡», a tool he used to draw symbols. He then took out a bronze te and carved a symbol on it in front of his visitors. He ended up making five carvings of the same symbol that only he understood. "This is something I invented recently. I called it the ''Mind Passage Rune''. In simple terms, it provides direct passage to the psyche of the person the rune is attached to. It''s effective up to Tier 5 ording to my estimates but...I haven''t tested it on anybody before, so it ''might'' fail. The worst oue of failure is, of course, the death of the target." "Still, if you run out of options...maybe you can try that? Up to you, though." Arishem epted the runes with a solemn expression. Inwardly, he couldn''t help but think that this kid was just too full of surprises. He had never seen this rune before, and that''s to be expected since Cedric did say he invented it. That said, he had his fair share of experience regarding symbols and he could tell the quality of these things. Inwardly, he was already at least 70% confident that these things would work. "Hmm?" Arishem looked up and saw that, out of nowhere, Cedric hummed strangely and frowned. He then looked outside of his window as if he noticed something they didn''t. The old man and hispanions tried to unfold their senses to see what he was looking for but they failed to notice anything. "What''s wrong?" Arishem asked. "My neighbor''s in danger, I think. There''s a foul presence attached to her. I don''t know if it''s connected with the cult though." Cedric murmured while standing up. Still, that was enough to greatly rm his visitors because they didn''t notice anything at all. Just a reminder, they''re assassins and they''re always on guard. The fact that they didn''t sense anything wrong yet Cedric did, was greatly rming. Cedric then moved at an impressive speed. It wasn''t too fast for the trio but clearly fast enough for a supposed Tier 2. It wasn''t long before the four of them were now standing over Erica, whom Cedric had just seen earlier. The trio looked at the girl and was inwardly shocked when they saw her face. They knew who she was but now''s not the time for that. In a surprising burst of speed, Cedric ced runes all over Erica''s body. When he was done, the runes lit up and it revealed something that made them all shiver in disgust. It was a pulsing flesh of eyes and mouth attached to Erica''s upper body. "Now, what the in the ever-loving fuck are you?" Cedric muttered in disgust. Chapter 66: Slickthieves Whatever this thing was, Cedric was certain that it was a parasite... Focusing his senses on it, he noticed that the thing was attached to Erica and was siphoning something off of her. This is the part where the skill ¡ºDemon Lore¡» reveals its brilliance. Because it gives Cedric unrestricted ess to Ac''s Book of Demons, and through that, he learns about everything he needs to know about this thing... "It''s a ''Slickthief'' - a type of demonic parasite that devours longevity from their host." Cedricmented. "They discharge fluids that cause insomnia and lethargy to their host, they also evolved in a way that made them almost impervious to sensing abilities, allowing them to feed freely on the people they''re attached to. The downside is that their siphoning strength was slow and it would take them a long time before theypletely drain their chosen hosts." Arishem added, looking extremely solemn. "While that might be a downside to them, it''s another agony for their host. The fact that they stay mostly invisible and siphon slowly, prolongs the agony and downfall of their host, leaving them unaware of how they died." Arishem continued. "I''m surprised that you know about them though." "What''s puzzling for me is that...howe this thing''s here?" Cedric deflected the topic to a more important point. "As far as I''m aware, these could only be found on the ck Lands. Was it the cult that brought them here?" The ck Lands is a term for the continents that Humanity lost to demons since the invasion. Due to so much corruption, almost all life had vanished from thosends and they were slowly terraformed into ces where Demons could thrive. "It''s very unlikely that the cult used these because if they did, they''d be the first victims of these things. Slickthieves don''t possess enough intelligence to differentiate Human camps. In their eyes, we''re all the same, food." Arishem replied. "B-Boss! We should bring her to a nearby Istion Zone and invite an Exorcist! The longer this goes, the harder it will be to remove this thing from her and her team!" ''Her team?'' Cedric inwardly noted those words because now''s not the time to pry on that. Erica''s suffering and she needs help, ASAP. "I''m pretty sure I can remove this thing from her. That''s if you''d let me of course." Cedric offered, catching the attention of the trio. He was shooting his shot here. He had never done something like this before but he really wanted to try. However, there is a possibility that they would refuse since they seem to know who Erica is...yes, he caught on that earlier. "How long would it take you?" Arishem asked despite his and hispanion''s obvious skepticism. "No more than 15 minutes," Cedric replied. He didn''t miss the way the trio''s eyes widened before Arishem replied: "We''ll give you an hour. If after that the thing is still attached to her, we''re bringing her back with us. She can''t afford to lose more of longevity." "Deal." Cedric didn''t say more, instead, he started preparing for his operation. Granted, there wasn''t much preparation needed. He will mostly rely on Symbols to solve this, curing Erica the way a Scribe would. He alreadyid the foundation earlier when drew runes all over Erica''s body to reveal the existence of this thing. With that, all he needed was to carve at least a few hundred more Symbols in a correct pattern and he would be able to aplish what he wanted. Carving that many Symbols within that time frame might sound challenging to the ears, and that''s because it is, but it''s by no means impossible. Ultimately, it depends on the skill and expertise of the Scribe. And although Cedric hasn''t leveled up his Sub-ss to the max, he has practiced enough to confidently dere that he''s an expert by now. The trio watched as Cedric masterfully carved rune after rune on Erica''s body using his quill. Arishem who had little knowledge of Symbols could tell that Cedric hadn''t made a mistake so far. It astonished him greatly to see how much this kid grew in a span of a few months. The memory of Cedric being guarded from everyone the moment he stepped foot in this city still remained fresh in his memory, yet not even a year passed since then and Cedric had already grown so much that he was almost apletely different person. In his stupor, he didn''t notice that Cedric already finished his task. Only when he heard the sharp screech of the Slickthief that he return to reality. Cedric certainly worked fast. He said that he could do it within 15 minutes but it only took him five to seed. When the Slickthief tried to escape or attach itself to another host, Cedric once again disyed his brilliance and captured the thing...alive. One had to know, that the difficulty of catching ''Slickthives'' alive was just as difficult as finding a needle on a haystack. Slickthieves had a nasty habit of killing themselves and their host the moment they were exposed. The parasite should''ve killed itself the moment it was exposed but Cedric made a pre-emptive move against that because he had predicted it even before knowing what the creature was. He did it the moment he began carving runes on Erica''s body. Using several metal tes filled with hundreds of symbols, Cedric sealed the Slickthief alive. It was doing its best to escape its prison but was too weak to do so. "Amazing..." one of Arishem''spanions uttered in pure awe at the skill Cedric disyed. "You caught Slickthief alive." The other muttered, "But why not kill it instead?" "Research," Cedric replied as he held up the prison to the fake sunlight. "I''m leaving this to you to submit to the researchers. I could imagine that samples like this rarelye by so, you can have it. Who knows? Maybe someone out there could develop a way tobat these things more effectively." Cedric then passed the live sample to Arishem for safekeeping. The trio were speechless at his foresight. That said, Cedric wasn''t done proving his skills just yet. Within the next 15 minutes or so, he busied himself creating more array disks. He made as much as he possibly could before presenting them to Arishem once more. "Here. You said something about ''her team'' earlier, these are for them. I can''t imagine that only she got one." "The blue ones are for you to use to diagnose them if they caught the parasite. Attach it without alerting them of its uses. The seal will make them unconscious while paralyzing the parasite, preventing it from self-destructing. That''s if they have them." "The red ones are for those who have been confirmed to have them. Attach it to them. The seal will not only release them from the parasite''s hold, but it will also seal the Slickthieves just like how I did it to the one I caught just now. Meaning more samples for your researchers. If you need more, just send me a message and I''ll make more." Arishem counted at least 10 pairs of seals Cedric made on the fly. The fact that it only took him 15 minutes, more or less, to make them was already insane to the old man. He could also tell that each one was created just as well as he did the rest. Now, it''s even more understandable why Ac favors this young man so much. "Thank you. You might not know this yet but you just did our government a huge favor by saving her, and her team should it be confirmed that they too caught the same parasites." Arishem stated. "Ah, I knew she wasn''t a simple woman." Cedric chuckled. "She''s way too ''disciplined''pared to the rest. But well...here, she''s just my neighbor so don''t sweat it too much." "Though I''d prefer it if you could minimize my presence in your reports." Cedric requested. "I''m not yet ready to face the music head-on if you catch my drift." "We will do our best." Arishem readily agreed. Compared to the amount of favors Cedric would be doing for them, this much in exchange was practically nothing. His Lv.8 System Authority will stop those who would try to pry dead in their tracks. As for the others, Arishem would deal with it. "Well, since we''re done here, I guess I''d start roaming the city tomorrow morning." Cedric dered. "I''d imagine that you three would be busy from here on out, though. I will give Arishem updates from time to time. Hopefully, we can catch all of them to free this city." "I''ll be expecting from you then. Thank you for helping us." Arishem replied. After saying that, the trio didn''t waste any time and left to return to their base. Once they were outside Cedric''s field of senses, Arishem sent a mental message to hispanions: ''You witnessed his skills up close and personal. I don''t think I need to remind you but just in case, I still will. Do not, by any means, try to antagonize him. We will protect his identity until the dayes that he''s ready to ''face the music'', are we clear on this?'' ''Loud and clear, Boss.'' The other two replied with a determined expression. Chapter 67: Erica and her Team Per his request, Erica had not been made aware of what he did for her and her team. She was, however, informed of what transpired. And to say that she was disappointed with herself was an understatement. Now, here she was, mopping at a corner of a room with a clouded expression. "Erica~~!!" One of her teammates called out to her, pouting as she marched where she was. "Come on, quite sulking. We''re not ming you at all. Give me a smile, please?" "That doesn''t really make me feel better." Erica sadly pointed out. "I think I''d actually prefer if you guys were mad at me. After all, my carelessness caused you to lose your lifespans." This...this is what she was mad about. In this team of hers, Erica was designated to be their support; someone who''s supposed to look after them and make sure that they would safely return from their mission. It was her task to do a check-up and see if they got any infections whatsoever right before returning to civilization. The fact that shepletely missed the Slickthieves attached not only to her but to her team as well, filled her with so much disappointment aimed at herself. "We can make up with those using Longevity Extending Elixirs!" Another one of her teammates chimed in. "Our Bossess even footed the bill since their sensors also missed the Slickthieves, in their eyes, they''re also at fault. Don''t let this burden you too much." "But...but..." Erica sniffed, feeling really miffed about the situation. This is where their leader came in. He squatted next to her and patted her head like she was a kid. "Not everything was your fault, Erica. To be honest, none of us expected that we would miss the Slickthieves. You did the procedure correctly, you used all the tools you have avable. You didn''t drop your guard and the equipment themselves didn''t sense them. You did your best. It''s not your fault that our tools failed us." "But some unknown guy managed to do what I and those equipment couldn''t," Erica whined. "Not to mention, he did it using Symbols only. I feel so inadequate, especially after seeing how he did it so easily." Now, nobody could help her with this. And well...that''s probably fine, for the most part at least... Erica had seen the tools that were used to diagnose and cure them. At first, she was skeptical about them seeing that they''re mere array disks but the moment they were used, all of her doubts vanished like snow under the summer''s re. She had seen how they work face to face. She saw how those little disks managed to reveal the unseen parasite attached to every single one of her teammates, something she failed topletely notice even with all of her equipment used. Erica also saw how those things not only diagnosed them correctly, but they also managed to capture the Slickthieves without fail and fanfare. The capturing part was the most impressive part because it is well-known in their circle just how challenging that can be. Yet once she got permission to decode the unused array disks, the feeling of inadequacy got more stronger. She almost couldn''t believe how simple the cure was. It was even more unbelievable how nobody had ever thought of it before. Erica was also an experienced Scribe, you see. She knows her way around Symbols and more often than not, it''s her task to make arrays and formations for her team. And it''s precisely because she''s a Scribe that the disappointment she feels towards herself is greater. After all, if she were to be honest, she should''ve known this beforehand. "Do they really not say who made these?" One of her teammates asked while ying with the array disks on his palms. "They''re tight-lipped about it." Their Leader replied. "All I know is that, whoever that person is, they''re VVIP, so we can''t go around snooping for his identity." "Oh? If that''s the case, then isn''t itpletely fine?" Another one of her teammates chimed in. "VVIPs are a rare breed anyway. It''s not surprising that they''re skilled. Ac wouldn''t give them that much authority for nothing, after all." Erica pouted but deep down, she felt much better after hearing that statement. She agreed with that. VVIPs are just built different. They''re not just geniuses, they''re bonafide monsters. In a good way, of course. "What''s important is that we gained a lot from this experience." Their Leader stated. "Erica, since you managed to decode that thing, I''m assuming that you can study it and make the same ones yourself." "...already did." Erica sniffed, presenting the array of disks she created herself while she was sulking earlier. "They''re not that hard." "Awesome!" Their Leader eximed. "With those, we now have more edge against those pesky Slickthieves. We can also capture some of them just in case to provide more samples for the researchers." "Oh, they''re gonna have a field day with all of that." One of their teammates added on the side. "I caught the news that the samples that were collected earlier were already being dissected by those mad scientists. There''s already a demand for it." "Which means that at some point, we will have to return to that ce. Either by doing missions that involved that ce or by collecting more samples. So it''s a good thing that Erica now knows how to make them." Their Leader added. "Still, we were lucky this time." He said solemnly, "Our losses could be recouped, but now I''ll be expecting us to be more careful moving forward. Always keep your guard up whenever we''re out on missions because if you don''t, then you might never return home. Is that clear for everybody?" "Yes, Leader!" The rest of the team chorused. "Good. Now, let''s rest. I''m still sore from ourst mission, not to mention sleepy too." Their Leader groaned. "Wait! Wait! Don''t tell you all would be sleeping here?" Erica eximed. "I mean, what''s so bad about an impromptu sleepover? It''s not like this was the first time." Their Leader shrugged as he unceremoniously changed into his sleeping attire. "Wow, you made that decision like this was your home!" Erica eximed in disbelief. "Give it up, shorty! Like it or not, we''re crashing here. Now why don''t you be a good host and build us a fort so we can all sleep together?" One of her teammates chuckled after seeing her disgruntled. They argued for a bit but ultimately, Erica lost. Her teammates will indeed be sleeping here. They absolutely do not care about her disagreement. Deep down, she knows why they''re doing this. It''s their way of looking after her. They''ve been a team for more than five years now and nobody knows her more than her teammates do. They''ve been through thick and thin together. They''re people whom she could trust her life with. Aside from a few secrets of her own, the rest arepletely known to her team. And because they know her the best, they know that they can''t leave her alone tonight. Not when she''s still feeling down. They know Erica''s tendency to self-sabotage whenever she''s met with failure. That could extend to a destructive streak that would prove fatal to her health overall. It happened once or twice before and the results were horrible. This is why they''ve never let her be by herself when times like this ur. If they''re with her, she won''t slip into those thoughts because they''d be there to stop her. Erica was of course aware of this. And frankly, she doesn''t say this a lot but she''s thankful that they''re looking after her. Ding Dong! The sudden sound of her doorbell interrupted their act of building a fort in Erica''s living room. Erica frowned and made her way toward her door to see who was it. Peeking outside, Erica visibly shook in panic after seeing Cedric standing outside her door. She hurriedly checked herself in the mirror and attempted to ''fix'' her appearance. She tried her best to look presentable at the very least before gingerly opening her door to greet him. "Oh, hi Cedric! Wasn''t expecting you at all, haha!" Ericaughed awkwardly. "What''s up? Anything I could help you with?" "Well, I just thought that I should see how you''re doing because earlier you seemed...really lethargic. Here, I made you some food. This should make you feel better...I think. Wait, have you eaten yet?" "Y¡ª," "Actually, we haven''t yet!" Erica''s eyes widened as she saw her female teammate right beside her, answering his question for her. She secretly pinched her side, causing her female teammate to wince ever so slightly but not to an obvious degree. "That''s great!" Cedric smiled, and Erica once again lost herself momentarily after seeing that. "Oh, I''m Cedric by the way. Erica''s neighbor. I''m assuming that you''re her friend?" "Yes! My name is Chrissy, nice to meet you too Cedric." "Likewise." Cedric then handed them a tray, which Chrissy readily epted despite Erica''s secretive aggression to the act. "Enjoy and good night!" "You too, Prince Charming!" Chrissy then closed the door before he could say anything back. Erica red at her and was about to give her a piece of her mind, only to be reminded that her teammates saw how she acted right before opening her door. Suffice to say, Erica almost didn''t survive the whole night of continuous teasing from her teammates. Chapter 68: Cult Within a secret underground base somewhere, a couple of people showed up wearing ck priest robes with hoods covering their faces. Some even wore veils which further made it difficult to discern their features. The atmosphere within the underground base was gloomy and tense. Well, considering its theme, anybody could expect this, but today, in particr, the atmosphere was heavier. Nobody spoke, those who came just sat in their respective seat. Some were meditating, others were busy reading or doing something to pass the time. There are at least twenty seats here. So far, only eighteen seats have been upied. This means that they''re waiting for two more members to arrive before they start this gathering. Of course, it wasn''t just the ck-robed priests here. There were servants here as well as other...creatures that most people wouldn''t want to see roaming around the streets. Those who would witness this event might think that these people were fond of each other because none of them were even trying to talk to each other. And in a sense, that might be true. But that''s mostly because they didn''t want their respective identities to be at risk. They might be members of the same cult, but that doesn''t necessarily mean that they trust each other. And for people like them, that''s to be expected. A smallmotion broke the silence of the venue, announcing the arrival of thest two members the group was waiting for. Without any further ado, thest two members sat on their seats, and one person who was sitting at the far end of the table lifted a wooden mallet and mmed it, creating a noise that signaled the start of this gathering. "You''re all gathered here for a rather rming development recently." The guy who looked to be their superior/leader stated. "Are we safe to assume that this has something to do with the recent raids we experienced at the hands of the Shadow Runners?" One of the members pointed out. "Yes, indeed." The leader nodded in agreement. "For some reason, the Shadow Runners were able to locate most of the bases we have at the ck Thread City, capturing many of our members. As a result, we are facing a risk in our development there." The so-called ''Shadow Runners'' were the organization that Arishem was a part of. They''re a bunch of talented assassins who were raised by the government and took an oath to protect humanity. They''re also the onesunching an offensive against the Cult of the Demon Saint. "Do we have any ideas how they managed to do that? As far as I remember, you told us that your operations were guaranteed to be covert." Another member questioned. "That''s right. But I also distinctly remember telling all of you that that''s not a total guarantee because Humanity as a whole is a highly progressive race." The Leader replied, "As for how exactly they did it, our spies couldn''te up with theplete intel. All they knew is that someone developed a tool which helped the Shadow Runners bypass the Mental Barriers we ced on our members." "That''s...worrying." A member muttered loud enough for everyone to hear and agree. The mental barriers were one of the keyponents behind the whole ''unseen'' profile of the cult. Through those, their members could fool the interrogation of the government and continue developing in secret right under their noses. Along with their methods of hiding their bases from their detection, they managed toy down the foundations for their growing belief and continue operating in an extremely low-profile manner. "The Shadow Runners are known to be relentless in their hunt. As of 30 minutes earlier, the current damage they had done to the ck Thread City branch already umted to at least 90%. The rest are either still rtively hidden or deemed unimportant, that''s why they''re left alone." "I believe that it''s more of the former since we''re talking about the Shadow Runners. That said, the important thing is that our ck Thread City branch is in grave danger. In the grand scheme of things, even that small branch is necessary for our steady development as a whole. If that branch was destroyed, we''d be risking years of worth of dy to our ns." The leader stated. "What''s our n then? High or Low profile?" "That is what''s next for our discussion. I will be needing your input for this." The leader admitted with a sigh. "If we go for a low-profile approach, it will take some time. Even then, unfavorable developments might still ur. Going for a high-profile approach on the other hand is also risky since we''d be in the headlines as soon as we do something. Both choices will dy thepletion of our main objectives. How long? Depends on what will happen, really." The guy who came in with the Leader added. "...if I may." Another member raised a hand. The leader looked at her and nodded, gesturing her to say what was on her mind. "Why choose between the two? Can''t we do both?" "Exin." The leadermanded. "Well, if we have the resources for it, I''d say let''s go for a direct attack but not on arge scale." She stated. "We can disguise some of our Acolytes as Terrorists tounch an attack on the ck Thread City." "If they do that, they will surely catch the attention of the Superhumans out there, and that''s the idea. They will be the distraction. We will send the core group, tasked with helping the remaining branch members to relocate or hide even deeper within the city to slowly recover their forces." "That n sounds good and useable. Only, we have to take a few considerations." Another member interjected. "Do we even know what exactly the tool they used to bypass the Mental Barriers? Because if we don''t, then the whole operation would fail. All they would need to do is tounch some surprise interrogation and the branch members would be exposed again." "That''s a valid point. And to answer that, our members already discovered what it is. Simply put, somebody developed a new Rune that disables a person''s mental barriers. The spies said that it was extremely effective and they already got their hands on it." Their leader stated. "Currently, they''re trying to decode it and make something that will counter it. I also asked them to investigate who made it and, if they can, sabotage the production of those runes." "How very thorough of you." Said by another member, and the Leader just snorted at that. "Well if that''s the case, then I guess we could offer our support. Some of my men are idle anyway and frankly, they''re looking for action. However, I won''t be sending them unless we receive the tool that would counter that rune first. I don''t want the Shadow Runners after my tail if they somehow captured them." One member proposed. "That raises another concern though." Another membermented, "If the Shadow Runners got their hands on that Rune, that must mean that they''re already distributing it to other cities as well. How long since they''ve started hunting our branch members, anyway?" "As far as I know, they started a week ago." The Leader replied. "That''s plenty of time to get a head start on the Rune production." The same member added, "Not that I''m skeptical about the skills of your spies but that much time is enough to make dozens of functional Runes to be distributed. Did you send your men to monitor that too?" "No." The Leader sighed and massaged his temples. He tapped on the armrest of his chair a few times. "I''d tell them now, but I wouldn''t be surprised if it''s already toote for that." "This means that we have to stay cautious for the rest of the month and observe the movement of the government closely." Another member stated, "Although we haveid out our foundations, we still don''t possess enough strength for a direct confrontation." "Sad but true." The Leadermented. "I ask you all to do the same. Be cautious for the rest of the month and closely observe the events happening around your respective territories. We don''t want a direct heat on us right now." "...so, about the operation? Should we iron out the details for that?" The female member who suggested it brought up the topic once more. "Right, let''s brainstorm everybody." What followed was the cult members ironing out the details of their n to save the ck Thread City branch. They continued their discussion until they filled out all the holes they could currently think of about the operation. Since there were 20 of them brainstorming for ideas, they finished rather quickly and once they were satisfied with it, they signed it off and continued to discuss other things such as their development directions and their main goals. Once their time was up, the leader ended the gathering. The head figures of the cult went back to acting as if they didn''t know each other before returning to their respective territories, leaving the Leader there at the meeting venue. Resting his back against the chair, he massaged his temples due to stress. "I hope this operation fixes things or else, my neck will be at risk." Chapter 69: Alarming Discovery Cedric swept the city with his senses while leisurely visiting ces as if he were a tourist. He knows that the cultists he''s helping to catch are panicking because of the sudden exposure they''re experiencing. It was a stark opposite of how he was doing, and it paints a funny picture. Still, none of the cultists had any idea that Cedric was the main reason why they were being located anywhere they hid in this city. He trusted Arishem and his group to keep his identity private so he wasn''t worried at all. After a week of scouting, Cedric located almost all of the hidden bases of the cult. He initially expected to experience some difficulty in doing so, since he only discovered them by chance during the first time, but as he went in with a clear goal in mind, he was able to locate them pretty easily. And since he provided them with results, the Shadow Runners tore into the cultist with fervent ardor. They move fast, within an hour after his report, he will receive news of the hidden base''s clearance from Arishem himself. Initially, Cedric thought of slowing down for their sake. He thought that their organization didn''t have enough members, and if he revealed multiple locations of hidden bases at once, their forces would be spread thin. However, the Shadow Runners proved him wrong. They were inspired and ruthless in their assault. Therefore, Cedric didn''t see the point of slowing them down. Through working with Arishem and his organization closely, he was aware that there were still some hidden bases left within the city. This meant that they were not quite done yet because the Shadow Runners wanted the Cult of the Demon Saint gone from this city entirely. This is why Cedric was still on his covert ploy; roaming around the city like a tourist and scanning everything around in clear detail to see if he had missed some ces. That said, these remaining cultists wouldn''t make this easy for him. They were caught off guard at first but they wouldn''t allow their hard work to be ruined just like that. Cedric was now increasing his efforts because he was aware of this. Arishem did tell him to not push himself too far, but honestly? Cedric wasn''t even close to that. ''Oh?'' Cedric faintly raised a brow while he was drinking his coffee. He''s currently at a famous coffee shop near the core of the city. He had chosen this ce because it was filled with activity and he could blend properly here. He had been in this ce before but he failed to notice anything in it or nearby. He returned because their coffee blend was really good and it had a rxing ambiance, he didn''t go expecting to discover traces of the cult but he had his field of senses active just in case. Lo and behold, he was lucky this time around. Upon increasing the potency of his senses, he picked up a rather discreet trace of the cult. It was faint but it''s unmistakable. He tracked the traces and it led him peering deeper into the foundations of the cafe. Luckily, the cafe itself and its workers were clean. He confirmed that numerous times with his senses so he couldn''t be wrong. It''s rather fortunate that this was the case because it would''ve saddened him greatly if they turned out to be traitors. ...they make really good coffee, you see. It''d be a shame to lose them. The neighboring infrastructure to this cafe, however, wasn''t that innocent. It was a pharmacy from what he observed. One amongst the many around these parts and humble. Due to how ordinary-looking it was, it didn''t leave asting impression on anyone. The rming part that he discovered about it was the fact that they built an array that released subtle and almost indiscernible fluctuations whose purpose is to give subconscious hints to ignore the ce to anyone exposed to it. Said fluctuations were really faint. Cedric almost missed it. If it weren''t for the fact that his senses were strong enough to resist its effects, he wouldn''t have discovered it in the first ce. Now that he was rtively certain that the ce was infested with cultists, he unfolded his sensespletely to see what was being hidden down there. And the results were rather rming... As expected, he saw another underground base. It was smallerpared to the other ones and sparsely popted. He had seen a few demons lurking around but that wasn''t surprising either. What really made this ce worse than the other ones was the fact that there was a device here that he had never seen before. Said device was buried several hundred meters deep underground, connected to a series of pipes around the entire base. Upon further inspection, he discovered that this device functions as a siphoning tool and is directly sitting on top of a Ley Line. A Ley Line could also be described as the ''Veins'' or ''Capiliaries'' of the world. It is through them that the world''s vitality flowed. Having a device that was directly installed in it meant that the cultist discovered a way to siphon the very vitality of this world for their nefarious purposes. ...an exnation shouldn''t be needed as to why that''s a bad thing. ''It looks like they''re using the energy they siphoned to feed the Demons they had for sustenance. I can see several Tier 5 Demons around.'' ''That''s crazy. This many Tier 5 Demon was more than enough topletely decimate this entire city, burying it to nothingness.'' ''Fortunately, they seem to be in a deep slumber. But still, their food was the vitality of the world. That''s a potent source for them, they must''ve grown crazily fast and strong after receiving those.'' ''Would the Shadow Runners alone suffice for this operation?'' ''Not that I don''t have faith or Arishem and the team, but I think this is above their paycheck.'' The base was also littered with deadly traps, rms, and etc. This will certainly make it hard to navigate. Cedric concluded that the cultist must''ve avoided going to this area to minimize the risk of its discovery. Since they know that they''re being hunted and monitored, they must''ve tried to peel attention away from this location. Sadly, they didn''t ount for Cedric''s existence. ''...right, there''s also their method ofmunication. I should keep a look out on how they''re doing that. Crippling their way tomunicate would hamper their progress even further, meaning less harm to this city.'' Cedric inwardly noted. But, since he discovered a vital location, he had to inform the Shadow Runners about it. He went to thefort room and entered a stall, there he made sure that nobody was spying on him before sending a message to Arishem. [To: Arishem] : Hey, I discovered another spot. However, this one might be quite challenging for your boys. [From: Arishem] : Details, please. [To: Arishem] : Location - Delware Pharmacy. Next to Crisanta''s Cafe. : Discoveries - Scarcely popted by Cultists. There are sightings of several Tier 5 Demons around. Absolutely filled with traps, the base was also designed like abyrinth. They have an array that releases subtle fluctuations which gives a subliminal message to those exposed to it to ignore this ce. I sensed it and I''m immune to it, that''s how I discovered it. : Unique Feature - They have a device that looks like a ''drill'', buried several hundred meters deep undergrounds. Upon further inspection, I confirmed that the said ''drill'' was sitting on top of a Ley Line, siphoning its energy and somehow, the cultists here discovered a way to use the siphoned energy to raise the Demons they''re keeping here. That''s why the ce is crawling with Tier 5''s. : Remarks - the Demons are, fortunately, in slumber. They''re kept in life pods (the ones you see in those sci-fi movies) and I''m guessing that they''re under observation. The scary part is, if all of them woke up, this is done for. I''ve counted at least 20 here, so please be careful. : I''ll send you a detailed map shortly, highlighting the important areas to make it slightly easier for you. However, even with that, I honestly think that this is still above your pay grade. So, if you could call in the cavalry, now would be a good time to do so. It took Arishem 15 minutes before he could reply. [From: Arishem] : As much as I want to doubt the legitimacy of your report. You never gave me a reason to do so. I honestly find it hard to believe that there''s something like that in this city, but I know you wouldn''t lie about something like this. : Fucking cultists... [To: Arishem] : Yeah, I won''t. I don''t gain anything by lying to you. I''m actually quite freaked out by all of this. Anyway, here''s the map. I''ll leave this up to you. Good luck and please be careful. : [Attached File.here] [From: Arishem] : Thanks. I''ll call in some favors for this operation. Hopefully, we can solve this problem without the city being destroyed. Chapter 70: Gathering Calling this situation a headache would be a massive understatement... If Cedric''s discoveries were to be true, the entirety of ck Thread City is at stake here. Arishem was pacing back and forth. Clearly, he was stressed about this entire thing. He already called in some people that could help them with this situation but it''s gonna take them some time before they arrive. Surprisingly, Erica and her team were also here. As it turns out, Arishem was the one who informed them about what happened to them. Arishem was also the one who gave them the runes Cedric created that saved them. Normally, he shouldn''t be able to do this. This team just got back from an expedition and they earned their vacation until their next project was issued. s, Cedric was right about this being above their pay grade, and Arishem''s hands were tied here. This operation has to be kept as a secret, therefore he couldn''t call in for people who were under the direct scrutiny of their enemies for that would rm them. Everything has to be stealthy because if their movements were exposed, the cultists would awaken the slumbering demons toy waste to this city. And they can''t be having that... For the nth time today, Arishem studied the map that Cedric made them. Thank god for his skills really, Arishem doubted that anybody could provide a map this detailed without raising any rms like Cedric could. And precisely because Cedric''s map was so detailed that Arishem felt another wave of headache. The number of trapsbeled on the map amounted to a whopping 50 in number. Every single one was deadly, and most would certainly escape their senses if they were to infiltrate the ce without this map. ''As if the 20 or so Tier 5 Demons weren''t enough of a headache, they just had to add this.'' Arishem grumbled. But all of that can''t top the biggest headache of them all. That...whatever device Cedric told him about that''s siphoning vitality from this City''s Ley Line. That''s the biggest problem of them all. ''It was a mistake to brush off this treat in the first ce.'' Arishemmented. Not that Arishem was the one responsible for that. He being one of the leaders of the Shadow Runners would never underestimate any kind of threat against humanity as a whole. He was far too experienced for that... It was the other folks out there whobeled the cult as a low-level threat. "Arishem...sit the fuck down. You''re making me dizzy." He heard a gruff voice beside him that woke him up from his stupor. "City Lord! I...wasn''t expecting you to arrive. I thought you were preupied with something rather important." "To hell with that shit. How can I note when my city''s under grave threat? Fucking cultists..." the City Lord spat. The City Lord''s name was Reiner Braveheart. A man hulking man in his 40''s. He''s six foot and eight inches tall, d in bulky armor that looks like it weighs tons. He had a mop of gray hair and ashy beard. His face had some wrinkles and he had a scratch-mark scar on the left side of his cheek. In terms of appearance alone, his presence demands respect. He was imposing, intimidating, and scary even. Few people would dare to talk casually with this man due to the pressure he exudes naturally. As for his prowess, there was no need to doubt it. This man was one of the few Tier 6 experts out there, and his innate Overall Aptitude Ranking was S-Rank, which means that he''s incredibly strong. This man had faced multiple assassination attempts from Demons and lived to tell the tale. That in itself was sufficient proof of his strength and status. "I''m not saying that I don''t appreciate your presence here. Believe me, itforts me a lot. But I''m afraid that you''re too ''famous'' to be here. That will risk this operation." Arishem reasoned out. "I left a dupe secretly and went undercover to return here." The City Lord stated. "I know you wouldn''t alert me of your operations properly if you could handle it on your own. Don''t worry, I made sure that nobody I didn''t trust saw me leaving anding here." "I see." "Well, the rest of the people you called for were also here. They''re waiting in the room you prepared so let''s go. I want to hear what those heretics were nning to do with my city." After saying that, the City Lord marched out of the room without waiting for Arishem. Looking at his back, Arishem grimaced as he inwardly thought: ''Oh, he''s not gonna like this at all.'' *** - About an hourter - "...that about sums up what we collected so far," Arishem concluded his report. "If you all have listened carefully, you should already understand why we called you here." "As much as it hurts to say this, we, the Shadow Runners, aren''t well equipped to handle this kind of operation by ourselves. It was only thanks to the help of a Patron that we even caught wind of the cult''s activities right under our noses." "This is a grave threat to this city, and it must be handled with extreme care. One mistake and this city will be buried like all of the cities we lost back then. I, for one, don''t want to see something like that happening." Arishem solemnly regarded his audience as he finished reporting everything he knew and could. And as expected, the atmosphere within the room was tense. Most of the people here were having a difficult time believing that such a force was brewing right under their noses this whole time. "...I''m not usually one to question the validity of your sources but...forgive me, I just find it really difficult to believe that all of this is real. Do we have any confirmations at the very least?" One of the people he invited raised his concerns. "I don''t resent that. And truthfully, I myself couldn''t dereplete validity of the proof we presented so far." Arishem replied, "But, the person we''re working with hasn''t misled us so far." "This same person was the one who helped us locate all of the hidden bases of the cult within the city. Allowing us, Shadow Runners, to clean them up swiftly and efficiently. I''ve shown you the messages we exchanged as well as the follow-up reports of the actions we took after receiving that intel. That should amount to something at the very least, no?" Arishem added. "The same person was also the one who saved us from Slickthieves." The Leader of Erica''s team interjected on the side. "If it weren''t for that person, we would already be dead at this point, not knowing how it even happened." "To top this all off, our source was a person who held a Lv.8 System Authority. That should be more than enough to confirm his alignment at least. Plus, he gains nothing by lying to us except for this city and its citizen''s ire." Arishem concluded. Of course, he didn''t miss the way how the City Lord''s brow raised upon mentioning thatst part. He couldn''t med for that. People who held a Lv.8 System Authority like him could be counted on one hand in this city. Thankfully, the City Lord doesn''t seem to have any desire to scrutinize their mysterious information source. "Okay. Listing all of those sounds mighty convincing." The same person who raised the question finally relented. "What''s our n then? Hopefully, it doesn''t include us barging straight into the mouth of the abyss. You all might be strong, but I value my life greatly. A sound n would make this a lot better." "Are we really keeping his operation a secret?" Chrissy, one of Erica''s teammates asked. "I get that we are trying to be careful here but if we move fast enough, they wouldn''t have time to awaken the demons." "That would work if only the cultist didn''t need a single press of a button to do just that." The City Lord snorted. "We can''t show up to that ce faster than they can awaken those abominations. The map shows it all, this calls for a methodical approach. Not my specialty but it''s for the best." "Plus, the crowd wouldn''t settle fast enough for us to act. We can''t risk a city-wide panic since that would just hamper our advance. If we took our sweet time arriving there, it would be toote for this city already." Arishem shook his head facing this dilemma. "Can''t we...I don''t know...ask your source if they could help us some more. I mean, they''re already in this together with us, wouldn''t you say so too?" "This was already the farthest extent of help we could receive from them. With little interaction I had with them, I could confirm that if they had the ability to provide more help, they would''ve already done so in the first ce." Arishem sighed. "Besides, it is a risk for that person to join this operation since that would expose their identity. Our helper wasn''t ready to reveal their identity to the masses just yet." "Well, if that''s the case, we should start brainstorming ideas now. I''m afraid we don''t have much time left. The longer we dally, the more time we''re giving those demons to grow." The City Lord suggested. Thanks to that, everybody started brainstorming for ideas to clear this problem as safely as they could. Chapter 71: Raid The raid began in broad daylight... Though that might seem counter-intuitive considering that they didn''t want to raise any rms, they couldn''t do this at night because that''s the time when the cult was active. As usual, Arishem and the Shadow Runners were leading this operation. The entire force of their branch in this city was all utilized, though they minimized what the rest knew because this was a sensitive mission. Arishem blended into the crowd with his men and reinforcements. Nobody could sense their movement, they''re using several tools to increase their chances of not getting caught to help them move around freely. Through signals, Arishem gave orders to the rest. He tasked the first squad to create some distraction while the others were to quietly and swiftly infiltrate the hidden base. Arishem knows that they just can''tpletely hide their forces, especially with this many people moving around. They could use that to their advantage though... Send one squad to purposefully attract the attention of the cult, and keep them distracted long enough for the others to safely get inside the hidden base without raising any rms. Through close observation, they discovered that the n was a sess. Without wasting any time, Arishem ordered the rest to move in. Once they got inside, he ordered another squad to secure the central control that the cultist foolishly ced near the entrance of the base. If they secured that ce, they would have more freedom to move around the hidden base. The rest waited for a few minutes, unmoving and hidden until they received the green signal from the men they sent earlier. They secured the central control. With that, they could move without raising any rms. Next was to disable most of the traps they woulde across, which is probably one of the trickiest parts of this entire operation. Even with a full day of preparation, they weren''t able to invite an expert when it came to dealing with traps. Everyone they knew was upied with something. The traps scattered across this base were all deadly. One wrong move and they wouldn''t just alert the entire facility, they might also kill themselves in the process of disabling them. ''Follow the n...'' Arishem signed to hispanions. Thankfully, even though they''recking a trap expert, they have someone who could transport them safely around the traps. A person covered in a dark hood, much like the rest, stepped forward and lifted both of his arms. A spatial tear then appeared right in front of him with the other end appearing several meters forward. As soon as the portal was made, the rest of the squad entered it without any hesitation. The skill ferried the entire squad without triggering the traps, fantastic news for everybody. The downside is that the caster of this skill looked visibly drained after using it once. Not a big problem though since they have buffs and potions to have him swiftly recover from fatigue. Whoever this person is, he needs to step up his game because failure isn''t allowed for this operation. The squad continued moving through thebyrinth, evading traps that they didn''t need to pass through and being ferried by the portal through those that needed to. Eventually, they arrived at the core of this dreadful ce. And if anybody was still doubting the legitimacy of the Shadow Runner''s information source, all of those were bound to vanish as soon theyid eyes on the hibernation pods that kept the slumbering demons. Arishem heard several low curses around him after they saw the sight, deep down he too cursed. He thought that it was already bad seeing it on the report but it''s much worse seeing it in person. The corruption around these parts is terrible. The air was heavy with tension and killing intent, those whose will weren''t strong enough would go mad after being exposed to this atmosphere. Everybody tensed up. Things just got a lot worse from here on out. It didn''t help that the slumbering demons looked like they would wake up at the faintest sound they made. "What a fucking mess." The City Lord grumbled softly but it was loud enough for everybody to hear. "To think that my city has been corrupted this badly without me knowing." The City Lord clenched his jaw in anger. This was somehow humiliating for him. Whether he''d like to admit it or not, he was also one of the people who didn''t think that the cult was that much of a threat to his city. It''s the hubris caused by being one of the most powerful individuals that Humanity had. He carried some form of superiorityplex and, to be honest, he had every right to be arrogant. However, this sight was a tight p to his face. All of this was brewing right under his nose the entire time and he didn''t even sense it. Some kind of Tier 6 Expert he was. "Let''s make ourselves scarce. Most of the cultists are stationed here. If you can''t avoid confrontation, kill the enemy that sensed you right away to avoid rming the rest." Arishem advised as he and the City Lord moved towards their target. The rest of the squad separated from here. They have their targets, all of which are important toplete the task at hand. Arishem and the City Lord''s target was the ''drill'' that Cedric informed them about. It''s located at the very depths of this ce. It''s also a ce that is highly guarded by the cultists. They need to get rid of that ''drill'', so long as that''s there, it will continue to siphon vitality from the Ley Line and feed it to demons. Because they have no idea how long this thing has been here, who knows how much vitality it drained from the Ley Line? Actually, the fact that it''s been used to raise Tier 5 Demons, they would guess that it has been here for a long time already. That just makes it worse, doesn''t it? They could only hope that this city''s Ley Line survives this. Through Arishem''s skills, both of them managed to bypass security and infiltrate the ce where they were keeping the ''drill''. The City Lord knocked out the guards who were blocking their path and Arishem left an illusion of the said guards to make it seem like there''s nothing wrong. Using the keys they plundered from the knocked-out guards, they entered the room and came in face-to-face with the object that they needed to destroy. The room was filled with a series of connected pipes that ran throughout the entire base. Even just by standing here, they could feel the dense Worldly Vitality flowing through the pipes thanks to the ''drill''. At the center of the room, they found the apparatus itself. It wasn''t that big, and it appears like a regr jackhammer that construction workers use. However, the materials made to create this thing were all rare ones. Arishem could recognize mithril, adamantium, deep sea silver, and T6 Refined Iron just by looking at its body. Each of these materials cost a fortune, and now he wonders how the hell the cult managed to secure that funding. The ''drill'' itself was connected to a single pipe, and that pipe was connected to the rest of the pipe that''s installed all over this room. "How is it, Arishem? Do you think we can disable this and confiscate it?" The City Lord asked. "I''m not skilled enough for that, City Lord. I apologize. It seems that we could only try to take it away and hope that it wouldn''t rm everybody." He replied. "It''s fine. We can''t have it all." The City Lord replied gruffly before taking a step forward to take the ''drill'' away. However, right before the City Lord touches the ''drill'', Arishem receives a call from none other than Cedric. In a daze, the old man answered it, but before he could speak, Cedric''s frantic voice reached his ears: "The squad you left to the Control Center has beenpromised. In less than a minute, rms will go off across the entire facility. The squad you tasked to guard the trigger that will awaken the demons is in the middle of a confrontation as well and they''re losing. I''ll see what I can do out here, though you all should prepare for the fight of your lives." Cedric didn''t wait for his reply before cutting off the call. Arishem was left in a daze, what woke him up was the palpitating killing intent from the City Lord. "Well, fuck this then!" He said, throwing all caution to the wind. Clearly, he has heard everything that Cedric said just now. He ced both of his hands on the handle of the drill and yanked it harshly, damaging it in the process. At the same time he did that, rms red throughout the entire underground base. "There goes the stealthy approach then." Arishem sighed weakly. He hoped...like, really. He hoped that this operation wouldn''t encounter any hups because they couldn''t afford to fail here. However, their luck was just the worst as it seemed. Now, they''re left with no choice in the matter. "...I''m not being paid enough for this bullshit." Arishem sighed once more as he took out his daggers from his inventory. Chapter 72: City Lords Might Knowing what''s at stake here, Cedric can''t be expected to just ignore everything and leave it up to them. Sure, he didn''t want to be directly involved since he was protecting his identity but at the very least, he could watch as the operation urred. And wouldn''t you know it, paying attention paid off... He saw how the seemingly smooth operation had gone to hell because of one small mishap. The root cause of everything came from one simple thing. And that''s due to the squad, whose task was to secure and guard the Control Center, removing their hoods after taking down the cultists they met there. See, the hooded cloaks that they''re wearing aren''t just any ordinary equipment, they are enchanted to lower their presence and visibility. It also masks their scents and obscures their facial features. However, for the effect of the cloak to be in effect, the user must wear the hood at all times. Should they remove it, thetter half of its purpose will be removed. Simply put, the moment the squad removed their hoods was the same moment they allowed their scent to be discovered. ...and one particr cultist caught a whiff of their scent and alerted the others. That''s the start of the chaos inside the underground base. After alerting Arishem of what happened, Cedric was already moving fast. Inwardly, he''s panicking too. While I might''ve grown a lot during these past few months, he is admittedly too weak to participate in this kind of operation. It''s also the reason why he didn''t join in the first ce because he will just hold them back. But now that shit hits the fan, he can''t stay out of this. Now that the cultists gained control once more, the rest of the disaster will surely follow. Using his speed and what little art of stealth he knew, he ran around the street, carving symbols wherever he left. His hands blurred with how fast he carved. His mind was going through numerous simtions as he ran around while also counting how much time he had before the chaos erupted. Additionally, he was also calcting if he had enough energy to support what he nned to do. Thankfully, he was able to formte a way to support the team without exposing or exhausting himself. Thousands of runes were carved into metal disks before being installed in several areas of the street. Given how fast he''s moving, nobody managed to catch him doing something at all. Even if they would, Cedric would just ignore them anyway. ''I hope this works.'' Cedric prayed inwardly as he installed thest array disk before activating the entire formation. A huge curtain of light suddenly erupted, covering the entire street in the process. People were shocked at the sudden eruption but before they could digest what was happening, they felt their perceptions warping for a brief moment. When they came to, they discovered that they were no longer within the bubble. Instead, they were outside of it, which was surprising since none of them knew how that happened. As it turns out, Cedric was the one who did that. He activated his skill: ¡ºLightspeed¡», transporting civilians out of the mouth of chaos. Later, they''d be grateful for him because of this. But as soon as Cedric was done transporting thest few people and himself out of the street, a great explosion rocked the entire city, causing people to panic. Looking back, they saw that the entire street blew up and was reduced to mere rubble. When the smoke cleared, people were shocked to see many demons releasing corruption and killing intent facing a group of people who were trapped within that golden bubble. "Kyaaa~~!" "Demons! T-There''s Demons around!" "Run!" "Shit! Those are Tier 5 Demons! We''re all gonna die here!" "Don''t lose hope! The City Lord is with us!" Panic immediately descended throughout the entire city in mere minutes. At this point, all chances of keeping this under wraps have now vanished. The existence of the cult and the demons they''re raising were now disyed for everybody to see. Cedric could already see some brave folks recording the entire incident live using their System Plug-ins. As much as he wanted to stop them and admonish them for what they were doing, he couldn''t because that was their free will. He couldn''t help people who were seeking to die, after all... Cedric took a second to analyze the state of Arishem and his men. The old man himself was not injured, the same goes for the City Lord as well. The rest, however, are either doing just fine or weary from the confrontation they had against the cultist earlier. Erica''s team was doing just fine. Cedric thinks that they''re a good team since they have a lot of experience. The others who came with them, not so much. Their injuries vary from scratches to deep wounds. So far, nobody has died. A second was more than enough for him to analyze all of this, and on the next one, the fight already started. The City Lord wasted no time and went into the offense. His roar shook the entire city''s foundation, carrying momentous strength that makes one''s heart palpitate. A potent pressure erupted from his entire body, and then he shot off like a shooting star, delivering a solid punch that shattered the very fabric of space toward the demons. ''Holy shit!'' Cedric eximed. ''I know he was strong but damn! This is too much!'' The City Lord was much faster than him even at his top speed. Not to mention, his raw power far exceeds his. He could sense that every single cell within the City Lord''s body was bursting with potent energy that he could harness wlessly. That punch of his held an impact simr to that of the atomic bomb but was controlled to a degree that minimized the damage within the surroundings while maximizing the damage caused to his target. Sadly though, as powerful as that punch was, it wasn''t nearly enough to kill even a single Tier 5 Demon there. The best it did was to injure them severely but that''s it. And with how much vitality fed into these abominations, they would heal those injuries in no time. This is where Cedric''s part took ce. *** Erica already noticed the bubble surrounding the entire street once she regained her center. While the City Lord engaged the Demons head first and her team automatically formed a circle around her, she was busy analyzing the formation around them. Some would argue that this is stupid since she has to focus on the fight but in this case, analyzing the formation around them was more important since she could tell that it would help a lot. Whoever made this formation left instructions for them...maybe her specifically. Using Symbols, the creator wrote the way how to utilize this formation to their advantagepletely. At base, this formation was already tremendously helpful. Not only did it iste the entire street and minimize the damage, but it was also created with the purpose of trapping demons. Not that that''s unique or whatever, however, this one was more potent than the ones she had seen before. What''s even more amazing is that this formation could do more than just those. Without wasting any time, she instructed her team to go to a certain part of the street. Thankfully, nobody argued with her. Upon arriving there, she used her senses to locate the Control Core of the formation and sessfully located it. Supplying it with her energies, she was immediately assaulted with the instructions on how to use this thing. Not wasting a single second after gaining those instructions, she activated the main function of the formation. As soon as she did so, several golden chains appeared from magical circles around the formation. They then flew toward the demons, piercing their flesh and causing them agonizing pain much to everybody''s surprise. The City Lord was shocked. The Tier 5 Demons were left weakened by those chains. It didn''t just hurt them, the chains curled into their flesh and siphoned their energy to weaken them and strengthen the formation even further. It only took half a second for the City Lord to notice this, and a grin appeared on his face. He quickly lit up his cigar and clenched his fists before diving towards the group of weakened demons. The chains didn''t just target the Demons though. They also came for the cultists and gave them the same treatment. And if that wasn''t enough, Erica supplied even more energy on the Control Core and used her support spells. As it turns out, the Control Core was also a powerful medium for spells. Erica''s support skills were already potent on their own but with the core at hand, their potency practically doubled. The healing power of her skills also increased by several notches with this! Everybody was amazed by what was happening and felt their confidence returning. With their enemies weakened and those powerful blessings supporting them, suddenly the entire situation doesn''t seem so bad now. "Kill!!!" Nobody knew who screamed this but that wasn''t important. What matters is that they have a chance now and it''s time to counter-attack. Meanwhile, Cedric who was watching Erica discovering the clues he left behind, felt relieved. However, that was short-lived because he had sensed another headache iing... Chapter 73: Threat Eliminated The City Lord was the main force against the now weakened Tier 5 Demons... Normally, fighting 20 Tier 5 Demons by himself would be considered difficult even with a team behind him. What makes this even more difficult is that, as the City Lord, he had to put the safety of his people beyond everything else, which would severely hold him back considering that the fight was happening in the middle of his city. However, thanks to the formation left by Arishem''s mysterious helper, this fight just got significantly easier for all of them. Not only was this area isted by the formation, but it also weakened the Demons and Cultists. The suppression wasn''t much but it''s definitely enough to make a difference. Plus, with the Control Core amplifying Erica''s support buffs, their edge just became much sharper than before. That''s why the City Lord went after them like he was a possessed man. He didn''t hold back his punches now after confirming that this formation could take a beating. So far, he has killed two demons, lessening the pressure on them. Huffing his cigar, the City Lord blurred into motion, appearing right before a group of demons with fists outstretched. He then threw a punch that once again left a massive crater upon impact. The poor demon who didn''t manage to react in time was reduced to a bloody pulp after receiving his blow. For those who aren''t aware, the City Lord''s ss is called: Martial King. It boosts the power and durability of his physique by 300% since it''s a legendary ss. Ites with passive skills that allow him to learn Martial Art skills at an elerated rate while also boosting its power whenever he uses them. What''s more, is that the City Lord was a diligent man. Rumors said that he trained like a madman in his youth. He''s also an ambitious person, aiming for great things even before he had his awakening as a Superhuman. He''s a person with overflowing talent who also worked harder than most. It is no wonder he reached his current status and strength. The City Lord wasn''t working alone either. Right now, he had a damn good team behind him. While Arishem couldn''t match the City Lord''s raw power, he made it up with his skill expertise, and cunningness. As an assassin with a long tenure, he knows the spot to hit that hurts the most and he hits them hard. He was slippery too, his figure shuffled across targets seamlessly and untouched. The rest of the Shadow Runners were also working well together. Even without Arishem directly ordering them, they knew when to move to reduce the pressure on their main fighters. Erica and her team were doing their best too, but they were mostly guarding Erica because with the Control Core with her, she bes a key yer in this entire fight. The Demons and the Cultists were working together too, however their teamwork was bad. The Demons barely paid attention to the state of the Cultists. They didn''t care if their allies were on the way, they would not hesitate to attack if it meant freeing themselves from here. It''s clear that the Cultist had the short end of the stick here. They''re weaker than these Tier 5 Demons...well, weaker even more so with this damned formation. Also, the creatures that they looked after for a long time couldn''t care less about their well-being. Humans hate them too for siding with demons and they will never be pardoned for their transgressions. Their hope was being drained fast. And since this matte blew out of proportion, they might never get the reinforcements they need from other branches despite their clear need for it. Outside the formation, news about the appearance of Demons within the city had spread to the entire poption already. Some of the more fearless people stayed behind to stream the fight live for people to see. The authorities already responded to the situation once they were informed of it. They barricaded the entire street, evacuating people nearby to keep them safe. They couldn''t join the fight though since that''s above what they could currently handle. Some of the more powerful people hiding within the city tuned in to this battle too. Some were worried and hoping for the human side to win, while others were just inly interested. As the fight continued, the City Lord and the rest of the team slowly but surely brought down the numbers of the Tier 5 Demons. Now, there are only ten or so of them, however, the ones left are the stronger ones so they have to be even more careful. Meanwhile, Cedric has long since vanished from the site. He left knowing that the team would be alright...that and because he had to take care of another headache iing. Currently, he just got out of the city. The guards didn''t even notice him slipping past them because they were too upied with everything happening within the city. He''s under the disguise of Derrek. He was wearing his fullbat attire, his sword hung by side while his guns were on the other. Upon reaching a distance far enough for anymotions to not be noticed, he sat on a rock and waited patiently. It didn''t take long before his field of senses picked up several presences hurrying over. They moved silently and they were almost invisible to the naked eye. There were dozens of them too and all were wearing the same garb as the cultists. That''s right...this was the headache that he was talking about. He didn''t think it''d be possible but he still went out here just to be sure. Cedric knew that the cultists left within the ck Thread City were on theirst legs. With their schemes exposed to the public, he thought that the cult as a whole would choose to cut their losses by abandoning this branch, however, it seems that they have a different n. ''Well, they might not be reinforcements but recements instead.'' He thought to himself as he slowly stood up from his seat. ''I think they''re using the current chaos to slip past the city''s defenses and rece the men they''re about to lose to the City Lord and his men.'' ''Everybody was too upied by what was happening so it was perfect timing for them. The City Lord''s busy dealing with the demons and so were the Shadow Runners. The guards are too weak to even sense them, much less deal with this group.'' It was only because he picked up the distress signal released by the cultist earlier that he even considereding here to begin with. But like what was mentioned, he initially didn''t think that they would send more to the city. But just in case, he thought that he''d wait here to see. Thankfully, he did...or else he would''ve missed this. He could tell that they were using an upgraded version of the tool they used to remain hidden. Sadly for them though, that didn''t make any difference to Cedric who could still see them as clear as day. ''A bunch of Tier 3s and Tier 4s.'' He mused inwardly. ''I can''t waste time here. Get in and get out. If I could get rid of them without them knowing who did it, that''d be perfect.'' He gripped his sword and took it out, he also brought out his gun. He bathed them in sunfire and used ¡ºLightspeed¡» once they entered a certain distance away from where he was. When time seemingly came to a halt for Cedric, he began sprinting. In no time, the group then proceeded to seed them with bullets not before snatching anything valuable they had. He also abducted someone who looked rather important, filling him with seals to make sure that he wouldn''t be able to even think of escaping. Cedric, or Derrek in his current disguise, took no chances at all. While he already made sure that his sunfire-infused bullets would hit them, he still stabbed them in the heart for extra precaution. When his skill''s effect was over, he was already gone. He hid nearby just to see if anybody would survive. When time moved once more, his onught absolutely decimated them and none were even able to react at all. Nobody was spared, everyone died except for the one he abducted for questioningter. The weight of his actions dawned on him right away. Despite turning their back on humanity, the ones he just killed were still humans. He should feel bad for what he did but in truth, he didn''t feel anything aside from a slight difort looking at their shredded bodies. He didn''t let his cloud his mind for now though. He cleaned up the scene, making sure that there were no traces of the fight left. Once he was done with that, he ran back to the city and headed back home. Like before, the guards never sensed him at all, they''re still focused on what''s happening within the city. Resting on his couch, Cedric was momentarily dazed. However, he did heave a sigh of relief once he was notified that the threat to the city had been eliminated. Chapter 74: Sword The sheer amount of paperwork and political things that came after that whole mess might just prove as troublesome as the fight itself, Cedric imagined. With the existence of the demons in the middle of the city, people would of course worry about their safety and security. They would question the ability of the City Lord and his men, they wouldin to him about a lot of things, and so on... Cedric got the impression that the City Lord wasn''t too fond of politics despite having his status so he imagined that he would respond negatively. However, that''s not something that he should concern himself with, because as far as public opinion goes, Cedric was just like them; a normal but also endangered citizen of the ck Thread City. He didn''t contact Arishem either. He knew that the old man was facing pressure from the authorities just as much as the City Lord did. He must be really busy right now, so he decided to not disturb the old man just yet. It was a miracle that they only had people injured in that fight instead of deaths. If they had serious casualties like that, the political mess would''ve been more unfavorable for them. Still, with this matter exposed to the public eye, it also meant that the government could no longer underestimate the threat of the cult. If anything, this might''ve been the best thing that came out of this mess. The government wouldn''t have a choice on this. Arishem and the City Lord had all the records they needed to prove that the cult was far more dangerous than they were letting on. On top of the fact that they managed to raise Tier 5 Demons while being hidden from everyone, there''s also the ''drill'' they confiscated that could siphon energy from the Ley Lines. The fact that they could build such a thing should be more than enough to start a man-hunt. While Cedric still had some reservations against the government, he was hoping that they could see the bigger picture here. On another note, Cedric already finished interrogating his captive... Through some...unsavory methods he employed; something that he''s not proud of, by the way, his captive sang like a songbird, revealing everything he knows about the traitorous organization and giving him a much better glimpse of the cult''s forces as a whole. That said, while his captive had more information than the ones at this city branch, it was still not enough. This one couldn''t have known everything since he''s just another ''recruiter'' as Cedric calls it. While this guy might''ve managed to climb thedder, his position was still too low to know more about the sensitive stuff that the cult was hiding. Cedric was tempted to send all of this information to Arishem right away but he ultimately decided against it. Like what was mentioned earlier, he could imagine that the old man''s rather upied right now, and he didn''t want to add more headache to him. The old man deserves a break after all of the shit that just happened, and Cedric wasn''t cruel enough to take that away from him. *** Cedric was currently in the reinforced training area, finishing his daily training. Symbols could be seen all over the ce, they''re lit up with energy, helping him conceal all themotion happening within the area while also fortifying it to prevent him from destroying it with his skills. His progress has slowed down considerably...well, slow for him at least. He couldn''tin though because he''s still seeing progress anyway. Aside from increasing his mastery over the ¡ºSage Arts¡», Cedric paid more attention to his basic skills. Even though he had already reached mastery over them, he still felt the need to remind himself that he could always use them just to make sure that he wasn''t neglecting them. The basics are the root of everything ¡ª the foundation, more like. All skills - even the mostplicated ones are born from the basics. Therefore, they must be respected and never be underestimated. Those space-warping punches of the City Lord? At the very core of it, that was just a straight punch. Anybody could do that but the City Lord mastered that one simple move to a degree that it could now affect the very fabric of space itself. Cedric diligently swung his sword with a sharp focus. All of his thought chambers were focused on this one task. He performs it with machine-like precision and perfect strength control. It''s precisely because he witnessed the City Lord''s prowess that he knew that he still had a lot of growing to do. He was inspired, per se. And watching him fight was enlightening in its own way. The sword in his hand didn''t feel like a stranger. He had grown familiar with the way it felt - the sensation of wielding a sword since he had been doing it for a long time already. But with his upgraded consciousness and connection to his surroundings, he was able to sense a lot of room for improvement. He had seen hints of it when he was watching the experts fight. They''re all much stronger than him technically and the gap was caused by the sheer difference in the way understood how they used their skills. He initially wondered why this wasn''t taught to many as this would seriously help them a lot but he doesn''t have time to ponder about that too much. What''s important is that he is now grasping the very same essence of using skills in a manner that fits his style. Focused on the task, his absurdly highprehension guided him to the correct path to follow... As he swung his sword, the de seemingly cut through the wind itself, leaving a white gash on its trail. Cedric wasn''t using his Ki to do this at all, it was all due to the sheer mastery of that swing that caused this. His actions were slow, even a kid could follow his movements clearly, however, the lethality of his strikes couldn''t be easily duplicated by most. With this newfound understanding of swordsmanship, Cedric felt ted. The sword in his hand feels more familiar than ever, it felt like another limb of his. The way how he viewed the world changed ordingly too. Now, he was able to see ''traces'' all over him. They''re faint but noticeable. Deep in his heart, he felt like these lines were a guide for him, telling him to ''cut here'' to achieve maximum effect on his sword strikes. Allowing his instincts to take over, he swung his sword, making sure to trace the lines that he was now seeing. There was no visible reaction during his first try which made him frown. He certainly felt that it should''ve done something more than that but nothing happened. The line was still there too. Thinking that he must''ve performed it wrong, he focused this time. With the sword in his hands, he ''willed'' himself to cut that line. The results this time around astounded him... He had sliced through the reinforced concrete of his training area, bypassing the runes he scattered all over them. The symbols were still there and the formation was still doing its job, but there was a clear visible gash left on the concrete flooring which should''ve been stopped by the formation he installed in the ce. This discovery caused Cedric''s eyes to shine in excitement. Upon inspection, he noticed that the line he traced with his sword earlier disappeared too. Now that''s the effect he was looking for. Still, he was surprised by this discovery. It felt like he had taken arge leap towards breaching the gap between him and real experts of this world. That said, he probably shouldn''t do this a lot for now. That slice took at least half of his remaining stamina. He could feel his hands shaking in exhaustion. Still, this was another trump card on his deck. If he could make it so that each slice of his sword brought on this effect, he could achieve a lot of things but most importantly, it could save his life in dire situations. He kept his sword away and sat down to drink water. He then disabled the DND function of the System and that''s when the string of alerts sounded in his ears: [Through the skill: ¡ºFocus¡» and a magnificent stroke of inspiration, User Cedric has entered the state of Enlightenment.] [Congrattions, User Cedric! Your skill: ¡ºSword Ki¡» evolved to ¡ºSword Intent¡»!] ¡ºSword Intent¡» (Lv.1/100) : Sword Intent is a passive skill that embodies the wielder''s profound connection with the art of swordsmanship. It transcends mere physical technique, delving into the realm of spiritual mastery. Those possessing Sword Intent are not just skilled with a de; they emanate an aura that reflects the essence of theirmitment to the way of the sword. : +100% Attack Modifier on Sword-rted Skills. ** Cedric blinked upon seeing that skill. He certainly wasn''t expecting to receive that. He had read about Sword Intent somewhere before and honestly, he thought that only Swordsmen - or anything rted to the ss, coulde in contact with this skill. What''s happening here? Chapter 75: Visitors, again [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Scribe Lv.80/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.2 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer, Young Sage System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.1, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus Lv.50, Lightspeed Lv.25, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.50, Demon Lore Lv.65, yer''s Mark Lv.5, Decode Lv.65, Symbol Mastery Lv.80, Sage Arts Lv.12, Marksmanship (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 9, Failure Streak - 0 ** There it is, ¡ºSword Intent¡» at Lv.1 clearly disyed on his skill list. It has been a few minutes since he got this skill and he''s still confused. He was obviously not expecting to get this skill. The main is that he''s no longer a swordsman, he had already changed his ss into something else. Hell, he even added one, and none of them were geared specifically towards the ''sword''. He searched for information online and saw nothing so far, leaving him toe up with his own deductions. ''Maybe it''s because I was a Swordsman in the past?'' He thought to himself, ''That''s the most logical deduction I can make right now. Maybe, changing one''s ss doesn''t necessarily mean that they''vepletely abandoned the previous path they took.'' ''That would make sense since if that wasn''t the case, I should''ve lost my Sword-rted skills, but I didn''t. Or maybe it does and I''m just a special case?'' There are a lot of conjectures for this dilemma but Cedric figured that he shouldn''t sweat the details so much. Doing so makes it sound like he''sining when he clearly wasn''t at all. "It''s an awesome skill to have anyway, so I''ll take it." He dered softly to himself. He concluded today''s training and ate something. After that, he took a quick bath before going to hisb to continue his research. Somewhere in his house, his captive was still locked away, unconscious but perfectly fine. Since he has gotten everything he wants from the guy, he''ll be leaving him until Arishem bes avable. For now, he had other stuff to do, mainly continuing his research to improve the method of purifying Demon Souls. With the growth of his skills and his ess to a wide range of knowledge thanks to his System Authority, his research has grown leaps and bounds since thest time. From only converting hundreds of T1 Demon Souls at a time, he already perfected the way to streamline the procedure, making it faster and more efficient for users. He even reached a point where he developed a way to turn the end products into a marble - one that users could simply crush to gain the concentrated essences within. Cedric initially wanted the by-product to be a consumable pill. However, he would need knowledge of Alchemy to do that. His Sub-ss was nearly maxed out but Alchemy was setter on his list so he couldn''t do this for now. And while he could simply employ expert Alchemists to help him with the process, he instead chose to wait it out. Right now, he trusts himself more than other people, and he doesn''t feel guilty holding this out from them. Cedric also improved the tool that he uses to purify Demon Souls. Previously, he needed an altar carved with set runes to do it but now, he minimized it to a simple array disk that''s user-friendly. These Demon Soul Conversion Array Disks could go up to Tier 4, meaning that he could now convert T4 Demon Souls without any problems. He was able to reach this far since he had a steady source of Demon Souls thanks to the increased difficulty of his Hell Dives. But again, Cedric still deemed this an unfinished product. There''s still a lot of improvement to be made for this thing and right now, he just couldn''t trust anyone to release this just yet. That said, his achievement has already been recorded by Ac. In the event that somebody made this discovery and decided to release it in public, Ac wouldn''t easily acknowledge their achievement especially if their product wasn''t any better than his for he had already achieved this way ahead of them. Cedric spent a good amount of time in hisb, making little progress in the process but nothing that he''s upset about. After a few hours, he heard his rm and concluded his research for the day. He got out of theb, changed into a morefortable set of clothes, and spent his time rxing in his loft. He listened to an audiobook as he drank his tea and enjoyed a slice of cake. This essentially became his routine as people around him slowly recovered their daily lives. The impact of previous events that nearly destroyed the city obviously had arge impact on the lives of its citizens. There had been protests, etc. But as days passed, the rest couldn''t do anything other than move on. Online, however, the event was still being heavily discussed. Even newsworks clutched to this and milked it for content. Events like this are hard toe by and they need a hot scoop to do their jobs so of course they would take advantage of it. The government already released a response to this. Saying that they would increase their efforts to locate the cult and stop their nefarious ns when Cedric heard of this, he was pleased but also skeptical. He was the one who caught traces of the Cult here after all, and that had been a sheer coincidence during the first time. He highly doubted that the government could adhere to their words but at the very least, they were now made aware of the threat that the cult brings to the table. ** "...oops, I think I need to go." Cedric muttered after reading a message sent to him by Arishem. Erica and her friend Chrissy looked at him before nodding. Their reluctant expressions didn''t escape his notice but he acted ignorant about them. Cause while he enjoyed hanging out with them, he had an important meeting to attend to. He left them after apologizing for cutting their time short before making his way back to his home. Once he was there, he didn''t do much. He just prepared snacks and drinks for his soon-to-be visitors, by the time he''s done, he''s already aware of their presence making his way to where he is. Within a minute after he had set the table, they appeared. He initially wanted to joke about how they had no manners since they didn''t even consider knocking on the door but considering the kind of person Arishem was with, he decided to not do that. They appeared in his living room, they saw him gesturing for them to sit down and the visitors weren''t shy of doing just that. "So nice of you to pay me a visit, Old Man." Cedric grinned at Arishem as soon as he sat down. Then, he looked at the hulking man sitting next to him and his expression turned just a tad bit serious as he acknowledged his presence: "Greetings, City Lord. My name is Cedric Stormrider. Wee to my home." Yes, Arishem came with the City Lord to visit him. Well...more like the City Lord ''insisted'' oning with him. Quoting Arishem''s message earlier: ''Just so you know, I''m visiting you soon. The City Lord ''insisted'' toe with me, so yeah, be prepared I guess. Idk.'' Well, there''s not much he could do about that now, does he? So instead of panicking and all, Cedric just focused on what he could do and hoped that the City Lord wouldn''t get too upset about his hospitality. "Well met, Kid." The City Lord gruffly replied while helping himself with the snacks and drinks he prepared for them. "When this guy told me that another VVIP was hiding in my city, I initially thought it''d be another shrewd old person. To my surprise, I see you. You''re probably the youngest VVIP I''ve met so far." He continued. "Oh geez." Cedric chuckled. "I hope I didn''t leave a bad impression then?" "Nope. Not yet at least. And I hope it continues that way." The City Lord grumbled. Arishem who''s listening on the side did his best to not roll his eyes at the City Lord''s posturing. This guy can be really dishonest sometimes, if he hadn''t known the City Lord for years now, he might''ve been fooled too. "Anyways, how can I help you gentlemen?" Cedric asked. Clearing his throat, Arishem spoke: "Personally, I''m just here to tell you about what happened after the event. While you never showed up physically, your efforts had been a tremendous help to us so I figured that, at the very least, you deserve to know about the things that happened behind the scenes as well as receive a reward for what you''ve done for us." Chapter 76: Rewards He had already expected the things that Arishem wanted to inform him. The government indeed raised its vignce against the cult and is now developing ways to increase its security. Also, the City Lord indeed received some heat from them because the city nearly got destroyed. They also submitted the ''drill'' to the researchers in hopes of discovering ways to counter it. As of now, this was their biggest project since a tool that could siphon vitality from the Ley Lines was something they could not permit to exist. Truth to be told, it wasn''t necessary for Arishem to tell him all of this. Cedric had no ns on entering the murky waters of politics anytime soon and frankly, he could already predict his actions based on the information they release in public. Still, he appreciated the gesture even though the old man was just doing this out of respect and necessity. It seems that the old man was set on forging a good rtionship with him and he''s not against it. "...I see." Cedric sighed after Arishem concluded his reports. "Wait here for a bit. I have to get something...well, someone actually." He didn''t wait for them to reply. He made his way toward the basement and bypassed the security measures he installed there. He then grabbed his captive who was in a suspended death state and brought him to his visitors. "This is...?" Arishem raised a brow. "A cultist of course." Cedric replied, unceremoniously dropping the guy''s body in front of them. "While all of you were busy dealing with the demons and cultist, I caught a response from their SOS. I initially thought that they wouldn''t send reinforcements because that would be bad for them but just in case, I went out to see if some woulde." Cedric exined. Arishem and the City Lord''s eyes narrowed after hearing this. Indeed, this was something that they hadn''t considered. That said, they couldn''t be med because they were dealing with pressing matters back then. "To my surprise, a group of reinforcements dide." Cedric continued, "In truth though, they were not reinforcements but recements." "They intend to use the ongoing chaos to blend with the surroundings and replenish their forces here. They also brought this..." Cedric then took out an item that resembled a g, catching the attention of his visitors. "...this is the tool they used to hide from our senses. This one is an upgraded version though. Thankfully, it''s useless against me. I could see them in as day even with this." "I ambushed them. Confiscated all of the items I deemed important and spared this one to get information from him." He said, he then took out a memory chip which he passed on to Arishem. "That chip contains proof of how the interrogation went. I squeezed out as much as I could from that guy but even so, there''s still a small chance that he''s still hiding something. That said, he''s just an ordinary Team Leader for the Cult I suppose so he''s not bound to know a lot. Most of the things he knew are already recorded on the chip." Arishem and the City Lord looked at him in surprise. Just from a single nce, they could tell that this captive was at least Tier 4 in strength alone. The fact that Cedric, a mere Tier 2, could not only ambush him but also catch him alive for interrogation proves that he''s skilled enough to handle things on his own. The old man looked at the City Lord and thetter nodded at him. Arishem then pocketed the memory chip for safekeeping. "Thank you for covering us. Seriously, depending on how much information you got from him, the rewards we have might not be enough to repay your efforts." Arishem chuckled. "Eh, there''s really no need for that. I''m not reallycking anything so far..." Cedric humbly replied. "That might be the case but still, you deserve this much." The City Lord replied before handing him something. It was a thick book and looked ancient too. The first thing he noticed about it was its smell. He could tell that this book had been passed down to many people already because the faint trace of their scent still lingered on it. Next was the appearance of it. The book was really old. It looked fragile to the point that he was afraid of touching it because he might damage it further. Still, from the way the City Lord carelessly dropped it on him, it seems that the book was at least durable enough. Upon inspecting the book using the system, he was stunned... ** [Record of Laws] : An ancient text filled with information about all sorts of Conceptual Laws. : This book has been created since the dawn of the Superhumans and it has been passed down to the next generation since then. Fabled heroes of the old updated this same book constantly, increasing the knowledge it holds which also increases its value. ** "This is something that a VVIP like you would have ess to in the future anyway." The City Lord didn''t miss Cedric''s surprise expression. "Giving this to you this early only expedites the process, that''s why we think that it might not necessarily be enough topensate you for your efforts." "...this is really valuable." Cedric hesitated, "Can I really keep this?" "See, that''s the thing. You can''t." The City Lord replied directly, not mincing his words. "At most, we can lend this to you for a year and that''s it. I''m certain that you could already tell how ancient this thing is." "This isn''t a copy of the book. It''s the original one. Each page it has is filled with knowledge and traces of nomological insights about Concepts and Laws, making it very valuable. Its durability is low so you have to be cautious of how to handle it." Arishem added on the side. "Again, this is something that you''d have ess to in the future anyway. We''re just giving it too early to help you decide on your path of growth this early so that you won''t have to fumble for a while." The City Lord concluded. Cedric wasn''t upset with this. Not at all. Even though he could only borrow this book for a year, it was already enough for him. Don''t forget, Cedric has perfect memory and he digests information fast, so a year should be more than enough for him to memorize this book from cover to cover. "I won''t refuse it then." Cedric smiled, "It just so happens that I love studying. This is perfect. Thank you." When he said this, he meant it. For Cedric knowledge is the best possible reward he could ever receive from his service. "...here, you can have this too." The City Lord unexpectedly gave him another item. This one looked like a token. It has the royal insignia on it and he also saw initials embedded on its surface. Cedric noticed the astonished expression of Arishem on the side, which made him really curious about what this item was. ** [Starlight Royal Academy''s Token] : A proof of eligibility to partake in the Starlight Royal Academy''s entrance examination. : Note! This item is currently ownerless. : Tip - smear a drop of your blood to this item to bind it to you. ** Cedric inhaled sharply upon finishing his inspection. It turns out to be the Starlight Royal Academy''s Token! No civilized Superhuman wouldn''t know of the Starlight Royal Academy! It wouldn''t be called the ''Breeding Grounds of Legends'' for nothing! Just like the book, the Starlight Royal Academy has existed since the Dawn of Superhumans. It has raised so many Superhumans and almost all of those that left a mark in Humanity''s history once studied here! Hell, even their drop-outs were formidable enough to protect an entire city alone. One had to know, that admission to the Royal Academy was extremely strict. This token only guarantees the right to participate in their entrance exam. No amount of merit could guarantee direct admission to this academy. This token itself isn''t sold anywhere. It is earned by either performing meritorious service or granted by someone of high authority. "This...this is too much." Cedric hesitated greatly upon the implications. "Take it." The City Lord urged. "You deserve it. Besides, your growth will just be stagnated if you remain in my city. Your real stage is there, at the Royal Capital. Perhaps, even the whole world itself. Don''t limit yourself here, you''ve got a bright future ahead of you." This is a staggering faith in his abilities. It''s honestly quite confusing for Cedric that a mere stranger like this guy held that much faith in his skills when he himself still thinks that he has a long way to go. That said, the City Lord might be right. This city is too small for him, everyone in this room knows that too. "I''ll do my best to not disappoint you then." Cedric swore as he epted the token. "d to hear it." The City Lord grumbled before standing up. "Right, that''s all we''re here for. I''ll see you when I see you I guess." And just like that, his visitors left his home, leaving him feelingplicated. Chapter 77: Desperation "...can anybody tell me what happened there?" Inside a dark-lit room, tension stirred as a group of people weren''t able to say anything due to the pressure their facing. Under their hoods, their expressions marred trepidation, fear, and anxiety. The longer the silence went, the heavier the atmosphere became. "It''s either one of you who starts talking or I will start picking people at random to turn into demon food." Everybody chilled upon hearing that threat. "Just so you know, once I start doing thetter, it won''t matter if you start talking. I will still feed you all, one by one, to the demons." "S-Sir! We..." "You, what?" The frightening man raised a brow, waiting patiently for whoever spoke to continue. "W-we''re working hard to investigate what happened." The same man responded, "From what we gathered so far, we could only conclude that the recement group we sent somehow got ambushed." "...that''s it?" The frightening man asked. "That''s it, Sir." The same man replied, "We apologize, Sir, we are working overtime to discover the identity of the party that''s responsible for this and, if we''re able to, we will also try to discover how they managed to intercept our signal." The frightening man stayed silent for a while, which didn''t ease the group of people in front of him at all. Each time he tapped his fingers at the armrest of his seat, the frightened men''s hearts would jump ever so slightly out of fear. Their leader wasn''t the merciful kind despite his rather calm demeanor. He had no qualms about reaping the lives of useless people if he deemed it fit for their punishment. He hates useless people the most, the close second is smart-asses. This is why they''re afraid of him. His threats earlier? They''re not really threats, they''re more like a promise because they knew that he would definitely do that. That''s why anybody who has worked for this man for a while will never try to test his patience. "...five days." Their leader muttered loud enough for everybody to hear. "I will give you all a five-day deadline. Before those five days were up, I wanted a detailed report on my desk. I want to know how they did it, who did it, and every intel they managed to learn from their captives." After saying that, a burst of red fog filled their entire room. Exposed to that red fog, the frightened men felt nauseous and even more scared. In an instant, they all felt like they went through hell and back. Frightening hallucinations attacked their minds mercilessly, causing their souls to shiver upon waking up from their brief nightmare. It didn''t end there either... As soon as they woke up, they were acutely aware that something had invaded their bodies. Upon closer inspection, they saw three worm-like creatures wrapped around their heart, brain, and soul respectively. All of them despaired upon seeing that yet nobody dared to even let out a peep. "You know what will happen if you fail me." The leader decisively said before turning into a fog of blood-red mist dissipating into the air, signifying his departure. Silence pervaded the entire room for a solid five minutes before somebody couldn''t take it anymore and copsed on the floor. The rest soon followed. Only a few managed to stay on their feet but even they had pale faces underneath their hoods. "It''s over...I''m gonna fucking die." The first person to copse despaired, murmuring softly as he refused to get up from his position. "You''re not helping asshole!" Someone harshly red at him upon hearing what he said. "That''s because I''m not trying to help, you stupid bitch! Has all of your concubines drained what''s little left of your cognizance? Tch. Actually, don''t answer that, it doesn''t matter anyway. We''re all gonna die soon." "You..." "Don''t argue now." Someone interjected before the situation devolved even further. "We''re allies here, all in the same sinking boat. If you all want to have even a small chance of surviving, conserve your energy and pour your efforts into the investigation instead. That would be more helpful instead of arguing." "Tch. Easy for you to say." The crestfallen man replied, "We''ve already tried investigating the area numerous times before this and we discovered nothing! Not even a trace of the battle was left! It was a dead end. How are we supposed to submit something in five days? I think it would be better for us to start settling our wills and think of ways to cover up our iing deaths." "Don''t be so pessimistic. Maybe there''s a way out of this. We just have to think carefully." "A way out? Way out of what? These Extinction Worms nted into us? Have you lost your goddamn mind? Even the slightest bit of touch or interference will trigger these worms to kill us right away. The only way out of this is by giving him what exactly he wants, and it''s already established that it''s a dead end so what way out are you talking about?" Extinction Worms are a type of Parasitic Demon Insects. When ches on to a target, they will split into three andtch into their victim''s heart, mind, and spirit. On their own, they will just slowly feed into their victim''s longevity until they dry up. After that, they would search for another target. However, if they were raised by someone and bound through a contract, these worms turn into an excellent deterrent for unruly subjects because, at their master''s will, they will instantly kill their targets. And because they specificallytch into the coreponents of the target''s being that they''re called Extinction Worms. The atmosphere within the room turned even more gloomy upon hearing the logical response of the crestfallen man. Their situation was so despair-inducing that they couldn''t think of any possible ways to solve it. "No! I can''t ept this." Someone calmly dered. "There has to be a way. I didn''t surrender my humanity just to turn into a vessels for these worms! I don''t care if there are no traces left. I will search high and low if necessary. I refuse to die like this!" Having said that, this man turned away and left the ce immediately. They figured that this person would once again survey the area where the recement group disappeared to search for any possible clues. He''s already desperate so he didn''t care even if it was already concluded that there''s nothing there anymore. "Can we maybe plead for leniency?" One of the remaining cultists asked, "I mean, we have contributed to our cause too. At the very least, that has to amount to something, yeah?" "Yeah, it amounts to our continued existence, dumbass." The crestfallen man sneered. "What? Do you think that we''d live this long if we weren''t useful? That might work for others but to that guy? Hell no! Our tenure doesn''t mean shit to him." "To him, we''re just means to an end. Sure, we have contributed to the cult but in the grand scheme of things? We don''t amount to shit. We''re just Branch Managers. We''re all expendable in his eyes." "If I could, I would''ve already killed him for all of his posturing. Fuck this fucking unfair life!" The crestfallen man swore angrily as he picked himself up and left the ce without turning back. Silence returned after he left, but it didn''tst long until someone asked: "What should we do now?" Another frightened voice spoke up. "The more we sit around here doing nothing, the more I''m convinced that we are indeed going to die soon." Nobody could offer anything tofort that. All of them are stuck in the same predicament, and this inactiveness surely wasn''t helping at all. "Hey, do you all think that we can get away with forging a report?" A suggestion was raised, which caught some people''s attention. "borate." "I mean, we''re more or less fucked anyway, so why not take it to the extreme?" The same voice suggested. "The n is we fake a report. Of course, we''ll make it as believable as we could. I mean, we could at least discern what we think our enemies managed to know about us, right? We can also add fake proof of activity while we''re at it." "If pushes to shove, we could send another batch of acolytes as a sacrifice to make all of this even more believable. We just have to be...really creative about this." Many were stunned upon hearing that suggestion. On normal days, they would''ve admonished him for even suggesting this, but with their current predicament, this is no less than a blessing. Everybody seems to be considering this suggestion heavily. So the same one who suggested it decided to add more fuel to the fire... "You know what? Fuck it! I''ll do it myself. I''d appreciate help, of course. If this shit works, then fuck yeah! We all get to live a few more days in this miserable world, you all should thank me and give me some resources for saving your hairy asses." "If it doesn''t work, then hell it is! At the very least, I get to say that I did my absolute damnest to live in this pathetic excuse of a world. Anyways, toodles! I have a report to make." Chapter 78: Breaking News! After he met with the City Lord, Cedric became even more inspired to train more. This is due to the opportunity given to him. He didn''t want to disappoint his guarantor when the time came. Being admitted to the Starlight Royal Academy was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any Superhuman. Even participating in the entrance examinations could broaden their horizons so Cedric wanted to be at his best form once it was time for him to take the exams. It wouldn''t be now though... The minimum requirement to participate in the Starlight Royal Academy''s Entrance Exam was to possess their token, which is already a difficult process in itself. They also wouldn''t ept anybody who hasn''t reached Tier 3 Lv.1 at least, they also wouldn''t ept those who have already reached Tier 5, so even if Cedric had the ability now, he wouldn''t be granted ess to it. Besides, the entrance exam only happens once a year and it already passed, so Cedric would have to wait for a few more months to participate, which is fine since he wasn''t in a hurry. What''s important right now is to increase his strength as best as he can. He still had a lot of growing up to do and he couldn''t underestimate the people he would eventually encounter there. Cedric was also taking his time leveling up. Even though he could theoretically charge through levels like nobody''s business thanks to his invention that could purify Demon Souls, it wouldn''t be wise since his body had to enter a period of natural adjustment each time he levels up to make up with the sudden changes on his body. His body adjusts fast, sure. But he still wanted to be careful since his body was his foundation. Any instability in it will hamper his future growth. Right now, Cedric''s focus was centered around training his Sword Intent and his Sage Arts. With his absurdly highprehension ability, his grasp over the profundity of Sword Intent was rising higher and higher each day that passed. Right now, he could safely use this skill for a whole minute without any consequences. Using the Sword Intent, Cedric could essentially cut through metal as if it were a sheet of paper, effortless. Even materials like; refined metals, heavenly silk, spell armor, and so on. The more potent his Sword Intent was, the easier it would be for him to render any defenses useless. ¡ºSword Intent¡» is at Lv.5. It''s a little slow but it''s growing so he can''tin. In fact, it''s natural for his progress to be slow considering the difficulty ofprehending this skill. As for his ¡ºSage Arts¡», he has: Sunlight Manifestation, Jester''s Mask, True Sunfire, Sunlit Stars, and Luminous Arsenal. ''Sunlight Manifestation'' is a skill that allows him to generate and control True Sunlight despite not having seen a real sun before. True Sunlight and Sunfire are incredibly lethal against demons because they possess evil-vanquishing attributes. Through this skill, he could shape sunlight however he pleased, turning it into lightning spears, swords, concentrated beams orsers, and so on. ''Jester''s Mask'' is the Sage Art of deception. It helps the user to create a disguise that cannot be seen through normal means possible. It allows for aprehensive transformation to the point that even the user''s thumbprint changes. It can also be used to suppress one''s power, making them seem weaker than they actually are. ''True Sunfire'' is the counterpart skill of Sunlight Manifestation. It summons fire that could eventually grow as hot as the Sun''s temperature, maybe even surpassing it through the right means. Just like Sunlight Manifestation, this skill allows Cedric to shape and generate True Sunfire ording to his will. As his current expertise at this skill, he could reach temperatures as hot as 2000¡ãC, which is enough to cause severe damage to anything it touches and it''s nowhere near done growing. He''s only ever limited by his own Tier and Level. Sadly, he never had any chance to get much experience handling the current maximum temperature he could reach because; 1. This temperature is already enough to kill any avable targets he has, and 2. His current weapon arsenal couldn''t endure such a high heat like that, they would melt in his hands if he ever tried. He really should buy new equipment for himself but right now, he truly has no immediate need for his so he''s putting it on the sidelines. ''Sunlit Stars'' is a zoning type of skill. It spawns an energy construct which also serves as a turret that he could ''set and forget''. They automatically target everything he deems as an enemy, shooting them with Sunfire-infused projectiles. And finally, there''s ''Luminous Arsenal''. A skill that essentially extends the area of his attacks. Using it will summon a giant arsenal to strike his foes that follow the trajectory of his attacks, increasing its area and lethality. For example; if Cedric was in the middle of swinging his sword horizontally and he used this skill to go along with it, a giant gold-ted sword would suddenly appear, swinging down at the general vicinity of where he struck. Its reach would be about ten times the range of his sword. Note, that his Sword Intent applies to this as well. So one could only imagine how fearsome this skill could get. With how absurd this skill could get, it became one of Cedric''s favorites, actually. All of these skills are wrapped into the skill ¡ºSage Arts¡», so the more he trained them, the higher the skill''s level increased. On another note; ¡ºLightspeed¡» could also be considered a part of ¡ºSage Arts¡», he doesn''t know why it was given to him separately but he was notining. With the growth of the ¡ºLightspeed¡» skill, his speed was steadily approaching the true speed of light. Once he maxed this skill out, speed of light would be his actual speed and it wouldn''t have a cooldown anymore. Who knows? Maybe he could even figure out a way to go faster than light. Aside from these skills, there are still more skills listed under ¡ºSage Arts¡», Cedric just didn''t practice everything he saw in there because he wanted to focus on what he got so far. There a few skills that he would like to learn soon but right now, what he has is sufficient enough. Actually, it wouldn''t be wrong to say that he''s already loaded with absurdly powerful skills. Considering that he''s only Tier 2, this could already be considered cheating, however, he doesn''t mind that. With how dangerous this world is, the more absurdly powerful he gets, the more he can secure his existence. That''s why he''s not opposed to cheating since nothing''s fair in this world anyway. ** Done with today''s training, Cedric could be found rxing in his living room, casually eating some snacks while watching random videos online. He was initially expecting this day to be rather dull just like the previous days he had however, the sudden breaking news changed his perception about that. "We apologize for interrupting our regr programs. We just received news from the Climate Oversight Beaureu (COB) that we are expecting the arrival of a ck Sky as early as next week." "The prediction of the experts about the ck Sky''s intensity for all areas will be disyed on the screen right now. We strongly suggest that everybody cooperate with authorities to prepare for the uing disaster for it would increase your chance of survival." "That''s all we have for now. We will be updating you in real-time should any changes ur. Thank you for listening, god bless you all." "...a ck Sky, huh? It''s been a while since that happened. Thest time was about three years ago." Cedric calmly recalled. The ck Sky refers to a unique change in climate that happened once the corruption of the world entered a specific degree. This phenomenon originates from the Outer World due to the sheer density of corruption out there. This event not only darkens the sky, as its name implies, but it also causes all Demons nearby to enter a berserk state. It''s always certain that every time a ck Sky urs, a Demon Horde will follow. And since the experts were anticipating that the ck Sky would hit the Human Civilization, that also means that everybody should expect Demon Hordes to attack. Spreading his senses out, Cedric picked up signs of distress and panic from his surroundings. As expected, this was bad news for everybody. What makes this worse is that the experts predicted that the intensity of the ck Sky that would affect the ck Thread City would be Level 3, which usually means that not only will his ck Sky attract a farrger Demon Horde than normal, but it would alsost for days, maybe even weeks. The city just barely managed to safely defend itself from the sudden appearance of Tier 5 Demons thanks to the cult, now all of sudden, there''s anotherrge threat looming over it. Cedric sighed as he retracted his field of senses. The ck Sky is already a threat on its own and he also believes that the cult will not let this chance pass. "This is turning out to be arger headache than before." Chapter 79: Prelude "...the worst that could happen is a breach in the city''s defenses," Cedric murmured as he stared out the window and into the sky. Anybody who had clear eyesight could tell that the sky was already darkening. It gives off an impression that a storm wasing but everybody knows that that''s not the case. This was the early signs of a ck Sky. "ording to the recent predictions, the ck Sky will ur early tomorrow." He mused, "Not much has changed, they are still expecting that the ck Thread City will encounter a Lv.3 intensity ck Sky." Spreading his senses out ever so slightly, he could feel the tension in the air. He could smell and feel people''s fear from where he was. It''s to be expected though since they''ll be encountering a fierce natural disaster in a couple of hours. Everybody was making their own preparations. Some of those who were weaker and less confident decided to apply for the nearest shelter to them, seeking the protection of the military. Other capable Superhumans aren''t as willing to abandon their homes and decide to stay, fortifying their houses as much as they can in case of emergency. Cedric could also sense how busy the government became under this threat. Soldiers could be seen running around, going door to door, to inform citizens about the ck Sky just in case they need it and offering them security options. They''re also handing out rations this early to the less fortunate people who might suffer the most either by their stubbornness or overconfidence. They have visited them too but Cedric had no ns on taking refuge within their bunkers because he''s more confident about surviving this disaster on his own. Right now, he doesn''t like the idea of sharing his fate with a huge group of people. Cedric still couldn''t bring himself topletely trust the government with his life. Sure, he had worked with them a few times but it''s mostly out of necessity. A Lv.3 intensity ck Sky was bound to be fierce. It will carryrge groups of Demons along with it and a potent cloud of pure corruption from the Outer World. The city''s defenses are good but he doubts that it''s good enough to handle this kind of disaster. He could also tell that the authorities here were understaffed, but that was no longer his problem. "I''ve reworked the formation installed in my home. Strengthened it and made sure that it was working properly. With how fortified my home was, I''m pretty sure it could survive a direct hit from a nuke...not that that''s any special. Many buildings around this city could do the same, but for an individual''s house like mine, that should suffice." The formation in his house was also enchanted to be less visible to anybody nearby. He had taken inspiration from thest Cult Base he found and applied the same thing to his house because it''s gonna be useful. Doing this also maxed out his skills as a Scribe, as well as all skills rted to it. If he wants to, he could choose to apply for another Sub-ss but that''s not important right now. The ck Sky is a more pressing matterpared to choosing which Sub-ss he should learn next. His senses scanned the neighborhood. He then discovered that only a handful of people stayed there including him. Most of them immediately left once the announcement was made. Erica was also not here. She told him that she''d be seeking refuge with her rtives near the core area of the city. That''s a lie though, Cedric could tell. By now, Cedric already put the pieces together. He knew that Erica was a member of the Outer World Expedition Team (OWET). She''s also fairly strong and important from what he had gathered so far. He guessed that she might''ve received a request from the government to lend her aid to the defense of the city. She was not in a position to ignore the call so she left to participate. Well, it could also be for an entirely different reason too. Cedric''s not omnipotent after all, but he''s fairly confident that he''s right. Since he was done with his preparations, Cedric used his time to rx instead. He already did everything he could possibly do to protect his home with his current strength and abilities. The next part relies on the test itself. Another problem that might show up, however, was the cult. Cedric already dealt with them once and he already experienced how rigid and stubborn they could get. He wouldn''t be surprised if they decided to take advantage of the ck Sky to infiltrate the city once more. They''d probably do so amidst the chaos. He already informed Arishem about his prediction. The old man has to reply though, but he knows that the old man already saw his message, so it''s up to them now. "I guess I''ll just help when they''re pushed into a corner." He mused to himself as he took a sip of his tea. Arishem should be incredibly busy right now, so he didn''t me the old man for not replying. He actually pitied the old man since, at his age, he should be ying with his grandkids and taking afternoon naps. Instead, he has to run around here and there to make sure that the city remains standing. Cedric''s not envious of his fate at all. And if Arishem was already like this, just imagine how worse it was for the City Lord. He sighed at their fate and said: "...such is the life of a civil servant, I suppose." **** The hours that came made the surroundings darker and darker. Night seemingly came early because of it. In each hour that passed, the anxiety of people gradually became more intense. They''re frantically close to panicking right now, and Cedric could only sigh at that. He vaguely recalled how hisst experience of the ck Sky went. He was still at the RMC at that time, protected by the wardens and the Chief. Since the ce was heavily fortified and the ck Sky was at its lowest intensity, it wasn''t all that terrible. Actually, now that he thought about it, he pretty much just stayed in his cell the entire time. He could even vaguely recall hoping for a Demon to be lucky and head straight to him to end his miserable existence. Yep, he was suicidal at the time, that''s already been established. Fortunately, it never happened because if it did, then he wouldn''t have experienced his current life. The folks at the RMC held on just fine. The ck Sky onlysted for a whole day before dissipating. There were no casualties either. Judging from the prediction list of the experts, the Blue Jewel Valley will only experience a Lv.1 intensity ck Sky, so it would just be a repeat of thest time. The folks over there should be fine. A couple more hours passed and the surroundings turned even darker. Usually, though fake as they might be, the streets will still be slightly illuminated by the stars in the sky or the gentle gleam of moonlight. However, because of the ck Sky''s steady march, bleak darkness enveloped the entire city. "Surprisingly, my senses remain unimpeded still." Cedric mused to himself. Indeed, even with the nket of darkness covering the entire city, Cedric could still use his senses clearly. The people around him, however, were already feeling dread creeping up to them. Surprisingly, Cedric didn''t even bother turning off the lights in his house. He freely used electricity as he pleased because it was still avable somehow. Even if it doesn''t, he had generators ready to use just in case. He didn''t bother doing anything to lower the visibility of his house because the formation he installed was already doing that. Besides, he''s confident enough to be left behind here so it really wasn''t a big deal. It was then that he suddenly felt a faint shift around him. Under his observation, darkness seemingly swirled and became even heavier. That was then followed by the potent stench of corruption rising constantly. This was the sign that the ck Sky was starting... Without needing to look outside, Cedric saw the darkness swirling above the city while releasing potent corruption. The feeling was all too familiar to everybody because of their Hell Dives, only this time, the corruption was heavier. Maybe it''s because it came from the Outer World. Who knows? Cedric sensed panic rising amongst the citizens. This was a sign that the others felt it starting as well or at the very least, guessed it. "It has already reached Lv.1 intensity in just a few minutes..." Cedric whispered as he continued observing his surroundings. The air turned murky all of a sudden. A sinking feeling struck everybody''s heart as they sensed it. The foreboding sense of dread intensified as if their instincts were rming them of what was toe. Then...they heard it. It was faint at first but it was unmistakable. A faint snarling from a distance outside of the city walls. Everybody''s heart tightened at that. It was then followed by tremors and the sudden descent of killing intent nketing this city. That sign was unmistakable now. ...the Demon Horde has arrived. Chapter 80: Black Sky Horde The stench of Demons was all too familiar to Cedric. And because his home was near the outer edges of the city, his field of senses caught sight of them earlier than everybody else. Just a reminder, these aren''t Purgatory Demons. Killing them won''t reward them with Demon Souls. These demons however are the real deal, and they''re deadlier than their Purgatory counterparts. Additionally, these demons will be under the influence of the ck Sky. They''re bound to be in the ''Berserk State'', making them more aggressive and irrational. The soldiers should be prepared to face them in this state. In a surprising turn of events however, the moment the city scouts reported the sight of the first few demons of the horde, they sent a signal to theirrades, and all of a sudden, light emerged from the city. "...ah! So that''s why there''s a Lighthouse there." Cedric was suddenly enlightened. This Lighthouse was something had seen multiple times during his tour of the city. At first, he was puzzled about its functions since it was built in the middle of the city no less, but now that it shone a light that contested the darkness of the ck Sky, he understood its purpose. The light of the Lighthouse illuminated the entire city, enough to not only restore visibility in everybody''s surroundings but also to give hope to its citizens. ''Unfortunately, it doesn''t contain the essence of Sunlight. If it did, then it would''ve helped immensely against Demons.'' Cedric mused to himself. Though thinking about it some more, it was unfortunately expected to be like this. After all, the majority of people who were born after the Cataclysm only knew about the fake Sun, which they still think was real. So it wasn''t surprising that none of them knew how to replicate what true sunlight feels like. He would''ve boasted about his ability to recognize True Sunlight, but that''s only because of his ss, and lord knows that he was lucky to have encountered that so this wasn''t something he could be proud of. Still observing his surroundings, Cedric saw how the first wave of the horde arrived near the city. They were met with open fire from the soldier stationed at the walls of course. The sound of the sh drowned the entire city, producing aftershocks all over the ce. Cedric saw mounted turrets and cannons installed on top of the walls, recklessly bombarding the iing wave of threats. Each shell left a trail of fire that burned demons to crisp, spreading as far as the eye could see as well. This would''ve been a decent strategy if it weren''t for the fact that some Demons of the horde were highly resistant to fire. Still, the fires were enough to lessen the number of demons trying to scale the walls or knock them down. Aside from bombardment, the soldiers also had to be wary of the flying units. To counter those, they hired several people who have long-range superiority to deal with them. He had seen archers raining down arrows to pin down their targets, mages chucking elemental projectiles left and right hoping to hit at least a single target, and so on... Overall, the initial response towards the horde was satisfactory. The defense was holding up well and strong under the assault. However, this is just the beginning... "...you better pace yourselves people." Cedric sighed, "This is going to be a long fight, you better conserve your energy wisely. A Lv.3 intensity ck Sky mightst for an entire week, and the horde it brings will berge. If you go all out now, you''ll run out of gas pretty soon." If he could think about this, naturally others would be able to. He didn''t know how far the City Lord and his men nned to deal with this so all he could do was hope that they had a decent response for following developments at least. Still, he continued observing the situation in thefort of his home while also paying attention to other things, such as monitoring the gaps in the City''s defenses and paying attention to the online broadcast of news channels. The ck Sky was happening across the continent. Many cities and states are experiencing it at this current moment. The reporters were doing their best to ry real-time informationing from this ce to inform their audience about it. "...the casualties are piling up at other cities." Cedric clicked his tongue as he just received the news. Unfortunately, other cities were unprepared for this disaster despite being informed a few days prior. As a result, they''re having a difficult time defending against the horde that came with it. The government was trying to send reinforcements to these cities but it was going to take time before they could arrive. By then, their casualties might climb up even higher. At the same time as he learns of that, he also discovers that another wave from the horde arrived. The following wave wasrger and more resistant to the bombardment. With a quick scan, Cedric counted at least five thousand of them attacking the city from all sides. It''s also in this wave that the army of the city faced their first batch of casualties, and they were caused by Insect Demons. Insect Demons are probably the most hated demon type ever. Not only were they disgusting to look at in general, but they were also extremely troublesome to deal with. They took on the form of locusts, bugs, worms, etc. They also have varying sizes but the majority of them were bound to be on the smaller side. However, despite being small, they are not to underestimated. As an example, a nest of Insect Demon type called: ''Hell Hos'' was more than enough to eliminate all life in this city if nothing they got in sessfully. They are incredibly swift and their stings were so potent that they could easily kill any unsuspecting targets. The pesky little buggers weren''t just nasty in appearance, they''re deadlier when biting too. He saw a few people dropping dead from sudden poisoning, screaming from excruciating pain, or downright exploding out of nowhere. Due to the shing lights and the hectic atmosphere on top of the walls, the Insect Demons were less noticeable, allowing them to weave through the projectiles being thrown around everywhere unscathed. Of course, their first cause of action was to eliminate the humans who were trying to impede their way into the city. And they did just that. Fortunately, the soldiers managed to discover them right after the first round of casualties urred, so the amount of injured/dead people slowed down. The soldiers were told to increase their vignce without stopping the bombardment. As much as the Insect Demons were a threat to them, they just can''t afford to stop firing at the rest who are stilling through from the thick ck fog surrounding the city. Cedric saw the City Lord watching all of this ur from a distance. He was surrounded by several people with the ability to monitor the situation from afar, sharing what they knew with him and making reports in real time. Arishem was also with him. Both of them stayed here since it was not yet time for them to join the battle. Even with the casualties they had so far, the situation as a whole was still manageable so they weren''t needed just yet. So far, Cedric has only seen Tier 3 Demons from the horde and there are only a few of them that have shown up so far. Their current level of defense has been enough to deal with them so he agreed that both the City Lord and Arishem weren''t needed just yet. ''Beast Demons, Insect Demons, and Avian Demons...'' Cedric mused to himself, ''So far, it''s these types of demons that I see the most. This tells me that the nearest Outer World from the ck Thread City should be a Great Jungle or Mountain Range.'' He could guess this much thanks to the added information he analyzed from the online broadcast. The types of Demons attacking them aren''t the same from one city-state to the next. Through the process of elimination, he deduced that the demon types they''d be facing must depend on what kind of Outer World was near their city. ''Not like knowing that helps...at the very least, this tells me that I should expect greater numbers of Demonsing this way because of that. After all, whether it''s a Great Jungle/Rainforest or a Mountain Range, both are crawling with tons of Demons.'' This actually made him worried because the number of Demons appearing so far didn''t match his expectations. Not that it''s too much, it''s the opposite¡ª, there''s too little. Which made him assume that there must be more hiding at the very far back, or at least, making their way here. Unfortunately, his field of senses couldn''t reach that far so he had no way of confirming this. Though he had a sneaking suspicion that he was right. Speaking of his field of senses...he noticed a strange movement amidst all the chaos. After focusing on that, a grimace made its way to his face. "I knew it...you pests wouldn''t miss this chance to imnt more chaos to this city." Cedric snarled as he abruptly stood up. Chapter 81: City Under Siege "Hold steady! Be alert!" "Pace yourselves everyone! We''re in for the long haul!" "Damn pests! Die!" "Aim properly! How can you even miss when there arerge clusters of them? Are you dumb!?" "Watch out for the Insect Demons, they could somehow avoid the bombardment." The cacophony of screams and shouts echoed atop the city walls. The current situation was too hectic for everybody and the atmosphere was tense. Down and outside the city, the growing see of horrors were inly visible to them. The horde of demons was seemingly endless. Some of them actually wonder if they had enough artillery shells to support this long-term bombardment. This defense will surely cost the city a lot. Thankfully, even with all the chaos so far, the situation was fairly stable. Only a handful of demons were able to survive the bombardment and those who did were dealt with swiftly by their ground troops. The sudden appearance of the Insect Demons threw them off guard for a bit but that has passed now. People just don''t have time to linger at the surprise. If they do, more of them will die. Thankfully, everybody who''s participating in this defense had experience and could adjust swiftly. So far, they''ve seen Beast Demons, Insect Demons, and Avian Demons. If anybody was counting the horde so far, they must''ve lost count already due to how hectic it is here. The ck Sky was really horrible. Thankfully, the Lighthouse provides them with sufficient brilliance to see their enemies. This battle would''ve been lost before it started if they didn''t have that around. Of course, the Lighthouse was strictly defended as well. Even though it was near the core of the city, far from the heat of the battle and invulnerable so far, they just couldn''t let it be without protection since it was crucial for the defense. It will only take one deranged fool to turn that thing off and the city will be destroyed. They can''t be having that. On the east side of the city walls, the siege looked more intense. The number of demons appearing on this side seems to be greaterpared to other sides. This caused the people who were originally stationed here to ask for reinforcements, and they received it. Still, they''re having a more difficult time even with the backup. Thankfully though, someone came to help them out greatly... BOOM! BOOM! A woman fired off beams of concentrated magical energy towards the horde, decimatingrge clusters at once. Her face was solemn and chilling, one could even say that she''s disgusted right now. She twirled her wooden staff and summoned numerous cial spears behind her. She then pointed her staff at the horde below and the spears flew off. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The ground shook when the cial spearsnded, the attack itself leftrge clusters of sharp icicles behind that formed a wall, slowing down the advancement of the horde. Some demons foolishly tried to break the icicle wall while some cleverly evaded it. The woman didn''t seem to care about how they dealt with herst attack because she was already casting another one. This time, four magical circles appeared behind her as she mmed the butt of her staff on the ground. She closed her eyes and concentrated, she then focused her mana on the medium andunched a spell that caused gravity to lose its meaning. Numerous demons started floating, and even the flying ones lost control over their body. The spell seemed to affect a 1km zone where gravity was nullified. Then, from behind her, the magical circles shed and releasedrge meteorites oozing withva. She then shot it at the floating enemies, burying them in the residual pool ofva that herst spell left behind. The humans who witnessed her might be d that she was on their side, they couldn''t help but admire her sheer skill at weaving one spell after another. Herst attack actually disyed her ability to dual-cast spells, which is a rat ability even amongst the army of mages that have gathered in this city. This woman is Francine Monalise, also known as; the ''Prodigal Witch''. She''s an A-rank Superhuman Mage who reached Tier 5. Her ss is called the ''Elemental Witch'' - a legendary tier ss which she bought from the shop. Also, she came from a wealthy family, like a really, really wealthy family. She''s considered a genius because of her innate aptitude and willingness to pursue the path of a Mage, but her real strength lies in her wealth, why else would she be called the ''Prodigal Witch'' then? Almost all of the expensive skills that the System Shop offered? She has it in her possession. She even learned most of them and could use them effectively in battle. ording to what the public knows, Francine knows and uses at least 30 powerful spells, which should''ve been impossible. Additionally, her equipment was also the most expensive stuff avable on the market. Technically, she shouldn''t be able to learn more than 10 spells at her level and even with her ss. But this was only applicable to those who couldn''t afford the means to buy items that give them additional Spell Slots. Francine? She has a bracelet that allows her to add 10 more Spell Slots equipped, and she has two of them. Money has never been a problem for her. Even with the way she wantonly spends her inheritance, she would still have enough to live for at least five lifetimes, that''s how wealthy her family was. But while most people are dazzled with her ability to wantonly spend money, even granting her the monicker of the Prodigal Witch in the process, her alignment was very much clear from the way she performed at the city defense. She hates demons to her core. Not only she''s disgusted by their existence, she abhors them for some reason. It is said that the reason why she''s learning all sorts of spells, not minding how much money she wastes by doing so, was to ensure that she''d have sufficient firepower to deal with them by herself. And behind all the glitter and mour she exudes, people can''t deny that she has talent. Buying all sorts of spells to learn was one thing, sessfully learning them and using them effectively was entirely different. Right, Francine was also one of the VVIPs in the city. Rumor has it that she bought her way to this status, which shouldn''t be possible, but like what was mentioned, Francine''s family was really rich. With that much wealth, the means avable to her would be numerous so the rumor might just be correct. ''I should really pace myself here...they said that the ck Sky wouldst for a week at most. It hasn''t even been a day since this started.'' She mused inwardly while weaving spells at the enemy. ''But damn it! These demons are just really insufferable! They''re irritating to look at! Seeing them just irks me to the point of violent hostility!'' Boom! Boom! Boom! ''Whatever, I''ve got a lot of options to restore my mana anyway. If I run out of it, I could always just buy more. I''m sure the System Shop will never run out of them.'' Because of her deep-seated hatred against demons, it took little to no convincing to have help with the city''s defense. Arishem visited her once the announcement was made and he didn''t need to say much to get her help. Hell, she even nearly volunteered for it. Actually, yeah she is a volunteer. While the rest were promisedpensation should the city survive this event, Francine has no need for it. Even if they wanted to pay her, she wouldn''t ept it because, to her, any rewards she might receive here would just be a spare change in her eyes due to her staggering wealth. So yes, she might as well be a volunteer. "Hmm?" Francine seemingly sensed something strange, causing her to peel her attention away from the enemies below her. She turned towards the city and narrowed her eyes. She scanned her surroundings for a bit but failed to notice anything strange. She was skeptical at first but after failing to notice anything, she shook her head. ''I could''ve sworn I sensed something just now...'' she mused inwardly. She sensed a presence brushing near her range. It was faint and it didn''t linger so she wasn''t able totch to it. However, because everything happened too fast, she thought that must''ve thought wrong. ''Must be some kind of demon using illusions then.'' She thought to herself before nodding, ''Yeah, that makes sense. These demons are cunning and wretched. I wouldn''t put it past them to resort to such means.'' Having that thought, her hatred against demons was re-ignited. Once again, she released a volley of spells at the horde below. The matter of that mysterious presence was thrown at the far corners of her mind, reced by the sheer need to kill more demons to appease her anger. Unfortunately for her, she was wrong this time. She did feel a presence, she just failed to see them because her means weren''t sufficient enough. However, that''s fine. What she failed to notice was spotted by someone within the city. She didn''t need to worry because that someone would deal with the thing she missed. Chapter 82: Interception The n was simple... Take the Advanced Heaven Shrounding te and activate it to hide their movements. Stay away from the direct line of fire and observe the situation from afar. Find a hole in their defenses, there would be some due to how hectic the situation is, and once it is discovered, use that to infiltrate the city. Once they''re inside the city, they must find an inauspicious spot to set their temporary base. They must make sure to hide their movements and be extra careful because everybody would be on high alert. Once their guard was down, blend in and re-establish the presence of the cult in this city. Really, they have all the means to achieve their goals. They''ve been given sufficient supplies to ensure the sess of the n. They were careful all the way through and so far, nothing went wrong. So why...? Why is it that somebody was waiting for their arrival? This person even seemed amused at the way they hid themselves when it shouldn''t have been possible for them to be seen! The first half of the n went through smoothly... Superhumans of the ck Thread City were indeed too busy to notice their movement. Hell, even if they weren''t, the Heaven Shrouding te should''ve essentially turned them invisible to all senses. The Demon Hoard was strong, as expected from a Lv.3 intensity ck Sky. The humans were holding on but the cultist knew that this was just the beginning. They''ve seen the part of the horde that humans haven''t seen yet and truthfully, it''d be difficult for this city to get out unscathed from this attack. If they turned out to be weak and couldn''t handle the rest of the horde, then it''s perfect! This city will turn into ruins, a ce that will fall under the hands of the cult! It''d be great if the ck Sky swallowed this entire city! And so, using the gap in their defenses from their observations, they infiltrated the city. They had a close shave with Francine. She seemed to have sensed them briefly and that made them nervous. Fortunately, though, her instincts were no match against the prowess of the Heaven Shrouding te and they sessfully moved past her. Inwardly, they were already feeling jubnt. They managed to get into the city because of that. They kept their guard up of course since the City Lord was around but deep down, they were already grasping their sess since not even the City Lord could see through the tool they were using. ...the City Lord failed to sense them back then, with the improved version of the tool, it should be even more difficult for that old man to sense them. That''s why they were already thinking that they''ve seeded. But just as they were about to search for a spot to set up a temporary camp, they encountered him. Nobody saw where he came from. He wasn''t deliberately hiding, but if it weren''t for someone from their side spotting him, they would''ve missed him altogether. The man wore a mask that covered half of his face. He had long crimson-red hair, wearing a scarletbat suit with pauldrons on the joints. A sword was slung on his back and on his waist, a pair of guns were holstered. He sat by the roof with an amused expression, looking down at them. Yes, he''s looking at them. They even tested if he could truly see them by moving ces but to their absolute surprise, his gaze was following them closely. All of them felt chills running down their spine when they realized that. Who is he? Why is he here? Could it be that he was expecting them toe? More importantly, how the hell could he see them? Not even the City Lord could see them so howe this man could? The atmosphere suddenly turned tense when they saw him standing up. He then jumped down andnded right in front of them. The group of cultists drew their weapons in trepidation, feeling the pressure of the unknown man in front of them. "You people are seriously annoying." The man''s gritty voice echoed in their ears. There''s no mistaking it now. He indeed sees them, and now he''s even talking to them. There were no people around except for them and there was no way that this man just happens to monologue in this exact spot. "I thought you all would''ve learned your lesson and never stepped foot into this city ever again." He sighed, "Did you honestly think that just by adding a few more symbols into that formation of yours, you''d be perfectly invisible? If so, then congrats, you all are the most delusional people I have ever met." After saying that, the man snapped his fingers...that''s when things started to truly spiral downwards for them. A dome of light flickered for the briefest of moments around them. Had it not for them being on guard, they would''ve probably missed it. But even if they sensed it, they remained helpless anyway as it happened too fast for them to react. And then, under their dumbstruck gazes, the tool that they''re so proud of, the same tool that they''re capitalizing on to annex this city and use it to elerate their grand scheme, let out sparks and malfunctioned. It even got destroyed beyond repair without them knowing how... Without their tool, their invisibility wore off. The cultists then felt naked all of a sudden. All of their confidence, their bravado, dissipated like snow under the re of sunlight. "Unfortunately for you, my senses are far sharper than most. Your pathetic tool is nothing more than a mere curtain to my eyes. Also, I''ve seen that thing before. The ones that tried to rece the pests we purged took one with them and I''ve confiscated it." The man''s words caused their stomachs to sink even lower. "I''ve studied it, learned everything I need to know about it. Hell, I could even make a better one if I wanted to. At the same time, I also know how to effectively disable it like I just did." He continued. "You all are trapped here with me. You can try to ask for help from your superiors, of course, you could even tell them what I just told you all. Though I can''t guarantee that it will reach them. I don''t want too much attention right now, you see." They easily understood what he was implying. Long story short, they''re fucked. The only way they could get out of here alive was by killing this man and hiding in in sight within this city. Leaving this ce right now would be suicide since most of the Superhumans were on high alert. "So, what''s it going to be gentlemen?" He asked them with a mocking smile. "Are we going to fight to death or y''all just content looking at my handsome visage? Either way''s fine with me, so you pick." "Kill him! He''s alone!" There''s really not much to say after that. This was their only way out. So long as this man was around, none of their ns would work. The longer they wait, the more dangerous their situation bes. As soon as their field leader made a decision, all of them came at the man with the intent to kill. There were no traces of mercy in their movements. Each one was determined to end the existence of the man before them to ensure their safety. Sadly for them, this doesn''t change anything. They should''ve known that a man who could confront them fearlessly must be really confident about his chances. They shot him with bullets, magic, poison-coated weapons, etc. Some even scattered traps around him, hoping to limit his movements and make him suffer, others charged directly at him with cold weapons oozing with sinister intent. There were around 20 of them around, and each one attacked the man with the intent to kill. Sadly, before any of their attacksnded, the man disappeared like a ghost, leaving behind an afterimage that seemed to be mocking them. Bang! Bang! Bang! They didn''t even see thating. None of them saw how he moved or when he drew his guns to fire a hail of bullets towards them. It happened so fast that none of them were able to react to it. As a result, all of them were injured. Some were shot at less-threatening spots while others were immediately killed on the spot. The sense of crisis escted like no other. But before they could even make any sort of n to respond to this, their enemy was already moving. Again, everything happened way too fast. They only saw a sh of light zooming past them, and that''s thest thing they saw. All 20 cultists who were initially jubnt of their sess at infiltrating the ck Thread City, died with overwhelming regrets. If they had it their way, none of them would be a part of the cult, much less be here to do this thankless task that led to their deaths. After dealing with the pesky cultist under a fake identity, Cedric sighed in relief before cleaning up the scene. Once he was done, he surveyed his surroundings onest time to make sure that he didn''t miss a spot. Satisfied, he dashed back home, not even bothering to lend aid to those fighting atop the city walls. ...they don''t need his help right now, anyway. Chapter 83: Eruption of Gold It''s been days since the ck Sky started at the ck Thread City... The poor soldiers who defended the city were extremely exhausted. Looking at their faces, this was clearly visible, some even ran out of energy altogether and fainted. Even those who boasted of having a lot of stamina were down for the count. It''s already a miracle that some of them were even standing at this point. The city walls had seen better days. It''s battered and severely damaged in some ces. There had been a few holes here and there but most of them had been closed up to prevent demons from using it to infiltrate the city. So far, despite the army being battered, their defense was still holding up as best as it could. It was incredible but it''s also a product of desperation. The city must hold on, after all... The only reason why the city still stands is because of the reinforcements. The ck Sky ended early in other cities and those who were willing to help were sent to cities that were still being sieged by demons. It''s really difficult to endure the ceaseless discharge of demonsing from practically nowhere. The corruption that the ck Sky brought with wasn''t helping either. There were some people who caved into the temptation and needed to be restrained because corruption took hold of their minds. Still, the defense must go on. Humanity already lost a few cities and inds due to the ck Sky these past few days, everybody knows that they must work hard to make sure that this city won''t fall into the hands of demons too. Cedric observed the entire situation in thefort of his home. He felt slightly guilty for not helping but he shamelessly endured it. He knows that they could still hold on and they don''t need his help just yet. If they do, he would know and he will take action. Besides, this works as a test for Humanity altogether. It also serves as a reminder that their fight against the Demon Race wasn''t done just yet. This pressure will pave the way for geniuses to shine and discover more about themselves and their abilities. He already saw it happening during the past few days, which bolstered his decision to stay put until he''s absolutely needed. Having this line of thought made him sound arrogant, but at the same time, Cedric was aware of what he could do. There is a high chance that one move from him could turn the situation around. He doesn''t want to expose himself just yet because if moved too early, the flow of the battle might develop into something disadvantageous for them. Cedric was also on the lookout for any signs of the cult trying to infiltrate the city again. He wouldn''t put it past them to send another team just to make sure that their n seeded. So far, he hasn''t sensed anything yet, but just in case, he will keep paying attention to his surroundings, being very careful not to miss a detail. **** Two more days passed and the ck Sky was nearing its end ording to the predictions... Since they said that a Lv.3 intensity ck Sky will onlyst for a week, this should be thest day of the ck Thread City''s suffering. Those who were still holding on gritted their teeth and persevered. It''s down to thest few hours. After this, the city will be safe and everybody can rest. Some people looked at the swirling dark clouds above the city, cursing it and hoping for it to go away soon. Compared to the first day, the ck Sky had visibly thinned out. Some rays of fake sunlight were passing through it, which was a great sign. Still, unless this thingpletely goes away, nobody can rx just yet. More reinforcements came to the city to help defend it. They were a weed addition because lord knows this city needs it. At this point, Tier 5 Demons were showing up from the dark fog, wanting to tear down the city walls. With how exhausted the army was, they had to rely upon the reinforcements to kill them, if they couldn''t, then at least send them back from where they came from. Even as the ck Sky faded ever so slightly with each hour that passed, the horde was still restless and they continued appearing despite many people''s prayers for them to stop. It wouldn''t be wrong to assume that the horde should be weakening now that the ck Sky was almost over, however that''s just not how it works. In fact, the closer the ck Sky was to ending, the more feral the demons became. Boom! Boom! Boom! All of a sudden, the city shook to its foundations. Arge explosion caught most people''s attention and it wasing from the west side of the city. "City Lord, it''s bad! The west side wall has been breached!" One of the exhaustedmanders of the city''s army reported. Actually, even if he didn''t say anything, the City Lord already knew what happened. As soon as the soldier was done reporting, the City Lord was already leaving his post. "I''ll go. You all stay here and make sure the Lighthouse remains untouched." The City Lordmanded. Before he could receive a reply, the City Lord already disappeared from their site. With astonishing speed, he dashed towards the wrecked side of the city to help them out. When he arrived, he saw Demons pouring into the breach. The injured and panicked defenders were doing their best to hold them back, limiting their movements or outright immobilizing them to prevent them from going any further. In a burst of surprising speed, the City Lord apprehended the demons, catching most who were trying to tear down the nearby buildings and reducing them to meat pastes. Once he was sure that there were no stragglers, he showed up near the breach and stomped hard. He caused rubble to rise to the skies. He then jumped, caught the rubble, and started throwing it to all demonkind he saw. He wasn''t throwing them carelessly too, he was deliberately throwing them in a way that would build a funnel on the breach to limit the movement of demons. When he was done, the funnel was made around the bridge. The City Lord stood proudly at the end of the funnel with arms crossed and a cigar in his mouth. He then saw the feral demons charging towards him so he grinned. He clenched his fists and cocked them back. He then threw a punch which caused the space to copse in front of him, causing a vacuum to explode. Demons who weren''t able to escape his attack exploded into bits and pieces after receiving his attack. The army who saw the City Lord lending his aid felt relief. The old man''s straightened back gives off an impression of invincibility, allowing the army to be thankful for his presence. With the City Lord with them, the Demons shouldn''t be able to do any harm to the city despite managing to destroy the city walls. Sadly, this was just the beginning of the city''s misfortune... "City Lord, bad news! There are at least 20 Tier 5 Demons heading that way." The City Lord nearly choked upon hearing that. "We''ve also sensed fluctuations of more Tier 5s appearing on other sides as well. We don''t have a clear grasp on how many was still hiding just yet but we assume that there would be more." The City Lord snarled and cursed upon hearing that report. "Does the heavens really want to destroy my ck Thread City?" He whispered to himself as he felt hope draining out of him. Just those 20 Tier 5 Demons heading his was already spelled disaster for this city. Thest time he encountered this many, he had help. That''s the only reason why he survived. Facing that many who are in a berserk state thanks to the influence of the ck Sky? Even if he had the help from before, the City Lord wasn''t confident of handling that by himself. Moreover, the news spreads fast. The report was just made a minute ago yet many people already learned of it. Despair gripped their hearts, their fear escted to the maximum upon hearing the threat that wasing. Some were already bracing their end while others were making preparations to desert the city. Normally, forsaking the city like that would''ve been punishable byw, however the City Lord couldn''t me them for leaving, given how dreadful the challenge was before them. When he saw the group of Tier 5 Demons heading his way, the City Lord could''ve sworn that they were jeering at him ¡ª seemingly mocking his pathetic attempt of sacrificing himself to defend this hopeless city. But as the City Lord was preparing to face his death and die like a true warrior, an unexpected development urred all of a sudden. Large golden orbs appeared on each side of the city, atop the city walls. These orbs provided warmth and security to humans and brought the opposite to the demons. Before anybody could say anything, the golden orbs started shooting projectiles at the demons, piercing them and reducing them to dust in mere seconds. It was then followed by a golden pir of light that appeared at the center of the city, piercing the fading ck Sky itself. Chapter 84: Mysterious Helper Those golden orbs of light seemed like miniature suns... Not only did they provide warmth to people around them, but they also brought hope and a source of power. Nobody saw how they appeared. In fact, those who tried to probe the orbs couldn''t trace anything. They don''t know who produced them nor how they work at first. All they knew was that they suddenly appeared when the situation turned for the worst. Imagine their surprise when, all of a sudden, the golden orbs started spinning fast and proceeded to shoot projectiles at demons. What''s even more surprising is that, everything those projectiles touched turned into dust in mere seconds. Their firing speed wasn''t slow either. Some experts saw and calcted that the orbs were shooting out at least six shots per second. What''s even more absurd is that those projectiles do not miss. Each shot was approaching the speed of light, they seemed to track heat for nobody saw even a single projectile fail to kill a demon so far, and if one shot wasn''t enough, then two it is...at least for the weaker enemies. Those who needed more to kill will of course receive more. The surprise didn''t end there either... Just as everybody was marveling at the sudden appearance and ability of the golden orbs, a pir of golden light erupted from the core of the city, drowning everything with a golden radiance. Nobody was prepared for it. Thankfully, it wasn''t an enemy attack. Everything that golden light touched was purified, yes this includes the ck Sky itself. Those who were showing signs of being corrupted instantly felt their mind clearing up. The psychosis induced by the corruption was instantly silenced by the sudden eruption of that golden light. Beyond that, the golden light healed everybody to their peak state. Yes, everybody, as in every single person within the city was healed by that golden light. Even those who were barely clinging to life were healed back to their peak state. And as the golden wave of light traveled and touched the army of Tier 5 Demons wanting to bury the city, they turned iparably ferocious. Demons who were touched by the golden wave of light suffered extreme agony and were severely weakened. Everyone else felt it too. The demons were already dreading those miniature suns atop the city walls and now they have been weakened by another attack they haven''t seen before. The sheer suddenness of the tables turning could give anyone a whish. The sky has been cleared, allowing the fake sunlight to shine down the city. While demons were suffering, the majority of Humans in the city were still gobsmacked by the sudden turn of their situation. "KILL!!!!" It''s unknown who shouted this, and it probably doesn''t matter. What''s important is that, whoever shouted just now, woke everybody up from their stupor. Finally understanding that the tables have turned in their favor, shock faded from their faces and was reced by killing intent. Everybody was back at their peak state, they were brimming with energy and desire to eliminate demons who were still suffering from the aftermath of the sudden attack. The army Tier 5 Demons who seemed invincible just a moment ago have be prey to ughter. Spells rained down on them, and so did all kinds of attacks. With the disappearance of the ck Sky, their Berserk State also disappeared. With the injuries they umted as well as the vigorous desire of humans to kill every single one of them, they had no choice but to kill their way out. But how could humans allow that to happen? Wasn''t this the best time to deal a harsh blow to an army of demons? Did they really think that they could juste and go to their civilization and not suffer any consequences? Where would the pride of humans be if they let that pass? So of course, they chased after them. The once terrifying army of demons turned into dogs running with their tail between their legs. This was the perfect chance to eliminate them permanently so why hesitate? Everybody mobilized, most of them even jumped down the walls to personally tear demons apart. Everybody was hell-bent on exacting revenge for what they suffered during the past few days. Arishem and his Shadow Runners joined the fight as well. As for the City Lord, he was cackling madly as he tore through the army of demons with palpable vigor. He could confidently say that he had never felt this good before. All the stress, anxiety, and despair dissipated the moment he realized what was happening. For him, that golden light was nothing short of a god''s divine intervention or miracle. Not only did it cure recent injuries for everybody, but it also got rid of the hidden injuries he umted from all those years ago. Injuries that not even the most proficient healers and saints could heal... It''s also healed one specific injury that has been holding him back for many years now. The source of his true despair prevented him from knocking at the doors of Tier 7, the bottleneck that stopped him from advancing for nearly a decade now. It was an injury that he got from an expedition to the Outer World back then. It left a terrifying wound across his chest that has scarred but notpletely healed even after spending most of his fortune on specialized treatments. The truth about that injury is that it''s apanied by a deadly curse that chained the City Lord''s potential. Originally, unless he killed the one who did this to him, this injury would''ve remained for as long as he lived. But that golden wave of light changed it all. That golden light seemed to be the bane of all evil. Under its radiance, the lingering curse on the City Lord''s body dissipated like snow under the sunlight''s re. Even as he threw space-rending punches left and right, the City Lord didn''t feel tired. It''s the opposite actually, the more he did this, the more exhilirated he became. The vigor of the Martial King exploded at once. It''s already astonishing even while he''s injured but now that his injury was removed, forget about being tired, the City Lord felt like he could do this all day! The City Lord knows his body better than anybody else. Since the curse that had been holding him back was removed by the golden light, he could feel his suppressed vitality returning to him and histent potential exploding. The only scar on his body, which also coincidentally carried the curse, has nowpletely disappeared. It wasn''t the golden light that did but it''s more or less the same. More importantly though, the real reason behind the City Lord''s exuberance, he could now feel his imminent breakthrough within reach. The City Lord felt so relieved that his eyes turned misty. He was emotional and nobody could me him. He knew very well how much suffering he endured from that pesky curse. How much hemented over the fact that he could not get through the next stage. After more than a decade of searching for answers and failing, it turns out that only a mysterious aid from an unseen helper would do what he had been seeking all along. He wanted toin but he really couldn''t. Not when he''s feeling so relieved and light-hearted that he could go back to his roots and advance his power that has stagnated for more than a decade now. As for the one responsible for this sudden turn of events? Well, he''s back in his house, pale and extremely exhausted. "...shit, I barely had enough energy to handle all of that." Cedric groaned as he nursed his head. He weakly drank some water andy down on his bed. He already calcted his expenditure and knew that this would happen, but still, he underestimated the bacsh of releasing more power than he could handle. "That''s fine though. With that done, I could rely on the rest to finish the demons off." He sighed as he rested. He used two skills from his Sage Arts just now, they were the ''Sunlit Stars'' and a new one called ''Light of Dawn''. The Sunlit Stars were those golden orbs. As for the ''Light of Dawn'', it''s a mass-healing spell that is frankly beyond his current skill level to cast, but he did it anyway through sheer grit and determination. It''s also why he''s weakened right now, hisck of expertise caused him to experience bacsh from the skill. That was the first time he used the Light of Dawn, he should already be thankful that it worked just fine despite him being severely weakened after using it. Thankfully, he had an absurd physique. He will recover within two hours so what he did wasn''t severely threatening to him. He exerted himself for that act, yes. But he did provide massive help to the people around him. Even though he''s determined to never let anybody know that it was him who did that for now, the mere idea that he helped turn the situation around for the better was enough to make this exhaustion worth it. Even with his senses disabled, Cedric could tell that the humans won this war already, he could rest easy and recover, not having to worry about the final oue. Chapter 85: Reports With the threat of the ck Sky gone, the city focused its efforts on rebuilding and recovery... The walls had been badly damaged and there had been casualties. That said,pared to other cities or inds, the ck Thread City came out rtively fine despite itsck of forces. If you''d ask its citizens, they would say that this was only possible because of that miraculous event where the miniature suns appeared and a golden sh erupted from the depths of the city. Sadly though, not everybody was happy about this. While they should be thankful that the city was saved in the end, some couldn''t help but feel doubtful and bitter about that mysterious expert. Why would that person only help at thest minute? If they had shown up earlier, wouldn''t all of these casualties be prevented then? If they had shown up earlier, they could''ve ended the ck Sky and prevented people from dying. Why did they have to wait until the very end before making a move? Some argued that the mysterious expert might''ve been someone who just passed through their city and decided to lend aid before moving towards other ces where their help was needed more. But this idea was quickly shut down since there were no reports of simr miracles happening in other cities, so people thought that whoever caused those miracles might''ve been a selfish person. This sentiment got the sympathy of those who had lost a loved one in this event. Some even decided to march to the City Lord''s office to file aint and have whoever it was take responsibility for the deaths of their fellow citizens. Sufficed to say, none of them even made it to the doors of the City Lord''s office due to the simple fact that the mysterious expert did more good than bad if you could even call it that. The grateful people and soldiers that the mysterious expert saved ruthlessly rebuked the self-entitled pricks and jabbed at their bruised egos, making them realize that casualties in this kind of event were to be expected. All of those who died participated in the event, with full consent, that there was a possibility of them dying in their duties. They told these people that they should even grovel at the foot of that mysterious expert''s foot should they even announce their presence because, without that person, all life in this city would''ve been lost. This ce would then be a den of Demons from this day onwards. Facing the ruthless attack on their conscience, the self-entitled and self-important pricks went back home dejectedly with even more bruised egos. They were openly rebuked in public and practically 90% of the people in the city were against them, so how could even make a difference? All of this though, wasn''t something that Cedric concerned himself with. He had recovered after sleeping for the majority of the day, he even felt better than thest time he was awake. Spreading his senses to survey the city, he immediately heard the gossip about him and smiled wryly. That said, even though some people were doubting his intentions, he only shrugged at this. They don''t know who he was, even if they did, he doesn''t owe them an exnation. In the grand scheme of things, that''s all they could do...talk. And he doesn''t n on taking that away from them since that''s their right. His ego wasn''t that fragile either. Again, all those people could do was to talk shit about him and nothing else. Words like that are meaningless in a strength-oriented world like this one. Besides, the majority of the people were thankful for him despite not knowing his real identity. That''s enough for him so he stopped paying attention to it. The reconstruction of the walls had already begun from what he saw. People were already moving about, helping with the recovery of the city so that they could go back to their regr lives. Though the atmosphere was still tense, at least it was getting better. Cedric guessed that it shouldn''t take a month before the city fully recovers and its people''s lifestyles go back to normal. "It seems that the cult didn''t send more troops either," Cedric muttered after a deep scan of the city. He was grateful for it, of course, at least now he could rx for quite some time. The cult wouldn''t be making any bold moves right away, at least not in this city. They''re probably expecting that their team made it and wereying low for the time being before reporting back to them. That gives the city enough time to nurse its wounds and recoverpletely. Once the cult realizes that their ns arepromised, it should be toote for them to do anything. "Alright, time waits for no one. Let''s train and be stronger!" **** - Royal Capital - The ck Sky just ended in the Royal Capital as well. Just like the ck Thread City, the capital was now focusing its efforts on rebuilding and recovering. Unfortunately, for the officials, it''s not yet time for them to rest. City Lords had been summoned by the Monarchy and Government to assess the damages and they couldn''t be absent unless their respective cities were still under attack. The meeting began with a headcount. Amongst the 54 Cities under the Monarchy''s rule, only 50 attended. After confirming that the 4 missing City Lords were still protecting their city, the meeting began without them. "Alright, let''s begin assessing the damages we incurred so far. Let''s start with you City Brennan, how''s your city?" "Reporting to Your Highness, my Mulberry City faced a Lv.2 intensity ck Sky. ording to the reports of my trusted aides, we only lost less than 500 people from the event, and most of them were foot soldiers. As for civilian casualties, we estimated at least 3 thousand people. The east and north walls of my city had been broken down from the relentless siege of demons, some managed to infiltrate deep into the city damage some properties, and harvest the lives of my citizens." "Still, we are rtively fine. We are handing outpensation to the bereaved families as we speak now and we also n on improving the density and quality of our walls to prevent this from happening again." City Lord Brennan reported. "Good. At least you didn''t lose much. How about you City Lord Denzel?" "Your Highness, My Clear Sky City experienced a Lv.2 intensity ck Sky as well, as for our casualties we..." One by one, the City Lords were called and asked to report the current status of their respective cities. Some had minimal casualties while others suffered gravely. The City Lords looked exhausted and frankly, most of them weren''t in a proper mental state to be attending this meeting. After all, it''s clear that most of them haven''t even rested yet. Truthfully, this entire meeting could''ve just been an e-mail instead. That would be easier, faster, and more convenient. However, this person from the Monarchy was a little rigid when it came to tradition and the City Lords couldn''t exactly refuse his orders. "...moving on, City Lord Reiner, it''s your turn." Renier didn''t miss the glint in his superior''s eyes when he looked at him. The old man sighed inwardly as he began reporting. "Your Highness, My ck Thread City almost faced a cmity this time. We experienced a Lv.3 intensity ck Sky thatsted until a few hours ago. Our defense held tight until the veryst minute thanks to the reinforcements we received." "Truthfully, I almost lost hopepletely, especially a few hours ago. My soldiers reported that hundreds of Tier 5 Demons surrounded my city and I was bound to face 20 of them by myself." "Oh, yet you are standing here. That''s impressive. Did you manage to kill all of them? But that shouldn''t be possible, right? As far as I know, the only Tier 6 there is you. Did something happen?" His superior asked curiously. "Indeed, Your Highness." City Lord Reiner replied, "Just as I was about to lose hope, a miracle urred." "A miracle? Can you borate more on that?" The City Lord then discussed what he had seen then. He described it as best as he could, emphasizing that he was unaware of the person''s identity and intentions as well as the effect of his spells against demons. He excluded the matter of his old injury being healedpletely though. As for why, the City Lord has his reasons for now and he doesn''t want to expose them just yet. "...with everybody healed to their peak state and the Tier 5 Demons severely weakened, me and my army did not hesitate to chase after them to kill as many as we could. We couldn''t let such a chance escape after all. Once we rounded them up and confirmed that the ck Sky was over, I then instructed my aides to confirm the damages we suffered." The City Lord for several gazes focusing on him, but nothing beats the heat in his superior''s eyes. But despite his expectations, his superior only smiled softly and muttered: "Interesting...very interesting..." Chapter 86: New Sub-Class [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Scribe Lv.100/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.5 Titles: Veteran Undead yer, Son of Heaven, Pioneer, Young Sage System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.10, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.50, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.75, Demon Lore Lv.75, yer''s Mark Lv.6, Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Sage Arts Lv.30, Marksmanship (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 10, Failure Streak - 0 ** Cedric just finished this month''s Hell Dive. In fact, he just got out of it. He''s still sweaty, slightly exhausted, and very dirty from all the grime and blood he got from fighting the undead horde. Getting dirty was his least favorite part of his monthly mandatory service but what could he do? Annoyed at his stench, he made his way towards the bathroom to clean himself up. He practically doused himself with disinfectant too just in case any virus lingered from his body. And just to be extra sure, he ignited himself on Sunfire. Clearly, he wasn''t taking any chances at all. Thankfully, his fire would never hurt him with his affinity and control over it. As for his equipment, he also purified them with Sunfire, just enough to kill any pesky virus that might still remain there without reducing them to ashes. After doing all of that, he put on a fresh set offortable clothes and ate something while watching a show online. It''s been a few weeks since the ck Sky happened. The city was already halfway through recovery. The walls had been repaired, only a few more checks were needed and they''d be done with it. People were also starting to return to their regr lives. Peace was slowly returning to the city since they were not under attack anymore. If they were lucky, a ck Sky wouldn''t appear for at least 3 years, which was more than enough for everybody to improve just in case another one urred. On another note, Cedric felt like it was time for him to pick a new sub-ss. He''s already maxed out Scribe, and although that looks nice on his profile, it''s a sign of stagnation so he should choose a new one now. ''I''ve got a lot of choices to choose from...'' He mused, ''Alchemist, Smith, Engineer, Mechanic, Tamer...the list goes on.'' ''And that''s precisely the problem.'' Cedric sighed facing this dilemma. There are just too many to choose from that he''s having a difficult time picking. Each one had its charms and uses too. He deliberated for some time and ended up with two professions to choose from: Smith and Alchemist. Smithing was a rather broad profession. It includes the production of weapons, tools, jewels, etc. It is a very time-consuming profession and requires a great deal of effort to achieve even a small sess with. Alchemy was the same. Butpared to Smithing, this one requires hefty financial capital to start its practice at least. All kinds of medicinal herbs and ingredients were expensive, not to mention the materials needed to make medicines. Cedric was the least worried about the capital. He had more demon souls to use currently and had no way to spend it. As for effort, he doesn''tck that either. The reason why he chose these two was because he knew that these were the most lucrative professions there were avable to him, and with his absurdly highprehension, mastering them shouldn''t be impossible. "...why am I thinking so hard, then? Isn''t this just a matter of which one I decide to learn first?" That''s right. Nobody said that he couldn''t learn both...or all professions out there if he wanted to. All he really needed was time and effort to do so. What he''s ultimately deciding is which one shoulde first. After thinking some more, he has made his decision... "System, I want to choose a new Sub-ss." He dered. [Checking profile...] [Detected that User Cedric''s current Sub-ss: Scribe has been leveled up to the maximum.] [Congrattions! You have received the Title: ''Master Scribe'' for this achievement. You may now pick a new Sub-ss.] [Reminder: Your Scribe-rted skills will remain at their current level as soon as you pick another Sub-ss. Since it is detected that you''ve also maxed out your Scribe-rted skills, then User Cedric shouldn''t feel burdened about making your next choice.] [Please dere your next Sub-ss...] There were instances when an individual could switch to a new Sub-ss even without maxing them out first. There are a few ways to do that but that''s not important for now. If someone does have a way to switch sses, the sub-ss rted skills will be ''postponed'', meaning that even if they practice their skills while having an unrted sub-ss currently equipped, the set skills for their previous sub-ss will not gain any experience and won''t level up no matter how hard they try to. This is a rule set by Ac herself and cannot be vited. Cedric has no qualms about this though. After all, he isn''t the type of guy who''d leave any unfinished business unless he has to since that would bother him to no end, and he values his peace of mind greatly. Therefore, since the situation doesn''t apply to him, he doesn''t need to feel burdened by his choices. "I choose Smith as my next Sub-ss." He dered. [User Cedric has chosen ''Smith'' as your new Sub-ss. Confirm? Y/N] Mentally choosing ''yes'', he felt something within him shifting once his decision was recorded. [New Sub-ss acquired!] [Sub-ss: Smith] : Shapers of steel, builders of shelter, maker of tools...Smiths are practitioners of the lesser art of ''Creation''. Making full use of the materials avable within their surroundings to create useful things that could improve their lifestyle. ? ss rted Skills: ''Crafting'', ''Metallurgy'', ''Makeshift Trace'', ''Smith''s Blessing''. ** ¡ºCrafting (Lv.1/100)¡» : Also known as the lesser art of Creation. A skill that allows the user to use materials avable within their surroundings to make something useful. : As this skill levels up, the quality of items the user could make increases too. ¡ºMetallurgy (Lv.1/100)¡» : Metallurgy is the branch of science and technology that deals with the properties of metals and their production and purification. It involves the study of the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, theirpounds, and alloys. The goal of metallurgy is to understand, control, and improve the properties of metals and create new materials with specific characteristics. : The user''s ability to handle metals increases with the level of this skill. ¡ºMakeshift Trace (Lv.1/100)¡» : Also known as the Smith''s Touch. This skill allows the user to learn the inner workings of anything through touch. : Uponplete mastery of this skill, the user would be proficient enough to know everything about the item just by ncing at it. ¡ºSmith''s Blessing (Lv.1/100)¡» : This skill represents the expertise of the Smith. For every item you create, there''s a small chance of them receiving a Blessing/Attribute. The type of Blessing/Attribute bestowed on an item depends on the intent of the User while creating the said item. : The quality, quantity, and frequency of this skill increase based on the skill level. ** Cedric''s interface was now swimming with information, but he didn''t feel troubled by it. He calmly regarded every single one and dismissed them one by one as he understood them. There was a rather surprising notice though... [Detected the User possesses the Unique Passive: Sage''s Perception. The skill:¡ºMakeshift Trace¡» determined to be redundant.] [Notice! The effect of the skill: ¡ºMakeshift Trace¡» will now be fused with ¡ºSage''s Perception (U)¡» instead. Due to the passive skill being at the ''Unique'' - rank, the effect of the skill: ¡ºMakeshift Trace¡» has been maximized.] Long story short, since his passive skill was several levels higher than the Makeshift Trace, it was fused to the passive and was maxed out. Meaning that he no longer has to train this. ''That makes sense. After all, I could already do what the skill Makeshift Trace does since I''ve gotten these eyes. I would be redundant to learn it again.'' He mused. With one less skill to master, Cedric was feeling good. Now he would develop another hobby it seems. Not like that''s bad, he couldn''t just train all day and night, after all, that''d be a waste of his life. With his new Sub-ss, the itch to inspect and tinker with items blossomed deep within him. This was a sign that his instincts as a Smith were taking root. He wasn''t that surprised about that. He didn''t dislike the feeling either. Sure it was strange but he had full control over his instincts and body functions, so he''s not worried. "Well...I''ve got nothing to do for the rest of the day, so why not start the grind immediately?" As he decided that, he turned off the stream and went down to hisb to purchase materials and start tinkering. Chapter 87: House of Light Cedric was currently making his way towards the heart of the city... He received a special request from the Lifestyle Guildst night. They knew that he was already a Master Scribe so they asked for his help along with others. It was a mission and he''d receive rewards from it. And since he had nothing better to do, he decided to ept, whether he seeded or not, it would look good on his Public Profile anyway. His destination was the Lighthouse, the ce that maintained light and visibility to the city during the ck Sky. Apparently, the Lighthouse wasn''t working properly since after the ck Sky so the Guild invited all sorts of experts to inspect it in hopes of repairing it. Cedric left early to prevent being stuck in a traffic jam. This was the first time he''d be participating in a group mission and he wanted to leave a good impression, so he decided toe early. Upon arriving there, he discovered that the area was strictly guarded. He needed to prove his identity as well as his profession to the guards before he was allowed entry to thepound where the Lighthouse were. Thankfully, the process was smooth. Once his identity was proven, he was granted ess and the guards became more polite to him. He parked his car at the parking lot and got off. He walked towards the admission office to ask for directions and he was led towards the room where he could wait until everybody else arrived. He dide early after all. When he arrived at the room, there were already other people there. They nced at him before ignoring him right after. Cedric smiled wryly under his mask, it seemed that these so-called experts weren''t that friendly. Shrugging, he upied a seat and watched something online to pass the time. He got absorbed into the show but still surveyed his surroundings from time to time. Cedric turned off the stream once he felt a rather intimidating presence approaching the room. He sat properly and the doors opened. Then came a group of people; three were wearing military outfits while the other three were wearing white robes with golden hems. He also noticed that all of them wore a badge that looked like a sun on their left breast pockets. The man with the intimidating presence who also looked like someone from the army, stepped forward to address them: "Good morning to all of you. We, of the ck Thread City''s Branch of the ''House of Light'', appreciate you responding to our call and gracing us with your presence." Despite his rather intimidating presence, the man spoke rather calmly and gently. ''The House of Light...'' Cedric mused inwardly. He knew about them, of course. It''d be weird if he didn''t since they''re one of the integral organizations of Human Society. The House of Light was an ancient organization that was founded during the Dawn of Superhumans. They are a key element to Humanity''s daily lives because, without them, today''s civilization would''ve been plunged into darkness. They often call themselves ''Keepers of the Light'', for that''s what they do...somewhat. It is said that their founder was the one who brought the idea of Lighthouses to being. He invented them with the purpose of returning light to this world, giving his people hope for a better tomorrow. The House of Light Organization was the one responsible for keeping ''Daylight'' for humanity, allowing the current generation and the next to have some semnce of normalcy. Together, they built the fake ''Sun'', ''Sunlight'', and ''Daytime''. And since they''re an ancient civilization, Cedric doubts that the current generation even knows what the real thing looks or feels like... "My name is Wilson Keller, this branch''s Field Commander. Next to me is Archbishop Thomas Fisk. We will be presiding over this mission so if any of you have questions, please don''t hesitate to approach us." "For now, though, let us lead you to the site where your work will take ce. Please follow us." Commander Wilson unhesitatingly left the podium and left the room along with the Archbishop and their aides. Cedric and the rest of the experts stood up and followed them. They made their way through a series of hallways until they arrived at the base of the Lighthouse itself. Keeping the range of his sensory field, Cedric already had a mental map of this ce, meaning that even if he were to roam around, he wouldn''t necessarily get lost. He didn''t dare to go overboard though since this is private property. Who knows what kind of security they have here? He might identally trigger them and cause trouble. The supervisors led them up, and once they were at the top, they paused. Cedric had already seen it when he scanned the area earlier and even before that, since he regrly scans the city anyways, but still, looking at theplicated machinery eye to eye brings forth a different sensation. The top of the tower was open but it was by no means not defenseless. Cedric already saw the severalyers of formation around this area. Though they might appear invisible to the naked eye, they couldn''t hide under his gaze. As for the Light Source, it''s attached to an obelisk that''s installed on the entire tower itself. It was built in a way that it couldn''t be destroyed unless all the formations on the tower and the tower itself were destroyed first. Though the real Light Source was the small orb embedded in the center of the obelisk. It was protected byyers uponyers of gears which also act as lenses that amplify the brilliance of the Light Source. ''Neat!'' Cedric was impressed by the design. However, he also noticed that it''s turned off right now. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the reason why we called you today." Archbishop Thomas announced to them. "As you all know, we experienced a rather challenging event not too long ago. Yes, I''m talking about the ck Sky. More specifically, a Lv.3 intensity ck Sky." "Although we constantly perform maintenance to the Lighthouse as a whole, and it performed wonderfully during the ck Sky, it seems that the event stretched out its longevity, causing it to malfunction." "Thankfully, itsted until the veryst moment or else, it would''ve been terrible for all of us." The Archbishop sighed. "Right after it malfunctioned, we sent our team to repair it. Sadly, even after many attempts, we remain at a loss." "Our team couldn''t discover the part where we went wrong. We did multiple checks already,bed through every possibility we could think of but still couldn''t find the issue." "Although the ck Sky just passed and it''s guaranteed that we will have a brief period of peace, the Lighthouse must remain functional because it is the tool that allows us to experience daytime. Without it, the entire city will slowly be plunged into absolute darkness and we can''t let that happen." "That''s why we called you here." It''s Commander Wilson who spoke this time. "We need your expert opinion. Perhaps, some of you could discover the part that we missed. We will be relying on you on his mission, please work hard and we promise that your efforts will be repaid in kind." "Most of you here are Masters of your respective professions. We''ve invited Smiths, Scribes, Engineers, and Mechanics. We are hoping that you all could work together and discover the real source of the problem here." Cedric and the rest of the experts didn''t argue with that. Then, they were told to group themselves ording to their profession. In total, there were 5 Master Scribes, 4 Master Smiths, 6 Master Engineers, and 5 Master Mechanics here, a total of 20 people. "We will disassemble the Light Source for all of you to inspectter. Please handle them with care, every piece is necessary for the whole thing to function. If you want an exnation for what each piece does, please don''t hesitate to approach us, we will dly give you more information for the sake of repairing it." Archbishop Thomas dered. Then, the supervisors began disassembling the Light Source piece by piece. Cedric watched from a distance, still he saw and memorized the entire process. As soon as they were done, Cedric was at least 90 percent confident that he could put all those pieces back in the order they removed them. Once the disassembly was finished, the pieces were then brought to the respective expert group. The Smiths decided to take a look at the obelisk first, getting up close and personal with it. The Engineers and Mechanics inspected the gears since it was brought to them. As for the Scribes, they were presented with the Core of the Light Source and were given explicit warning to handle it with utmost care. The five of them gathered around the core and inspected it. Others wanted to touch it but Cedric kept his hands to himself, he didn''t need to do that anyway since he already sensed everything about this core. ''There''s no problems with the core...it must be on the other parts.'' He mused after carefully inspecting it. Chapter 88: Experts Despite already determining that there were no problems with the core, Cedric still acted as if he was inspecting it closely along with the rest. He didn''t want attention for now, besides he still hasn''t figured out where the real problem lies so pointing out his discovery now was unnecessary. "...the core is a little uneven." Someone spoke from their group, catching the attention of the rest. "I think that''s the problem. A ratherplicated device like this requires precise measurements, and even the slightest bit of miscalction would cause everything to fall apart." The one who spoke was a man with short spiky ginger hair. He was of average height and appearance but he exuded a noble presence which made him seem special. "As expected of Master Mark! You''ve noticed the problem right away!" Another one from their group eximed with a fawning expression. Cedric instantly became weirded out because the rest of his group looked as if theypletely agreed with the one called Master Mark. "I think it''s best if we ask the Supervisors first. After all, that ''dent'' you say might be intentional." Cedric stated, causing the rest to look at him. Their expressions varied from doubt to displeased, causing Cedric to smile wryly underneath his facemask. "...well, it wouldn''t hurt to confirm right?" One seems to agree with Cedric''s line of thought. "I don''t think so." Master Mark said with a stiff expression, still staring at Cedric. "I have participated in a mission simr to this one. The problem''s almost the same actually. I''m pretty sure that my guess was spot on." "Hey, man!" The one guy who was determined to lick the boots of Master Mark interjected at this point. "I don''t know who you are...we don''t know who you are or what you''ve achieved so far, but the rest of us here know Master Mark. His reputation is ster in this city, you should know that too. If he says that the problem was that ''dent'', then the problem is that ''dent''. Just sit back and rx, your opinion is appreciated but not needed." Cedric blinked at the two...and then he blinked some more. He was waiting for Master Mark, or anybody, to say something to pacify the tension but nobody spoke. After a brief silence, he couldn''t contain theughter that bubbled from his chest. Seeing himugh caused Master Mark and his bootlicker to have dark expressions. Both of them got the subtle hint that he was mocking them, but before they could say anything, Cedric beat them to it... "Alright, sure. I''ll shut up. I''ll leave this to your...''expert'' hands." Cedric smiled underneath his mask, even bowing a little as he retreated a few steps away from the table. Everybody in the group could clearly tell that he wasn''t taking them seriously but some of them also think that it''s too much for those two topletely disregard this man''s suggestion. As for Mark and hisckey, they just red at Cedric. However, since he was clearly disinterested in whatever they''d say next, they could only do just that...re. Cedricughed coldly inwardly. He found himself a seat and decided to watch as the events unfolded. Their little quarrel didn''t seem to be noticed by the supervisors since they were busy talking with the Engineers and Mechanics. He didn''t mind that, of course. In fact, that''s better. At least that way, the showter would be spicier. Now that he excluded himself from his group, Cedric decided to chill. He already discovered the problem anyway and was at least 95% sure that he was correct. There''s no need for him to socialize with narrow-minded and pretentious people, that''d just stress him out. So, while he was waiting for the start of the show, he decided to order iced coffee online to enjoy while watching a documentary online. His group saw what he was doing and felt weirded out. As for Mark and hisckey, they just sneered at him. Cedric could almost read their thoughts with how obvious they were, but he didn''t care so he ignored them. While Cedric chilled on the side, the rest of the experts converged and decided to share their discoveries with each other while also allowing other groups to inspect the parts handed to them earlier just in case they missed something. Mark along with the other Master Scribes participated in this of course. The supervisors were also paying attention to their little brainstorming group. "Hey, are you guys not calling your other teammate over there?" One of the Master Smiths asked. "Tch, forget that bufoon. He''s just a waste of space and doesn''t know his ce. Anyway, Master Mark''s here, he already discovered the problem so just chill and let him do the rest." Theckey sneered at first and smugly stated, causing the Smith to wince. Noticing that, theckey asked: "What''s with that expression?" "Your break stinks, Fatty. That''s why!" Cedric hollered behind them, sporting a smile beneath his mask. "It smells like yesterday''s dinner but spoiled, there''s even bits and pieces stuck in between your teeth. Honestly, do you not know what a Toothbrush is?" "Imagine attending a public event and confidently speaking to others without brushing your teeth...ugh, couldn''t be me." Slurp! Cedric said all of that without even looking and while casually drinking his iced coffee. "You¡ª!" Theckey turned red from anger, but before he could continue his words, the smith he was talking to earlier stopped him. "Rx." The guy said, frowning at him. Theckey huffed in anger, thinking that Cedric should be thankful that somebody pacified him, but the smith''s next words caused him to nch. "He''s not wrong. Your breath does smell bad. That''s why I winced. You even spat even my face." The smith grumbled while taking a few steps back. "Pfft¡ª!" Some experts blurted out, trying to stifle theirughter. Cedric on the other hand, had no qualms about that. "HAHAHAHAHA!" He smacked his thigh as heughed heartily. The fatckey almost turned purple in anger but beyond that, he felt shame dousing his entire body. As much as he want to erupt and beat the living crap out of Cedric, he couldn''t. "Hey, hey! Make sure to wash your mouth first before you beat me up. I don''t wanna die being suffocated from your bad breath, that''s like the worst way to go! HAHAHAHAHA!" Cedric was relentless, he was almost crying fromughing too much. But before the situation became even worse, the Supervisors stepped in. "That''s enough." Commander Wilson sternly remarked. "Please remain professional." He then turned his attention to Mark and said: "I heard that you have discovered the problem?" "I actually discovered another one," Mark stated confidently, shocking the entire group. "Can you please tell us what you''ve discovered?" The Archbishop interjected, wearing an expression of urgency. Seeing all of them looking at him in anticipation caused something within Mark to writhe in pleasure. Inwardly, he reveled at the attention he was getting. He couldn''t help but feel pleased but he disciplined his expression to make sure it didn''t show. He cleared his throat before speaking... "The first problem lies on this...the core." He stated, looking all professional and shit. "I actually can''t believe that none of you have noticed it, but the core had a ''dent'' in its surface." Mark looked at the supervisors with an expression that screamed: ''You careless apes, how did you not notice this? And you dare call yourselves Supervisors of this ce?'' "As we all know, even the slightest bit of difference would create arge impact as a whole. This ''dent'' is¡ª" "...intentional." The old and wizened Archbishop gave him a frigid look, and so did the Field Commander. "I''m sorry?" Mark nched ever so slightly. "That ''dent'' you speak of, is intentional. It is designed that way. You said it yourself, even the slightest bit of w will cause this entire thing to fail. I do recall us telling you that we''ve got experts of our own. I also distinctly remember us telling you that webed through every possibility we could find. What makes you think that we weren''t aware of that ''dent''?" The Archbishop coldly remarked, causing Mark to pale in fright. "Master Mark." Commander Wilson said, though the way he called him ''Master'' sounded rough on his ears. "The Lighthouse is the Legacy of our ''House of Light''. Our forefathers were the ones who invented it. We could confidently say that we know more about it than most folks out there. Please don''t insult our knowledge." There was absolute silence in the surroundings right now. The Supervisors, as well as their aides, were now looking at Mark with hostility in their eyes. The fatckey was sweating, if he could crawl into a hole to hide from this thick tension, he would''ve done so already. The rest of the Master Scribes were looking at Mark discontently. Since he''s one of them and also the one who spoke first, he left an impression that he was speaking on behalf of the group. It would''ve been fine if he was right, but he''s not, so now it appears that they were in cohorts with him, and that wouldn''t look good on their profiles. "See? I told you to ask them first." Cedric''s condescending voice broke through the tension. Slurp! Chapter 89: Rabbits? Mark and hisckey were panicking now. More than that however, they absolutely hated Cedric''s guts. Sure it was their fault to begin with, but who likes to admit that they''re wrong? Such a reaction is a prettymon self-defense nowadays. What they hated the most was that, Cedric didn''t seem to be bothered by the tension around them. He happily drank his coffee doing god knows what while jabbing at their egos whenever the chance presented itself. It also doesn''t look like he''s interested in helping. The worst part about all of this is that, Mark and hisckey provoked the ire of their Supervisors. If they were to let this continue, it would reflect badly on their profiles and lord knows that they couldn''t let that happen. "M-My apologies...I certainly didn''t mean it that way! I-I just...I''ve participated in a simr project like this one and the problem lies with the dent on the core. Since the events are so simr, I thought that it applies to this situation too." Mark hurriedly exined. He inwardly patted his back for thinking swiftly to make a convincing excuse. "I''m very sorry about this. I should''ve asked you first before concluding." Mark bowed deeply in regret. Yet despite his apology, at least 75% of the people here knew that his apology wasn''t sincere at all. He''s only doing this to prevent an ever-nastier smear on his profile. He''s only apologizing in hopes that the supervisors no longer pursue this matter because he knows that they''ve got the upper hand. In short, he''s only apologizing for his sake, not because of his actions... "Yes, Master Mark. You should''ve indeed asked us first." The Archbishop sighed. "No matter, so long as it doesn''t happen again." Mark and hisckey hurriedly bowed and expressed their thanks to the supervisors for sparing them. But just as they were about to feel relieved, the Archbishop switched things around. "...but you did say that you discovered another problem. Do you mind telling us more about it? Maybe this time, you''ve noticed something that we didn''t." Mark chilled at those words. He didn''t need to pause to analyze what they implied because he understood it as soon as they were done speaking. ''I''m giving you a chance to redeem yourself, Peasant! Impress me and I shan''t pursue this matter anymore.'' Cold sweat poured down his back. He just got out of the oven only to go straight into the fire. This day just keeps getting worse for him, it seems. "I¡ª..." Mark trailed off. An expression of uncertainty marred his face as he tried to make an excuse to shift the responsibility to others. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do that. He kind of shot his foot here, he bravely stepped forward earlier and took the responsibility he believed he could carry without thinking about the consequences. Faced with said consequences, now he''s second-guessing himself. "Go on, Master Mark. The earlier we discover the problem, the sooner we can fix the lighthouse." The Archbishop pressed on. ''This old man sure knows how to hold a grudge...'' Cedric mused inwardly as loudly sipped on his coffee. Of course, he didn''t mind this at all. Mark brought this upon himself so he should get out of it using his own efforts. Still, this was a good show. It might seem like he wasn''t paying attention but in reality, he''s invested. After all, people who openly court death are scarce, so whenever they are seen, a good show is bound to follow them. Knowing that he''s cornered, Mark knows that there''s no escaping this, so his desperation allows him to concoct a n that might save him from this situation. "I indeed noticed another strange thing. However, due to my negligence earlier, I''m not so confident about it anymore. I hope that the supervisors can correct me if I made another assumption." Mark eloquently uttered through his nervousness. "Go on." Commander Wilson ordered. "The other prospective problem that I saw, lies in these gears." Mark shuddered as he spoke. There was no turning back after he said this. "More specifically, this gear right here." He picked up the smallest gear there was, it was about the same size as the Core, just slightly bigger to fit around it. "Oh? Care to tell us where the mistake is?" The Archbishop challenged. "...it''s this Symbol right here." Mark pointed out, highlighting one of the many runes etched on the smallest gear. "What''s wrong with it?" The Archbishop asked with a raised brow. "This rune is badly damaged. I am somewhat confident that this rune didn''t look like this before. From what I gathered from my minimal inspection so far, I''m assuming that somebody must''ve used rough tools to clean this gear, causing damage to the runes. This is evident from the scratches I''ve seen so far." "If we look closely, the scratch on this specific rune runs pretty deep. The scratch was almost as deep as the rune carving itself. And since it''s like that, the program must''ve likely recognized this scratch as part of the rune itself, causing the gear to malfunction. And since this gear was the closest to the core, it takes priority. If it''s like this, then it shouldn''t be a wonder why the whole operation of the program wasn''t working properly." A tense silence enveloped the area. Everyone watched the expressions of the supervisors like a hawk. It seems that they too were deliberating at Mark''s words. "...it does seem likely that this is the problem." The Archbishop''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the gear. "The workers we''ve hired before the malfunction weren''t the best ones, as I recall. It must''ve been them who did this. They were poorly equipped too." Commander Wilson interjected. "You kids!" The Archbishop looked at the aides, "Investigate who invited those workers from before. Once you find whoever it was, tell them to pack their things and leave. If they dare to resist, you know what to do. I have no use for useless people in my branch." Everyone got chills at the Archbishop''s ruthless decisiveness. "Do we sue the workers too, Archbishop?" One of the aides asked. "No. Just give them a warning and make sure to cklist them. I don''t want those people stepping foot to this ce ever again." "As you wish, Archbishop." The aides replied in unison before leaving to do their tasks. The old man then looked at Mark and said: "Since you discovered this problem, am I safe to assume that you can fix it?" Mark knows that look, too. It''s an opportunity but also a test. If he passes this, then all previous transgressions will be forgotten and it would look good on his profile. Should he fail, however, it would be over for him. It should be known that Mark has never been a risk-taker. He doesn''t know how to handle failure and is only good at keeping up appearances to highlight his meager skills. However...the allure of possible sess was far too tempting to pass. Therefore, just like how birds die for food, he bites the bullet and dares to risk his reputation to satisfy his greed for more. "I can carve the runes necessary. However, a new gear is a must. This one would no longer work even if I were to rece the damaged rune." He replied. "Just as well...we happen to have Master Smiths, Engineers, and Mechanics here. I''m sure they have the tools necessary to make a new gear that could rece this one. Can we rely on you, gentlemen?" Commander Wilson asked. The Smiths, Engineers, and Mechanics all nodded and immediately got to work. As for Mark, he began analyzing the rune pattern on the gear to make sure that he wouldn''t make a mistake. When they saw them starting, the Supervisors gave them space. The rest is up to them now. Sure, they could''ve just ended it as soon as the problem was discovered and let their team handle the rest, but since all of these experts were already there, why waste time? It didn''t take long for the new gear to be produced. It was made with exact measurements and materials like the old one. With that done, they passed the new gear onto Mark and allowed him to start carving. Mark already summoned his tools. He already memorized the pattern and was confident that he could replicate it. He worked fast and fully concentrated. It took him a couple of minutes before he was finished, and after inspecting his work, he nodded in satisfaction. "It''s done." Mark then presented the finished product to the supervisors and both inspected it first. "Looks good. This should work." Commander Wilson appraised, and the Archbishop was nodding beside him. "Nah...that won''t work." That voice surprised all of them. They turned around and saw Cedric standing behind them while casually sipping at his drink, though his eyes were focused on the freshly carved gear. Slurp! "If you install that, forget about providing light. It will instead convert the energy of the core to produce rabbits made out of psionic energy." "In short, energy-construct rabbits will start raining in this ce." Slurp! Chapter 90: Yep, Rabbits. Everyone stared at Cedric. They were surprised by his words but more than that, his ims sound ridiculous. "Rabbits? Are you even hearing yourself? How could such a ridiculous thing even happen?" Mark was incensed. He had already developed a great dislike towards this person. This guy hasn''t helped them even once! Now, all of a sudden he''d say something like this? Isn''t this an attempt to sabotage his chance? Cedric on the other hand didn''t seem fazed by the re he was receiving from Mark, as well as the looks of doubt the rest were giving him. He simply raised his brow at them and said: "You call yourself a Master yet you can''t even discover where you went wrong...hmm, oh well. It seems that you aren''t willing to listen...again, so suit yourself. Don''t say I didn''t warn you." Cedric shrugged and went back to his previous seat, sipping at his drink loudly. His words rmed Mark all of a sudden. Despite his clear dislike towards this person, he couldn''t forget that he was also the same guy who tried to reason with him earlier, and it turns out that Mark should''ve listened. Everyone knows how that ended up for Mark, so now that he received yet another warning, he couldn''t help but feel wary. Uneasiness surged in his heart. He inspected the carvings he left on the new gear, searching for any signs of mistake, or anything that led to the discovery of ''rabbits''...however, even after searching for a while, he couldn''t see anything. "How is it, Master Mark? Was there truly another mistake?" The Archbishop''s inquiry chilled him to the bone. Mark bit his lips in frustration. The unease he was feeling was strong, yet he just couldn''t find where he went wrong. ''...or maybe, I didn''t make any mistake in the first ce!'' A voice said at the back of his mind, causing him to inhale sharply. He looked at Cedric who was observing him from where he was. Even with his mask on, Mark could tell that Cedric was wearing a mocking smile, clearly directed at him. And that could only mean one thing... ''He''s doing this on purpose!'' Mark concluded. It was true all along, this guy was trying to snatch his opportunity. He''s trying to mislead him and make him doubt his skills so he can step in and take the credit! ''How hateful! Sadly for you, I''m not stupid!'' Mark snarled inwardly. He gritted his teeth and replied: "Please disregard that guy''s words, Dear Supervisors. That man hasn''t even tried to help us since we started this project. All he wants is to cause discord among us." "I''ve checked my work multiple times already. I ampletely confident that I haven''t made a single mistake. This gear will fix the issue, the Lighthouse will shine its light through this." Mark''s words were filled with burning conviction. He nced at Cedric vindictively, inwardly sneering at him. He was confident that he had won this round, but for some odd reason...he still couldn''t shake the doubt at the depths of his heart. "I certainly hope so, Master Mark." The Archbishop sighed. He and the Commander decided to not meddle in the friction between Mark and Cedric. After all, all they care about is this project. Once the lighthouse was fixed, they wouldn''t see these people ever again so there''s no need for them to step in. Seeing as Cedric didn''t even bother arguing, they proceeded with the installment of the parts. One by one, the pieces that made up the Light Source were assembled. They were extremely meticulous during this process, making sure that everything was in its proper ce. "Right, all that''s left is to turn it on." The Archbishop stated, "I hope it works this time." This is the part where Mark''s nervousness climbed to its peak. His palms turned sweaty and he prayed for his sess. He couldn''t help but nce at Cedric, and seeing him looking so rxed caused him to feel even more nervous. However, it''s toote for that already. The supervisors already flipped the switch and the rumbling of the machinery echoed all over the ce. Brightness immediately greeted them, blinding everybody momentarily. Seeing this, everybody was relieved. Whew! That was the sound of a collective sigh of reliefing from everybody. Mark then felt tension dissipating from his body. It was then followed by glee and exhration. "Ha! Rabbits he says! You absolute bufoon, do you see this!? This was the part that you were trying to sabotage! Hmph! Fortunately, I can see through you! You must be one of those cultist¡ª huh!?" Mark couldn''t even continue what he was trying to say because out of nowhere... BOOM!!! ...an explosion shook the entire Lighthouse. Everybody panicked and dropped on the floor. Mark''s heart suddenly sank to his stomach. Squeak! Squeak! When the smoke cleared, everybody was greeted with the sight of rabbits. They look real but in reality, they''re mere energy constructs, still, they behave like real ones, jumping here and there in confusion. "My, how adorable..." Cedric''s voice sliced through their dumbfounded faces. They all saw him crouching down and picking up at least three rabbits, cradling them in his arms. He then looked at Mark whose face was now drained of blood and said: "...I could''ve sworn I heard you saying something earlier. I didn''t hear it much because of the explosion. Care to repeat that?" "I-..." Complete despair gripped Mark''s heart. He roared ''How!?'' in his heart, truly unable to understand how this happened. How did he fail? How can this be? And so on... Unfortunately for him, he had lost all chances of ever redeeming himself once he heard the Archbishop''s enraged voice. "Rabbits! Why is it rabbits? Does my fucking Lighthouse look like a barn to you!?" The old man snarled at Mark. "Fuck! The Core waspletely drained of energy too! Do you know how much time and resources we pour into one of those!" "You said you werepletely confident! Then what the fuck is this! Is this what your confidence looks like!? Rabbits!?" The Archbishop shook Mark as he repeatedly snarled at him. Mark was terrified to the core. It was at this moment that he knew, hepletely fucked up. "Commander Wilson! Deal with this imbecile! Throw him somewhere far away! I don''t ever want to see him again!" The Archbishop let go of Mark to allow the Commander to take care of him. "P-please don''t! I...please have mercy! I swear I didn''t do it on purpose, I-..." "I grew tired of your excuses, Boy." Commander Wilson gritted out as he gripped Mark''s cor. He then twisted his upper body and threw the poor guy off somewhere. God knows what his fate will be, but whatever it may be, neither of the Supervisors cared. "You!" The Archbishop''s eyesnded on Cedric. The rest of the experts here gotta give it to him, Cedric didn''t look terrified at all. He met the gaze of the fuming Archbishop and replied: "Yes?" "You know that this was gonna happen! Why didn''t you stop it!?" " ''I'' didn''t stop it?" Cedric blinked, even tilting his head to show his confusion. "Are your senses failing you now too? Weren''t you here all this time when I tried to warn all of you of what''s gonna happen?" The Archbishop froze upon hearing that. He was still fuming in anger but his reason was still there. He took a deep breath and said: "Apologies. My anger got the best of me. Indeed, you tried to warn us. We were the ones who chose to ignore your warnings." Cedric was impressed. Now, this...this is a reasonable man. Not like the Pompous Prick from before. "It''s fine, no real harm was done." Cedric replied, "Tell you what, it''s gettingte. How about we focus on the task so we can have this thing working properly?" "Yes, that''s what we''ve been trying to do all this time." The Archbishop snorted despite himself, "Will you lend us your aid now that the stupid fool is gone?" "Absolutely!" Cedric nodded energetically. "You''d have to rece the Core first though. I''m afraid that one would no longer do." Everybody now paid attention to the Light Source and it''s just as he said, the core was broken. "Commander, fetch a new core for us to use. Also, sue Mark or whatever for the damages he caused us. Make him pay dearly." "As you wish, Archbishop." "Also, fetch a new batch of parts too. I believe the gears and other things have been damaged by that explosion." The Archbishop continued. But before the Commander could even move, Cedric suddenly interjected: "Honestly, there shouldn''t be any need for that." That got everybody''s attention. "How can you say so?" The Archbishop asked. "We have Master Smiths here. I''m sure one of them has a maxed-out ¡ºRepair¡» skill. We could just use that to restore the other parts. It won''t work on the core though, that''s why we need a new one." Cedric shrugged. Everybody was stunned by his words. Right, how did they not think of that? It turns out to be that simple. But before anybody could say anything, Cedric decided tond the deathblow. "Actually, that''s all you ever needed in the first ce. If a Master Smith used ¡ºRepair¡» on every piece of the Light Source besides the core, you would''ve had it up and running by now. There was no need to make a new gear at all." That caused everybody to groan in difort. Chapter 91: Mission Accomplished Missing such detail which should''ve been obvious in the first ce feels embarrassing. This is what everyone feels right now... The ¡ºRepair¡» skill is a verymon skill that everybody who has a Professional ss can learn. It''s useful for many things and mastering it doesn''t require as much effort as other types of skills out there. While the skill has limitations, it simrly has a lot of applications too. So to think that they forgot to even consider such a simple solution right away truly makes them feel ashamed to call themselves ''experts''. "We can use the previous gear. If someone uses ¡ºRepair¡» on it, it should return to its peak state, and the runes should work properly too. Of course, we still have to inspect it just in case, but I''m pretty sure that''s all we needed to do." Cedric stated calmly towards the rest, not minding their ashamed expressions. "G-go and fetch the Core, Commander Wilson." Archbishop Thomas weakly ordered. The old man feels pretty embarrassed right now but he still tries to maintain his dignity. Then, he asked the Master Smiths if anybody from their group had the Repair Skill. Fortunately, all of them have it. Everybody maxed it out too, meaning that their Repair Skill is at Lv.100. That''s more than enough to deal with a little scratch, no? As per Cedric''s suggestions, they brought out the damaged gear and used Repair on it right away. Everyone watched as the gear turned glossy. All the signs of rust and damage on its surface promptly disappeared in mere seconds. "Hold it up for me." Cedric requested. After briefly inspecting the gear, making sure that he did not miss anything, Cedric nodded in satisfaction and said: "Yep, that looks alright. But just to make sure, use Repair on all other parts of the Light Source." The Master Smiths didn''t need to be told twice. They immediately spammed their skills on the Light Source, making sure that they were very thorough about it. Cedric asked the Archbishop to watch closely and inspect the parts one by one to make sure that any possible errors were eliminated. With their meticulousness, theybed through every detail. Thankfully, they failed to see any errors after that, so all that they were waiting for was the recement of the core. Commander Wilson returned swiftly with the core so they didn''t need to wait long. Once they had it and verified that the core was functional, they once again started to assemble the Light Source. They were very careful about the process, nevertheless, it didn''t take long before they were done. After that, the only thing that''s left is to turn it on and they shall know if Cedric''s method worked or not. Pshew!! The Supervisors didn''t bother warning them. They immediately turned it on and once again, the entire Lighthouse released a brilliant light that momentarily blinded everyone...except Cedric, of course. Nobody spoke or reacted. They''re all holding their breaths in anticipation. Thest time this happened, the core exploded and rabbits appeared all over the ce. However, even after five minutes passed in silence, nothing happened still. It''s safe to say that everything''s working as it should be. "Thank goodness..." Archbishop Thomas sighed in relief finally after seeing that the Light Source was sessfully repaired. The radiance it was releasing wasn''t blinding anymore. The gears worked their magic and redirected it in a way that would illuminate the skies. Nothing seems to be out of ce either. Hell, the entire thing wasn''t even making any noise, which was a sign that everything was working in perfect order. "Our task is done. Good work everybody!" The Archbishop smiled at the experts, making some of them somewhat ufortable. These people didn''t feel like they deserved this praise since they barely did anything. And considering how simple this mission should''ve been, they weren''t supposed to be here in the first ce. "This was an eye-opening experience for all of us, so even though the majority of you didn''t do much, I''m still upholding our agreement." The Archbishop said, "All of you will be receiving marypensation as well as 10,000 Merit Points for helping us solve this predicament." Many eyes brightened upon that. This might appear opportunistic to some but none of them will refuse those rewards. They''d be stupid to do so. "Ah, there are exceptions of course. That stupid bufoon earlier won''t be receiving a drop ofpensation from us. In fact, he shouldpensate us instead. Also, there''s you..." the Archbishop narrowed his eyes at the trembling fat guy on the corner. "While others here did their best to help, you just relied on someone to do all the work. You aren''t even skilled enough to notice any mistake. Not to mention how unprofessional you have been all this time. How you earned the title of a Master Scribepletely eludes me. Leave at once, I don''t want to see you anywhere near this ce ever again!" The fat guy didn''t even have the courage to make an excuse. He was sopletely cowed by the old man that he turned tail and disappeared from everybody''s sight. All he got from this mission was the ire of the House of Light, which will definitely turn into a smear on his Profile. "As for you, Young Friend. Please excuse my behavior earlier. It''s just that...we ce great importance on the Lighthouse. Without it, our city will be swallowed by darkness and corruption. We couldn''t afford to let that happen so I acted that way." Archbishop Wilson regarded Cedric gently. "I understand. Don''t worry, I won''t hold a grudge on any of you." Cedric replied while waving his hands. That''s also when he received his rewards from the task and it surprised him. The House of Light gave him a million gold as well as 20,000 Tier 2 Demon Souls and Merit Points. "Uh..." Cedric trailed off as he saw the amount he received. But before he could say anything, the Archbishop cut him off. "It''s what you deserve. Your help benefitted the entire city so you deserve that much." The old man whispered this to him. The gold and demon souls were something he had an abundance of, what he received was merely a drop in a bucketpared to the total amount he had so that wasn''t enough to make him feel anything. What surprised him was the amount of Merit Points he received. It had to be known that Merit Points had no currency value. It could only be earned, not bought. 20,000 Merit Points was enough for someone with a Lv.1 System Authority to increase it to Lv.3! That''s two whole levels that will certainly benefit Superhuman! Of course, it doesn''t do much for Cedric since he has a Lv.8 System Authority, but still, this was a lot. In hindsight though, this much merit point was understandable. After all, he didn''t just save the House of Light from a potential predicament. He practically saved the entire city by helping with the repairs. He didn''t do much but still, this was a big deal. "Thank you, Sir. I''ll shamelessly ept this then." Cedric replied in a low voice. The Archbishop and the Commander smiled at him. Now they''re more friendly towards him because of what he did. They told him that he should expect a positive review from them soon. With their reputation, this will undoubtedly look pristine on Cedric''s public profile. This will open up more opportunities for him in the future, and as long as he keeps doing a good job, he might climb the socialdder swiftly. Not that Cedric prioritizes it... "...I am curious about one thing though." Archbishop Thomas suddenly inquired. "How did the rabbitse to be? Did you do that?" "Oh no, no!" Cedric denied it immediately. "That was the Pompous Prick''s fault,pletely. He must''ve been thinking about rabbits to calm himself down while he was drawing the Symbols." "...and that''s enough to cause the array to malfunction?" The old man asked. "Yeah. ''When drawing Symbols, the intent of the Scribe will always be taken into ount.'' This is the basics of being a Scribe. The more hyperfocused a Scribe is on a specific thing as he drew Symbols, the higher the chance that it will pass on to their creation, it''s like the ¡ºSmith''s Blessing¡» in that regard." "I''ve got pretty good senses, that''s why I knew what would happen. Unfortunately, the Pompous Prick has an inferiorityplex and refused to ept my help." Cedric shook his head while wearing a wry smile. "Huh..." Speaking of that guy, Cedric wondered if he was still alive. The Commander was merciless when he threw him towards god knows where. If it turns out that he''s still alive, then he must be hating Cedric now to his core. That was bound to happen considering what transpired before his ident. Fortunately, Cedric wasn''t too concerned about his retaliation. Cedric was practically untouchable in this city, even the City Lord had to give him some respect, so why should he be afraid of some random Master Scribe with a major inferiorityplex? His ipetence wasn''t his fault, so why should he feel sorry? Chapter 92: Birthday It''s been a few days since the end of that fiasco at the Lighthouse. As expected, aside from the generous rewards he received from the House of Light, he also received a five-star review from them, which went straight to his public profile. It''s the only client review he got so far but it''s a valuable one. He could already feel its impact through the numerous requests he got from clients through the guild. Sadly, Cedric isn''t interested in doing any missions right now. He only participated in that one since he was in the mood for it. He''s nowhere nearcking funds or merit points, so he had no reason to im more missions for now other than sheer experience. Because of that, Cedric spent most of his time honing his skills and grinding for Sub-ss, which was at level 10 already. A corner of hisb was turned into a crafting station. There, he bought all sorts of defective/broken products to practice his Smithing skills. He also learned ¡ºRepair¡» since he knew not to underestimate its uses. All respected Smithing skills he has reached level 10 as well besides ''Makeshift Trace'' since that was absorbed by his Unique Passive. If others were to learn of his leveling speed, they''d probably be gobsmacked. This was way too fast. It had to be known that the fastest record of someone maxing out the Smith Sub-ss was exactly 6 months. If Cedric were to continue with this speed, he would absolutely shatter this record. ...not that it would give him benefits. Breaking that record will only give him bragging rights, but still! That''s gonna be one hell of an achievement though. Sadly, Cedric had no interest in things like that. He would most likely keep a low profile still. He didn''t care about what others think. He wasn''t even in a hurry to level up his Sub-ss at all nor did he care about that record. What he seeks is self-improvement and he wasn''t in a rush. Right now, he''s still content familiarizing himself with his ss-rted skills. Since he got the defective product cheaply, he could keep using his skills to learn everything he needed to know. He will surely start crafting his own stuffter but for now, this will do. What he''s really concerned about right now is the uing entrance exam of the Starlight Academy... The notice was out, and it said that the screening would begin 3 months from now. Cedric was still Tier 2, he had to reach Tier 3 to participate. Of course, this shouldn''t be impossible for him. Yes, granted that his Aptitude was certainly unique, which might make the requirements of the Tier Advancement more difficult, he''s still fairly confident that he would make it just fine. Still, he knows to not underestimate anybody. The Starlight Royal Academy does notck geniuses at all. In fact, it attracts all of the geniuses all over the continent thanks to its ster reputation (no pun intended), so Cedric knew that he had to hone his skills more to not disappoint the City Lord''s faith in his potential and skills. Cedric still works just as hard to hone his skills despite theck of pressure. The only thing that could give him trouble so far was his Hell Dives and even there, he''s still holding back. This resulted in his progress slowing down considerably but not to the point that it has be stagnant. Still, it''s better than nothing. It wouldn''t be too long for him to gain experience while or after he graduated from the Academy anyway. For now, he''s doing just fine. And it shall continue like this until a new chapter of his life starts. **** [Good morning, User Cedric. And Happy Birthday!] [You''ve worked hard and experienced great turbulence since the start of this year, for that, the Ac System decides to reward you with a birthday gift for your hard work!] [Congrattions, you received a [Forging Set (T5)]! Please continue working hard to contribute to Humanity''s future.] Cedric woke up to this message today. He nced at his calendar and saw that it was the 10th of September, his birthday, which he almost forgot entirely. See, Cedric wasn''t really one to celebrate birthdays, especially after the death of his family and the start of his miserable experience at the RMC. He didn''t even have enough money to secure a decent living back then. He could only rely on the free shelter and food that the RMC provided for people like him, so how can even consider celebrating his birthday? Not to mention, Ac won''t always give gifts to Superhumans each year. She''s quite picky. She picks the ones that have potential and works extremely hard. Only these people receive gifts from her. Those who don''t fit her standards or those who getcent, shouldn''t even dream of it. "A gift, huh...thanks!" Cedric was obviously ted to receive it. Ac was too generous, giving him a Tier 5 Forging Set. It contains a hammer, a forge, and an anvil. All are essential tools for beginners Smith''s like him. It''s Tier 5 too, meaning that he could use this for items that reach Tier 5 in value or lower. This was more than enough to cover his need for tools for quite a while, so obviously he''s very happy to receive it. After settling his gift in his inventory, he got up and took a quick bath. He then changed into a fresh set of clothes and decided to rx on the balcony on the second floor of his house. ncing at the sky, Cedric felt mncholic all of a sudden... ''I wish you guys were here with me...'' he murmured to himself as the faces of his deceased family surfaced in his mind. ''The little buggers would be jumping on my bed to wake me up early. Mom would already be cooking my favorite food at the crack of dawn while Dad goes somewhere to buy me a present.'' ''Fiona will force me to wear a party hat. Robert will start obnoxiously belting the ''Happy Birthday'' song in my ears just to drive the point home.'' Cedric chuckled here. ''After a little celebration at home, we will go to the park. y for a bit and go home. It''s nothing much but that''s enough to make the rest of my year.'' ''I never told you how much I appreciated all of those little things...I just never had the chance to, do know that I am grateful for it...for everything that you all have done for me.'' Cedric felt his heart aching and his eyes misting, but he continued staring at that fake blue sky. ''I wish I could still wake up to the smell of the food you''re making, Mom.'' ''I wish Dad was still around to teach me how to be a man and a big brother to my siblings.'' ''I wish we had the chance to see how Finny (Fiona) and Robby (Robert) grow up. I bet they''d be more awesome than I ever was. They''ve shown so much potential, yet it was mercilessly taken away from them.'' ''But more importantly...I just wish that we had more time to be together.'' Tears started running down his face as his thoughts reached this stage. ''I miss you all so damn much. I wish we could spend my birthday together again, just like the old times. It doesn''t even have to be my birthday, really. Just one fine day, with all of you.'' ''If that day everes...by the end of it...maybe I could properly say my goodbyes. Tell you how much I love you and how I will always keep you in my heart.'' ''And maybe...just maybe...I could move on from this.'' ''But the likelihood of that ever happening isn''t much.'' Cedric grimaced at the thought. ''In fact, it''s downright impossible.'' ''It''s fine. Maybe we can be reunited once I go there myself. I just hope that wherever you all are, no pain can ever reach you.'' ''If you all are watching over me, then watch well. I''ll make you guys proud eventually, I promise.'' Cedric let out a deep breath and wiped his tears away. It''s been a while since he cried this much. He should be celebrating his birthday right now, notmenting over his family''s death all over again. Unfortunately, this is just one of the wounds that just doesn''t heal...not even the passage of time could heal it. At this point, Cedric thinks that he will mourn over their deaths for the rest of his life. Not that he''s against it though. At the very least, this keeps reminding him of his roots and his reason for living even after all of the miserable things he experienced. It keeps him rooted and humble. He knows that this isn''t the way they''d like to be remembered, but he couldn''t help it. The wound was deep and he witnessed it clearly. Nheless, this pain reminds him that he''s still alive and he now has the potential to usher a change. He might never heal from this and the pain of his loss might never disappear but he could use this as motivation to shape his future. "Alright...back to the grind!" Chapter 93: Tier Advancement [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Smith Lv.47/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.9 Titles: Son of Heaven (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.25, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.75, Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.100, Demon Lore Lv.75, yer''s Mark Lv.10, Sage Arts Lv.30, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting Lv.47, Metallurgy Lv.47, Smith''s Blessing Lv.47, Repair Lv.50 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 12, Failure Streak - 0 **** ''So it''s been a year, huh?'' Cedric mused to himself as he stared at his profile. Unknowingly, a year already passed since he got these eyes. His lifepletely changed since then. While he could still vividly remember everything that happened since then, it all also seemed like a blur to him. He didn''t expect that there would be a day where he could live like he does now, but here he was. On another note, it''s time for another Tier Advancement... He stayed at Tier 2 Lv.9 for about three weeks now and he hadpletely grasped his strength. And since the entrance exam for the Starlight Royal Academy is just a month away, he figured that he should at least begin now so he could still have some time to adjust. "System, show me the requirements to advance to Tier 3." He blurted out. [Alert! The System detected that User Cedric reached Tier 2 Lv.9 in strength. He is qualified to view the requirements to advance to Tier 3.] [Here are the requirements: 1. The user must reach Tier 2 Lv.9 (Pass) 2. The user must have a Hell Dive clear streak of 3 or above. Past records are valid. (Pass) 3. Complete Mastery of at least 3 ss rted skills. (Pass) 4. At least one Aptitude Parameter must reach C-Rank. (Pass) 5. The user must pass the trial prepared by the Ac System. (-)] ** The requirements were pretty simple and easy to clear. Those who are skilled enough and are doing fairly well in life shouldn''t find this difficult at all. Granted, the requirements might differ from one person to the other but in general, those who could reach this stage should have enough potential and skill to pass whatever Ac prepared for them. Cedric himself effortlessly passed most of the requirements already, he didn''t even move a muscle yet. This much was understandable. After all, this is the early stages of Superhuman scaling, as one goes up the ranks, the challenges they''d face would be more difficult. Since all that was left for him to do was to pass the trial Ac prepared for him, Cedric wasted no time and said: "Begin the Tier Advancement Trial. Let''s get this over with." [As you wish, User Cedric. The System will now send you to the Trial Space in 3...2...1!] Cedric felt the world around him spinning, which was a sign that he was being transported elsewhere. This doesn''t affect him anymore since he has already gotten used to it. All of the times he got transported to Purgatory numbed him already. When he regained his rity, he discovered that he was once again at the same ce where his ss Change Quest took ce. Well...it''s not the exact same ce, but it looks the same. [Notice: Wee to the Trial Space, User Cedric! This ce will determine whether you are fit to be a Tier 3 Superhuman or not.] [To pass this trial, you must enter the Arena and win at least 10 rounds of matches.] [You may quit as soon as you reach the required number of victories, or continue til you reach your limits to receive heftier rewards from the System.] [Alert! Your Trial begins once you step foot into the arena!] [Notice: You are exempted from certain death while you''re in here. Time flows and works simrly to your Hell Dives. Everything that is disyed here will only be witnessed by Ac alone.] ** "Cool." Cedric mused as he rxed for a bit. He wasn''t in a hurry here. Since time here flowed like it was in Hell Dives, it means that no matter how long he spent here, only 30 minutes will pass in the real world. ''I wonder if anybody abused this mechanic before.'' Cedric mused to himself, ''Nah, probably not. Ac is way too intelligent to let that kind of thing pass. Maybe she''ll allow it to some extent but not to the point where it gets ridiculous.'' ''Besides, even though the time flows differently here, its rules are still imposed on us. Meaning that we will still age here, so unless one possesses the gift of boundless lifespan and vitality, this mechanic is a little too hard to exploit.'' What he said wasn''t too far from the truth at least, but that doesn''t matter right now. He had something to do so must prioritize that instead. Cedric didn''t enter the arena right away. Instead, he opted to sit down first and meditate to adjust his mental state. Then, he double-checked his equipment to make sure that there wouldn''t be any idents. Once he felt that he was ready, he stood up and marched towards the Arena. And as soon as he stepped foot there, the Trial had already begun. He sensed an enemy manifesting nearby. Before they even formed, Cedric already locked onto their location. Still, he waited until the enemies formed to see what he was facing. "A human?" He muttered to himself once heid eyes on his enemy for the first round. That''s right, he''s facing humans again. However, he noticed that whoever he was facing had no consciousness. It has instinct which was geared to offense but it wasn''t intelligent at all. It seemed like a puppet or something simr. "Ah!" Cedric''s expression brightened up. "You must be a memory then." Cedric has heard of this before...or did he read it somewhere? Either way, he hade across this information before. Ac likes to remember people who showed great potential. She doesn''t do this for the mere sake of mncholy or anything, she does it to use as her tools to elerate the growth of Humanity. By fighting a memory of a really impressive individual, one could broaden their horizons and feel sufficient pressure to properly elevate their strength. Cedric clearly has no idea who his first enemy was and he wasn''t all too concerned. Especially since the enemy who just showed up couldn''t even dodge the first bullet he shot. The memory of that person disappeared just as fast as it came. This moves Cedric to the 2nd Challenge. Again, another memory appeared and again, he only used a single bullet to deal with it. This happened on the 4th...5th...all the way to 9th enemy. Every one of them couldn''t dodge his bullets fast enough. As for the ''supposedly''st round, Cedric finally faced someone who managed to react to his bullets. Unfortunately, though, that guy wasn''t able to survive the second bullet he shot. This has be a trend, but by the time he reached his 21st enemy, the difficulty spiked and it was obvious. From this point onwards, the increase in difficulty consistently rose. Little by little, Cedric was pushed to show his abilities more. There were resting periods after every 10 rounds thatsted for 30 minutes, long enough for him to regain his strength. Cedric breezed through the trial. He faced Ac''s memories of geniuses one round after the other. He reached the 30th round...the 40th...50th... Eventually, he met his match in the 100th round, and that fight ended up in mutual destruction. Fortunately, he couldn''t die here so he had no qualms sacrificing himself to bring that guy down. [Congrattions, User Cedric. You reached the 100th Stage of the Trials and cleared it sessfully.] [You have achieved a feat that only a few managed to do in all of Superhuman History. For this, Ac asks: Are you willing to have her memory of you to be the Final Challenger for the Tier 3 Advancement Trial?] "Oh, this can happen?" Cedric was mildly surprised, "Sure, why not? Sounds fun!" [Ac appreciates your enthusiasm.] [Congrattions on passing your Tier Advancement with flying colors. You will be receiving the following: ''Random Legendary Equipment Ticket'', Beast Egg (Growth), and ''Enlightening Tea Packets'' ¡Á10.] "Hoho..." Cedric smiled at those rich rewards. He then began inspecting them one by one. [Legendary Equipment Ticket (Random)] : Directions - tear this ticket to receive a random Legendary Tier Equipment. [Beast Egg (Growth)] : This beast egg is special. It is unknown for now and its owner must nourish it within their bodies to incubate it. Its form will depend on its owner''s personality, potential, and dreams. : Note - having the Sub-ss: Beast Tamer, is not required to raise this beast egg. [Enlightening Tea Packets] : A special product that only a select group of people receives. Brew it and consume it for a guaranteed enlightenment. : Note - Focus on the matter you want to be enlightened about before consuming this tea for maximum effect. Chapter 94: Breakthrough The rewards were nice and all but for now, that wasn''t his priority... Since he already passed the test, his advancement will now begin. As if on cue, Cedric felt a strange sensation bubbling within him. He became alert and immediately sat down to brace for the impact. Boom! Cedric''s body shook. A wave of pure unknown force mmed into him, causing him to groan ufortably. Nevertheless, it wasn''t threatening. He hurriedly rxed his body allowing it to absorb the foreign energy that was being transmitted to him. While the list of requirements didn''t include Demon Souls, it''s under the premise that all system users know that every advancement needs it. A given fact, more or less. For Cedric''s Tier 3 Advancement, he needed a whopping 150,000 Purified Demon Souls. For others, this would''ve been impossible to get but since Cedric could collect them, this was no problem for him. He had millions of Purified Demon Souls collected in his inventory. He prepared them beforehand since he didn''t know how much he would need. The strength of Purified Demon Souls as well as a mysterious stream of energy werebined and funneled into Cedric''s body, changing and strengthening him in the process. Cedric''s mind, body, and spirit were being elevated at a discernable pace. The previous impact of the energy mixture no longer bothered him. Right now, he''s solely focused on allowing his body to absorb as much as it can while also paying attention to the changes within him. Time passed and soon, Cedric could tell that his advancement was tapering off. By now, his body was already adjusting to the recent changes. However, Cedric still has something to add. Once he''s done absorbing every morsel of energy there was for his advancement, he circted the [White Lotus Core Technique]. He decided to take this chance to advance from the ''Hollowed Core Stage'' to the ''Solid Core Stage''. Through his perfect control over his Ki, the hollowed core gradually filled up. Iparably pure Ki was poured onto it, causing the hollowed core to start rotating in ce. Cedric waspletely focused on this process, he couldn''t afford to the distracted since one wrong move could severely injure him from within. Thankfully, his control was perfect, not even a sliver of Ki was wasted when he moved them. Eventually, he converted enough Ki to fill up the Hollowed Core. The next step is topress it as much as he could. And to do that, he had to exert his will upon the core and have it spin even faster. Doing this wasn''t too challenging for him either. Hepressed his core again and again until it became the size of a mung bean. It''s incredibly small but make no mistake, this core packs ultra-dense Ki. If he were to release this and have it explode, it would wipe out the entire ck Thread City in mere seconds. Once Cedric felt that he reached the limits of his corepression, he released his hold on it. Its rotation speed visibly slowed down a lot but that''s fine, it doesn''t have to spin that fast all the time anyway. More importantly, however, Cedric''s Ki which used to be in gaseous form, has now condensed and purified even more and was close to liquefying. As a matter of fact, he already collected a drop of liquified Ki, and it was not coursing through his body, nourishing and strengthening him. Thanks to this nourishment, Cedric''s body underwent another metamorphosis. His skin started shedding, more impurities were pushed out of his body, and he also bled a lot, but none of these were harmless. It was a natural process since his body was being refined to a whole new level. "Finally..." Cedric mused to himself, "Solid Core Stage and Tier 3 Lv.1! My strength elevated greatly!" It was normal for him to be excited. The feeling of bing stronger was exhrating. Cedric casually threw a punch and was ted when he saw its effects. Even this casual punch of his could severely injure C-Rank Superhumans of the same level. This just shows how absurd he had truly be. With the elevation of his strength, the burden he could shoulder increased as well. Of course, thises with responsibilities but since he''s still a nobody for now, he still had time to spare. "The range of my senses also increased by a lot." Cedric murmured, "Around 50 miles with me at the center. The ck Thread City is about 100 km2, about 38.6 miles. Simply put, no matter where I am in the city, I will know everything happening within it and some distance outside of it. That''s great." He briefly wondered how Arishem and the City Lord would react to this if he were to tell them. When Arishem asked himst time, he severely downyed it and said that his range was about a kilometer and a half. ''They wouldn''t suspect it if I were to say that I could sense up to 10 kilometers next time right?'' He mused to himself before shaking his head. "My body will need time to consolidate this breakthrough. It will do it on its own though, so I''m not worried." Cedric muttered while cleaning himself. Once he was done, he briefly admired himself in a mirror. His previous ''exfoliation'' made him even more handsome than before. There''s also a faint smell of freshnessing from his body. "Strange, I''m pretty sure I used unscented products just now. Could this be my natural scent then?" Cedric decided to not think too much about it. He wasn''t too concerned about this. So long as he doesn''t smell bad, then it is fine. Since he''s done with his breakthrough and advancement, Cedric decides to settle a few more things before leaving this ce. He took out the Beast Egg and held it close to his body. He analyzed it with his senses and he felt thetent seed of life within the egg. It''s as if it were frozen in time, it''s alive but it won''t grow unless he does something about it. Also, because of its form, it''s impossible to discern what kind of beast it was. Well, he''s better off nothing thinking about it. After all, its description said that it would depend on him and the nourishment he could provide. "Fortunately, I don''t need to be a Beast Tamer to incubate it." Cedric sighed in relief. To form a contract, Cedric bit his finger and smeared his blood on the eggshell. As soon as he did that, the Beast Egg glimmered before turning into a streak of light, disappearing to his chest. Cedric hurriedly inspected his body and discovered that the Beast Egg had taken a spot near his White Lotus Core as its home. He could also feel it absorbing a little bit of his Blood Essence. Blood Essence is also known as the longevity of a Superhuman. It''s the lifespan, in simple terms. The amount that the Beast Egg absorbed from him wasparable to a full year of his lifespan, meaning that his lifespan lessened by a full year just now. Cedric wasn''t too concerned though. Due to the changes that happened to him since then, Cedric could live up to 500 years old. A mere year wasn''t something he''d cry about. Besides, so long as he makes more advancements or breakthroughs, his lifespan will continue to be extended, so really, this wasn''t concerning to him at all. What he didn''t know is that the amount of blood essence the Beast Egg absorbs for the initial feeding depends on its contractor. For now, the Beast Egg is driven by pure instinct. It reacts ording to the rules of its immediate environment. For Cedric, losing a year''s worth of Blood Essence might not be a big deal but that''s because he wasn''t aware of how precious his Blood Essence was... He''s an EX-Ranked Superhuman, a one-of-a-kind monster. The worth of his blood essence was at least 10 times greater than the blood essence of a S-Rank Superhuman. For the Beast Egg, this was a sheer dose of Ambrosia. The moment it consumed Cedric''s blood essence, it already beganying the foundations for its phenomenal birth. It would take time for sure, and Cedric would need to feed it more valuable resources, but so long as he met its demand, the Beast that woulde out of this egg was bound to surprise him greatly in the future. "That should be the Initial Feeding done," Cedric muttered. "It should stay silent for a while." With that out of the way, he stopped paying attention to the egg. It''s safe within his body so he doesn''t have to worry about it. Cedric left the Enlightening Tea Packets inside his inventory. He didn''t n on touching those for now. It is a valuable consumable, yes. But he hasn''t encountered anything that would require its usage so it''s best to leave it there. Next, he brought out the Random Legendary Equipment Ticket. "Alright, let''s see what kind of equipment I''ll get from this." He whispered, "Please be a sword though..." He took a deep breath and tore the ticket in half. Golden light erupted all of a sudden, momentarily blinding him. Once it subsided and his vision adjusted to the brightness, the legendary equipment revealed its form to him... Chapter 95: Solaris Edge Cedric''s advancement was done. His body was already limated to the changes that happened to it. He''s now in full control of his strength once more. Right now, he was in his training area. He was training his skills with his sword. He''s also using the new sword he got from the ticket reward. ** [Sris Edge (Legendary/Growth)] : Originally made as an ornamental sword. Someone tried to recast it but they failed, they threw it into theke and it stayed there for a long time. One day, an opportunity urred that transformed the sword into something else, turning it into a legendary artifact that nobody had wielded before until now. Unique Trait - [Absorption]: this trait allows the sword to store and absorb all types of energy. The energy storage limits are unknown due to the mysterious transformation of the sword but it''s theorized to be massive. At the User''smand, the sword can release the stored energy in various ways to fit the User''s needs. : Note - This sword is a perfect energy medium, highly durable, and has the potential to grow with its user. Bound to User Cedric. ** Sris Edge still maintained that ornamental sword looks even after its supposed transformation. It''s a longsword that''s about 50 inches in length, the de itself was 35 inches and the hilt makes up for the rest. It also weighs around 5 kilograms, which was extremely light for Cedric. It has hints of golden carvings on the surface of the de. The hilt has a cross guard carved with all sorts of auspicious beasts. There''s also a unique insignia at the pommel which already faded a lot. Nheless, despite its shy appearance, it was a sharp sword. It''s too light for his liking but Cedric couldn''tin about that since this is, after all, a legendary weapon. Plus, he could wield it just fine so what''s not to like? Although it is not stated in the description, Sris Edge can turn into a tattoo that''s located on Cedric''s back. He only needs a thought to manifest it into being. As for the Absorption trait, the sword could autonomously siphon energy from its surroundings. The speed wasn''t too great but it was more than enough. Of course, he could also start feeding it with his energy. The sword isn''t picky, it could absorb his blood and convert it to energy, he could also use Ki, and so on. He did note that the converted energy closely resembles that of Sunlight Energy. Cedric doesn''t know if he was on purpose or not but he didn''t bother thinking about it too much. It''s not a detriment to him anyway. It''s quite the opposite, in fact. Cedric already familiarized himself with the sword. He''s curious about how much energy it could hold but that''s gonna take some time. Now, he''s just hoping that this sword works wonders during his Hell Dives, because if it could, then the Demons would have more reasons to hate him. Him having this sword is akin to giving wings to a tiger. He''s already a dual legendary-ssed Superhuman. That alone was already scary enough, with this sword though? Oh, Cedric was really looking forward to his next Hell Dive. One more thing, since this sword looked too unique and shy, his enemies were bound to take note of it. Since he doesn''t want to switch swords between Cedric and Derrek, he decided to use ''Sage Art: Jester''s Mask'' on the sword, and it surprisingly worked! Now, he could disguise Sris Edge as a fairlymon longsword. With this new equipment in hand, Cedric felt his confidence being boosted even more. His strength was steadily rising each day, and he was bing more and more excited for the uing entrance exam. "There''s still a month left before it begins." Cedric sighed as he wiped his sweat off. "I should practice more." **** "...it''s been a while since we hung out like this." Chrissy stated, sighing as she rested her back on her chair. She then looked at Cedric and said: "You used to go out regrly, but recently you''ve been staying indoors. What changed?" Today''s a rest day for Cedric. This was non-negotiable since he didn''t want to abuse his body unless it waspletely necessary. Besides, his progress has been slowing down anyway so he might as well rx from time to time. Right now, he''s hanging out with Chrissy and Erica at thetter''s house. He had grown considerably close with the two. It was Erica at first since they''re neighbors. Chrissy essentially rented a room on Erica''s house so he became close with her too. "Ah, that..." Cedric chuckled lightly, "Nothing much, I''m training for something." "Training?" Erica raised a brow. "Are you having trouble with your Hell Dives? I thought you were doing well with your projects as a Scribe? Do you need help? You can invite us to a party! We may not look like it but we''re skilled you know!" "I appreciate the offer, but it''s not that. Not the Hell Dive." Cedric shook his head. "It''s for an...entrance exam, actually." He smiled as he continued grilling some meat. Chrissy and Erica looked at each other for a bit, then they got thinking. Momentster, Erica''s eyes suddenly widened as she eximed: "Wait, hold on!" She grabbed the armrest and leaned forward a bit. "Entrance exam? When will it take ce?" "Uh, next month? The exact date hasn''t been released yet." Cedric blinked at her sudden interest. "No way!" Erica eximed. "The only school that''s having an entrance exam next month is the Starlight Royal Academy!! Do you n on enrolling there?" "What!? Starlight Royal Academy!?" Chrissy looked stunned as well. Cedric pursed his lips and decided to not face them, but he did reply: "Yeah, I''m hoping to get epted. My guarantor put his trust in me and I don''t want to disappoint him." From his senses, he saw the astonished look on Chrissy and Erica''s faces as they looked at each other. He felt weirded out so he turned around and asked: "Is it really that shocking? Do I not look that impressive?" "Nonononono!" The two hurriedly shook their heads in disagreement, and then to his surprise, theyughed. "We''re just surprised, you see. After all, people who could receive tokens to participate in the entrance exam are fairly rare." Chrissy stated. "Right! But more importantly, we didn''t expect a prospective underssman here!" Erica happily added. That certainly got Cedric''s attention now. He looked at them in surprise and asked: "You study there?" "Yeah!" Both of them replied, and then they showed him their ID. Those IDs are legit because it is against thew to make counterfeits of them. If someone tries, the System will immediately notice it and they will be heavily punished for doing so. Only the students and the staff of the Royal Academy could hold those IDs. "Wow! What a coincidence!" Cedric chuckled as he served them a te of freshly grilled meat. "How long have you been studying there?" "Around three years now for both of us." Chrissy replied, "Actually, that''s where we and the other guys met and became friends." "I see." Cedric nodded. Then he ate some of the meat he grilled and stopped asking questions. "What, not curious at all?" Erica yfully asked. "Nah. I know that the information you can give to me is limited to the ones released in public and I''ve already read all of those." Cedric replied, "Besides, I want to experience it myself. It won''t be toote to ask for guidance from you once I get admitted anyway." "Hoho...my, aren''t you a confident one?" Chrissy teased coquettishly. "You know it." Cedric winked at her, causing the poor girl to be flustered. "Stop with the innuendos, please. It is way too early for this." Erica snorted, but the two knew better than to believe her, especially when she too looked flustered. "Ohe, Riri." Chrissy yfully whined beside her. "Don''t tell me you didn''t miss ''Big Brother'' Cedric? It''s been weeks you know? See, now he looks hurt!" The way she said ''Big Brother'' implied way too many things that Erica would rather not discuss right here and right now. "Stop teasing her." Cedric yfully scolded Chrissy upon seeing how red Erica became. "But why, ''Big Brother''? I''m not teasing though! I''m telling the truth." Chrissy feigned innocence in a naughty way. "If I was teasing, it''d look something like this." Cedric momentarily froze when he felt her foot slowly making its way up his legs. Shaking his head, he decided to let her be. It''s not like she''s harming him anyway. "Chrissy!" Erica quietly screeched as she started looking everywhere to see if there were other people around. "Girl, rx! Nobody will see us like this. Cedric made sure of that, right Big Brother?" "Yep," Cedric smirked as he firmly held Chrissy''s foot and ced it to a better angle so that she could really feel his length. "Oohla~" Chrissy let out a scandalous giggle. "Look, Big Brother! Erica looks jealous. "Oh no." Cedric''s smirk became bigger. "Then we better do something about that, isn''t that right, Kitten?" Erica didn''t even have the time to scream before Cedric grabbed her and carried her towards the bedroom with Chrissy as well. At this point, it''s pretty obvious that their closeness reached an entirely different level but that''s between them. Every participant agreed to this setup anyway. Chapter 96: Gathering Within a spacious room, a few people gathered around the table. These people seem to be enjoying a fairly rxing time but in truth, they''re actually working right now, it just doesn''t look like it. "...another year, another batch of prospective students." One of them sighed as she stared at the system prompts in front of her. "Based on the list we received, it seems that we shouldn''t expect much this time either." "Don''t be so pessimistic, Am." One of her colleagues chided, "Who knows, maybe this batch will surprise us?" "You say that every year, Selene." Am grunted. "Thest time that we had actual talents was around three years ago, and that batch wasn''t even all that impressive to be honest. They''re barely scraping by as we speak." "Well, that''s on them. We already provided them everything they need, if they couldn''t even reach our standards, then they know what their ending will be." One of their male colleagues chimed in. "What, still bitter about your disciple''s piss-poor performancest time, Ignatius?" Selene teased, causing the man''s expression to twist. "Gah! Don''t even remind me of that fool!" Ignatius snarled. "I''m this close to disowning him! How can someone be so foolish!" "Hey, quit that. You''ve nearly set the table on fire." Another one of their colleagues scolded. "Oops, my bad." Ignatius quickly reeled in his temper. It was embarrassing for someone like him to lose control over his powers like this but he couldn''t help it, his youngest disciple just irked him to the bone. "How about you, Orion? What do you think of this batch?" Am asked their stone-faced colleague. "Well..." Orion cleared his throat, "I can''t conclude anything right now. We''ll have to see it ourselves during the test but...there''s someone worth noting amongst this batch." Now that...that got his colleagues curious. For someone like Orion, also known as the Academy''s most ruthless instructor, to be interested in someone, wasn''t an everyday urrence. "Oh? Tell us, quickly! I don''t mind being spoiled." Selene giggled in excitement as she leaned forward. "This guy..." Orion disyed the profile of the person he was referring to for them to see. "...he doesn''t look impressive." Ignatiusmented on the side. "Yeah, he doesn''t." Orion agreed, "The thing is though...I''m pretty sure that his profile was forged by Ac herself." "Eh!?" All of his colleagues were shocked. "Really? Then wouldn''t that mean that this child is unique then?" Selene browsed through the information avable to them. She read them all in mere seconds and concluded: "Yeah, his Profile does hide a lot of things. There''s at least a 90% chance that this is forged." "I also saw the child up close." Orion admitted, "I happened to be passing by when it happened. I''m pretty sure that he''s a descendant of ''that'' n." "Which one?" Ignatius scratched his head in confusion. "You know...that one reclusive n? The one that''s incredibly heartless towards their descendants?" Selene supplied for Orion''s sake. "Ah! That n!" Ignatius finally figured out who they were talking about, yet at the same time, his face soured at the memory. "Now that you say that...I can see it, especially with those infamous wine-red eyes. But hold on! If that''s the case, what''s this guy doing here? Shouldn''t he...I don''t know, have better options? That n hates us, if I remember it correctly." "You''re not wrong." Am interjected, "In fact, I dare say that they abhor us, even. But...maybe this child grew up outside of the n? That''s the only logical guess I coulde up with right now." "Right, that''s very likely. After all, the very first thing that ns pass down to their descendants is their generational hate towards the Headmaster. In terms of holding a grudge, nobody couldpete with them." Selene snorted as she stated this. "...or, he could''ve been raised as a spy," Ignatius added on the side. "I wouldn''t put that past them." "You probably should." Orion replied, "I know that n very well. That kind of act ispletely below them. Even if they were to meet their end tomorrow, there''s no way they would do something so low. They might not treat their descendants well, but they still have ''standards'' at the very least." "Anyway, this is just a spection. Unless we see this child in action, we don''t have any way of confirming if he really is from that n or not. And even if he is from that n, this isn''t our problem. The Headmaster will deal with it. Our job is to make sure that no funny business urs during the exam." Orion continued. "Right, the exam date is already released. We''re almost done with the preparations. We might as well finish everything today so that we can have a few days worth of rest." When Selene suggested this, nobody disagreed. All of them know how hectic their schedules are. It''s already rare for them to be in the same room together so they should take advantage of this chance while it''s still there. And just like that, the staff of the Starlight Royal Academy went back to work, hoping that they could finish all of the remaining tasks that day. **** The staff aren''t the only ones who were busy with the entrance exam. In fact, the entrance exam is much more of a big deal for the studentspared to the instructors. When the exam date was released, all applicants were thrilled and nervous. It was finally happening next week. The sheer fact that it''s this close made them feel anxious. Most of them already made their preparations, but due to their anxiety, they were now douting if that was enough. All of them knew that the Starlight Royal Academy was where the cream of the crop would gather. Only the best will be epted. Each applicants have their pride as geniuses, they wouldn''t be bestowed with a token if they weren''t qualified after all. That said, with all of the young geniuses gathering at one spot, of course, differences will be quite obvious. With how intense thepetition would be, it''s normal for them to doubt their abilities. Though, a small number of participants didn''t feel the same way as the others... These people didn''t feel any ounce of burden or nervousness at all. Some of them believed that this era belongs to them or they just don''t have the time to feel jittery right now. If this was due to sheer confidence or arrogance, only time could tell. What matters is that everybody is bracing themselves right now. They worked hard to get to this point and an opportunity presents itself to them. If they could grasp it, their future would be bright. If they couldn''t, then they could only wallow in misery and regret, living the rest of their lives in mediocrity. The time to prepare already passed long ago. With this entrance exam urring mere dayster, what the participants should do is consolidate everything they achieved so far and prepare to head towards the Royal Capital, after all, if they don''t show up, they couldn''t participate. Speaking of the Royal Capital, Florence is now bustling with activity. Many people were arriving in droves. Their objectives varied but the majority of them were here to experience the Starlight Royal Academy''s Entrance Exam. Some who arrived were participants, others were just here to watch or broaden their horizons. Of course, there are also people who are trying to take advantage of the event... There were some who set up stalls, some started poaching people to join their schools instead, and so on. It''s all of this that caused the Royal Capital to be extremely active. Amongst this sea of people was Cedric, apanied by Chrissy and Erica. He already squeezed out as much progress as he could have at his current form. Throwing himself to harsh training until the veryst minute wouldn''t do him any good. The opposite might happen, even. So, he decided toe a few days early and find a ce to stay temporarily. Chrissy and Erica were there to help him out. The two didn''t tell Cedric anything about the Entrance Exam despite their closeness mainly because they''re forbidden to do so since that would be unfair to the rest. Besides, even if they could, Cedric wouldn''t hear it. He already said that he wants to experience it himself and the girls could respect that. After all, they too were like this back then. "...it''s good to rx. The exam can be nerve-wracking but losing sleep over it will not help at all." Chrissy casually pointed out. "Right. Besides, it''s best if you are at your peak state when you participate in the exam. God knows how much you''d regret that if you fail. I''ve seen it happen way too many times already." Ericamented as well. Cedric didn''t say anything, he just chilled on the bed while the girls linked their limbs all over him, something that didn''t bother him at all, of course. ''I''m ready as I''d ever be. I''d also have to thank them for helping me release all the tension I''ve umted so far, but that has to wait until the exams are over.'' Cedric and the girls spent the passing days just like this and before they knew it, the day of the exam already arrived... Chapter 97: Entrance Exam: Florence the Capital City and Written Exam Florence - the Royal Capital... It is a metropolis that stands proudly amongst others, others call it the home of Heroes for many legendary characters were born and raised here. It is also a ce where the real powers governing the Eastern Continent could be found. One of them was, of course, the Starlight Royal Academy. Though it bears the ''Royal'' in its name, the academy isn''t under the control of the Royal Family at all. Previous generations of the Royal Family tried to get this piece of pie but none has seeded so far. In fact, they were even met with a ruthless blow to their status because of their transgressions. The academy is neutral. Its alignment is towards itself and its purpose is for the benefit of Humanity as a whole. This alignment is extended towards their students so long as they remain inside their walls. Once they graduate though, or are expelled, it''s fair game for everybody outside. Today, the gates of the fabled academy open for the participants of the entrance exam. Said participants were already waiting outside even before the sun was up. There was tension in the air, which was understandable given how huge this event was for all of them. The gates opened precisely at 8 am, the guards allowed the entry of the participants as well as their families, unrted people weren''t allowed inside though. Seeing this, Cedric made his way inside along with hispetitors. He already parted ways with Erica and Chrissy, he guessed that they were already inside the academy doing their thing. He was being careful this time. He didn''t dare to unfold the full extent of his sensory field. He was afraid that he might offend someone by doing this so he limited it to its minimum which is 500 meters around him. They were instructed to gather at the gymnasium, a humble description of what looks to be a coliseum instead. Being sensitive to his surroundings, of course Cedric could tell the difference as soon as he entered the Academy. The energy fluctuations here were surely richer and more activepared to outside. These energy fluctuations eased his mind and allowed him to think more clearly...not that he needed it in the first ce, but he could very well see how this could help others in terms of learning new things. This was an effect of the academy''s formation. Something that he already sensed even before entering this ce. Additionally, the academy was beautiful. For some reason, the colors here are more vibrant and the view seems fantastical. He also saw towering buildings everywhere. For now, he has no idea what those buildings are for but from their structure, he could guess that each one has an important purpose. Once they arrived at the testing grounds, Cedric saw four people who were wearing glittering badges. The sight was unmistakable since it''s extremely difficult for those to be fake, and those badges are only handed to the instructors of the academy. A bald man stepped forward. From a single nce, Cedric could feel an overwhelming momentum from him. He''s like a slumbering disaster. This person was at least several notches stronger than the City Lord of the ck Thread City. "Greetings, Younglings." The bald man greeted them with his deep voice that rumbled everywhere. "My name is Orion Stoneshield. I''m an Instructor at this academy. I''m also joined by my colleagues today and together, we will be facilitating this year''s entrance exams." Nobody said a word, everyone listened with rapt attention. Some didn''t even dare to breathe in fear of missing something. "Our academy''s Entrance Exam is divided into two main categories: Written and Practical. Here, we believe that knowledge and skill go hand in hand. Thebined result of both categories will determine if you will have a spot on this year''s batch of new students." He continued. He then stomped his foot and all of a sudden, the surroundings changed. The majority of the students were rmed by the sudden change. Others, like Cedric, remained calm despite the changes, something that the instructors didn''t miss. Once the changes were done, the participants were surprised to discover that somehow, they were transported into arge ssroom filled with rows upon rows of seats. "In order to ensure fairness, your ess to the Ac System is prohibited during the exam period. If you don''t agree with this setup, take your leave now. I''ll give you three minutes to do so." "..." From his sensory feedback, Cedric saw some of the participants'' faces dropping. He quickly guessed that they might''ve been thinking or relying on the System to pass their exams. He inwardly shook his head and decided to ignore them. Despite reacting in various ways, none of the participants left. Once the three-minute grace period was up, Orion once again spoke: "Since all of you are determined, you may now take your seat. We will distribute the questionnaire soon. As soon as you receive yours, you may start answering them. We will give you three hours to answer as much as you can. If you finish ahead of time or once the time is up, submit your papers to me." Upon hearing those instructions, the participants began choosing their seats. Cedric went to the closest one to him and made himselffortable. Shortly after, he received his papers so he began reading their contents. ...and just to make sure that he wouldn''t be used of cheating, hepletely suppressed his field of senses to the level of a normal person. Whether the Instructors noticed this or not, he wouldn''t know. If they did, then they didn''t show any reaction to it. Surprisingly, the contents of the written exam start easily. The questions are fairlymon. For some reason, he thought that he would be forced to solveplicated problems and puzzles. This is more like taking the Final Exams at a University...at least in the first half. The second half deals with the Superhuman side of things. Cedric could easily tell that the second half would stump other participants, especially those who did not receive any Superhuman-rted Education. Fortunately, this isn''t anything difficult for the current Cedric. Especially not when his ¡ºEducation¡» skill surpassed Level 100. Thanks to this, he finished the 10-page long, back-to-back, written exam within the first hour. And this was him being generous with his time already. However, since he still had time, he decided to double-check his answers. By the second hour into the written exams, he already confirmed that he answered everything to the best of his abilities so he stood up to submit his papers. Orion received his papers without saying a word. He was then instructed to wait outside of the room until everybody was done. Surprisingly, Cedric wasn''t the first one to finish. He saw five people already outside, meaning that they finished earlier than he did. It was no big deal to him though. He found a spot to sit down for now. He tried summoning the System''s Interface but it didn''t appear. This was a sign that their ess to it was indeed prohibited while the exams were still underway. Since he had no ess to entertainment for now, he decided to use his time meditating instead. He got rid of any distracting thoughts and fell into a deep meditative state in less than a minute. Unbeknownst to him, his behavior has been noted by the other five who came before him as well as the instructors inside the room. Someone from the five who finished early was debating whether to start making friends or not, but when he saw the handsome guy not even bothering to waste a nce at them, he felt disheartened for some reason. The others seem to follow his lead too. As for the instructors, they just took note of Cedric''s rxed behavior. They didn''t dare to specte anything yet since it''s still way too early for that. Time passed and soon, the three-hour time limit was up. Orion didn''t even bother telling the participants to stop, he just mysteriously snatched their papers before they could even react and told them to step outside since their time was up. Cedric already ended his meditation at this point. He stood up and blended with the crowd, waiting for the next instructions. "Your Written Exams are being graded as we speak. I advise you to not think about it too much though. After all, your tests aren''t done just yet and you should focus because the Practical Exam is the part that you absolutely should not fail." He stated. ''Judging from those words, it seems that the impact of the Practical Exams weighs more than the Written Exams. A bit biased but that''s to be expected. After all, strength has always been valued more than knowledge in this era.'' Cedric mused to himself. "We will now be starting the Practical Exams!" Orion eximed to get everybody''s attention. He then stomped his foot to reveal a tform to which a lotus blossomed. Cedric watched asyers uponyers of barrier covered the lotus. That''s when Orion spoke: "This...will be the first part of your Practical Exam!" Chapter 98: Entrance Exam: Practicals "The Practical Exams will be divided into Three Tests and a Bonus Test at the end. The first part is called the Test of Strength." Orion announced. "This is the Blooming Lotus of Protection," Orion stated as he gestured at the treasure. "It''s a Tier 6 Artifact that produces 999yers of barriers to protect its user, with eachyer tougher than thest." "Even though it''s only Tier 6, this artifact could serve Tier 8 experts. It could even be considered as their favorite defensive tool." "All of you will take turns attacking this artifact. To pass this part, your attack must reach the 50thyer at least. Of course, the deeper your attack reaches, the better. Your results will be recorded so do your best." "Once we call your name, step forward and attack. We will begin with Carmin Arthur!" The first participant stepped forward. Judging from the look on his face, he was extremely nervous. Nevertheless, he still summoned his weapon to prepare for his attack. "Begin!" Orion announced. With a courageous shout, Carmin exploded at his highest strength, he threw his spear with all of his might. Bang! Bang! Bang! Layers uponyers of barriers shattered due to his attack. Many participants were surprised by the explosiveness of his attack but those who had good senses could tell that the attack was swiftly losing its momentum. 30thyer...31st...38th...40th! Carmin was praying to all the gods he knew. He only needed 10 moreyers to break and he will pass this test. The spear continued until it reached the 49thyer however, it stopped there. It seems to have met a fearsome resistance that sapped all remaining momentum it has. It barely scratched the surface of the 50thyer before dropping down uselessly on the ground, much to Carmin''s despair. This is when Orion''s cold and callous voice sounded in everybody''s ears... "49 Layers, Fail! Next!" That sounded like a death sentence for everybody who heard it. The fact that the instructors didn''t even botherforting the participant who failed, didn''t help either. This spells the end of Carmin''s trials. Since he already failed at the first part, there was no need for him to continue being here. A guard already dragged him out of the testing grounds while he''s still stupefied at his failure. All that hard work, anxiety, blood, sweat, and tears were rendered useless because he failed...that failure will certainly leave a scar on Carmin''s mind. It was cruel and merciless, yet nobody could do anything about it. Carmin''s results served as a warning for everyone else. This was no ce to hesitate. So, the next participant made sure to give it their all. Just like that, the test continued... "51yers, Pass!" "60yers, Pass!" "62yers, Pass!" "45yers, Fail!" "70yers, Pass!" "10yers, FAIL!" "100yers, PASS!" One after the other, the participants showed off their might. Some passed, some failed. Regardless of their results, the instructors kept a neutral face as they continued conducting the exams. "...hey, isn''t that her? Isabe Frostwind!?" "Yeah, it is! As expected, she''d be here! Watch carefully, she''s bound to be amazing!" Cedric heard the murmurs near him so he looked over at the girl who was preparing for her turn. She was beautiful, there are doubts about that. She has tinum blonde hair, pearly white skin, a voluptuous figure, and an ethereal aura that radiates coldness. Her face was hidden behind a thin veil, but that didn''t stop Cedric''s senses at all, he was aware that beneath that veil lies a stunning face that could enchant even a war-jaded heart. ''If I remember it correctly, this must be the publicly acknowledged #1 genius of cia City, the Frozen Princess - Isabe Frostwind.'' From what Cedric could remember, she was dered a genius because she possessed an S-Rank overall aptitude. Moreover, she also received a Legendary ss called: ''Frostweaver Sorceress''. Partnered with her exceptional beauty and grace, she became the darling of cia despite her being cold towards everybody. Everybody watched as she took her stance. A burst of chill erupted silently from her body, causing those near her to shiver due to the cold. She lifted a hand and a spiked cier condensed behind her. It was initially huge, but within a minute its size reduced greatly. Cedric raised a brow, impressed by her control over Ice. The cier turned into a spear and with a flick of a finger, sheunched it towards the lotus. Boom! Itsunch broke the sound barrier, shocking the majority of the participants. As soon as her attack reached the lotus, it began shatteringyer afteryer of barriers. It practically tore through the first 50yers with barely an effort which ensured her sess for this test. The attack continued and only started slowing down once it reached the 100thyer. Everybody was silent as the attack continued forward until it met the 120thyer. A fierce struggle urred for a brief moment before the 120thyer broke thanks to her attack exploding for its final act. "Isabe Frostwind, 120yers, Pass! Next!" Orion announced, causing the participants and the audience to gasp in shock. "120yers! That''s insane!" "Strong! She''s so strong!" "As expected of the Frozen Princess, she really is formidable!" "How can we evenpete with that!" Heated discussions ensued as the absurd results were out. Some people felt threatened while others could onlyment the sheer difference. The one responsible for this however, barely paid attention to their discussions. She simply got off the stage and returned to the spot where she previously was, opting to remain silent instead. Of course, her ster results didn''t dy the exams. While everyone else was surprised, the instructors remained indifferent about it. Participants were called to partake in the test. After a few unimpressive results, another publicly acknowledged genius stepped onto the stage to show off. "Hey! That''s Garrick Earthshaker!" "I know him, I saw him on the news!" "Isn''t that the guy who reportedly killed demons with his bare hands before?" "Yeah! His feat was witnessed during a live stream too! He''s like...super strong!" Garrick Earthshaker is another strong participant in this batch. The young man marched towards the stage with a broad axe on his shoulders. His face was calm but it radiated power and confidence. Once he arrived there, he received the signal from Orion. Garric hefted his axe, holding it with both hands. He stomped forward and an overwhelming force erupted from his body, causing several people to stagger in fright. His aura was akin to the awakening of a Prehistoric Beast. With a mighty shout, he raised his axe and cleaved the lotus using everything he had. That was then followed by the sound of ss breaking continuously, signifying the continuous shattering of the lotus'' barriers. Garrick''s attack carried far more momentumpared to Isabe''s. His attack swiftly broke through the first 100yers without stopping. It only slowed down when it reached the 150thyer. Nevertheless, it still carried great momentum which was enough to shatter more barriers. And under the dumbstruck gazes of the crowd, Garrick''s attack impacted the 200thyer, shattering it before losing gas and dissipating into nothingness. "Garrick Earthshaker, 200yers! Pass!" Themotion that followed that announcement was explosive. "Holy shit!" "What the hell!" "You''re telling me that he''s a Tier 3 just like us!? I don''t believe you!" "He wouldn''t be participating here if he wasn''t, you idiot! Do you think that he could fool the staff of the Starlight Royal Academy?" "He''s at Tier 3 Lv.6 and is an S-ranked Superhuman. He also possesses a Legendary ss which specializes in strength so this much is normal...for him at least." "Yeah, us unlucky fools couldn''t even begin topare. How unfair!" The audience was also discussing Garrick''s mighty showcase. "Darn! Kids nowadays are scary." "Right? What even are they feeding him?" "Looks can truly be deceiving. Who knew that such a lean physique hides that kind of monstrous strength?" "That kid has to have Innate Divine Strength at least. How else can he even exert that much strength?" Cedric was impressed too, he just doesn''t show it. In his mind, he could tell that beyond Garrick''stent potential and good luck, he was also hardworking. His senses wouldn''t lie to him. Aside from experience, he could also see traces of hard work all over Garrick''s body. Cedric knew that this guy did his best to hone his strength to such a degree, that he didn''t ck off just because he got lucky. Garrick''s results were followed by a disappointment. The one who came after him barely prated 30yers of barriers, causing the crowd to be disappointed and others to mock him. Still, just like before, the instructors remained indifferent no matter how impressive or unimpressive it was. They continued calling out participants one by one to do the test. And then... "Next, Cedric Stormrider!" It was finally his turn. From the moment he was called, he already felt several pairs of eyesnding on him. Despite this, Cedric continued marching towards the stage undeterred. When he arrived there, he didn''t say a word. He merely bowed at the instructors before taking out his sword from the scabbard. "Begin!" Chapter 99: Entrance Exam: Cedrics Sword It wasn''t just the participants or themon folk who were watching the entrance exam closely. Some of the Academy''s staff were watching as well, they''re just in a different area. They''re also apanied by a few important figures like City Lords and people from the Royal Lineage as well. "Ah, so this is thess that got your attention, City Lordess! I must admit, she''s quite formidable!" One of the City Lords remarked upon witnessing Isabe''s performance. City Lordess Anastasia, Isabe''s guarantor, smiled while shaking her head: "It''s a pity that I discovered her toote. If I had more time with her, I believe she''d disy a more impressive performance." "It is already impressive that she grew to this extent this fast. Besides, the instructors here would be better suited to look after her studies." Another City Lord stated. "I can''t even be mad at that since that''s the truth." Anastasia chuckled. "Anyways, I''m also looking forward to Young Garrick''s performance. I believe City Lord Silva raised him quite well, even going as far as adopting him." Saying that, the attention was now passed to City Lord Silva whoughed uproariously at her words: "Well, he was an adorable kid after all." He said with a hearty smile, "Besides, I would''ve never thought he would grow this much. I adopted him before he awakened so I was surprised too!" "He reminds me of your youthful days, City Lord Silva. He talks and acts just like you that I''m this close to thinking that he might be your illegitimate son or something." Another City Lord teased. "You and I both, actually." Silvaughed, "The resemnce gives me a whish sometimes...but I''ve tested it before, and the results were negative. Either way doesn''t make a difference. That''s my kid and I love him to pieces." The City Lords grinned at his admission. They continued watching the exams until it was Garrick''s turn. Sufficed to say, everybody was struck dumb when Garrick made his move. Shattering 200yers of barriers was a result that''s currently unmatched in this batch of participants. "HAHAHAHAHA! That''s my kid alright!!" Silva''s uproariousughter sounded amongst the crowd once more. His face was beaming with pride and joy at the results of his adopted son. He received plenty of congrattions from his folks which greatly stroked his ego. But beyond that, even if Garrick were to have a less impressive result than this, Silva''s opinion of him wouldn''t change. He''s still proud of him nheless. On the corner of the room, the City Lord of ck Thread City - Reiner Braveheart, was also present. But unlike other City Lords, he didn''t join in the festivities. He opted to just watch on the sidelines, waiting for Cedric''s turn. Unlike other City Lords here who cultivated a close rtionship with their chosen representatives, Reiner and Cedric were civil to each other at most. The fact that Cedric even showed up despite the risks was already stretching the limits of their rtionship...at least that''s what the City Lord thinks, which shows that he really didn''t know Cedric at all. Because of this, Reiner didn''t dare to get his hopes up. At the very least, he''d be more than happy if Cedric could pass the test and be a student of the Academy. That alone will already bring in a lot of benefits to him and the city. "Next, Cedric Stormrider." Reiner visibly perked up upon hearing Orion call out the name of his representative. He then saw the kid walking towards the stage. He doesn''t look nervous unlike the others, which might be a good sign. ''His chance to shine will be at the third stage of the Practical Exam. It''s already okay if he passes the minimum result for the first two tests.'' Reiner mused inwardly. "Begin!" He heard Orion dere. He then watched as Cedric summoned a rather ordinary-looking sword causing him and other City Lords to frown. However, before they could utter anyments about that, they were silenced by a sudden sharpness prickling their senses. Weng! Everyone''s eyes widened. The fluctuationing out of Cedric''s body felt so sharp and aggressive. It''s like a sword was pointed at their throats, freezing them in ce and making them think twice before making any sudden movements. "Sword Intent! This child has Sword Intent! How is this possible? Who is he?" "By its sharpness, I reckon that his Sword Intent is iparably pure and matured! But how? He''s so young!" The City Lords as well as a number of the Academy''s staff were floored by the sudden reveal of Cedric''s fangs. Hell, even Reiner himself was dumbstruck at this revtion. Howe this kid never told him about this!? This was Sword Intent! It is a miraculous state of union with Sword Arts that every Swordsman pursued in their entire lives! They would kill at the chance ofprehending it, yet this young man has it in spades! How can they not be shocked!? Hell, even the Instructors on the stage briefly showed reactions. Nevertheless, if they were surprised, the participants and the audience outside are even more so! The impact of Cedric''s Sword Intent was even more intense towards the followers of the Sword Path. Then, they saw Cedric assuming a stance. His uncovered golden eyes gleamed with unprecedented braveness and sharpness. He gripped his sword and prepared for a thrust. He red at the lotus as if it were his mortal enemy, and in one single stroke of brilliance, he performed his sword thrust. That was followed by a brilliant sh of steel, momentarily blinding a handful of people. Before anybody could even react, Orion already announced Cedric''s results: "170 Layers! Pass! Next!" That caused an explosion to those who heard it. The crowd burst into a heated discussion as they watched Cedric calmly march down the stage like he had nothing to do with this. "Incredible! But it didn''t cross as many barriers as I initially thought." "While that might be true, the speed of his attackpensates for it. No ordinary Tier 5 Superhuman will be able to react to that attack just now." "That''s right. Besides, ording to what I saw, the child just reached Tier 3 Lv.1, and he still has a lot of growing to do. Additionally, he used a rather lousy weapon just now." "Hey Reiner, you ass! This kides from your city, why do you look shocked!?" One of the City Lord''s remarks caught the attention of the rest. "Don''t look at me! I didn''t teach him that! In fact, I didn''t even know that kid has Sword Intent!" Reiner groaned as he got woken up from his stupor. Cedric''s results truly floored him. He wasn''t expecting much to begin with so his surprise this time was truly refreshing. That said, he also felt guilty. "The fuck, man!? Seriously, what are you doing? At least give the kid a proper sword! What''s a guy like him waving trash like that? It''s a waste, really!" "Don''t me me, asshole! The kid never asked me for anything! Even I didn''t know he could do something like that!" Reiner huffed in anger. "Are you not close with your representative, City Lord Reiner?" "Didn''t have much time to do so." Reiner snorted in reply, but deep down he was feeling guilty about this. "I only knew of him during the Cult''s Incident. I have been busy since. We also just recently experienced a ck Sky and I''m swamped with paperwork. Everything he does is all him." His statement brought a myriad of reactions from the listeners. On one hand, they sympathize with Reiner about the paperwork. As fellow City Lords, they all knew how dreadful those papers were. Even with the advancement of technology, humans just can''t escape that horrible thing. On the other hand, Reiner''s final words were nothing short of incredible and unbelievable. The fact that his representative was able to achieve that much on his own, trusting nothing but his instincts, skills, and hard work, was nothing short of a miracle. Reiner himself was still shocked. He still thinks that Cedric will truly shine once the 3rd Test begins. If his results were already this impressive at this stage, who knows what kind of surprises he will bring once he gets on that stage? Just what kind of talent did Reiner unknowinglye across? With this feat, Cedric certainly made his way towards the upper list of the geniuses of this batch. Everybody, even the academy''s staff, looks at him differently now. In their eyes, his figure became more refreshing. Half of his face might be covered with a mask but that didn''t matter to delusional fools who are left to make up the rest with their imagination. Of course, there are also people who are now eyeing him warily. The majority of these gazese from Swordsmen who were greatly rattled by his disy of Sword Intent. Nevertheless, neither Cedric nor the Instructors up the stage were bothered by this shift. The exam continued until thest participant qualified. And with that done, they move on to the 2nd Test of the Practical Exams. Chapter 100: Entrance Exams: Speed "We will begin with the 2nd part of the Practicals ¡ª Speed!" Orion nced coldly at the participants. "Much like strength, speed is also an importantbat factor." "There will be times when you will meet an enemy you can defeat. They will force you to flee and if you''re not fast enough, everything will be for naught." Orion waved his hand and all of a sudden, the scenario changed once more. Everyone suddenly found themselves standing in front of a wide maze. "This is where your next test will take ce." Orion dered. "This winding path is about five kilometers long. As you all can see, there''s only a single path to follow and that will take you to the exit." "There''s all sorts of traps and hazards along the way. For the sake of fairness, everyone will face the same traps and hazards in the same order." "Your task is to naturally reach the exit as quickly as you can." Orion stated, "Your time will be recorded, if you can''t clear this passage within a minute and a half, you fail." As soon as he announced that, Cedric felt a sudden wave of panic oozing out of his fellow participants. Their hushed voices reached his ears... "That''s so strict! It''s like he doesn''t want us to pass at all!" "I''m doomed! This is it for me!" "I can''t possibly go that fast!" "Maybe if I trade some of my lifespans, I can explode with a passing speed." "No way! There''s no way I can do that!" Cedric blinked at this. From what he heard, it''s clear that some participants here didn''t even bother training their speed at all, which was a rookie mistake. And for people like them, who should be considered geniuses amongst their peers, this was uneptable. On the contrary, Cedric felt that the requirements to pass this test were quite generous. However, he also realized that this might be his biased opinion since he''s one of the few ones who did not mind this at all. Despite their clear despair, Orion remained heartless and indifferent. He unceremoniously called out the first participant to start the Test of Speed. The poor chap was shaking in his boots as he approached the entrance to the maze. Cedric could see him sweating and cursing his luck for being called out first. Still, the guy pped himself awake and shook the jitters off. Since he''s already here, he might as well do his best. "Begin!" As soon as Orion yelled that, everybody knew that the timer had already started. The first participant wasted no time and began elerating at his top speed. He met all sorts of traps and hazards along the way. He did his best to evade most of them or work his way around them. Everybody watched with rapt attention until the guy reached the exit panting and looking pale. "2 minutes! Fail! Next!" Those words were akin to a death sentence for the poor chap. He was too slow. He did his absolute best yet his dreams met an unexpected end here. It was too cruel. Everyone watched as the first participant downtrodden-ly left the stage to make way for the next participant. He looked as if he aged several years right then and there. They couldn''t help but pity him. However, they also knew that if they didn''t get their shit together now, they too would share his fate. So they could only sigh in secret while bracing themselves for their turn. "1 minute and 45 seconds! Fail! Next!" "1 minute and 28 seconds! Pass! Next!" "1 minute and 31 seconds! Fail! Next!" "No! No! Please give me another chance! I''m onlyte by a second! Please!" Thetest participant practically groveled in front of the instructors after hearing his results. "No redos! 1 secondte is stillte! You fail. Make way for the next participant!" Orion coldly scolded. "T-That''s unfair! I''m onlyte by a second! Please, give me a chance! I can certainly pass this! Please, I beg of you!" "Take this kid away." Orion ordered the guards, not even bothering to reply to the begging participant. Said participant kicked and fussed as much as he could yet nothing changed. He was dragged away by the guards and he was powerless to change anything. This disy greatly shook the confidence of many participants who had yet to take their turn. The instructors were really strict with their rules. They didn''t even spare a single second ofteness. Despite that, the instructors continued the exam like that didn''t just happen. They look like they couldn''t be bothered at all. It might be because they''re used to it by now. It wouldn''t be surprising if this wasn''t the first time this kind of thing happened. One participant after another went up the entrance to take their turns clearing the test. So far, the fastest still was a minute and some seconds, nobody was able to go any lower than that. ...that''s until Isabe Frostwind took the stage. As soon as Orion gave the signal, she turned into a streak of blue light, shing past the winding path and the numerous traps and hazards. Gasps of surprise were heard amongst the participants. She was too fast! They could barely follow her movements at all. Eventually, she reached the exit and Orion announced her results: "57 seconds! Pass! Next!" That announcement caused another round of gasps to echo amongst the participants and the audience. Isabe was the first one to achieve a result below one minute, causing people to admire her excellence once more. This result truly cemented her as one of the geniuses of this batch. Of course, the test continued even after that. As per Isabe, she looked mildly disappointed by her results it seems because, underneath her veil, a mild frown marred her face. This was only discovered by Cedric though since his senses were just that sharp. If the instructors noticed this too, they didn''t bother saying anything at all. The next one everybody looked forward to was of course Garrick Earthshaker, and the guy certainly didn''t disappoint. "59 seconds! Pass! Next!" He was only two seconds slower than Isabe but to rest, this disparity might as well be non-existent. After all, in terms of strength, Garrickpletely outsses her. Sure, that two seconds might be fatal in a real battle but the gap wasn''t all that much so Garrick still has the upper hand if he were to face her. All of this was just spection though. Nobody would really know unless they fought for real. Aside from the two of them, some surprising participants make themselves known in this test. "Martin Danver! 58 seconds! Pass! Next!" "Ulfric Hawkeye! 57 seconds! Pass! Next!" "Eleonora Weiss! 55 seconds! Pass! Next!" Thetest participant, Eleonora Weiss, turns out to be the fastest so far. It surprised a lot of people since she was an unassuming girl at first. Her results during the previous round weren''t too impressive, she barely crossed 75yers. But her speed makes up for that though, so she was dubbed as a dark horse. Martin Danvers and Ulfric Hawkeye were also considered as hidden tigers by the rest. Their speed matched the proud geniuses after all. They might not be as strong as Isabe or Garrick, but their speed makes up for their shorings. The test continued and many participants despaired. Compared to the previous test, this one shaved their numbers even more. It was really strict. Out of 10 participants, only 2 or 3 will pass the Test of Speed. "Next! Cedric Stormrider!" Just like before, Cedric calmly marched towards the entrance of the maze. He heard several people whispering behind him but he didn''t pay them any mind. He could more or less guess what they''re talking about anyway. He took a deep breath and waited. Unlike the rest, he didn''t feel nervous at all. "Begin!" As soon as he heard that, Cedric began to move. He runs at the maze at a shocking speed, dodging the traps and hazards. Even those that were meant to immobilize him failed horribly in the face of his speed. He was running so fast that he even bypassed sensory traps. By the time he made his way out of the maze, Orion already announced his results: "30 seconds! PASS! Next!" There was a pin-drop silence even after that announcement. Everybody, even the academy staff, and the City Lords, were too stunned with his speed. Don''t get these experts wrong. This speed was nothing to them. What surprised them was that a 3rd Tier Lv.1 kid having this speed. "REINER! Where in the ever-loving fuck did you find this kid!?" Their reverie was interrupted by one of the City Lords cursing. "Like I fucking said earlier! Don''t look at me! I didn''t teach him that!" Reiner truly felt the world spinning around him. These results are just way too absurd, aren''t they? One could only really imagine his reaction if he learned that Cedric severely downyed his speed just now. Because if he really wanted to, he could''ve cleared that maze before anybody could react. After all, his pace as he cleared the maze was onlyparable to a brisk jogpared to his actual speed, which is fast approaching the speed of light. Chapter 101: Entrance Exam: Reactions Isabe''s delicate face is now marred with a deep frown as she stares at the blonde guy who''s calmly marching down the stage. Let it be known that Isabe wasn''t the jealous nor the arrogant type. Her horizons were broad and she knew thatpared to the ocean of geniuses out there, she was just slightly luckier. Simrly, she worked hard to not waste the heavenly gifts she received, much like everyone else who was here right now. She has her reasons for bitterly training to pursue power, and she''s confident that, at some level, she''s above the majority because of hertent potential and hard workbined. But that blonde guy, Cedric as she has learned, isn''t he a little ridiculous? Where did hee from? First, there was the matter of his Sword Intent, something that learned almost every swordsman pursued throughout their lifetimes with the majority failing to gain it even after pouring decades worth of effort. Cedric looked like he wasn''t even in his 30s yet, but he has it. Not only that, but his Sword Intent was also potent. It was clear that he had plenty of time to nurture and validate its existence. Again, many swordsmen desperately mored to gain even some semnce, a wisp, of Sword Intent to grace their presence, yet this man has it in spades. The absurd part is that nobody would''ve known if he hadn''te here or shown it. Isabe herself didn''t follow the path of the Sword. She''s more used to Elemental Maniption and her gift leans more towards control over the Ice Element. But still, she knows just how difficult it is to condense even a sliver of Sword Intent. ''How in the world did he do it?'' Is what she asks herself, fully knowing that she might never get an answer for that. She isn''t the social type after all. And although Cedric''s results at the first part of the Practical Exams were just above her but lower than Garrick''s, she could confidently say that Garrick would definitely lose against Cedric if they were to fight. And that''s because of Cedric''s disy of speed just now. From what he disyed, it would be wrong to say that his speed was unparalleled amongst Tier 3. Hell, he might even be able topete with Tier 4 experts in sheer speed alone. So what if Garrick''s raw power was greater than Cedric''s? That would be useless if Cedric could kill him before he even knows what happened. And judging from the clouded expression on Garrick''s face, he knows this too. Isabe and Garrick were acquaintances. They''re not close, they just knew each other because their respective guarantors introduced them to each other a couple of months ago. No, they didn''t spar or anything. They just exchanged a few polite words and that''s that, nothing more. Still, that''s more than enough for them to size each other up. And Isabe could tell that in a straight-up match, there''s no way she''ll ever beat Garrick. If she were given enough time however, she might be able to beat him, but that''s situational and couldn''t be relied upon. That was fine with her though. After all, she doesn''t see Garrick as an enemy. Apetitor for resources, sure. But certainly not an enemy. Isabe also met other so-called geniuses due to the insistence of the City Lordess. However, in her eyes, none of them were worth the hype. Some even tried to make a move on her which greatly displeased her. Back then, she thought that her only realpetitor so far was Garrick, and it was a toughpetition already. Who would''ve thought that Cedric would suddenly appear topletely shatter that fragile belief? The difference between their abilities felt stifling, but Isabe knows that the battle hasn''t ended yet. There''s still the 3rd part and the Bonus Test at the end. Who knows? Maybe Cedric has a weakness after all? Right now though, time will only tell. **** Around the same time when Isabe was in deep thought about what she had seen, Garrick too couldn''t help but evaluate thepetition. Much like Isabe, Garrick was also confident that with gifts and hard work, he too was above the masses. He held strong confidence that he would do extremely well in the exams so he marched towards the ce with his head high up. Cedric''s performance though, was a strong blow towards his confidence. He knew that this ce would attract all sorts of crouching tigers and hidden dragons but facing a real one was still different in reality. ''How could he be so fast? Is he also someone who was born with a Divine Physique which specializes in speed?'' The so-called Divine Physique was one of the few ways of how someone''s Innate Aptitude ratings could change. It is a heavenly blessing, one that only appears in one out of a million people, therefore it is extremely rare and couldn''t be relied upon by the race to elevate their overall strength. Divine Physiques need to be awakened, and some requirements need to be done first before that happens. It doesn''t help that Ac wouldn''t give out this information for free, too. So, it could be said that Garrick was one of the lucky ones to have awakened histent Divine Physique. His Divine Physique is called: the ''Invincible Divine Vajra Body''. This Divine Physique pushes his body''s raw power, endurance, toughness, and adaptability to absurd levels upon being awakened. It''s also the reason why his Innate Physique Aptitude changed from C-rank to S-rank. After years of diligent training and consumption of miraculous elixirs, he managed to push that rating up to SS-rank, which automatically boosted his confidence to do extremely well in these exams. Garrick would say that he had been extremely lucky for gaining this, but he would also say that he had earned the right to keep this gift because not even once did he ck off in his training. His goals were high...some who heard it even told him that he was aiming way too high, even. But Garrick wasn''t disheartened. If anything, he thrived in that seemingly impossible goal. Nobody could truly me him for being confident. After all, aside from Isabe, who might be able to give him some trouble under the right circumstances if they were to fight, he has never met someone at his level he couldn''t fight. And he would admit that this has disillusioned him into thinking that he was invincible amongst those within his Tier. But then...there was Cedric... When he released that Sword Intent, Garrick felt something he hadn''t felt in a while...the prickling sensation of fear. Cedric''s Sword Intent made him feel an unprecedented level of threat, something that he only felt towards his foster father whenever he was serious. That Sword Intent was so sharp that he felt like it could easily slice him effortlessly. One had to know that ever since awakening his Divine Physique, Garrick had be impervious to mortal injuries. He could allow someone to freely hack away at his body with an ordinary sword all day long and he wouldn''t feel a thing. That''s how absurd his physique has gotten. But in front of Cedric''s Sword Intent, his body might as well be a piece of paper. In fact, he gets the impression that even with a shabby sword, Cedric could still cut him in half with that Sword Intent. And that''s not even including his speed in the equation... It would''ve been fine if Cedric was only faster than him by a mere second or two. He didn''t even fear that Eleonore Weiss who scored 55 seconds on the test because he knew that she couldn''t do any noticeable damage to him. But Cedric was different. The dude was faster than him by 29 seconds! In a real battle where even a single second could change the oue, a whole 29 seconds was no longer just dangerous, it was certain death! Would Cedric be able to do serious damage to him with that difference in speed? Absolutely! Especially with that Sword Intent of his. What''s more, is that Garrick could tell that Cedric didn''t need time to gradually increase his speed to that level. He could burst at that same speed right from the get-go. There''s no way he could''ve done that! Not unless he too possesses a Divine Physique that specializes in speed. Unfortunately, it would be too rude to confront the guy about that now. Besides, even if he doesn''t care about his reputation, Cedric is entitled to his secrets and Garrick couldn''t force him to admit to anything. And much like Isabe, he too felt stifled knowing that someone like him was in the same batch as them. He couldn''t help but wonder: ''Is this what others felt towards me?'' A wry grin appeared on his face. Though the feeling was stifling, it was also refreshing. His confidence might''ve suffered a blow but it also felt nice to be indirectly humbled. Despite being pushed down like this, Garrick felt even more excited. After all, he thrives inpetition. ''Hurry up with the 3rd part, please! I want to know just how wide the gap is between me and him!'' Chapter 102: Entrance Exam: Instinct "For the next test, all of you will be taking at the same time." Orion stated that their environment changed again. Every participant suddenly realized that were standing on top of the tform. The spaces between each of them were even too. "This test is called the Test of Instinct." Orion dered, "Just like strength and speed, your ability to perceive danger within your surroundings is an important skill to have for every Superhuman out there." "All of us experience Hell Dives each month. I, for one, refuse to believe that you self-proimed geniuses haven''t developed even the slightest skill of sensing danger around you. If you were that person, obediently go down the tform now, lest you embarrass yourself even further." Orion''s callous words resounded in every participant''s ears, but none of them dared to go down. "In this test, your movement will be limited within the area that your tform covers. Stepping beyond your space will result in automatic failure." Orion continued after nobody dared to go down. "Once the test starts, you will be stuck in a bubble which will shoot out all sorts of projectiles towards where you are. Said projectiles will have varying speed, size, and lethality. Don''t worry, we will be watching all of you to prevent any idents from happening, but know that once we were forced to rescue you, that counts as the end of your journey. Your task is simple, dodge them. That''s all." "You are prohibited from performing any kind of retaliation. You can only dodge the attacksing your way. Once you''re hit or grazed by any of the attacks, you''re out." "We will do this by rounds. Every roundsts for a minute with a 10-second dy after each round. Of course, the difficulty increases with each round you pass." "To pass, you must, at the very least, reach the 5th round. Anything below that counts as failure. I will give you three minutes to prepare yourself. The timer starts now." Once Orion dered that, the participants started busying themselves. They prepared themselves for the uing challenge in their own ways; some started praying, others took this time to consume some food to regain some energy, others did some rituals and sorts, while the rest just sat down to calm their mind. That three minutes did notst at all. Everybody knew that the time was up when they saw a bubble encapsting them. Immediately, every participant''s face hardened and they heard Orion yelling: "The Test of Instinct starts now!" Pshew! "What!!?" Several outraged cries echoed across the testing grounds. All of which came from all of the participants who got eliminated just now. None of them were expecting the be eliminated so soon, the first round hasn''t even properly started yet! The majority of them didn''t even know how they got eliminated in the first ce. Those who knew however, could only bitterly endure this humiliation. None of them expected that the very first projectile would attack them from behind. Some managed to catch it but they were too slow to react so they were hit and was transferred out immediately. This...was such a disgrace to their reputation. The fact that they were dubbed as geniuses makes it even worse. They onlysted for a few seconds after the test began, how could they even dare to call themselves geniuses? They could curse the staff for implementing such a cowardly sneak attack. They could whine, beg, and all, but none of it changes a thing. The test was cruel and they failed. With how bad their results were, it''d be a miracle if they managed to make it to the list. The audience felt pity towards them, the staff however, were heartless. They didn''t even spare them a nce and just kept their eyes on those who were still taking their tests. Sounds of projectiles flying could still be heard everywhere. Those who were still at it were too focused on what they had going on instead of pitying those who failed. Some participants had it easy, others were still trying to get used to it, while the rest were struggling already. The difference was visible for the audience to see. Surprisingly though, some participants were really struggling in the first round despite passing the first two tests earlier. One minute passed by rather quickly, and the participants learned of it the moment they noticed that no projectiles were being shot at them anymore. This means that they have 10 seconds to catch their breath before the 2nd round starts. This was the beginning of hell for the remaining participants. During the first round, the bubble only shot a maximum of five projectiles towards them. Each one was the size of a baseball and rtively slow. That said, even though this sounds easy, the first round still eliminated a handful of participants. For the 2nd round though? The number of projectiles doubled and they''re a bit fasterpared to the first round. Everyone who was already struggling in the 1st round was directly eliminated the moment the 2nd round began, much to their dismay of course. They didn''t even reach halfway the passing mark, how could they call themselves geniuses? This trend started a cycle for the participants. Those who were struggling during thest round will all be eliminated once the next round begins without fail. In the 2nd round, there were 10 baseball-sized projectiles. For the 3rd round, it increased to 20. The 4th round had 50, and the 5th round had 100 projectiles. This test was far more cruelerpared to the earlier ones. Many were eliminated right away because of theirck of skill. So far, by the time they reached the 5th round, only 50 among the hundreds of participants were left. At the 6th round, the projectile number remains the same, however their speed now varies. Some balls will start to slow down, then they will elerate all of a sudden. Some did the opposite; starting fast and then slowing down. In short, the test became trickier since the projectiles were now starting to throw the participants'' rhythm off. When they reached the 7th round, only 10 people were left. Of course, the current top 3 so far: Isabe, Garrick, and Cedric, were all still there. Isabe and Garrick were putting in real effort now because at the 7th round, not only did the projectile count increase to 120 with varying speeds, but they could also alter their trajectories as well. The fact that they''re limited to just dodging made this even more challenging for them. All they could ever do was either put sufficient distance between themselves and the projectiles or twist their bodies in an unnatural way to urately evade them. Butpared to the other participants who were doing their absolute best tost until the next round, Cedric was the odd one. Not only did he lookpletely rxed, there were even traces of boredom beneath that nk gaze of his. Those who had eyes on him since the start already realized how monstrous Cedric''s perception was. There were numerous times when they saw him dodging the projectiles even without looking. Additionally, his style of evasion was nearly effortless. He angles his body in the most optimal position to evade the attacksing his way. None of the feints got him at all. It''s like he could perceive them all and predict what they will do the moment they show up. It was quite a scene actually, because the difference between his situation and the rest was just too striking. Then, the 8th round began. In this round, there were now a total of 150 projectiles blitzing around each participant at varying speeds and curvatures. In addition to all of that, every projectile now has varying shapes... Some will take on the shape of a throwing star, others turn into swords, spears, icicles, explosives, etc. Again, every single one of these projectiles might alter their speed or trajectories to throw them off. It was honestly chaotic. Those who were eliminated and watching on the sidelines paled at the sight of the challenge. To them, this was an impossible challenge. Yet at the same time, seeing at least 5 remaining participants still taking on this round bravely, allowed them to see just how much gap there was between them. It was disheartening yet also inspiring. 10 seconds into the 9th round, two of those 5 remaining were eliminated. Only Isabe, Garrick, and Cedric remained on the tform and all eyes were on them now. Both Isabe and Garrick were feeling the fatigue that built up so far. Of course, that came with the foreboding sense that they will notst for long. They were sweating and exhausted, yet they were still clinging on. Then, as soon as the 10th round began, both of them got eliminated much to their dismay. Maybe it was because of the fatigue or something else entirely but none of them saw how they eliminated. Instead of resting, however, their gazesnded on the sole figure left on the tform who was still braving the storm of projectilesing his way. And to their absolute shock, Cedric seems to be having fun instead of feeling threatened. ''How is he doing this!?'' Chapter 103: Entrance Exam: Last Man Standing Cedric was the only one left on the tform. His figure could be seen nimbly dodging every projectileing his way. All of the participants couldn''t fathom how this was happening. Unlike them, Cedric doesn''t seem to be using any fancy footwork techniques. His movements were agile and flexible but still looked normal. Sure, they would see him hopping on air once or twice to dodge but that skill wasn''t out of the ordinary, all of them knew how to perform that. But still, how could his simple footwork allow him to flexibly dodge everything? ''How absurd his perception could be?'' At this point, this was the remaining clue to the mystery. After all, they refuse to believe that the footwork techniques they learned are lost to an ordinary footwork technique. But even though that''s the case, isn''t his perception too monstrous then? Does it allow him to predict things? They truly don''t know what to think anymore. Even Isabe and Garrick were at a loss because even if they were to be given another chance to go up the stage, they were sure they wouldn''tst for long under that siege. What made them feel bitter was the fact that Cedric looked as if he was having fun while doing all of this. Something that made everybody feel severely threatened was just a fun challenge for him it seems. Such a sight was truly vexing... They weren''tpletely wrong in thinking that though...Cedric was indeed having fun with this. He never faced this kind of challenge before and the test was giving him pressure, something that he hadn''t felt in a while. Under this pressure, he could feel histent potential blooming ever so slightly. The limitations were something he didn''t mind at all and it''s really fun this way. Under everyone''s focused gaze, the 10th round ended. He was given 10 seconds to catch his breath and the 11th round will automatically start. That 10 seconds flew by fast. Fortunately, much to the majority of the participants'' dismay, Cedric didn''t look tired at all. His gaze was sharp as he weed the arrival of the 11th round. In this round, the number of projectiles increased to 300. Each one had varying speed still and could alter their trajectories, they could also switch shapes on flight. And just like before, Cedric began dodging all of them urately. The majority of those who were watching couldn''t even see what was going on, even Cedric''s figure was starting to increasingly turn blurry in their eyes. The only thing they were certain about is that, since he was still standing on top of that tform, he still wasn''t eliminated just yet. ''Man...I should build one of these things for myself.'' Is what he thought while he was busy calcting the path of the projectiles including the optimal path to evade every single one without grazing him. He was having the time of his life right now. But as much as he wished to see how far he could go under this thing, the limits he had shown in public were already approaching. A minute passed and the 11th round ended. Shortly after that, the 12th round began...then the 13th...the 14th...and finally, the 15th round. At every round he cleared, the challenge sharply increased. The audience couldn''t see what''s going on anymore. They have grown numb by Cedric''s disy of skill. Isabe and Garrick felt disheartened by what they were seeing. Both of them were aware that Cedric was way stronger than them and there was an obvious gap in their skills. However, they didn''t think it''d be this much. This was no longer just a gap, it''s more like a moat actually. And both of them knew that they wouldn''t be able to catch up to it anytime soon. 30 seconds into the 15th round, a sh of light suddenly shone and before anybody could react, Cedric was out of the tform. They all saw him drenched in his sweat and panting heavily. That said, he remained standing and releasing a sharp focus that could seemingly cut through steel. Someone made the mistake of looking at the instructors and saw them looking at Cedric with an obvious appreciation in their eyes, one of them was even smiling at him. This was huge, obviously. These instructors haven''t shown any modicum of emotion ever since the exam started. They didn''t even spare them even a single shred of sympathy or eagerness, yet all of them looked at Cedric as if they were proud of what he did. It''s obvious that Cedric managed to leave a deep impression on them. And that''s more or less a guarantee that he already passed the assessment. And with the skill he disyed so far? Nobody amongst this sea of people will deny that. **** "Goodness gracious! Who the hell is this kid? Why is he so monstrous?" Someone from the VIP section murmured this but, however the venue was so silent that everybody heard it. Nobody refuted his words though. Cedric''s disy was indeed monstrous...nothing short of legendary, even! "He had broken two records today." One of the Academy''s staff mused out loud. "The previous speed record was 45 seconds. He beat that by a whole 15 seconds. Then, the instinct record was the 12th round. He also broke by the 3 rounds." "This child''s future is limitless!" Somebody from the Academy Staff generously praised. "It''s no doubt that he would attract attention the moment he arrives at the Academy. And if he could grow that much on his own, how much would he achieve under our tutge? Oh, I can''t wait to see how big of a storm he would raise." "Hey! Is that a pun for his surname?" "Hahahaha!" The VIP section was plunged into a merry mood. It''s always a joy for these seasoned folks to see young heroes reveal themselves at times like these. It gives them hope that Humanity''s fate hasn''tpletely ended yet. Every single one of them knew just how serious the state of their world was. What they need right now are talents, people that could be raised into future pirs of the race. "Reiner..." One of his fellow City Lords called out to him softly. "You better watch that kid like a hawk. Make sure he arrives at the Academy in one piece. You get what I mean, right?" "I know." Reiner replied softly as well. Well, Cedricpletely surpassed all of his expectations. Hell, even though he already predicted that he would truly shine in the 3rd part of the Practical Exam, his results still left him reeling. But aside from surprise, Reiner also felt some semnce of fear. Surely, with Cedric''s disy, he also painted a target on his back. The demons aren''t dumb. They have established their intelligencework amongst humans through spies. It''s already certain that they would hear of his performance sooner orter. And with how well he performed, it would be surprising if Cedric''s name appeared on the ''Assassination List'' of the Demons. They simply couldn''t allow someone like him to grow up since he would be a serious threat to them. Reiner already realized this even before his colleague said something. In fact, every single fiber of his being was in a highly alert state, primed to move at the very second he felt a threat to Cedric''s life. It wasn''t just him either. While the City Lords and the Academy Staff looked casual and easy-going, in truth they were also watching their surroundings closely. Just like Reiner, they wouldn''t hesitate to make a move at the first sign of danger. Reiner feltforted by this, but still, he didn''t dare to let his guard down. "Since that''s done, there''s only the Bonus Test left." One of the VIPs mentioned. "Right. Herees the trickiest part of the entire exam." Saying this, all of them heard Orion announcing something. "We will begin the Bonus Test now." He said. "Before that though, let me inform all of you that none of you are required to participate in the Bonus Exam." That brought a wave of confusion among the participants. "We will only be calcting your results from the Written and Practical Exams. Your results for the Bonus Test wouldn''t be counted in that, so whether you do well or not in this part, it wouldn''t make any difference in the end." "The Bonus Test is called the Test of Will." Orion dered. "Simply put, your Willpower will be tested in this part. You will face all sorts of nightmares and temptations attempting to sway your heart." "A fair warning to all of you. This test might cause you severe harm. The kind of injury you might experience is something that we can''t prevent or heal. We won''t be responsible for that. Therefore, I would once again stress that you are not required to participate in this part." Now, aside from confusion, the participants also felt a wave of doubt. They didn''t understand why would instructors include something that wouldn''t make a difference in their overall results. "To those who are willing to participate despite all of this, please step forward." Hearing that, the participants were stunned. None of them moved right away. Chapter 104: Entrance Exam: Bonus Test The silencested for a brief moment before someone suddenly moved. It was none other than Cedric who did. His neutral expression was obvious to everyone despite the facemask hiding half of his features. He did not pay any attention to the eyes watching him, in his eyes, his only concern was to experience all the tests that the instructors prepared for them. His decision surprised several participants. By now, everyone here knows of him already, how could they not when firmly sits at the top of the list? Knowing his results, there''s absolutely no need for him to partake in this test. Especially since the instructors themselves said that the likelihood of being injured was almost certain. In short, he already passed, so why bother with this? And to that, Cedric says: ''It''s just a matter of perspective, really.'' Because in his mind, why the hell not? Yes, if the standards were to be followed, then he has indeed passed. So why not see this all the way through, then? While it''s true that he has nothing to gain by participating, he also has nothing to lose, right? Besides, he''s curious alright. He had never experienced something that tested his Willpower before. Is it bad that he wants to know where he stands in terms of that? No. Of course not! But what about the injuries, you say? Hmph! As if that''s enough to scare him. Cedric''s no stranger to injuries. In fact, he''d say that he had danced with death so much that they''re quite familiar with each other now. So why the hell would he be afraid of some injuries? Therefore, this decision wasn''t an episode of impulse from him. Cedric was certain of his choice and would bear full responsibility for whatever happened to him next. Seeing him stepping forward, the Instructors remained stoic. It''s as if they didn''t care at all. They just waited until everybody made their decision. Following Cedric''s lead, Isabe and Garrick also stepped forward. Their decision also surprised some people but the rest found it understandable. More than that, the rest are now deciding whether they should take the bonus test or not. Time passed by and eventually, a total of ten people stepped forward. As clich¨¦ as this sounds, these people were the already acknowledged top 10 of this batch of examinees. As for the rest, they didn''t dare at all. Some were torn about their decision while others were not. Either way, nobody truly cared. Since everybody seems to have made their decision, Orion stepped forward to say something: "All of you who stepped forward decided to take the Bonus Exam. Make your way towards the staircase and climb as high as you can. You will be expelled from it when we sense that you can no longer endure it." After saying that, a set of stairs appeared out of nowhere. It was covered in a mist cloud, making it hard for anybody to see the finer details of the staircase. To Cedric''s surprise, the obscurement also blurred his senses. This was shocking to him since this was the first time he encountered something like this. But instead of feeling uncertain, Cedric actually felt refreshed for some reason. ''This is proof that my senses haven''t reached omniscience yet. There''s still a lot of growth for me to achieve.'' He mused inwardly. Walking up to the staircase, he was able to tell that it only had a total of 10 steps. Each step was wide enough for multiple people to stand side by side with ample space in between. Just like before, it was Cedric who took the lead, followed by the rest. The moment he came close to the mist that was obscuring the staircase, he frowned. He sneakily nced at the others and saw that they too were puzzled. It seems that he wasn''t the only one who sensed it. Well...it''d be more urate to say that they heard something. It sounded like faint whispers of unintelligible words, making no sense at all. It lingers long enough for them to pay attention to it and then disappears just as soon as it gets what they want. All of them knew that these whispers did note from their fellow examinees nor the audience because they heard these whispers telepathically, plus it didn''t sound like any of them. Under the curious gazes of the crowd, all 10 participants paused as soon as they gained a stable foothold at the first step, which greatly puzzled them. Then, they saw their expressions bing nk. That''s when something clicked in their minds and somebody audibly whispered: "It''s illusions..." That''s right. All 10 participants fell under an illusion the moment they reached the first step. The others might never learn how this happened at all because even Cedric, someone who performed excellently at the 3rd part of the Practicals thanks to him having superb instincts, also fell to the same illusion as the rest. In truth, however, this was because of thebined effect of the steps themselves and the mist obscuring it. They release a resonance that lulls people into a false sense of security before ensnaring them into a terrible illusion. It was clear that whatever they were seeing must be a personal hell, for everybody wore varying degrees of negative expressions. For Cedric, he saw himself back at his quarters at the Risk Management Center. He caught a brief image of himself and was reminded of how pathetic he looked back then. Fortunately, though, Cedric was lucid enough to realize that this was nothing but an illusion. And at the same moment, he made that realization, the illusion shattered before him and he found himself back to the present, still surrounded by the obscuring mist. He gave his fellow participants a cursory nce and saw that the rest were still trapped under the illusion. Mildly shaking his head, he decided to continue climbing to the 2nd step. Upon arriving there, he once again heard those same whispers from before. They were louder this time but still unintelligible. And just like before, they lingered long enough to make him curious before disappearing. It''s like they''re teasing him or something. "Excuse me, young man!" Cedric woke up from his stupor by the sudden call. His mind momentarily nked out when he saw an old man standing before him holding a metal te with cold and sticky porridge. "I''m...would like to have this?" The old man offered with a kind smile on his face. Cedric blinked, and then his lips trembled... He could tell that he was under an illusion once more but unlike the previous one he''s in, this familiar scene greatly affected him. "It''s just that this might be...no, this will be thest time I''ll ever be here. This meal is wasted on me. You''re young, you need this more than I do." Those weren''t the exact words that had been said to him by this old man but they affected him just as much as they did during the first time. "I...what''s your name, Sir?" "Hahaha! Just call me Old Bull! That''s how everybody here refers to me anyway!" "Thank you, Old Bull. I''ll enjoy this meal on your behalf." He replied before epting the te of porridge. He yed his part just like before. There might be some differences here and there but this is how it generally went. Cedric truly couldn''t help but be affected since this was the part where his life turned around. Numerous thoughts rushed through his head at once. At first, he debated whether to ept this or not, knowing what followed after this scene. Should he have epted this or insisted that the old man had his fill instead? In the end, he still decided to ept it. He felt shameful somehow but his mind was determined. Besides, he''s aware that this is all just an illusion. Whatever his decision here ended up to be, it wouldn''t make any difference in reality. The symbolic part of this made him feel ashamed yes, because he felt like he stole the old man''s second chance, but he still did it because he knew what was gonna happen. No matter how many times this same scene ys out, he would still ept this gift and he would still feel just as guilty as he did during the first time. This is something that might never change at all and it''s baggage that he will carry with him for the rest of his life. ''Thank you, Old Bull. I don''t care what others say, you are my Hero. Wherever you are, I pray that no pain will reach you. Rest in peace.'' Sighing despite feeling the sting on the corners of his eyes, a determined glint reced his vulnerable gaze as the illusion shattered once more. Just like before, he found himself standing at the 2nd Step. He didn''t know how long he had spent trapped in that illusion but he discovered that there were five of them now on that same step. Since he already broke the illusion on the 2nd step, there''s no reason for him to remain here. He lifted his soles and started making his way toward the 3rd Step, wondering what kind of scene he would encounter next. Chapter 105: Entrance Exams: Temptations and Nightmares ''The Test of Will...'' one of the Academy staff mused inwardly as she watched the current participants taking on that challenge. ''It''s a test where the participants are forced to face the things that they are running away from. It drags them by the hair to confront their worst nightmares, forcing them to face their worst fears.'' ''This test broke numerous participants since it was established.'' She sighed, ''Turning them to numbskulls, wimps, or even worse, dead.'' ''It will force people to confront the things that they throw at the very far back of their minds so that they can function daily. It will force them to face their insecurities, their fears, their personal hell...'' ''The illusions aren''t just limited to worst experiences either. Sometimes, it would show the participants a scene where everything about their life has gone horribly wrong, and will force them to live that kind of life.'' ''It doesn''t help the illusions are incredibly life-like too. Any sane person would fold under this constant pressure. This was the injuries that we talked about, and it''s also something that we could easily heal. Additionally, the higher you climb, the worse it gets.'' She watched as all 10 participants paused at different stages of the steps with a curious gaze. ''At first, I too was puzzled as to why the Headmaster included this test.'' She sighed inwardly, ''I was also included amongst the party who voted against adding this test. Later on, though, I would realize that we were a fool for not recognizing the benefit behind this test.'' ''All of us have confronted our own versions of hell. Whether that be in the form of Hell Dives or things like this, the Test of Will.'' ''In essence, we are in the constant flux of war. Either with the demons or with ourselves.'' ''Willpower is an ethereal force. Nobody could truly exin just how exactly works. You don''t get that just by being foolishly brave or unafraid of dying. It depends on how you chose to live your life so far.'' ''If we want to raise Young Heroes to be the future pirs of Humanity in hopes of ending this....overdrawn war with the Demons, they must have a strong will, an indomitable one would be even better!'' ''Because only by possessing a sharp will would one be able to resist the extreme temptations of the Demons.'' ''With a fortified mind, one could walk the path of the extreme and see the path beyond the stars.'' She then saw Cedric, the true star of this batch of participants, climbing up the 4th step. She nodded after seeing theplex emotions suffusing from his gaze and a smile appeared on her wizened face. ''Indeed...don''t be afraid of your emotions, don''t throw them away. Allow yourself to feel them, to express them. Nurture them, and master them. It is what makes us humans, after all.'' ''This young man isn''t bad, indeed.'' She inwardly smiled, ''I reckon that the reclusive folks out there are now looking forward to his matriction.'' ''But you still have a long way to go, Young Man. These flight of stairs came from a torn corner of the real thing, after all.'' **** As Cedric climbs up the stairs, the illusions he faces are bing more and more convincing. They were bing too good for his senses to notice, and that resulted in him sinking deeper and deeper. Each time he extricates himself out of a scene, memories of what he experiencede rushing at him, making him feelplex. In the 3rd step, he was forced to re-live his memory of facing the Demonized Harold. And despite feeling absolutely horrible about it, he ended up still bringing him peace by ending his suffering. He has already moved on from this but that doesn''t make the memory less painful than it did during the first time. In the 4th step, the illusions lulled him into the opposite spectrum of his emotions. He relived a peaceful memory where his family was still alive. They were spending a leisurely time together at a pic with his parentsughing at his and his siblings'' shenanigans. He felt so warm, so contented, and so peaceful that he became extremely reluctant to part with it, even after realizing that this was just another illusion. Real or not, the warmth he felt was there, and oh how he missed that so much. However, as much as he wanted to stay in that ce, he had to leave it behind and continue. His work hasn''t even started yet so he couldn''t afford to settle down. In the 5th step, he was given an insight into his future. He saw a scene of him bing one of the most prominent figures of Humanity. He''s apanied by several wives and together, they lead Humanity into a brighter tomorrow. This scene gave him immense satisfaction and contentment, but at the same time, it also bred stagnation. Since he was already at the top of the world, what else is there for him to achieve? In that memory, he already expelled the demons and cleansed the world of filth, turning it to its original state. There''s nothing more for him to achieve aside fromzing around and raising his kids. Although he was immensely satisfied with his achievements, the feeling of stagnation poisoned his mind but it was also the factor that woke him up from this dream, allowing him to extricate himself out of this powerful illusion. Upon regaining rity and returning to the real world, he paused his climb for a moment. He allowed himself to sort out his memories so far and acknowledge everything he felt. He didn''t rationalize his decisions nor did he criticize the versions of him in those scenes. He merely allowed himself to feel theplex emotions he felt. Having enough time to rest, he nced behind him and saw that only five of them were left at the flight of stairs. ncing outside, he saw the retired participants with hollowed looks on their faces. Whatever they saw or experienced during their climb must''ve really gotten to their system. Even from where he was, he could feel theplex emotions they were trying to suppress, just so that they could function again. Shaking his head, he decided to climb up the 6th step and as soon as he did so, he had forgotten everything about himself. In this scene, Old Bull was present once more but instead of handing his te to him, Old Bull chose to give it to Harold instead. Simply put, in this scene, Harold was the one who inherited the Godking''s Eyes. He watched as his friend soared up to the clouds. Reaching absurd levels of strength he never thought possible. Harold brought him up with him, giving him plenty of opportunities and lucky encounters because of old feelings. However, Cedric''s sarcastic and bitter outlook in life just became several times worsepared to before. It came to a point where, somehow, he took Harold''s kindness as an act of humiliation, causing him to start hating the only person, who was still alive, who cared for his well-being. By the end, he colluded with the Demons by joining the cult. His work caused too much pain and agony to the world and even reached the point where he became the turning point of the war. He ripped Harold''s heart and ate it, he then drank all of his blood, sucked his marrows clean, and imnted the eyes that he inherited from the Godking. That was the highest point in Cedric''s life but that''s also its end, because at the same moment he reced his eyes, his entire being exploded into a bloody mist because of the tiny wisp of the Godking''s will that''s still present in the eyes, rebuked his existence. Cedric jolted awake, he was sweating coldly and his heartbeat was a mess. Shockingly though, he was still on the 6th step, meaning that he''s not out of thepetition just yet. Just like before, Cedric felt a rush of memories hitting him. As usual, he took all of the memories in with an open mind. He embraced all the awful things he had done and turned them into a lesson. Of course, it wasn''t as easypared to the previous ones but Cedric had time and he wasn''t in a rush. By now, he didn''t care about the test at all, his priority lies with restoring his peace of mind. If he was expelled from the test because of this, so be it. This test wouldn''t make a difference in his end result anyway. By the time he reached the 7th step, Isabe and Garrick reached the 5th and were eliminated right after. And just like Cedric, they didn''t care about their results because they were too upied by the things they saw at the 5th step. In the end, only Cedric was left. He moved on steadily, one step at a time until he arrived at the 10th and final step where he was expelled as soon as he was done assorting the memories he gained from there. Chapter 106: Entrance Exams: End Sufficed to say, just as before, Cedric passed the Test of Will with flying colors, further establishing the gap between him and his fellow geniuses. Those who were watching this had mixed reactions. Some were obviously amazed by his feat but the rest didn''t think too much of it, mainly because his achievements in the bonus stage wouldn''t have any impact on his overall result, so in their eyes, this was a wasted effort. The fact that the bonus stage took a lot out of him made them think that their decision to not participate was a wise choice. If the Academy Staff were to discover their thought process, they''d probably sneer in disdain due to their ignorance. They would instantly deem these people as fools with no future. How dare they judge things that are out of their understanding... Still, even with the Bonus Test not having any real impact on his final results, everybody knows that Cedric passed everything with flying colors. At this point, nobody would deny that he is, in fact, the strongest amongst this batch of participants. "Your results have already been calcted." Came Orion''s sudden announcement which immediately caught their attention. "As you all know, we will only be receiving 200 Students every year." He continued, "We already lifted the restriction to your System. You should be receiving e-mails that contain your personal results as well as the list of those who made it." After hearing that, everybody hurriedly summoned their System interface to check their results. "Oh my gosh!" "No! No, how could this be!?" "I got in! Hahaha! Mom, Dad! I made it!" "Fail! How could I have failed!? I...I passed every test so how!?" "I am unwilling! I request for a re-evaluation!" The cacophony of sounds echoed around the field. Everybody was looking at their test results. Some were celebrating because they passed, others could onlyment their fate. ** From: @Starlight_Royal_Academy.gov To: @Frostwind14 (Isabe Frostwind) ¡è Greetings, Isabe Frostwind, we at the Starlight Royal Academy congratte you for achieving ster results in our Entrance Exam (See full details below). We formally wee you as a student of Batch 3034. We are looking forward to your achievements. ¡è Test Results: Written Test - 984/1000 [Pass!] Practical Test - 1st Part (A+), 2nd Part (A+), 3rd Part (A+) [Pass!] Bonus Test - 5/10 ¡è Final Rating: A+ ** Isabe wore an impassive expression as she read her results. Don''t get her wrong, she was relieved that she passed but it wasn''t surprising at all given how she performed. Of course, the little uncertainty induced some anxiety in her but in the end, she held full confidence in herself so it wasn''t a big deal. Looking at the list of the students who passed alongside her, she discovered that she sat firmly in the 3rd ce. And despite her frigid expression, she was inwardly peeved but also helpless. Obviously, Garrick and Cedric sat firmly above her. And she''s not a fool to ignore this tant sign. An Academy of this caliber wouldn''t leave any unnecessary details, especially in something tangible like an e-mail. The fact that they ranked every participant meant that it would have an impact on their studies. She''s not stupid to not notice this. Meanwhile, Garrick was also looking at his test results... ** From: @Starlight_Royal_Academy.gov To: @Strong_Daddy (Garrick Stoneheart) ¡è Greetings, Garrick Stoneheart, we at the Starlight Royal Academy congratte you for achieving ster results in our Entrance Exam (See full details below). We formally wee you as a student of Batch 3034. We are looking forward to your achievements. ¡è Test Results: Written Test - 890/1000 [Pass!] Practical Test - 1st Part (S), 2nd Part (A+), 3rd Part (A+) [Pass!] Bonus Test - 5/10 ¡è Final Rating: S- ** The S-rating on the Test of Strength was a little surprising but understandable. It was apt for someone like him who awakened a Divine Physique, anything lower than that would be a disappointment. Still, he knows that he couldn''t be this one-dimensional. He must make his other aspects catch up to his strength. He knows that he should be a well-rounded fighter to minimize his weaknesses. He also discovered that he''s in the second ce amongst the list of those who passed. Just like Isabe, he too understood the underlying meaning behind his cement, not that he couldin since he had seen how big of a gap there was between him and Cedric. But that doesn''t mean that he''s downpletely. For a person like him, this serves as great motivation. If Cedric could achieve that level of strength, there''s no reason why he couldn''t as well. And finally, there''s Cedric... ** From: @Starlight_Royal_Academy.gov To: @Cedie_Boy (Cedric Stormrider) ¡è Greetings, Cedric Stormrider, we at the Starlight Royal Academy congratte you for achieving ster results in our Entrance Exam (See full details below). We formally wee you as a student of Batch 3034. We are looking forward to your achievements. ¡è Test Results: Written Test - 1000/1000 [Pass!] Practical Test - 1st Part (S), 2nd Part (S+), 3rd Part (SS) [Pass!] Bonus Test - 10/10 ¡è Final Rating: SS ** "Well..." He muttered while smiling wryly, especially after seeing his name in bold and italics firmly sitting at the top of the list. Just like the rest, he wasn''t surprised at all. The ratings were a little shocking but it made sense. Typically, he would be fretting over showing too much but at his current level of strength, that''s not the case. In truth, he actually hid a lot of his abilities in this test. The strength level he disyed was already something that the Demons knew even before Humans did. After all, they were already watching him closely. Because of that, he wasn''t afraid of showing this much to convince some parties. Of course, his abilities as a Sage shouldn''t be exposed anytime soon. He created ''Derrek'' for that purpose after all. Also, he already knew that they were already nning on assassinating him, it''s just a matter of time and ce. He didn''t want to stress too much about this for now since worrying too much would cause him to stagnate. Besides, he''s always on the lookout for any threats in his life anyway so in a sense he''s always prepared. Since the Demons haven''t made any movements yet, this means that he isn''t that big of a threat to them right now. Or maybe they have other things to attend to. Either way works for him. Additionally, he also didn''t miss the way how he was being subtly protected by the people around him. That trace of sharpness and alertness was very obvious to him and the timing was just right so he knew that they were protecting him. With them around, the Demons would think twice before making any movement against him. Still, this didn''t stop him from feeling pride swelling up his chest. He did really well. If only his family was here to celebrate with him... While he was checking his results, some parts of him were still paying attention around him. He could feel varying emotions from the crowd. He saw people celebrating while others were left in a state ofplete despair. Some of these people already tested before yet still didn''t pass this time. The Academy only allows individuals to participate in their Entrance Exams a total of three times, and let''s not forget about the age bracket too. For these participants, who were left inplete shambles after failing, this was theirst attempt. There''s no next time for them anymore, which made them even more bitter. He pitied them, really. But he''s also not a saint. There''s no way that someone like him could request the Academy to pass them in his stead. He was a nobody still, despite his achievements so far. ''Such is life, I suppose. I''m just way luckierpared to them.'' Cedric assessed inwardly. "For those who passed, your Guarantors will be with you in a while. They will bring you your credentials and starter supplies. They will also be the ones who will bring you to our Academy tomorrow." "If you have any questions, ask them what they know first. Any discrepancies in their information will be filled out once you enter the Academy properly anyway." "With that all said, I now conclude this year''s Starlight Royal Academy Entrance Exams! Once again, congrattions to those who passed, I''m looking forward to your achievements. For those who did not make it, work hard and you may try again next year. If you are amongst those who have used up all their chances, this means that your fate doesn''t lie with us. Seek other opportunities, all is not lost yet so don''t lose hope." "That''s all I have to say, you all may vacate the field now." After that announcement, Orion and his fellow Instructors promptly disappeared. The crowd also moved after that. It was then that several streaks of light appeared across the sky. Onended right in front of Cedric and he noticed that it was actually the City Lord...who looked somewhat younger and strongerpared to thest time he saw him. "Good job, Kid. You gave me a lot of face this time around! HAHAHAHAHA!" Chapter 107: City Lords Predicament Reiner still couldn''t believe it... He came here not expecting much only to be met with a shockingly pleasant surprise. He had severely underestimated Cedric and hadn''t seen iting, truly. He initially thought that Cedric was just another pretty boy with some skills, but it turned out that he was wrong. All of them were wrong. Actually, he''s being shameless here, saying that Cedric has given him a lot of face when in truth, he hardly deserved it. He did nothing for the boy yet the kid brought him an immense present. He''s actually feeling a little guilty right now. "I''m d I didn''t disappoint you then..." Cedric replied, still looking and sounding a bit tired but the glimmer in his gaze remained. "You sure didn''t." Reiner snorted lightheartedly. "Let''s get outta here. You need rest. I won''t be toote to tell you all I know about the academy once you''ve recovered." Cedric had nothing to say to that, he simply nodded and together, they left the venue. Word of the exam results was already spreading all around the capital, and with the inte, the rumors spread even faster. It''s only natural since there will always be a group of people who have way too much time on their hands. By now, at least half of the poption of the capital already knows who Cedric is. They already knew what he looked like though notpletely since he always wore a mask to hide half of his features. Still, that didn''t stop some people from fantasizing things about him. His feats were already being wildly discussed online. As usual, there will always be a group of skeptics amongst them but faced with the overwhelming amount of evidence, they don''t have a choice but to believe it. Cedric was vaguely aware of what was happening. He already predicted that something like this would happen but he''s toozy to care. The City Lord brought him to a fancy hotel though. Something only avable to VIPs, and even then the fares are expensive. However, because of his blooming reputation, he learned that he was free to stay here now and in the future. They even handed him a membership card right away. If this way their way of extending an olive branch to him, well...it''s ttering. The City Lord did tell him that this was only natural. He also said that he didn''t need to feel burdened about owing them a favor. They always offer this kind of service to people like him since his future was deeply tied to the safety of Humanity as a whole. Doing his part or bing stronger was more than enough to repay this favor of theirs, so he shouldn''t make a big deal out of it. Understanding that, Cedric did feel relieved. He still feels squeamish about owing people some favors after all. Since they were already here, the City Lord told him to getfortable and rest. Cedric agreed and the City Lord left him to his room. Making his way to the adjacent room, Reiner invited Arishem as well as the RMC''s Chief - Lucas Brightstone into a video call. "City Lord." Both Arishem and Lucas called out upon answering the call. "Oh, Lucas eh? Been a while, Old Thing." Arishem jeered. "Hello to you too, Old Freak." Lucas replied grumbling, he then turned his attention to the City Lord and said: "Hello, City Lord. How can this old man help you today?" "At ease, Chief Lucas. I''m only here to share with you some good news and to ask you something." "What is it?" Arishem asked, then his expression still as he focused, "Is this about the Entrance Exam?" "Yes, it is." Reiner nodded while wearing a smirk on his face. "The kid did well, he''s in first ce." "..." "You''re not pulling my leg, are you?" Arishem softlyined to the City Lord. "Why would I do that? Besides, you can ess the inte to confirm if I''m lying to you." Reiner snorted. He then saw the two busying themselves. They should be confirming his words right now. As for Lucas, he''s a bit puzzled. How was he rted to the person that they''re talking about? He couldn''t recall giving any suggestions to the City Lord. Hell, he wasn''t even in the position to do that, so what is he doing here? Nevertheless, he still searched the recent news about the Starlight Royal Academy''s Entrance Exam. It didn''t take long before he got the list of those who passed, and seeing the name in the first ce, a frown appeared on his wrinkled face. ''Cedric Stormrider?'' He mused inwardly, ''Why does this name sound familiar?'' "Hah! Would you look at that? He really did take the first ce!" Arishem roared in delight upon seeing the results. "Damn! How impressive! We severely underestimated the kid." The City Lord had nothing to say about his remarks because it was the truth. Meanwhile, Chief Lucas is still confused and it shows. "Your memory is getting progressively worse, Old Thing. You should get that checked." Arishem snorted. "It''s in to see that you have forgotten about him even though barely a year passed." "What do you mean?" "This kid came from your department, Old Thing." Arishem chuckled. "He''s the one you asked me to escort to the ck Thread City. The one who miraculously changed his fate and escaped that repulsive ce." Hearing all that caused everything toe back to him. A stunned expression appeared on Lucas'' face as he finally remembered who Cedric was. "No way! Are you shitting me!? This kid really got the first ce in that exam!?" Lucas was absolutely floored by this discovery. Who could me him really? It was already shocking that the kid who, not even a year ago, was still struggling on a month-to-month basis suddenly changed his fate and was able to rejoin civilization. Yet now you''re telling him that not only did the kid reim his status as a normal citizen, he even became a heavenly genius? How could he easily believe that? "The data won''t lie, Chief Lucas." Reiner stated, "This is indeed the same kid who left your department. I couldn''t believe it as well but we have no choice. I was there when he performed and everything was real." "Here, watch his performance..." Reiner then sent apiled video of Cedric''s performance during the Practical Exam. Arishem and Lucas watched it closely and they couldn''t help but curse at how freakish the kid''s abilities were. "Holy hell! Sword Intent! How could that be? This kid''s barely 20! How could he have such a matured Sword Intent?" "Did he start cultivating from the womb? But even if that''s the case, that shouldn''t be possible! Besides, if he had achieved Sword Intent this early, howe he was brought to the RMC?" "Geez, this kid''s almost as fast as I am! Isn''t that absurd? I''m at Tier 6 god damn it! He''s halfway my level and you''re telling me he could almost keep up with me?" "Sword Intent and now this? What the hell?" As for their reactions to the 3rd Part, well...they got none. They just wentpletely quiet, trying their best to believe what they were witnessing. Even Reiner himself was still left speechless after watching it again. He could sympathize with them, the kid was obscenely talented and it made everybody speechless. "Damn...this is crazy!" Arishem sounds bbergasted, and nobody could me him. "He achieved all of this on how own? Is he the reincarnation of an Old Hero?" "How much resources did you give him anyway? Did you empty the City''s Treasury?" Lucas asked. "That''s the thing, Chief Lucas." Reiner sounded a bit helpless, "The only thing we gave to him was the Badge for participation and the Book of Laws, which he was already destined to receive anyway. Aside from that, there''s nothing. That''s all him." "...City Lord, I think I''m way too old for pranks like this." Lucas stared at him with a serious expression. "I''m not pranking you, Chief Lucas. We really didn''t do a thing. I basically just told him to participate and that''s it. The rest was all him. That''s why I''m feeling guilty right now." Reiner replied in all seriousness. "Right, feeling guilt makes sense. After all, we could be said to be his guarantors. His performance will be seen as directly rted to us because that''s the norm. After all, we can''t just give the badge to someone and call it a day...like what you did." Arishem chided on the side. "Given how ster he performed, we will most likely receive a hefty sum of resources from both the Academy and the Royal Family for raising a talent like him. And given that we didn''t even do a damn thing for the boy, we really should be feeling guilty." Reiner added, sounding strangely defeated. "Well...what did he say? Did he demand anything?" Arishem asked. "He didn''t." Reiner replied, "He''s resting right now, he was too tired after reaching the 10th Step of the Test of Will. I didn''t have the time nor the courage to ask him yet." "Well...I don''t think that''s a problem then? I don''t think he''s that type of person anyway." Chief Lucas interjected. "How can you tell?" Chapter 108: Respite "...Dr. Vega had nothing but praise for his progress. She said he was a bit lost at first but very willing to do what it takes for him to get better." Chief Lucas stated. "She even stated that, for someone who had been forced into a toxic environment at a young age and practically grew up in it, it was a miracle that he was still mentally sound at the very least, therefore helping him recover wasn''t all that difficult." "I was constantly updated on his progress since it was the procedure. And since he was doing well on his own, it''s only a matter of time until he receives a clean bill of health. And I was correct. After that, I kind of stopped paying attention to him since he''s out of my influence already." "Simply put, if there were to be some strange or toxic behavioral patterns, I would''ve known it already since Dr. Vega wouldn''t hesitate to inform me. However, what I received were praises instead of problems so I don''t think that the boy will act like a rogue towards this situation." Lucas ended his analysis there, allowing both Arishem and Reiner to think. Since his analysis was backed up by real data, it''s difficult to refute it. Moreover, both of them had interactions with Cedric, and even though they were brief, they could tell that the kid was nice and polite. All of these men are old and experienced. At this point in their lives, they could discern a person''s characteristics even with only a few interactions due to their tenure at their specific jobs, and all of them could tell that Cedric shouldn''t be a bad person based on what they''ve gathered so far. The fact that they thought that Cedric would raise some unreasonable demands towards them made them feel guilty even more, though. The kid brought nothing but pleasant surprises to them yet here they were, raising their guards against him. This reaction was brought forth by an unpleasant memory, though. Arishem and the City Lord encountered a simr situation before, only the previous person didn''t perform as great as Cedric did, and the person they trusted and raised betrayed them. That person even switched guarantors at thest minute, causing the City Lord to lose credibility and face humiliation. It could be said that this was a defense mechanism of some sort, and they truly felt guilty for thinking that Cedric was the same as that previous guy. "...still, is it toote for us to do something for him?" Arishem asked, "We owe him a lot because of this." "Oh, trust me, I know." Reiner grumbled, "I even outright admitted that I didn''t do a damn thing to help the kid for the exams. Even got cursed because of that. I also know that some opportunistic City Lords out there are trying to make a move on him right now. They''re only hesitating since they know I''m here." Reiner already sensed the strange gazes of his fellow City Lords even before they left the exam venue. He could tell that they were harboring the thought of poaching Cedric to their side, promising him all manner of resources and wealth just to ride on his coattails. If he wasn''t here to act as a wall, they''d probably be banging on Cedric''s door right now. "Do you need me there?" Arishem asked. "No. It''s fine, I can handle them." Reiner shook his head, "What I need is ideas. I don''t want to send him to the Academy without even providing him some help." "...I couldn''t think of something right now." Arishem sighed. "Information should help him greatly." Lucas offered. Hearing that caused Reiner and Arishem''s eyes to light up. "borate," Reiner asked. "Well, I was just thinking...since he''s about to enter the Academy, we might as well give him all the information we have to help gain an edgepared to the rest." "You should know this better, City Lord. After all, you were once a student of the Starlight Royal Academy." Lucas added in the end. That caused Reiner to feel some nostalgia. Indeed, he was once a proud student of the Starlight Royal Academy. He dropped out though because of his injuries. He, of all people, knows how tough thepetition is inside the academy. "I''ve alreadypiled everything I know, though. I was already nning on giving it to him, plus his credentials obviously, once he has rested enough." Reiner stated, "I just think that that''s far from enough." "Maybe you can donate your remaining Academy Points (AP) to him?" Arishem suggested, "I mean, you no longer have any uses for those right? You might as well give to him so he could have some capital." "Alright, I''ll do that too." Reiner decisively agreed. "But still, this doesn''t feel enough." This was really turning into a dilemma for them. While some might say that they''re making a big deal out of this, well...that''s because it is, indeed, a big deal. It was already mentioned that as Cedric''s guarantor, Reiner, and his City will be heavily rewarded by the Academy and the Royal Family for raising a genius of his caliber. Even though the reward has yet to be given, Reiner could already predict what it''s going to be... First, a City Expansion reward. The ck Thread City is considered a medium-sized city and it''s fine on its own, but because of Cedric''s existence, it will be expanded in the hopes of producing more talented in the future. Then, all sorts of resources and opportunities will elevate the city''s overall strength and quality of life. Neither the Academy nor the Royal Family will be stingy with this. And finally, a unique opportunity for Reiner himself, something that is huge enough for him to, hopefully, reach Tier 9. A dream for any Superhuman out there. All of this will be given to them just because Cedric graced them with their presence. Of course, this alsoes with the responsibility of raising more talent but that''s only natural. These rewards were more or less confirmed already since Reiner has seen it happen before. Only previously, he could only feel envious, now he''s the one experiencing it. So the fact that they''d be receiving too many rewards with barely an effort on their part, really makes him feel guilty. He certainly feels like he didn''t deserve any of it. **** A few hourster, Cedric woke up from his sleep feeling we rested. It felt like he had been asleep for more than 24 hours at this point but that''s just because of his absurd recovery brought by his Unique Physique. Scanning his surroundings with his senses, he didn''t sense anything strange so he shrugged and made his way to the bathroom to clean himself. Once he was refreshed, he changed into a fresh set of clothes and called for room service. He then spent some time in silence and rxation. ''I''m about to be really busy once the school year starts.'' He mused inwardly, ''I should relish this remaining idle time.'' Cedric has already seen it once. The Academy has some things that could give him pressure. The pressure that he could use to elerate his growth to even more absurd levels. With those tools avable to him, it''d be a sin if he didn''t take advantage of them to propel his growth as a Superhuman. ''Moreover, I should be safe under the protection of the Academy. The Demons would hesitate to make a move on me so long as I''m under their banner. This gives me even more time to broaden my horizons and umte my advantages.'' There''s still so much to learn and room for improvement ahead of him. Cedric feels giddy at the thought of it. And all of it begins tomorrow. He continues daydreaming about his future. He thought of both realistic and unrealistic things. It was random or nonsense but he didn''t hate it. He was bored anyway. Then, he decided to surf online and found his face stered on the local news. He smiled wryly as he thought that this was inevitable. It''s like this every year, the Starlight Royal Academy''s Entrance Exam has always been a big deal for everybody. Thankfully his socials are private and he didn''t upload any pictures of himself or else his inbox would''ve exploded from all the notifications he''s bound to receive. He chuckled when he saw somements about his masked face. Some people thought he was hiding half of his face because he was insecure or ugly. Others were berating the reporters for not working hard enough to capture what he actually looked like. This was all amusing to see this, and he briefly debated if he should fan the fire, even just for a little bit. However, he ultimately decides not to. ''Themotion this brought will fade pretty quickly anyway. People''s attention spans are pretty short nowadays, especiallyizens. Besides, they''d just pester me endlessly if I make an online debut now so I might as well ignore this for now.'' Closing the tabs, he nned on zoning out for some more but he was interrupted by the knock on his door. Chapter 109: The Starlight Royal Academy All 200 participants who were epted gathered at an empty za... Today''s the day that their life as a student of the Starlight Royal Academy begins, and they couldn''t be any more excited. All of them were just waiting for the arrival of the instructors and they''re good to go. Of course, Cedric was also here. Just like the others, he too was wearing the uniform of Starlight Royal Academy students. The uniform''s general color scheme was a mixture of white, blue, and yellow. The top isposed of an elbow-length buttoned-up shirt that''s mainly white with blue buttons. For guys, they have a breast pocket on the right. Ites with a white zer with gold linings, bearing the symbol of the Starlight Royal Academy''s insignia at the back. For the bottom, it''s white cks for guys and striped blue and white skirts for the girls. Of course, if some girls aren''t fond of skirts, they could also wear cks like the guys do, the same goes for the boys as well. The zerse with epaulets simr to those in the military. These epaulets change color depending on the student''s seniority. It''s white for freshmen like them, yellow for those who have survived more than a year, then gold, violet gold, and crimson golde after in that order. As for the specifics on how to achieve this, only the instructors could tell them that. The freshmen arranged themselves in a near formation as they waited for the instructors to arrive. Nobody told them to do this but they did so for some unknown reason. Some students arrived in this za at the crack of dawn, others arrivedter. Despite that, every single one who passed was here early since the arranged time was said to be 10 in the morning. When the time came, the instructors appeared silently and unannounced. Seeing them, the students were surprised but quickly caught themselves. There was a momentary silence before Orion spoke: "Since all of you are here, let''s not waste any more time. I shall give you a tour of the Academy today. How much you retain will be up to you. If you forget something, just ask a fellow student instead." After saying that, he waved his hand and arge portal appeared in the middle of the za. Without even looking back, Orion only had one thing to say: "Follow." And follow they did. The students entered the portal one by one and arrived at the other side in varying states; some werepletely fine, and others needed some time to regain their senses. Cedric was amongst those who werepletely fine. He silently regarded those who weren''t fine as people who needed to pick up their ck because he already knew that they would have to get used to this. "How some of you still haven''t got used to spatial teleportationpletely eludes me." Orion coldly remarked, "It''s as if some of you don''t do your part in the monthly Hell Dives." His reaction was understandable. After all, if all of them were doing their monthly Hell Dives, then they should already be used to spatial transportation. That''s how they arrive in the Purgatory to begin with. "Whatever." Orion snorted, "Let''s move along then." He then turned around and began walking without waiting for the others to adjust. Cedric along with the group who were affected, started following Orion''s steps closely. Soon, they arrived at a widendscape. "This is the Central Courtyard." Orion introduced. "If you arrive here using the only method that''s avable to you right now, which I will exinter, then this should be the first thing you''ll see." "This spot is open for everyone; both students and instructors, even the staff. It''s wide enough to amodate thousands of people at the same time. If you need to unwind, you maye here and rest for a bit. That said, how you spend your free time ultimately depends on you." Cedric allowed his senses to spread to get the entire picture of the Central Courtyard. It was definitely huge. It''s almost the same size as the ck Thread City, which was insane. In the middle of the courtyard, there was arge ornate fountain. Its waters were not normal either. From what he could tell, those waters shoulde from the depths of Treasure Mountain, which is said to be the cleanest and purest water there is. Surrounding the fountain were statues of the Academy''s founders. And just like the waters, these statues also weren''t the normal ones. With his sharp senses and his blooming skills as a Smith, he could tell that the material used to craft these statues was, at the very least, Tier 9 on the scale, which means that they could gain some semnce of spirituality. The statues were incredibly lifelike, if it weren''t for their color scheme, which was the only thing that indicated that they were still statues, he would''ve mistaken them for a real person. Of course, given how sharp his senses were, he could feel the spirituality of the statues, he even felt that there was some underlying secret beneath these statues too. However, his senses weren''t able to prate that deep so he could only let it be. Beneath the statues were several gates at which studentse and go. Everybody seems to be minding their own business. Those who saw Orion with the freshmen either gave them a nod of acknowledgment or bowed at the Instructor''s presence. "See those peaks over at a distance?" Orion pointed out, catching the attention of the freshmen. "Those are mostly the Academy''s Towers. You''d spend most of your time within those buildings during your stay here." "As you can see, it''s quite far. Travelling by foot will take most of your time and by then, you''d be extremely exhausted already. These portals exist for everyone''s convenience. Each portal here leads to different ces within the academy. Use them as much or as little as you want. That''s up to you." "Ah right, fighting is prohibited in most ces here." He added, "If you and your enemy can''t really stand each other, you can go to the Arcane Arena to settle your differences. We''ll visit that ceter, for now, we will be going to the Academic Towers." "Follow." Although they hadn''t stopped walking ever since they arrived here, Orion still ordered them to follow him closely. He then entered the portal which was in the general direction of the Academic Towers. A clue that Cedric kept in mind as he too followed suit. Upon arriving at the other side, his perspective was overwhelmed for a brief moment. ''The energy density of this area is insane!'' He eximed inwardly. He took a deep breath and felt his body adjusting to the sensation which also partaking in the abundant energy around him. He could feel both his core and the beast egg greedily absorbing energy to elerate their growth. ''Geez, it hasn''t even been a minute since I arrived here yet I already umted at least a full day''s worth of cultivation.'' Cedric eximed inwardly again. The difference was insane, which further proves that his decision toe here was the right choice. Unbeknownst to him, Orion was silently observing him closely. Inwardly, the bald instructor nodded in satisfaction as he saw Cedric only taking a few seconds before adjusting to this ce''s energy level. ''A well-trained physique and absurdly powerful senses. He is indeed an anomaly. A weed addition to our roster.'' Comparing him to the rest somehow feels unfair. Even Garrick and Isabe were still doing their best to adjust to the sudden difference. And if they were like this, it''s way worse for the rest. Of course, Orion saw all of this. Yet even though he did, he remained silent about it. He didn''t need to pay attention to those who wouldn''tst for a year here anyway. It took some time but eventually, all freshmen recovered from the shock. When Orion noticed this, he spoke once more: "These are the Academic Towers." He stated, "Like I said earlier, you will spend most of your time in one of these towers." "As the name suggests, this is where the lessons will take ce. We have ssrooms for just about any subject you wish to learn. Since all of you are official students of our academy, you will be receiving aprehensive list of all subjects we have to offer." "You can enroll in any ss you''re interested in. You may also join clubs for extra-curricr activities. Since all of you just arrived here, the amount of sses you can attend is limited." "All subjects have a corresponding Academic Unit. Freshmen like you are given 20 Units to start with. You''re allowed to not use all the Units you have but you can''t exceed them. Of course, once you''re promoted to Sophomores, you''ll be granted with extra Units to use." "I''ll tell you this right now. The requirements to be a Sophomore include passing all your subjects as well as the Promotion Exams. Once you fail, that spells the end of your time with the Academy. If I were you, I''d choose wisely because there''s no such thing as reinstatement in this academy." "Once you''re out. You''re out for good." Chapter 110: AUs and APs The majority of the freshmen weren''t surprised by the strictness of the academy. They were warned by their guarantors early so it''s not surprising anymore. Still, even knowing this doesn''t lessen the pressure exerted on them as new students. Cedric also heard enough things from Reinerst night. They talked for hours and the old man told him everything he knew about the schools. He''s also made aware that Reiner was a dropout student of the academy. The City Lord also tried to give him things that he could use to make his stay easier here, Cedric epted some but refused the others. He either has no need for them or has something better. He could tell that the City Lord was trying to make up for his negligence. Something that Cedric already expected to happen. But he did tell the old man that he didn''t mind. Cedric knows of the benefits he brought to the ck Thread City, and typically, it''s normal for him to receive more benefits since he was the one who earned it in the first ce. That said, Cedric has enough resources to use for himself at his current level. He did not need the additional resources since those would just rot in his Inventory. Besides, he already treats ck Thread City as his home. It''s where his second chance at life began. There he felt peace and protection. He also met friends and experienced change there, so he also wants the city to prosper. In fact, the Book of Laws was more than enough to serve as a reward for his efforts, and that had been lent to him even before he participated. Speaking of that item, Cedric already memorized its entire contents. He tried to return it to Reiner but the old told him that he could have it. Initially, that item could only be lent to him but since he performed excellently, the City Lord already applied for the ownership in his stead and it was passed. So now, he''s the true owner of the book and doesn''t need to return it anymore. Continuing with the tour... Orion brought the freshmen inside one of the Academic Towers so that they could experience what it''s really like in person. These towering peaks are evenrger inside, Cedric guessed that somebody used Spatial Magic/Technique/Technology to achieve this. The interior of the Academic Towers was modern, the saturation of energy was high, and there were pieces of technology here that helped the students focus on their tasks. They went through several rooms that they would most likely find themselves in; ssrooms, cafeteria, practice rooms, libraries, and so on. They have also been taught how to navigate the interior of the towers because it could be really confusing inside. Orion said that the design of the Academic Towers was generally the same, so if they could navigate one, they shouldn''t find it hard to do the same for the others. All they need to know is which ssroom is which since one is designed for every subject and there are a lot of them. Once they finished the tour of the Academic Towers, they returned to the gate that transported them back to the Central Courtyard. "The gate on the left side of this one leads to the Faculty Office." Orion exined, "If you have any academic concerns or schedules with the Instructors or the Headmaster, use that gate. Otherwise, stay away from that ce. You can be penalized for disturbing the Instructors." Orion then pointed at the one on the right side of the Academic Tower gate and said: "That one leads to the Arcane Arena. It''s a ce where you can fight others to let out some steam. It''s a rowdy ce and I don''t particrly like going there so we''ll skip it for now. If you''re curious as to what it looks like, you can visit it after this on your own." He then walked to the gate next to that one and ordered: "Follow." So follow they did. And once they arrived at the other side of the gate, they were greeted with arge area that had a lone huge archaic building in the middle. "This is the Astral Observatory." Orion introduced, "Contrary to what it''s called, you don''t go here to simply gaze at the stars and admire them." "This ce is more like a Trial Grounds." He continued as they walked towards the building, "If you want to seek improvement or check your progress, this is where you go." "It''s created by the joint effort of the Zodiac Saints. There are 12 different kinds of challenges there. Each challenge has different stages, the further you go, the more difficult it bes. Of course, if you pass them, you''d receive appropriate rewards, mainly in the form of Academic Points (AP)." Orion then faced them and stressed: "Don''t confuse Academic Units (AU) with Academic Points (AP), they''re different. AU is what you use to enroll for subjects you''re interested in. AP is the main currency we use here." "Coins and paper bills have little to no value here. Even the worth of Demon Souls is minimized. AP is what you need to buy resources, weapons, armor, gadgets, assistance, private lessons, and so on." "You earn them through various means. The mostmon way is by performing well in your sses or by earning them through various tasks." "Those who are in the 51st ce and beyond will receive a 100 AP monthly allowance. The 26th ce to the 50th will receive 150 AP. 11th ce to 25th will have 200 AP." "5th to 10th ce gets 300 AP. 4th gets 350, 3rd gets 500, 2nd gets 700, and 1st ce gets 1000 AP." Orion concluded while ncing at Cedric. He didn''t say much but his gaze held a lot of meaning. Cedric didn''t show any outward changes in his expression but inwardly, he was surprised by the amount he received. He already knew about APs from Reiner, and he told him that earning them was incredibly challenging. While Orion did say that students could earn them by performing well in the sses, the amount they''d receive was pitifully little. Doing tasks carries risks because all of those contain varying levels of punishment should they fail it. Reiner told him of other ways to earn AP but he doesn''t have any ess to those. ''Reiner also donated his remaining AP to me.'' He mused inwardly, ''He said that he has at least 4k AP left. This is what remained from his savings that he wasn''t able to use before he dropped out. Since he couldn''t use them anymore, he decided to donate it to me.'' ''For a freshman like me. This is a lot. But if I were to stay here, that''s far from enough.'' He continued musing, ''No matter, I''m sure I''d find a way to earn a steady supply once I''ve gotten used to living here.'' While he''s musing to himself, he''s also vaguely aware of the stares he''s receiving from his batchmates. It couldn''t be helped, the discrepancy truly makes one envious. Since he''s first ce, this meant that he''d be receiving 1000 AP monthly. Although most of them still don''t have a full grasp on how valuable APs were, desiring for more was normal since it''s been told that they would need it for pretty much anything. "In this ce, we value progress more than anything. During your first month, the list will stay as it is. But as soon as that passes, you canpete amongst your batchmates, making it possible to re-shuffle the positions a bit." Orion added casually. "At the beginning of each month is when you receive your APs. As soon as everybody receives theirs, you can freely challenge your batchmates to rece them." "There are also ways for you to challenge your Upper ssmen but you will only know how that works when it gets relevant." "For now, let''s continue the tour." Just like that, Orion tousled thepetitive spirits of the freshmen and left them hanging. It''s also clear that he isn''t willing to borate even further so they could only leave it at that. He then brings them inside the Astral Observatory and tells them how it works. The freshmen got to witness how the Zodiac Challenges worked in person and were left in awe at how difficult they were. Once Orion deemed that they''d seen enough, they moved on to the next ce which was the Mission Hall where they could apply for tasks for varying amounts of rewards. Orion also told them where the Market was ¡ª a ce where they could buy their essentials and other useful materials for their sses. He also showed them the Grand Archives where they could learn Advanced Skills. The Enchanted Gardens ¡ª a popr ce to practice their skills because of its unique blessings. And finally, they ended up in the Dormitory which was only avable for Freshmen like them. Chrissy and Erica already told Cedric about this so he already had his things packed. And because he was in the first ce, his room was vastly different from the rest. ''They gave me a freaking penthouse.'' Cedric muttered wryly to himself. Chapter 111: Enrolling A 2000 square meter space just for him... Cedric could truly feel the differential treatment. Additionally, everything he needed was already avable. All he needed to do was to use it. The term ''dormitory'' only applies to those who ranked 5th in the entrance exam. Of course, everybody was aware of the sheer difference so once again, Cedric had be the object of their envy. Having already scanned the entire ce with his senses, Cedric could already tell which room was which. Based on his estimations, the Training Room/Office Space covered at least half of the entire property. The instructors seem to be pushing the idea of training to whoever owns this ce every year. The rest of the space was divided into the living room, bedroom,fort rooms, and so on. Resting on the couch in the living room, Cedric thought to himself: ''Freshmen cannot leave the academy, that''s the rule. Only after they''re promoted to Sophomores will they be able to freely leave.'' ''Others might think this is a bad thing but a smart person wouldn''t think so. Why would one even want to leave? Where else could they find such a rich and secure environment to grow stronger?'' ''Staying here allows one to progress fast. Exerting half the effort will double the results. And that''s just by being in themon areas of the academy. Who knows how much faster it would be at the Trial Grounds or that Enchanted Gardens?'' ''But of course, it''s not so easy to stay. The academy will require us to show results if we want to stay here. That''s only normal since they wouldn''t be doing this for nothing.'' Beep! Cedric opened his eyes and raised a brow. The System notified him that he received an e-mail from the academy. He opened it and saw that it contained his admission form and the Starlight Academy System Plug-in. Without any hesitation, Cedric immediately installed the plug-in, which only took a few seconds to finish. Once it is active, he receives several notifications about its functions. Basically, this plug-in only works when he''s at the Starlight Royal Academy. The plug-in allows them to enroll in sses using the System, schedule appointments, set reminders for important events, etc. Simply put, the plug-in makes the students'' lives more convenient. It also reminded him that he could now dere the subjects he wished to learn. It also included a very long list of subjects he could choose from, making him feel a bit dizzy. "...he wasn''t kidding when he said that they teach almost anything here." Cedric mused out loud as perused the list. From what he gathered so far, the Combat sses are the most popr ones. They require a minimum of 5 Academic Units for enrollment, and that still depends on the type of ss. For example: Ordinary Combat sses like Weapon Training or Weapon Specialization only require 5 units, whereas sses like Sword Mastery, Intent Manifestation, etc. need at least 7-10 Units. Simply put, the more advanced it is, the more expensive it gets. After the Combat sses, there''s the Profession sses like Smithing, Alchemy, Symbol 101, and so on. There are also misceneous sses like; Politics, Marketing, Education, etc. Anybody who saw just how many subjects there are avable would also feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, the staff are kind enough to make ''suggestions'' for students. These suggestions are based on what they disyed so far, and their tendencies and might include more private information that they delved into upon performing a background check on each student. For Cedric, the staff highly suggested he take the ''Sword Path'' ss. They even printed it in bold and italics to emphasize their will. The Sword Path ss needs a whopping 10 Units. It was high but that''s because it''s considered as an Advanced ss ¡ª a Major Subject, if you will. ''I mean, I was already nning on taking it anyway. I appreciate the suggestion though.'' Cedric mused wryly. If he were some ordinary Swordsman out there, the staff would suggest he to take the ''Intent Manifestation'' ss to help him condense the seed of Sword Intent. But since he not only has it but also matured it enough, he could skip to the Sword Path ss, which will allow him to see the road beyond the Sword Intent. ...at least, that''s what he''s expecting. He could be wrong though. But since the ss was highly suggested to him, there should be a merit to his assumption. In addition to the Sword Path ss, the staff also suggested he to take the ''Elements 101'', ''Smithing'', ''Field Command'', and ''Etiquette''. He could understand why they suggested ''Elements 101'' and ''Smithing''. Cedric hasn''t revealed any Elemental Manifestation during the exam, which probably made him think that if he were to learn the basics of Elements, his power would be greatly boosted. ''I adopted the ''Aspect of the Sun'' when I became a Young Sage. That should''ve made/transformed my innate elemental affinity towards Light, Fire, Yang, or somewhere along those lines.'' ''I''ve practiced my Sage Arts diligently and in turn, I have a fair grasp in controlling Sunlight and Sunfire. Is there really a need for me to enroll in this ss?'' ''...'' ''...probably. I mean, I still can''t reveal my status as a Sage nor I could disy my control over Sunlight and Sunfire. Even though this is a fairly secure ce, being careful still has merits.'' ''Yeah, I should probably take it. This could serve as anotheryer of disguise in a sense. Making it easier for the Demons to underestimate me.'' As for the Smithing ss, that''s public knowledge. They probably saw his Public Profile which led them to this suggestion. Now, Field Command was a bit surprising to him. He didn''t know what their basis was for suggesting this but he thought that it wouldn''t hurt. What confused him the most was the ''Etiquette'' ss. ''Is this really necessary? Do I look like a country bumpkin to them?'' He thought to himself. Cedric would like to think that he wasn''t like that. Obviously, he had never taken any Etiquette sses before but at the very least, nobody hadined about his manners before. He would know if they did, after all his senses could pick up most things. But there''s none, so why would they suggest this? Did he do something embarrassing during the exam? He couldn''t remember anything though. ''...maybe I could ask someer.'' He hummed inwardly. He then saw that, if he were to take all of the sses suggested to him, it would cost a total of 15 AUs; 10 for the Sword Path ss, 3 for the Smithing ss, and one for both the Field Command and Etiquette ss, leaving him with 5 AUs to spare. Knowing this, Cedric once again perused the list to see if any subjects might interest him. He found the ''Demonology'' ss, which is the in-depth study of Demons. It sounded interesting but for Cedric, it was redundant. He already has the Demon yer ss which bestowed him the ¡ºDemon Lore¡» passive skill, allowing him to view information that Ac herselfpiled, so it''s meaningless to attend this. Alchemy was also interesting for him but he decided to postpone it. Thinking that it wouldn''t be toote to enroll in this ss once he maxed out his Smith sub-ss. After checking the list onest time, he sighed and said: "I''ll just take the suggestions I suppose." "15 Units should be enough for my first year. Besides, taking more might take up too much of my time. Instructor Orion also said that if we want to be promoted as a Sophomore, one of the requirements is to pass every subject we take." Besides, the academy adjusts its lessons ording to what he heard so far. If a student happens to learn faster than the rest, the instructors wouldn''t hesitate to give them more materials to keep up with their pace. It is possible to pass the ss before the intended time frame. Doing so would free up more time for the student to focus on their other sses or their personal training. "Yeah...I''ll do it this way then. Pacing is a good thing." Once he made his decision, he dered the subjects he wanted to take and submitted his application. After a minute, he received a confirmation as well as his schedule for each of the sses he took. Interestingly enough, the Sword Path ss wasbeled with the ''Open Schedule'', meaning that he could attend the ss whenever he wanted to, be it day or night. Additionally, he could also determine how long he wants to stay each time he attends. It''s a unique concept but Cedric just took it in stride... ''Elements 101'' is scheduled once a week. It urs every Monday at 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the afternoon. His Smithing, Field Command, and Etiquette sses are scheduled on Saturdays. The former happens in the afternoon and thetter happens in the mornings. He was also notified that the sses will begin next week and his attendance will be expected. With that done, Cedric closed the interface and proceeded to unload his things to settle down in his new home. Chapter 112: Fairies "Hey, Cedric! Over here!" Cedric turned to towards the sound and saw Erica and Chrissy waving at him. A smile appeared on his face as he started walking towards them. He sat down in between them and said: "Hey, girls. How are you?" "Good now that you''re here." Chrissy chuckled while hooking an arm on his. "You know, I didn''t expect that you''d be this fierce," Erica admitted, gazing at him admiringly. "I thought you were just confident enough to pass. To think that you''d sit firmly at the top spot in such a domineering fashion...not bad!" "Oh, stop it, Babes." Chrissy snorted on the side, "Just admit that our friend over here is a bonafide bigshot and you just can''tpare." "That''s what I said!" Erica protested. "Alright, stop fighting," Cedric interjected. "What''s important is that I got in. Though the privileges brought by being 1st is nice, not gonna lie." "Yeah, you got a dorm with the size of a penthouse and a huge AP allowance each month." Chrissy stated, "Anybody would be envious of that, trust me. Your batch might not yet realize it but you will soon." "Hmm, I think I have a clue." Cedric hummed, "Though, I suppose you wouldn''t mind telling more, hm?" "You wish!" Chrissy chuckled yfully. "Weren''t you the one who said that you want to experience it for yourself? Suffer, then." Ericaughed next to him. Cedric smiled wryly but he didn''t feel disappointed. He already expected that they wouldn''t tell him that easily and he''s fine with that. "Be careful though." Chrissy''s tone turned serious at this point. "Since you received that much, you will also be receiving attention. Sir Orion must''ve already revealed this but others can rece you." "That''s right. Your batchmates will start targetting you." Erica added, "If you want to keep those things for yourself, you can''t afford to bezy. That would be a sin in this ce." "That said, given the gap you established, you wouldn''t have to be worried so long as you''re making some effort." "Yeah, the gap between you and the 2nd ce is alreadyrge. That guy would need a lot of time to catch up to you at the very least, and if he''s already like that, you''re other batchmates might as well forget about it." Erica concluded. "...speaking from experience?" Cedric asked them. "She''s at the 5th ce in our batch. I was at 3rd." Chrissy revealed. "Oh?" Cedric looked surprised. This was the first time he''d heard this. "So you''re the Faries of your batch? Damn, aren''t I in trouble then? I - a freshman hanging out withdies of your caliber?" "Gee, stop it!" Chrissy flirtatiously hit his arms and Erica justughed. "Seriously though, there shouldn''t be any trouble. You said it yourself, you''re just a Freshman. Your Seniors wouldn''t give you a hard time for now." "Though that changes once you be a Sophomore," Erica added on the side. Chrissy turned silent at her statement which gave Cedric a foreboding feeling. That said, that''s irrelevant to him right now. Like they said, he''s just a freshman. "So you girls are that confident that I will certainly be a Sophomore? Wow, thanks." "Oh, stop kidding yourself." Chrissy snorted. "You''re already strong enough to fight us evenly. Seriously, what kind of a freak are you?" "Yeah! You have a matured Sword Intent, an insane speed that almost rivals ours, and freakishly strong instincts and willpower all while you''re in Tier 3. If you can''t be a Sophomore here, you might as well forget about the world of Superhumans." Erica''s words might sound harsh but it''s the truth, not just in this ce but anywhere. And of all the people who knew this already, Cedric understood it the most. "Anyway, what subjects did you take?" Chrissy asked curiously, changing the topic. "Here..." Cedric chose show instead of tell. The girls looked at his system interface and looked as if what they saw made sense. "Damn, you''re already eligible for Sword Path as expected. I bet this was ''highly suggested'' to you by the staff, am I right?" "Yeah, it was." Cedric chuckled, "In bold and italics, too." "I''d do the same if I were them." Chrissy mumbled, "It''s a waste to teach you basics given that you already have a matured Sword Intent." "You have to be careful though." Erica suddenly turned serious. "While this might be a good thing for you, your ssmates might think of the opposite." "Ooh, yup. You better be on the lookout for that." Chrissy added on the side. "...let me guess, they will attempt to ostracize me because my talent makes them feel insecure?" "Bullseye." Erica sighed as she confirmed his guess. "That''s just how humans are, I suppose. Besides, the Instructors won''t interfere in friction between students no matter the seniority." "They wouldn''t dare to make any tant moves against you because, like we said, you''re just a Freshman. But that''s also exactly why you should be wary because they will be sneaky about it." Erica concluded. "I see." Cedric nodded, "Well, thanks for warning me then. I''d be careful, don''t worry." "...I see that they suggested the ''Etiquette'' ss to you." Chrissy pointed out. "Actually, I''m confused about that." Cedric admitted, "Are my actions really that unsavory for them to suggest this ss to me? Am I?" Unexpectedly, Chrissy startedughing at his obvious distress. Even Erica let out a few snorts after hearing it. "Hey!" "Sorry, sorry. It''s just funny, you see." Chrissy let herughter taper before replying to him. "But that''s not it, trust me." "Okay, if that''s not it, then what is it? Why make this suggestion?" "It''s because you''re you," Erica replied. "That means...?" "Honey, you''re way too talented." Chrissy rified. "By now, almost everyone here knows of you. In a sense, you''re already famous. Not to mention..." Chrissy then traced his jaws with her delicate fingers before continuing: "...you''re hot as fuck. Like ''Sex on legs'' level of hotness. What? Do you think that covering half of your face with a mask would prevent them from seeing what''s beneath it? That''s naive." "...I still don''t see your point, thanks for thepliment, though." Chrissy chuckled before saying: "With that face and talent of yours, it is inevitable that you would, one day, meet with really important folks. In fact, I''m almost certain that you''d be dragged into politics even before you graduated here." "This is the academy''s way of grooming/preparing you for things like that. After all, a student of your caliber must at least know some basic etiquette, don''t you think so too?" Cedric blinked before finally understanding it. He chuckled hollowly as thought that he should''ve expected something like this. "Well, it''s a good thing I enrolled in it then." Cedric relented. Indeed, his being dragged to those exhausting events was already certain. Now he could really see why they suggested him to learn etiquette. Cedric continued talking with Chrissy and Erica. The girls gave him some perspective and warnings about certain things to help him without revealing anything substantially. He appreciated it a lot of course. As he hung out with them, Cedric was also paying attention to his surroundings. Earlier, when he jokingly asked if he should be worried since he''s hanging out with them, he had a reason to say it. Cedric discovered a few unfriendly gazes in their direction, more specifically, toward him. With his field of senses, he was able to locate where they wereing from and analyze why he was getting this kind of malice. He figured that Chrissy and Erica should have a rather exuberant reputation here. When he called them ''Faries'', he did it because he heard it from some jealous guy mumbling at a distance while shooting res at him. Perhaps it might be because of envy or jealousy. It might also be because of some form of self-entitlement or stupidity. Either way, Cedric didn''t mind. After all, even in this ce, there would be nock of people like that. After spending hours with them, Chrissy suddenly asked if she could visit his ''dorm''. Of course, with Cedric being that guy, he understood what she was trying to do. Erica made it obvious too. Well, who was he to deny such a request? On their way back, he discovered a few people tailing them. He didn''t call them out though, preferring to keep his cards close to his chest. And even if he did, it wouldn''t change a thing. People would eventually know about his close rtionship with the girls so why hide it? Chrissy already hinted at it earlier; the Instructors wouldn''t interfere in student matters unless it''s necessary. This means that his ''rtionship'' with Chrissy and Erica isn''t against the rules, so why would he be afraid? At this point, bothdies weren''t that shy sharing the bed with him at the same time anymore, and Cedric took full advantage of that, especially since he was about to get busy from now on. With both of them helping him as much as they could, Cedric felt confident enough to attend his first ss. Days passed by like this and eventually, the day of his first ss finally arrived. Chapter 113: Sword Path Dojo The Sword Path sses take ce at the Combat Specialization Academic Tower. Coincidentally, this tower was the tallest out of its kind for there were just too many subjects it covered, and all of those could be found here. Approaching the tower felt intimidating. Cedric felt it the best since his senses were facing obstacles as it made contact with the tower. Cedric thought that he better get used to this since he''d be here for a while. There were guards at the entrance, but there sure were formations, Cedric sensed those immediately and somewhat understood their general purpose - anybody who makes contact with the formation leaves an imprint, whether they like it or not. This imprint serves as a record that they went in and would beplied by the academy''swork. Cedric also sensed security protocols installed in the formation but he didn''t dare to inspect those deeply because that might count as tampering with the academy''s properties and that''s against thews. Speaking ofws and regtions, Cedric discovered that it is fairly loose. For the most part, the Academy won''t interfere with the student''s personal matters unless they are asked to or if it''s needed. The students could do virtually what they want so long as they''re not sullying the Academy''s reputation too much or destroying its properties. Additionally, it is emphasized that the only status that matters here is the ''Educators'' and ''Students''. The academy does not care about bloodline or lineage. A king outside will only be a student here, that''s an age-old rule. Every student must show some form of respect towards the Educators and Staff when they cross paths. Continuing inside the tower, Cedric felt overwhelmed for a moment. There was just too much to look at but it also felt illegal to pry too much. He suppressed his desire to memorize every nook and cranny of the tower''s interior to move on instead. ''I shouldn''t be distracted.'' Cedric scolded himself inwardly, ''The ssroom is on the 50th floor, I should be able to use the Transportation Circle.'' A few students were roaming around and it wasn''t that hard to ask for questions. After getting directions, he made use of the transportation circle to arrive at the 50th floor. When he got there, he was momentarily surprised by the sudden simplicity of his surroundings. He saw himself standing in the middle of a long hallway. The floors had clean white tiles, the area was brightly lit and it was surprisingly silent. He saw doors on both sides with a tebel above that stated which room led to what subject. Walking towards the near end of the hallway, he saw his destination. He blinked and felt as if everything was too smooth until now that he was starting to doubt it. He suppressed that feeling and then knocked on the door before opening it. Let it be known that, because of his senses, hardly anything could surprise Cedric at this point. Still, he was greatly surprised when, as soon as he twisted the doorknob, he suddenly found himself standing in the middle of a grassy in with an ancient-looking dojo at a distance. ''I...wasn''t able to react to it.'' Cedric smacked his lips in astonishment, ''Forget about that, actually. I didn''t even see iting.'' It was clear to him that he arrived at a different ce entirely. He guessed that this must be a pocket dimension of some sort, and if he was correct, then ain''t this freaky? ''Does every door in that hallway lead to a pocket dimension? If so, then the academy''s filthy rich!'' Cedric eximed inwardly. Cedric calmed his pounding heart before making his way towards the dojo he saw. Just from a simple nce, he could already tell that he was at the right ce. ''The sharpness lingering in the air...it couldn''t be mistaken. It''s filled with the amalgamation of Sword Intent. It doesn''t affect me since I''ve matured my Sword Intent but for those who don''t have one or just had it, this very air bes dangerous because there''s a possibility that it will drive them mad.'' Sword Intent is born from thebined skill and willpower manifestation of a dedicated Swordsman. Essentially, it''s their fighting spirit in the form of a sword. Beginners of the Sword Path or freshly minted Sword Intent possessors could easily be influenced by the environment here. But remember, the Sword Intent here was a mixture of Sword Intents from the students of this ss. Getting immersed in it could easily drive beginners mad. As Cedric approached the dojo, the environment turned even sharper. He could feel a slight prickling on his skin but not to the point where it bothered him just yet. When he arrived at the doors, they parted automatically for him. Cedric blinked before deciding to enter anyway. That''s when he felt several eyesnding on his body. Mildly surprised, he swept his gaze towards the general vicinity of those who probed him. And even though he suppressed his field of senses, he felt the fluctuation carrying a surprised reaction from those that probed him. Then, someone appeared before him. Cedric wasn''t surprised since he had already seen this personing. It was a man who was wearing clothes that closely resembled that of the instructors, but only with a few differences. The man weed him with a warm smile and said: "Wee to the Sword Path ss. I assume that you''re our new student, Cedric Stormrider?" "Yes, that''s me," Cedric replied with a slight bow. "Awesome! My name is Thirdy, a Teaching Assistant. No need for formalities, I''m not an official Instructor anyway, and I also couldn''t be considered as your senior. Just call me Thirdy. Come, I''ll give you a tour." Cedric nodded and dutifully followed Thirdy deeper into the dojo. They walked on a cobblestone path that led to the central field of the dojo. There, he saw several people practicing their sword stances with a clear-cut focus. None of them paid attention to him at all. "This is the Central Field. It''s open for everybody to use as a training ground, but it''s mostly used by students who are trying to prove their eligibility to enroll in this ss. Simply put, everybody you see here who isn''t wearing a badge like this one..." Thirdy then pointed to a Sword Badge on his right chest, "... isn''t your ''ssmates'' per se." Cedric nodded in understanding, he swept his nce towards those people and felt the varying levels of Sword Intent in their bodies. They''re probably here for a suitable environment to train in while also trying to prove themselves. "Behind the Central Field is the Main Office." Thirdy continued, "There, you will meet Master - the Instructor of this ss. We''ll get your badge there and for you to get your initial lesson from Master." Hearing that he would get to meet the instructor of this ss somehow made Cedric feel nervous. He had no idea what kind of person the Instructor was, not even their gender was known to him, and it doesn''t look like Thirdy wants to reveal anything either. With the reputation of the Starlight Royal Academy, he couldn''t help but have high expectations. After all, an institution of this caliber wouldn''t hire ackluster Instructor, right? As they moved past the ''hopefuls'' on the central field, he couldn''t help but feel gazes of negativitynding on his body. He could already tell that they were feeling jealous or envious of him since he already achieved something like this even though he just arrived here. He could also tell that Thirdy noticed this but he didn''t say a thing, and neither did Cedric. He had no ns of paying attention to unimportant people when his attention and focus were needed elsewhere. Just like at the entrance, the doors of the Main Office opened when they got close to it. But unlike the former, what Cedric felt inside made him pause in his steps. It''s as if he got hit by a tsunami out of nowhere. The sharp and extremely intimidating momentum greeted him as soon as he stepped inside. Cedric started sweating and grimacing. This momentum also caused him to unconsciously tap into his Sword Intent. However, his Sword Intent was akin to a pearlpeting with the moon''s brilliance. There''s just noparing it. However, his Sword Intent allowed him to bear the momentum more easily. "Damn..." Cedric couldn''t help but swear under his breath. Thirdy chuckled on the side and said: "Damn, indeed. But kudos to you, though. You performed better than most of your ssmates did in their first time. Come, Master''s waiting for you." They continued walking deeper into the office. Then, Thirdy paused at the door before stepping aside. "I''ll wait for you here. You can enter. Also, don''t forget to ask Master for a badge." Thirdy clutched Cedric''s shoulders and emphasized: "Remember, ask for a badge. Understood?" "Yes." "Alright, you may enter now." Without any further ado, Cedric entered the Instructor''s office. There, he found a fairly simplistic room and at the center, an old man sat cross-legged on a praying mat with his back turned towards him. "Sit." The instructor''s voice echoed in his mind, and before he knew it, his body already acted upon the order. Chapter 114: Uruk - The Blind Swordmaster Cedric didn''t even have time to decide on his own. The moment he heard themand, his body was already following the order. This rmed him greatly but he didn''t show any outward reaction. He just epted it as it was since this man was obviously more powerful than he was. Probably even greater than he initially guessed. "My name is Uruk Silverfang. I am this generation''s Instructor of the Sword Path." The man said without turning around. "Nice to meet you, Sir. I am Cedric Stormrider, a freshman." Cedric replied while performing a curt bow towards the man. Then he sensed him moving. The man faced him and Cedric took some time to study the features of his instructor. The most obvious feature that made a deep impression on Cedric was hisck of eyes. As in the man''s eye-sockets were empty, yet even so, Cedric could clearly tell that this missing feature wouldn''t hinder this man at all. Apart from that, the man looked like any ordinary middle-aged man; he had a mop of ck hair with a few grey strands, a slightly wrinkled face, a long beard, and a rather stocky body. He''s wearing faded gray robes as he sits on his knees and has a bamboo sword beside him. "...''Control'', hmm...no, it isn''t just simply control, it''s ''Absolute Control'' instead." Cedric couldn''t help but smile wryly. As expected, the man was something else. Even without eyes, he was able to tell what kind of Sword Intent he fostered. See, Sword Intent could be expressed in many ways, mostly depending on the user''s enlightenment or desired path. When Cedric initially condensed his Sword Intent, it was mostly ''neutral'', meaning that it''s just purely Sword Intent. But as he continued nurturing it, in addition to the knowledge he received from the Book of Laws, he eventually discovered a path that resonated with him the most. "...''This sword will cut those who I want to cut. And it won''t cut those who I don''t want to cut.''" Uruk stated softly. urately discerning the very basis behind Cedric''s Absolute Control Sword Intent. Cedric remained silent because he truly didn''t have anything to say. The Instructor was right and there''s no use denying it or responding since he could see right through him. Cedric then saw Uruk smiling at him. "How about you, then? Have you discerned anything about my Sword? Feel free to express your thoughts candidly, young man. There are no wrong answers this time." Uruk asked in a calm and gentle manner. Cedric was stunned as he wasn''t expecting this at all. However, it would be too impolite to make him wait so he hurriedly recalled what happened a few moments ago. Recalling that horrible tide of the sharp will caused him to shiver, however Cedric endured it. He did his best to analyze the sensation deeper to have a proper response to the man''s questions. After a minute or two, Cedric released a breath and said: "...''A Sword that cuts through Cmities.'' That''s...that''s what makes sense to me with my limited experience, Sir." He replied politely. He then received the impression that Uruk was staring at him in a dumbfounded manner while the man''s expression remained stoic. As he was starting to get ufortable, Uruk suddenly opened his mouth to release a boisterousugh that echoed throughout the entire dojo. "BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" His voice was so loud and carried a great momentum. It cracked the wooden floors and caused the decorations inside the room to scatter everywhere. Cedric winced at his loudness. Thankfully, he was able to dull his ears before heughed, or else, they''d be bleeding right now. "Whew...sorry about that. It''s been a while since Iughed that much." Uruk apologized after calming down a bit, he was even wiping some tears at the corner of his eyes. What followed was a brief moment of silence before Uruk said: "Almost everybody who desires to walk the Path of the Sword seeks enlightenment for Sword Intent. Others seed while the majority doesn''t, even after pouring countless resources, time, and effort chasing after it." "Amongst those who seed, many thought that they''ve reached the pinnacle of the Sword Path just by having Sword Intent, when that couldn''t be any farther from the truth." Once again, Cedric felt the impression that Uruk was now staring at him intently so he focused. There''s no way he''d miss the fact that his first lesson from the Instructor began just now, and he''d be damned if he didn''t listen to it. "...''A heart that beats for the Sword'', or in simple terms ''Sword Heart'', that is the next stage in the Sword Path. Only by condensing a Sword Heart would one be qualified to look at the esoteric image of what the ''real'' Sword Path is ¡ª the ''Sword Law''." "I''m assuming that you''ve perused the Book of Laws before?" Cedric nodded to the inquiry so Uruk continued: "That book has entries about the Sword Laws, but it''sbeled as ''mostly spections'', no?" Cedric nodded again. "That was intentional, not in a selfish way, mind you." Uruk gently stated, "Trust me, many Swordsmen wanted to write down or share their experiences with others. They could''ve done so anyway but the act itself carries severe risk." "It''s because Laws a finicky in general. Everybody has their own interpretation of it, and they cannot just recklessly im that what they knew was the correct one. This is even more apparent when ites to Sword Laws." "You should''ve experienced a taste of it by now." Uruk smiled at him, "Even the amalgamation of Sword Intent in this ce could turn Sword Path beginners mad. That also happens in Sword Laws." "Those who recklessly impart their enlightenment of the Sword to others might cause their students to experience bottlenecks, worst is death. That''s why nobody dared to jot down their experiences in a book that could be essed by the public." Uruk just confirmed Cedric''s spections. He already had an idea that it was like this but it still felt good to have a confirmation. Thankfully, this was all a distant matter to the current him so he doesn''t have to be cautious of it. "I''m fairly lenient when ites to teaching." Uruk stated, "Some would even call meidback, to be honest, and I never particrly mind that. I''m not gonna hold your hand all the way towards your goal because that is, ultimately, yours to take. I have nothing to do with that." "The most I can offer are insights. Even then, I always require my students to show some real effort before I give them that." "It''s designed to be this way because of the very nature of Sword Cultivation." Uruk stated, "It''s very unlikely that one''s path would be the same as others. Even then, there would always be minor differences still." "You''ve nurtured your Absolute Control Sword Intent excellently." He praised, "Honestly, I am astonished that you''ve managed to go this far on your own without making any mistakes." "Your next goal is to obviously condense a ''Sword Heart''. In this ce, there''s a thing called the ''Sword Tempering Cave'', you can ask Thirdy for directionster. Train in that ce until you condense a Sword Heart." "Understood, Sir." He replied. "Your achievements are honestly impressive but I still have to remind you; Sword Intent and Sword Heart are two different things." Uruk warned him earnestly, "While youprehended Sword Intent early, the same might or might not happen with the Sword Heart." "Do not feel pressured about time, Young Man. My ss is different from the others. Its difficulty might even surpass those that are considered as ''Advanced sses''. You don''t need to worry even if you couldn''t condense a Sword Heart by the end of your first year because only I can determine whether you passed my ss or not. Not even the Headmaster could fight me over that. Am I clear?" "Yes, Sir." Cedric nodded eagerly. "Alright, you may go then." Uruk then waved his hand as if ''shooing'' him away. Cedric stood up, but before he left, he remembered Thirdy''s words so he turned around and said: "Uh...Instructor? Thirdy said that I''m supposed to receive my badge from you?" Uruk blinked at him before letting out a snort. He reached into his robes and threw a badge at him, which Cedric deftly caught. "Oh right...I''m not strict about clothing here. Feel free to wear whatever you''refortable with. Your uniforms might have some enchantments with them but the environment here will swiftly eat away at its durability. Consider yourself warned." "Understood, Sir." "Alright, you may scram now. You''ve already dyed my tea time, shoo!" Cedric bowed at Uruk before politely leaving the room. As Uruk watched him leave, he couldn''t help but smile. He didn''t expect to meet such a young prodigy this time around. He already saw Cedric''s performance, despitecking his sight, and he was truly impressive. Though at the same time, he''s alsopletely aware of just how much Cedric held back in the test. "...if only he''spletely loyal to the Sword Path, I would''ve taken him as my Legacy Disciple. After all, you won''t find someone with such talent and diligence nowadays." "Sadly, it''s not meant to be." "Still, I guess it wouldn''t be so bad to be a Mentor of a Young Sage." "Yup, that doesn''t sound bad at all..." Uruk chuckled before taking a sip of his tea. Chapter 115: Brief Tour of the Dojo Cedric wore the badge he was given as he got out of the Instructor''s office. As soon as he got out, he was faced with Thirdy who was gawking at him for some reason. "...what? Do I have something on my face?" Cedric asked cautiously. "No, it''s just...Master''sugh..." Thirdy looked a bit constipated as he said this, "Did you make Masterugh just now?" "...I didn''t intend to?" Cedric replied a bit defensively, "He asked me a question and I just answered the best I could, then heughed at it." "Huh..." Thirdy looked a bit surprised by that. Cedric had the impression that Thirdy would''ve liked to ask more but ultimately decided against it. "Alright then, I see that you''ve got your badge. That''s good, at least you remembered." "Right, did Master give you instructions?" Thirdy asked. "Yeah...he told me to train at the Sword Tempering Cave until I condense my Sword Heart. He also told me that you''d know where it is." "Of course!" Thirdy grinned, looking a bit smug. "I know every single nook and cranny of this ce. Let''s go, I''ll take you there." Cedric nodded and followed Thirdy. While they walked, Thirdy exined some matters about their ss that make it unique. "...since Master doesn''t follow the usual teaching methods, things work a little differently here." He started, "Usually, students could earn APs by performing well in ss lessons; like participating in the discussion,pleting tasks or projects, etc. The same is possible here but we do it differently." "Simply put, we ''Self-Study'' here." Thirdy stated, "All the studying materials are avable for us to use, coincidentally, it is also up to us how far we''d reach on our own." "Since you''ve got your badge, which is a sign that you''re officially a student of this ss, you''d received 1000 APs as your monthly allowance. You might think that this is too little but that''s mostly because you''re freshman still. The Academy doesn''t think that you''d need a lot of APs for your first year, that''s why they limited it." "However, once you are promoted to a Sophomore, your monthly allowance will increase to 5000 APs. Once you be a Junior, it increases to 10,000 APs monthly, and once you be a Senior Student, you''d receive 25,000 APs." Thirdy looked at him and said: "...and this is just for this ss alone. It''s possible for you to earn other sources of ie like this in your other sses. So work hard, okay?" Cedric nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by that amount. However, the promotional increase on his monthly allowance is still a distant thing to him so he didn''t concern himself too much about it. "Also, the numbers I told you about are just the minimum. Depending on your achievements and Master''s appreciation towards you, that may increase ordingly." "Does this rule apply to everyone else, too?" Cedric asked. "Not for the unofficial students." Thirdy replied, "Those people don''t get anything. For you and your ssmates, yes. Actually, the top 3 students right now are earning at least 50k APs monthly without even doing anything. Don''t concern yourself too much about that though, just focus on your progress for now." "I see." Cedric hummed. "It''s always been like this in this ss since the Sword Path is finicky. Someone can''t just recklessly impart their knowledge to others. When you start perusing records or Sword Techniques, you would most likely see warnings from their authors before learning them. That''s normal so don''t be surprised." "As for earning more APs? We use some kind of ''Achievement System'' here." Thirdy supplied, "Those are divided into Minor and Major Achievements, mostly." "An example of Minor Achievements are: ''staying for ''x'' amount of time in a specific training grounds.'' Or ''Achieving perfect mastery of the ''x'' technique'', and so on." "Major Achievements are something like: attaining the ''Sword Heart'' realm, or gaining enlightenment of your ''Sword Law'', etc. Having a matured Sword Intent also counts as a Major Achievement but in your case, that rewards are waived since you were already allowed to enroll in this subject. This isn''t us being stingy, though. We''re just being fair since normally, freshmen like you shouldn''t even dream of enrolling in this ss." "There''s also other ways of earning APs unofficially, like: sparring with a bet, orpleting tasks to keep the integrity of this ce, and so on. Some of them are even repeatable so you don''t have to be afraid of poverty because as long as you''re willing, you''d be able to earn hefty amounts of APs here, especially since you''re an official student of this ss." "I see," Cedric replied. He didn''t fuss over the lost APs so much since there were other ways to earn them anyway. "You''ll see a detailed list for both Minor and Major Achievementster, so don''t worry. Your main focus here is your Sword Training." "As you already know, this ss gathers all kinds of Sword Nutjobs." Thirdy snorted. "Fighting is a normal urrence here, so don''t be surprised. However, I would still remind you that maiming or killing is prohibited here. This also applies to the unofficial students. If you and somebody want to kill each other, do it in the Arcane Arena instead." "If you are caught severely injuring/killing arade with conscious intent, Master will personally y you. Now, don''t you start thinking that you''d have it easy once he makes a move. I''ve been at his side the longest, if I tell you that you''d have more luck with demons being merciful than Master, you better believe it because that''s the truth." "Master hates those who raises their hands towards theirrades with a burning passion. And since the Headmaster of the Academy gave him free rein to run this ss, he wouldn''t be punished for acting on the rules he personallyid down." Cedric nervously smiled at the barely concealed threat. Well, he wasn''t crazy so he never thought about doing that in the first ce, and so long that he remains this way, he should be safe from Uruk''s wrath. "We''re here," Thirdy said. He then gestured at the cave opening right in front of them. "That''s the entrance to the Sword Tempering Cave. I hope you were paying attention to the path we took earlier." "I was, don''t worry," Cedric replied. "Good. Well, I wouldn''t suggest going in there now. You can go tomorrow instead." "Why is that?" "Don''t get me wrong, I''m not implying that you''re weak or anything. I just think that since it''s your first day here, you should just take it easy. You''re not pressured in time anyways." Thirdy exined, "Besides, I personally wouldn''t go there with that uniform, but I could almost guarantee that the winds inside the cave will ruin that in no time t." "How does that cave work, anyway?" Cedric curiously asked. "The cave system is about 10,000 meters long." Thirdy stated which surprised Cedric, "I know, somewhat unbelievable right? But that''s the thanks to spatial enchantments on it, so don''t be too surprised." "It is wide enough to amodate hundreds of people at the same time, there''s also an istion enchantment inside that prevents you from seeing others who are taking on the challenge at the same time as you." "Beyond the entrance, you''d begin feeling a breeze which will pick up the deeper you go in. It starts off as a regr breeze but the further you go, the currents will be sharper. You must depend on your senses to detect and confront them." "Yes, you must confront those sharp wind currents. Because it''s those currents that will temper your Sword Intent." "How far you can go depends on your Innate Aptitude as well as your current strength. My advice is you set a proper pace for yourself. Like I said, you''re not in a time crunch in this ss. Condensing a Sword Heart may or may not take you a long time to do." "While it''s good to push the extent of your limits, just make sure you won''t go overboard when doing so because that may lead to your death inside that cave, and you can''t expect Master to be held responsible for that since he didn''t tell you to bite more than you can chew. So, consider yourself warned, okay?" "I appreciate the warning." Cedric replied. "Right next to that cave is the Training Hall." Thirdy pointed at the ce he was referring to. "That ce is filled with all sorts of equipment that could help you analyze the current level of your Sword Techniques, etc. Visit that ce from time to time if you can since seeing your progress can serve as a great boost of motivation for you." Cedric nodded as kept that information in mind. "On the other side of the cave are the ''Sword Communion Hall'' and the ''Sword Collesium''. You can''t go there for now since you don''t have a Sword Heart just yet so I''ll save the introductions to you when you do." "Understood," Cedric replied. "Alright, we''re done here. Come, there are still other areas that you should know. After visiting them, I''ll take you to your personal room here. It''s a privilege that only official students like you can have." Cedric nodded and followed Thirdy to the other areas around the dojo. Chapter 116: Elements 101 Despite his obvious desire to test himself at the Sword Tempering Cave, Cedric held himself back. He has already seen everything he needs to see at the dojo, and his position as a student of the Sword Path ss was also established firmly. He could''ve gone to the cave as soon as the next day came but he didn''t. Cedric knew that he''d be distracted by it. Actually, he''s nearly certain that he would be immersed in it. He still has other sses to attend and he cannot miss them so he set it aside for now. Currently, he''s gone to another room within the Combat Specialization Tower to attend ''Elements 101'' ss since it''s Monday today. He didn''t want to miss it since it was his first ss and first impression matters. When he got into the ''ssroom'', Cedric discovered a theme somehow. Like what he experienced in his previous ss, the ''ssroom'' for this ss turns out to be unique as well. He once again found himself standing in a vast open field. He noticed a few notable things at a distance; a simple-looking ssroom mostly made out of wood, an open dome that''s protected by an invisible force, and a wide altar. ''I''m bing more and more convinced that each subject here has their preferred environment theme.'' Cedric mused to himself. He made his way towards the ssroom since that seemed to be the logical move. As he approached, he cautiously opened his field of senses and discovered that there were a few people there already. Amongst these people, he saw some familiar faces but one of them stood out amongst the rest. It was Isabe - the 3rd ce in the entrance exam, and for a moment there, he was surprised. ''...I guess she wants to learn the basics from another perspective entirely.'' He mused to himself. Shrugging, he entered the ssroom and instantly felt several gazesnding on him. Most recognized him, others were just curious. He didn''t pay attention to any of it and imed a spot for himself. He noticed Isabe''s gaze lingering on him longer than most but he decided to just shrugged it off. He didn''t want to put any meaning behind it since he personally didn''t know the girl. Cedric chose a spot next to the windows. They''re open so he felt the breeze caressing his face. He rested his head on the wall and closed his eyes, he also scanned his surroundings carefully as a form of warm-up, and that''s when he discovered something amiss. ''It''s faint but...somebody''s here. It''s probably the Instructor since they could somehow hide from my senses. They''re probably waiting until the time is up or until thest student arrives before making an entrance.'' He spotted the presence near the altar. Again, it was faint, it only lingered for a few seconds and he was lucky to even have sensed that. Fortunately, the invisible presence doesn''t seem too dangerous. Now, only time will tell if his assumptions were correct. Time flew by and before he knew it, the final student arrived. How did he know that it was thest one? Well, that''s because the hidden presence finally revealed itself and was now making its way towards the ssroom. By now, Cedric was certain that this was their instructor, after all this man was wearing the same uniform as the others. This man was old. He''s bald, wearing rimmed round sses and relying on a cane to support himself, his back was also bent and his face was filled with wrinkles. Through physical appearance alone, many would immediately underestimate this old man but not Cedric. ''...are all instructors here this freakish?'' He sighed inwardly. The old man cannot hide everything from Cedric''s senses. He knew that if this old man was pissed off, he could wipe this entire dimension into nothingness with a single spell. Upon entering the room, most of the students finally saw the old man. As expected, some of them were not impressed. Cedric fixed himself and started paying attention, instead. "Hello, ss. My name is Michael dius, I will be your Instructor for ''Elements 101''. Call me Mentor, Sir, Professor, Mr. Mike, Mr. dius, or simply Instructor. Don''t call me Teacher or Master since those hold an entirely different meaning in this Academy." Michael''s voice was gentle. He wore a grandfatherly smile on his face as he greeted them, causing everyone to lower their guard down. "As you can see, I''m old." He let out a snort as he said that. "I''m around...315 years old. Old enough to be your grandfather''s grandfather. Old enough to be called a ''fossil'' by you youthful kids. But don''t worry, all of my senses are still working just fine and I''m not going senile anytime soon. I can teach well enough like this." His students were floored upon hearing how old he was. Most of them were expecting double digits for his age but they were severely mistaken. But more importantly, most of them haven''t thought that they''d get to meet someone this old in this academy. Leveling up and Tier Advancements could extend somebody''s lifespan, that''s a given knowledge to everyone. But given how everybody''s forced to face their own versions of hell, they''re more inclined to believe that human life is at a ''subscription period'' instead. So the idea of living long enough like this old man has still felt strange to them. "There are 15 of you in this ss," Michael stated which brought their attention back to him. "Not bad I suppose, I hope that it stays that way until the end of the academic year." "A few things that I want you to know in my ss." He cleared his throat before continuing. "One, I''m not strict with the attendance. If you find my lessons incredibly boring or you simply just don''t want to stay anymore, feel free to leave. I won''t stop you nor reprimand you." "That ties to number two, so long as you give me a satisfactory performance, you will pass my ss. I''m too old to be stressed by your shenanigans and I''m pretty sure that you kids have had enough of old people telling you what to do, so let''s not bother with those for the sake of our peace of mind." "The reason why I am sox with my rules is because of number three, everything I can teach you in this ce could be learned in the library. The books I''m using to teach you came from those ces and there are a lot of copies avable for you to peruse in your free time." "I''m only here to give you a different perspective on the subject. I have rich experience because of my age and you aren''t the first batch of students I taught. I can confidently say that, every popr superhuman out there that could wield the power of elements, at least 90% of them went through me and passed my ss." "However, like I said earlier if you''re notfortable with an old guy like me telling you what to do. Then feel free to borrow books from the library and do some self-studying to pass my ss. So long as you can show me satisfactory results, I wouldn''t hesitate to pass you." "Number four. There are a handful of freshmen in this ss from what I''ve gathered. You may or may not already know this but I''ll still say it. It''s possible to APs during my ss. You can earn them by participating in our discussion, performing well on exercises, doing well on tests and exams, etc. I''m not stingy with them either so don''t be shy." "And finally, number five. Maiming or killing shall not happen in this ssroom." Michael looked sharply at his students. Thetter felt the temperature drop when this happened, followed by a steadily growing pressureing from the old man, making it hard to breathe. "This is a ce for learning. If you want to settle your differences, go to the Arcane Arena. If you insist on defying this rule, I will not hesitate to strike you down myself." "This rule is enforced by the Headmaster herself and we Instructors, are given freedom to execute all manner of punishment we deem fit for offenders." "There have been people who didn''t take our warning seriously and were sentenced to death immediately. Don''t think that your identity outside will have any effect on this Academy. Even Monarchs and Emperors have to respect us Instructors while they''re here. You''re no different. Is that clear?" A series of agreements sounded after that. The pressure disappeared after that, causing the students to breathe a sigh of relief. Looking back at their Instructor nearly gave them whish because he was back to his amicable expression right after as if he didn''t just do that to them. "Great! 25 APs for everybody since you endured my pressure and for being cooperative." Michael gently cheered. His students were dumbfounded by the sudden switch but nobody dared to say a word in fear of provoking his ire. Then, the old man turned around and began writing something on the board. The students saw this and took it as a sign that their lessons were finally starting. Chapter 117: Elemental Affinity "...in simple terms, Elements are formed through Energy Units reacting with each other. Friction between energies causes a spark that might turn into what we know as the Fire Element. Prized energies turn into Lightning,pact energies turn solid and mightter turn into either Metal or Earth, fluidity causes the birth of moisture and water, stillness of water turns into ice, etc." Instructor Micheal stated as he exined the basic knowledge of elements to his students. "Due to the changes we Humans experienced thanks to Ac, we have evolved and can sense the changes within our surroundings, allowing us to harness the power of nature right at our fingertips. And thanks to our ceaseless pursuit of knowledge and progress, we have formed a systematized way to harness these powers more efficiently, maximizing our potential even further." "All of us, in this day and age, possesstent affinity towards sensing energies; be they Mana, Ki, Spiritual Energy, etc. This also includes specific elements." Micheal then turned to Isabe with a gentle smile and said: "You, for example, Young Lady. I sense a great harmony between you and the Ice Element, of course this also extends to the Water Element." Isabe doesn''t seem to be moved by what she hears. This wasn''t news to her either for her Master already tested her Elemental Affinity before and told her about this. Michael then looked at another student and said: "As for you, Young Man. I can sense the sheer vibrancy of life around you, which tells me that you most likely have a great affinity towards the Wood Element." Then, somebody raised their hand to ask a question. Michael saw this and nodded at the student. The student then asked: "Instructor, are you able to sense our Elemental Affinities just by looking at us?" "No." Michael chuckled, "I was only able to since the ones I pointed at possess strong affinities towards their respective elements and more importantly, trained them to some extent." "For those who haven''t discovered their Elemental Affinities and haven''t trained them, I wouldn''t sense them, nor could anybody for that matter, under normal circumstances of course. Those who have excellent perception and trained techniques that specifically allow them to notice that obviously would. Sadly, I''m not one of those people." Another student raised their hand and asked: "Are we safe to assume that you have a way for us to learn what our Elemental Affinities are?" "Of course! Why else would I be an Instructor for this ss if I couldn''t? More importantly, why would this Academy even bother offering this ss if they don''t have a way? That much should be obvious, no?" Michael said this with a light-hearted tone to prevent the student from feeling embarrassed. "Since we''re already at this topic, we might as well move along with it. Everyone, we''ll be stepping outside. Gather at the Altar, we will be identifying everyone''s Elemental Affinities there." Saying that, Michael walked outside of the ssroom followed by the students. They arrived at the altar shortly after since it wasn''t that far from the ssroom. "When I call out your name, step into the altar and touch the crystal ball. Rx and sink your mind into it, the ball will show a reaction that will tell me what kind of affinity you possess. Let''s start with Winston Abigail..." The student called stepped forward and stood on the altar, he remembered the instructions and touched the crystal ball. Under the whole ss'' watch, the crystal ball glowed with a Lime Green shade. It also disyed two ck lines in the middle as well. "The green color represents both the Wind and Wood Elements. To identify which one it is exactly, we refer to the color shade disyed by the crystal ball. Lighter Shades are for the Wind Element and darker shades for the Wood Element." Michael exined. "The two ck lines you see represent the innate depth of resonance between you and your Elemental Affinity. In simple terms, it determines the strength of affinity towards an element." He continued. "A single ck line represents a ''Regr'' affinity. Meaning that if you were to practice Spells or Techniques that fall under the wind element, you''d obviously progress faster than those without any affinity towards it." "Two ck Lines represents the ''Intermediate'' level of Affinity. Meaning that your progress with those kinds of technique will be twice as fastpared to those who only have a ''Regr'' level of affinity." "Three ck Lines means ''Superb'' level of affinity. Four ck lines would be ''Extraordinary'', and five ck lines represent the ''Pinle'' level of affinity." "The higher your affinity towards a specific element, the faster your progress would be at mastering them. I''m sure I don''t need to exin how valuable this information is." Of course, the old man was right. Determining one''s affinity prevents them from taking a detour, giving them more time to focus their efforts on bing stronger. "As we all can see here with Mr. Abigail''s results, he has an affinity towards the Wind Element. And by the two ck lines we see, it means that he has an Intermediate level of affinity towards the Wind Element." Cedric then blinked and raised his hand. Michael, even though he wasn''t facing him, responded with a: "Yes?" "You said something about Wind being his ''only'' affinity, Sir. Does this mean that someone can have multiple affinities?" Michael turned to him with a wide smile and said: "100 APs for catching that! Indeed, people can have more than one Elemental Affinity. However, don''t mistake this as a sign of supremacy. While it is generally good to have more than one affinity, those who have them will have to double their efforts learning skills for those to be relevant." "Additionally, having more than one affinity might turn into a curse instead of a blessing for some people. This is supposed to be for your future lesson but simply put, Elements react differently when paired with each other. The mostmon example would be Fire and Water; they don''t mix well as we all know." "This also applies to affinities, if you still haven''t caught on. If someone has atent affinity towards both Fire and Water, this might cause them to suffer in more ways than one. Don''t be afraid though, if any of you encounter this kind of problem, I will be here to give you options." Micheal exined, causing the students to sigh in relief. "Another question, Sir." Cedric then asked: "Does the specific shade of color mean anything?" "Mm? And how did youe up with that?" Michael asked in return. "Well...you refer to them as ''Lighter Shades'' and ''Darker Shades''. Every color has multiple shades and the one we saw just now I believe is Lime Green." "Hah! Another good catch! 200 APs for you!" Micheal gave Cedric an appreciative nce before exining. "Yes, the specific color shade indeed means something. This is supposed to be for a future lesson but for the sake of your curiosity, I will reveal some information right now." He then turned to a student who was still at the altar and said: "Lime Green could be attributed to ''Speed''. Since that''s your shade, this means that you''d be even faster at practicing ''Movement'' technique or spells. Your skills could also be faster than normal." Michael then turned to the rest of the ss and said: "I''ll do the same for the rest. As for exining everything, we could do that in the future. If you''re really that curious, you can do some advanced reading in the library." "Alright, thank you, Mr. Abigail, you may now step down," Michael told the student. "Next, Mr. Simmons." Just like that, the students discovered thetent Elemental Affinity one by one. At some point, themon elements appeared, a couple of students even had the same elemental affinity but different levels of affinity. That one student that Michael pointed out to have the Wood Affinity turned out to have a ''Superb'' level of affinity, which was incredibly rare given the instructor''s reaction. Additionally, the shade of Pine Green was said to be the most suited to the ''Life'' property. From what Cedric noticed from the subtle actions of the Instructor, he might''ve notified some people of this. As for Isabe, it''s as expected. Her shade was ''Ice Blue'', fitting since she''s incredibly suited to the Ice spells and techniques. Her level of affinity was also ''Superb'' just like the previous guy. And finally, Cedric himself was tested. "Vermillion...pinnacle!" Michael whispered with a stunned tone, which Cedric certainly didn''t miss. Vermillion is a shade of Red, which is mainly used to represent the Fire Element. And from what Cedric could see, he has a ''Pinnacle'' level of affinity towards it. He was stunned by this discovery. He already knew that he might have a strong affinity towards the Fire Element but he didn''t know it was going to be this much. "Vermillion falls under the ''epassing'' attribute. It means that any kind of fire-rted skills are suitable for you. And since you have a Pinnacle level of affinity, you can learn anything that falls under it with astonishing speed and might." Chapter 118: Sword Tempering Cave Cedric was back in his penthouse. His ''Elements 101'' sses ended a few hours ago and it was particrly enlightening. He definitely learned things that he hadn''t touched before so he was left satisfied. As expected, his possessing a pinnacle level of affinity towards the fire element left his ssmates stunned. Since they''re still students, most of them could only imagine just how wide the gap is between them and Cedric, the realization won''t truly sink in yet, not until they experience an event relevant to it. Before ending the ss, Instructor Michael left them homework. He told them to start meditating with the intent ofmunicating with their respective elements. He said that forging a strong bond between the practitioner and their chosen elements was the very first step in learning skills rted to them. Their goal was to manifest an energy signature of their chosen element. In Cedric''s case, it was to produce at least a plume of fire. He had taught them ways to do it and given them their homework, in their next ss, they''d be rewarded with APs depending on their results. This is why Cedric was now in the training room of his penthouse. He didn''t feel tired at all and he''s way too energetic to fall asleep so decided to spend time training instead. Upon starting his meditation with the intent of sensing Fire Attributes, his absurd talent almost immediately began showing its effect. He was a natural in it as he instantaneously sensed clumps of Fire Attributes from the surroundings. They were dancing around him like joyful children who found a new ymate. With a gentle urge of his intent, the Fire Attribute suddenly fused with his body, allowing him to feel a raw warmth in his depths. As soon as that happened, Cedric seemingly fell into a trance. He felt no resistance from the Fire Element at all. He even felt weed by it. Due to his absurd level of perception and instincts, the rest was easy for him. He opened his eyes and promptly began seeing the Fire Energies with his naked eyes. This meant that his entire being already adapted to this new experience, allowing him to more conveniently interact with Fire Energies as he pleases. He opened his palms and with a slight intent on his side, the fire energies gathered in his palms. He ignited them using his Ki then lo and behold, he just produced a plume of mes. It had to be known that it hadn''t even been 10 minutes since he started this exercise. Even for Isabe who had a superb level of affinity towards Water and Ice, she needed a full day toplete this exercise yet he already seeded in it. This just proves how ridiculously talented he was in this kind of thing. Cedric heard several notifications from the system. It informed him that due to this exercise, he was supposed to receive a corresponding skill for it, however since he had ¡ºSage Arts¡» which allowed him to convert his Ki into True Sunlight and Sunfire, the skill: ¡ºFire Control¡» was redundant for him so he received 100 Tier 3 Demon Souls instead aspensation. This notification also tells him that, since he didn''t need Fire Control as a skill because of Sage Arts, his control over Fire would be just as exceptional as he does with Sunfire, after all, they''re not that different. Testing his theory, he focused slightly and made several shapes using the mes he conjured. The vermillion-colored mes followed his will like an obedient child. If he wants topress it, it willpress. If he wants its size to double, it will double in size, and so on. He conjured apressed ball of fire and shot it at the dummy. Seeing the results made him a bit disappointed but he wasn''t fazed. Next, he experimented bypressing the fireball even more, essentially having a single fireball with the strength of two. The results were eptable so he moved on. Next, he began releasing a stream of mes like a torch. It started unstable but he adjusted and learned so eventually, it became a steady stream of mes. That was followed by more exercises until Cedric ran out of Ki, still that only caused him to pause his experiments for now. Once he recovered, he nned on continuing with all exercises he could think of until he was satisfied with his progress. Cedric spent all night exploring this new territory and it sufficiently upied him until daybreak. By then, he could produce a small plume of me that was hot enough to melt steel in a couple of seconds. He could even produce mes hotter than a forge could handle. As he realized just how much progress he made in a single night, a wry smile appeared on his face: "...I think I went overboard." He whispered to himself, "Surely I haven''t unknowingly gone through the entire ''Elements 101'' sybus in just one night, right?" He''d have to check this for himselfter, for now though, he''s a bit hungry so he made his way out of the training room, showered for a bit, and ate something. While eating, he thought to himself: "Erica and Chrissy said they''d be busy and my next ss is on Saturday still. I guess it''s time for me to check out the Sword Tempering Cave." Deciding this to be his next destination, he left the penthouse after eating and went straight to the Sword Path Dojo. Of course, he didn''t forget to wear his badge to prevent being denied entry to the ssroom. Upon arriving there, he discovered that Thirdy wasn''t around. Cedric shrugged and decided to move on instead. He followed the way towards the Sword Tempering Cave and arrived there shortly. ''I could already feel the sharp Sword Intent just by standing at the mouth of the cave.'' Cedric murmured inwardly as he continued inside. The interior of the cave was fairly dark but it didn''t hinder his senses at all. He could still see everything in crisp detail even with the low visibility. Because of this, he was able to sense the presence of a few senior students stationed a few meters deep into the cave. "Oi, is that him?" "Yep, that''s him. Our new ssmate." "He''s young...and damn, I guess the rumors weren''t exaggerated this time. He''s indeed talented." "Yeah, looking at him makes me feel like I''ve wasted my entire life for nothing. Life''s truly unfair sometimes." Although his senior ssmates were discussing in hushed tones, Cedric heard them loud and clear as if they were speaking right next to him. Of course, he didn''t n on confronting them about this, it''s not like theirments harmed him. As he got close, he wore an expression of mild surprise. He gave them a curt bow and approached them. "Hey there, Freshy!" One of his seniors greeted me in a friendly manner. "I''m Franklin and this guy beside me is George. What''s your name?" "My name is Cedric, Senior Brothers. I just enrolled yesterday. Nice to meet you." He replied to them. ''He seems like a nice kid. What do you think?'' The one on the left said to the guy next to him via telepathy. ''I think so too. I''m already liking him more than the guy before him.'' ''Psh, that guy is trash with delusions of grandeur. He''s nothingpared to this kid. Anyway, let''s talk to him before he''s weirded out.'' ''Toote for that.'' Cedric mumbled inwardly. "It''s nice to meet you too, Cedric. We''re here to act as guards for this ce. If you ever meet trouble inside, we will sense it ande to help you." The guy on the right told him. "That said, don''t bite more than can chew. We know that this is your first time here and you might be feeling a little eager to surpass your limits. All of us felt the same before and some of us suffered because of it, so do heed our warning, yeah?" "I understand. Thank you for reminding me." Cedric replied. "Typically, you can stay here as long as you like/can since this ss has an open schedule. But since this is your first time here, we''ll check on you every three hours to see how you''re doing just to be on the safer side." "Also, we only guard this ce during daytime. Others take the nightshift so if you everst that long, don''t be surprised to see new faces." Cedric nodded and remembered that information. After that, the seniors made way for him so that he could enter the initial depths of the Sword Tempering Cave. As soon as he stepped inside, the first thing he noticed was the sense of istion. It is indeed just like Thirdy described it to be, he wouldn''t sense others who came here as well. That was then followed by a slight shift in the air that raised his rms. Cedric summoned his sword and faced the iing breeze. ng!!! Sparks flew briefly when his sword and the breeze collided. The confrontation was brief but it left a deep impression on Cedric. He stared at the cave which seemingly goes on indefinitely and whispered: "Ah...I get it now." Chapter 119: Cedrics Comprehension It''s just as Uruk and Thirdy said, this cave will indeed pose a challenge to him. The breezeing from the depths of the cave carries potent sword intent that''s neutral. Confronting it is a test for every swordsman who came here, proving their vision and their path were true. ''The Instructor was kind of vague with his exnation.'' Cedric mused inwardly, ''He said that I will need to ''confront'' the breeze to sharpen my sword. He didn''t specify what kind of ''confrontation'' he''s talking about, but I''m guessing that he did that on purpose.'' ''The first instinct of anybody who experiences this is to pick up their sword and ''contend'' with the breeze. shing with it could figuratively ''sharpen'' their sword. I don''t think that''s necessarily wrong but...that method is too linear. There should be a deeper meaning behind it.'' While musing, Cedric felt another wave of iing breeze. He was tempted to raise his sword to contend with it once more but he decided against it. Instead, he returned his sword to his inventory and red his Sword Intent, forming a thinyer of protection for his body. As soon as the breeze arrived, he felt the sheer sharpness assaulting him in all directions. With his profound control over his Sword Intent, he defended against it, but not perfectly. His uniform suffered from cuts here and there, but instead ofmenting about it, Cedric felt ted. "Instructor said that I should wearfortable clothes here instead of my uniform because this cave will tear it to shreds in no time. He nonchntly delivered this, like he was imparting unnecessary information, but in truth, I think this was a clue instead." "I only had to defend myself against the Sword Intentced breeze, there''s no reason for my clothes to be ruined at all. After all, worsees to worst, I could just evade it to prevent that from happening." "What he really meant by saying that, leads to the real way of training here. It''s easy to miss a clue like that if one''s not paying attention. Thankfully, I was." Cedric smiled as realized this. He hurriedly changed into a fresh set of clothes that he didn''t mind getting ruined, he barely made it before the next breeze arrived. Despiteing to this realization, Cedric still doubted its validity. After all, he came up with this on his own. He can''t say that he had an urate grasp on the Instructor''s thought process but he''s fairly confident that he''s right. And even if it turns out that he''s wrong, what he''s doing now doesn''t feel like it at least. The Instuctor said it himself, one''s path is forged by oneself. Their enlightenment is theirs alone, and other''s opinions might not necessarily be correct. Cedric sat on the spot he was at, enduring the sharp Sword Intent carried by the breeze from the depths of the cave. Even without actively shing with it, the mere confrontation caused sparks to appear around him, signifying the struggle. It wasn''t difficult for Cedric to endure this level. After all, his Sword Intent has already matured. The only reason why he hasn''t gone deeper yet is because he''s still testing the waters. After a couple of shes, Cedric opened his eyes and murmured: "There''s an improvement...but it''s too slow for my liking. I guess I''ll have to go deeper." Making that decision, he stood up and started walking deeper into the Sword Tempering Cave. From what he remembered, they said that this cave was about 10,000 miles long. It''s also big enough to cater to multiple trainees at the same time, and with the help of the istion mechanisms, the trainees can concentrate on their own progress without being disturbed. The breeze from the depths of the cavees to every one-minute intervals, and as Cedric goes deeper into the cave, he also learns that the deeper one goes, the more dangerous this breeze gets. Upon reaching 10 miles deep into the cave, Cedric paused. He felt the breeze and contended against it, the results were his loss because he got injured. It wasn''t serious or anything, just a shallow cut on his left shoulder, but Cedric still considered that as his loss so he stopped there. "Let''s do this...just me and my Sword Intent, let''s see how much improvement I could get here." After deciding that, he saw down and doused himself with his Sword Intent once more. And just like before, the breeze came and the confrontation began. Aside from its usual sharpness, Cedric could feel the weight and pressure behind this breeze. If it were any stronger than this, he''d certainly be pushed back even while sitting. However, instead of feeling intimidated, Cedric felt excited because, at that same time, he felt his Sword Intent thriving in thepetition. ''My Sword feels sharper and more solid after experiencing a couple of rounds. That''s good, I shall stay here until this feeling slows down.'' Cedric muttered inwardly before returning his focus to his training. Unbeknownst to him, despite his senses at full bloom, Uruk was watching him from where he was without Cedric''s notice. The blind Instructor smiled as he watched his ss'' newest student figure out the best way to train within the Sword Tempering Cave. "I knew his perception was monstrous, but I didn''t know he''s this witty as well." Thirdy''s voicemented beside him. "As expected from a Young Sage, I guess." "...his status of a Young Sage has nothing to do with his wits." Uruk snorted in reply. "I''ve seen Sages that are dumber and denser than him. The kid''s got a good head in his shoulders, that''s all there is to it." "You seem fond of him." Thirdy pointed out after a brief pause, "Am I gonna have him as my Junior Apprentice Brother for real?" "Hmph, you wish. I''m afraid that you''re forever stuck as the youngest." Uruk mercilessly doused Thirdy''s enthusiasm. "A...but why?" He asked. "I wish I could take him as my personal disciple too." Uruk honestly admitted, "However, he''s a budding Sage, and someone already called dibs as soon he bes a Sophomore, so I''m helpless as well. Besides, I''m not fit to teach a Sage, my knowledge about them is clearlycking." "Was it the Headmaster who did it?" Thirdy curiously asked. "No." Uruk shook his head, "It''s...someone else. Can''t tell you who because that person has severe trust issues." "Oh...well, too bad then." Thirdy shrugged. He knew that he couldn''t pry anymore since his Master already said his word. Both of them spent their free time watching over Cedric from the office without his knowledge. They saw him enduring the sharp breeze of winds from the depths of the cave without flinching. They could also feel his progress in real-time, making them feel a bit stunned by how fast he''s adapting and growing. "Hmm?" Uruk let out an inquisitive hum as he suddenly saw Cedric standing up. He and Thirdy then watched as Cedric suddenly summoned a training sword - the ones that anybody could easily buy from the System Shop because of how cheap andmon they were. They saw him pouring his Sword Intent into it and getting into a sword stance. His stance was familiar to any swordsman who sees it because it was the very basics. "...is he nning on¡ª, oh! He is!" Thirdy was astonished. "Perfect execution." Uruk nodded in satisfaction. They just saw Cedric performing one of the most basic sword moves - a simple Sword Thrust. He timed it exactly as the next following breeze''s arrival and contended within using that move. His performance was reflected in Uruk''s perception. And even though Cedric was left reeling from the sh, neither the Instructor nor his disciple could deny the sheer excellence behind his simple move. Uruk isn''t one to casually toss praise towards his students, the same could be said to his disciples. So whenever he does, he truly means it. When he praised Cedric''s perfect execution of the Sword Thrust, it meant just that. The sword move, despite being the most simplest sword move there is, was executed perfectly by Cedric. It had to be known that even seasoned Swordsmen out there cannot replicate Cedric''s execution just now. Learning and performing that basics was simple, mastering them to perfection is another matter entirely. Cedric was done with just that either. Under their watch, he contended with the breeze one basic sword move after another, each one was perfectly executed of course. "...geez, this kid''s freaky!" Thirdy shivered as continued watching. Uruk remained silent beside him but at the depths of his mind, he had nothing but praises for this new student of his. ''In this day and age, it''s rare to see someone mastering the basics of their chosen weapon. The majority of them are too eager to learn more advanced Martial Arts, preferring shy moves for the sake of looking ''cool''. Nobody has the patience to stick with the fundamentals, and that''s why those people find themselves stuckter on.'' ''There is a reason why they''re called the ''basics''. They were made to release the full might of the weapon. It''s these same ''basics'' that drew the first blood in ancient wars. It''s also the same moves that allowed us to kill those pesky invaders.'' ''If someone can''t evenprehend the importance of the basics, how could they even dream of the pinnacle of Sword Arts? Us old folks never held back information so it''s their fault for not understanding what we mean.'' ''...though I guess this wouldn''t be a problem to our resident Young Sage, huh?'' Uruk continued smiling in appreciation. Chapter 120: Invitation? ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Smith Lv.75/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 2 - Lv.9 Titles: Son of Heaven (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.75, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.75 Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.100, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.15, Sage Arts Lv.50, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting Lv.75, Metallurgy Lv.75, Smith''s Blessing Lv.75, Repair (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 13, Failure Streak - 0 ** "Nice, my Sword Intent leveled up faster ever since I started training at the Sword Tempering Cave." Cedric murmured as he rested for a bit. At Lv.75, his Sword Intent looked like this: ¡ºSword Intent¡» (Lv.75/100) : Sword Intent is a passive skill that embodies the wielder''s profound connection with the art of swordsmanship. It transcends mere physical technique, delving into the realm of spiritual mastery. Those possessing Sword Intent are not just skilled with a de; they emanate an aura that reflects the essence of theirmitment to the way of the sword. : +750% Attack Modifier on Sword-rted Skills. ** That absurd attack modifier is the reason why all Swordsmen pursue the realm of Sword Intent. Even the weakest Sword Technique could disy astonishing strength with this. At this level, Cedric could easily clear swathes of zombies in a single swing. If he goes on a rampage, he might even cause a city-wide destruction. And this still doesn''t include the other abilities he''s hiding. Of course, Cedric didn''t forget about his other skills. He had the perfect ce to increase his strength peacefully so how could he neglect them? Since Cedric didn''t need much sleep anyway, he took advantage of that and honed his other skills to further increase his strength. It''s already been two weeks since his freshman year started in the academy. By this point, he has already adjusted to his new life as a student. So far, he gathered around 10,000 APs to spend. Arge chunk of it came from his monthly allowance and the rest he gathered by performing well and participating in his sses. The Academy had a marketce where he could buy supplies. He already went here for a visit but didn''t buy anything yet since he wasn''tcking in materials just yet. That said, there were necessary supplies that weren''t avable at the System Shop and could only be bought from here so in the future, he''d return here. So far, being a student here feels nice. It''s easy to fall into a routine here and get immersed in self-improvement. There''s a sense of security here that Cedric never felt outside. It''sforting but it''s also dangerous, since too much peace could dull one''s edge. ''Hmm?'' Cedric raised a brow all of a sudden. Within his field of senses, he caught sight of a smallmotion happening not far from the apartmentplex of the freshmen. He focused a bit and decided to check it out from where he was. "...is this really required, Senior? It''s only been two weeks since we arrived here. How can we evenpare to you?" "This is a rite of passage, Freshy." A Sophomore student replied to one of Cedric''s batchmates. "We experienced the same back then, now it''s our turn to continue the tradition, if we don''t then we''ll face troubles so we''re helpless as well. This has to happen." The freshman along with his friends looked incredibly aggrieved by the Sophomore''s words but they were unable to say anything. "Look, just spread the word to the rest of your batchmates, okay? It isn''t as bad as you think, believe me. You guys look strong, I''m sure you''ll bounce back from this. Besides, there are certain things that you can''t avoid by being here, this one is one of those, so just do it, okay?" "...understood." "Remember, this Saturday at 6 pm at the Arcane Arena. It''d be best if all of you appeared." After saying his piece, the Sophomore turned around and left. When he disappeared from their view, the freshmen''s faces crumpled. One of them asked: "What are we gonna do now?" "What else? I''ve already given my word. I can''t hide something like this, and I sure as hell can''t take full responsibility either." "Geez, why do we have to be this unlucky?" "Bro! This is bullying! I''m sure that we can''t report this to the Instructors." "Idiot!" One of them admonished, "Have you lost your mind? Report, my ass! Have you forgotten that the Instructors won''t interfere with student matters unless it vites their rules or it''spletely necessary?" "I think the situation calls for it, though?" "It''s not!" The other one yelped in frustration, "Didn''t you hear him, this is a tradition here. I''m sure that the Instructors already learned about it before, and if they didn''t do something to stop it then, why would they start now?" "..." The rest of the friend group turned silent after that. "I''m just gonna inform them. There''s really nothing we could do here. I only hope that they wouldn''t push us too hard." Cedric kept observing them while feeling a little concerned. He''s missing the context since he listened a little toote but he already has some guesses from what he saw and heard so far. He waited for a bit and as expected, he received a message from a person called Gilbert Reese - the same guy who talked to the sophomore he saw earlier. "Greetings, Batchmates. My name is Gilbert and I hope you could find some time to read this message. Today I was stopped by a Sophomore. He told me to tell all of you that we are invited to participate in a ''Freshmen Weing Party'' set up by our Seniors. They said that it''s an age-old tradition of the Academy and everybody''s presence would be greatly appreciated. The party is scheduled for this Saturday at 6 pm at the Arcane Arena. That''s what they told me and I felt inclined to inform you all. Please consider attending. That''s all, have a great day!" Cedric snorted upon reading the message. He then thought: ''It seems that my guess was pretty spot on.'' Although they call this a ''Weing Party'', it''d be more urate to say that this is a ''Freshmen Hazing Tradition'' instead. "I mean, the girls did tell me that our dear seniors would try their best to not bully us too much since we''re fairly new, but if they''re using a ''Tradition'' to do so, then it would seem perfectly legal." Cedric mused. He has seen how their seniors looked at him during his time roaming around the Academy. They mostly ignored him but there were a handful who wanted to do something instead, however, they were holding back for the sole reason that he''s a freshman. As if their piss-poor acting could fool him... He''s tempted to think that it couldn''t be helped since everybody here seems to carry some form of self-entitlement. After all, this is a prestigious academy that only geniuses could enter, and there will always be some people who want to throw their weight around and rub their status in everyone else''s face. Personally, he disdains this. He just couldn''t fathom how those people have the time to do these kinds of things when they''re literally surrounded with numerous opportunities to be stronger instead. This was a paradise for learning and a haven too. Why waste time antagonizing new students for the sake of ''tradition'' and entertainment? It just seems illogical to him. That said, this was his personal opinion. They are not him so he wouldn''t understand what goes on in their mind. He''s not particrly inclined to know either. As expected, his batchmates reacted to Gilbert''s message. Someone even created a group chat to makemunication easier. Cedric read their chat and as expected, some people discovered something amiss. Because out of all the ces to throw a weing party, why does it have to happen at the Arcane Arena - a ce where enemies settle down their conflicts? Piecing the puzzle from there wasn''t a challenge to rest, and everybody came to a conclusion fairly quickly. As the discussion of his batchmates continued, Cedric noticed that Isabe and Garrick were also reading the chat, and just like him, they didn''t bother adding to the conversation. "Garrick seems to be the type that won''t back down from a challenge. He''d most likely attend the party after seeing this. As for Isabe...it''s uncertain." He murmured to himself. Even though they were ssmates, Cedric never interacted with Isabe save for some asional nces here and there. The girl was extremely anti-social and unapproachable. Some already tried but spectacrly failed since she just refuses to say a word, she won''t even look at them. "Well, even though it''s only a party for the sake of keeping up appearances, I''ve never attended one before so I might as well check it out. Who knows? Maybe it''ll be fun." Cedric smirked as he returned to the training room. Chapter 121: Freshmen Welcoming Party The ''Freshmen Weing Party'' took ce in the Arcane Arena just as they expected. Feeling pressured, the majority of the Freshmen attended it despite not wanting to. They didn''t want to be targeted by their seniors so they thought it''d be better to swallow this treatment for now rather than be ostracized for the rest of the academic year. As expected of their seniors, they were clearly a cut above the rest. Their strength was obvious just by looking at their bodies. The majority of those who attended were Sophomores but there were also some Seniors here and there. The poor freshmen though...they looked like lost chicks who identally wandered off deep into a jungle. They huddled together as if their backs were against the wall. "Come on, guys! Loosen up, will you? We''re not going to bite you...unless you''re into that." One of the female sophomores winked at the boys, clearly teasing them. And by their reactions, that seems to have worked, but only to a handful of boys from the freshmen side. "Rx, Noobs." A gruff-looking senior grinned at them, "This party is for you, so just enjoy it." ''Enjoy, my foot!'' Majority of the freshmen eximed inwardly in response to his words. Sadly, none of them were brave enough to refute him directly since they were afraid of escting their situation. "Yeah, look at that kid over there. Be like him." One of the sophomoresmented, causing the crowd''s attention to shift. They turned to Garrick who''s currently wolfing down meals like he hasn''t eaten for weeks. He cared not about the attention of his peers nor what they think of his rather unsavory behavior, his focus was solely on the food and drinks in front of him. Not far from him, there''s also the ever-so-unapproachable Isabe. Her cial beauty definitely attracted some of the senior students but due to her snobbish behavior, they don''t know how to properly approach her without risking their balls. "You guys, I think I have an idea to make this party more lively!" One of the Senior Students eximed as if he just thought of a fantastic idea. ''Oh dear, here ites.'' Some of the freshmen muttered to themselves. "How about we do some exercise, eh? Nothing too serious, just a little spar. Us older students versus the Freshmen. Don''t worry, we will lower our strengths to your level to make it fair." Some of the older students showed a pensive expression like they were considering the guy''s proposal, which was clearly fake since this was their aim in the first ce. As for the freshmen, they felt their stomachs sinking, of course, there were others who barely felt anything since they were already expecting this. "Come on! It''s gonna be fun, I promise! I am a firm believer that letting out some aggression is the best way for us to forge stronger bonds. Besides, this is a great learning experience for you Freshmen. You would rarely see so many of us in one ce, so it''s your best chance to ask us for some tips!" "..." the new students remained silent even after his ''convincing'' speech. "How about it? Come on! Don''t be a scrooge you guys, let''s have some fun! Don''t tell me you''re scared of us." It was an obvious attempt at provocation. The freshmen knew this, yet some couldn''t help but feel irked at the guy''s expression. They knew they shouldn''t fall for such an obvious trap but there seemed to be some mysterious force urging them to do so. "Can you borate more on the rules of the sparring?" One of the freshmen, someone not from the top 10 even, bravely stepped forward, unable to ignore the provocation. The instigator smiled brightly upon seeing the freshmen took the bait so he hurriedly exined: "Like I said earlier, it''s just a sparring. We will seal our strength to match yours and we''ll fight. No killing or maiming. We, older students, will cover the cost of injuries incurred by both sides." "To make it even more favorable to you, we''ll only send 10 from our side to face your entire batch. You may choose who you want to fight from our side too! As a bonus, if you manage to defeat someone from our side, we''ll reward the winner with APs! You should already know how valuable those are by now, right?" "...and what if we lose?" The same guy asked. "Then, nothing..." the instigator shrugged. "Frankly, you all have nothing of value to us. As we said earlier, this party is for you people. If we be closer after this, then that''s more than enough for us!" Really, this guy was extremely convincing. He knows what words to say to rile up the crowd. Some of the freshmen are actually second-guessing their nature because of this. Of course, there will always be those who won''t believe that their intentions are clear that easily. However, it''s already enough for a handful of freshmen to do so. "...so? How about it? Are you game?" "I''m game!" The brave freshman nodded, speaking for himself only. However, since someone already dared to take a step forward and ept the challenge, the rest followed, either because of peer pressure or just in desire to see just how big the gap was between them and the older students. Seeing this, the instigator smiled even wider. He sneakily nced at his side where another older student was sitting and he saw that his friend clearly approved of his methods. "Alright, since you all are in! Let''s begin! Those who are willing to advise our freshmen, please step forward!" He said towards his fellow older students. There were exactly ten people who stood up and walked towards the arena. If it weren''t for the freshmen''s heightened emotions, they would''ve noticed that this was a tant clue that this was staged. Again, there were exactly ten people who came forward from the opposite side. It couldn''t be more obvious than that. The Arcane Arena wasrge and advanced enough to allow multiple battles to ur at once. Once the older students stepped up the stage, the instigator turned to the freshmen and asked: "This is a great chance for you guys, so who''s going first? Step forward and dere who you want to challenge." The brave student stepped forward under everyone''s expectations and said: "I want to go first, and I want to challenge this Senior over here." He pointed at the fifth person on the stage who met him with a firm gaze. Inwardly, the instigatorughed at the freshman''s choice but he didn''t dare to show it. Instead, he nodded and gestured for him toe up the stage so that the battle couldmence. "Are both parties ready?" He asked both of them, and after receiving a positive reply, he eximed: "Well then, begin!" The brave freshman wasted no time. With a sword in hand gleaming with a steel-like sheen, he rushed forward to engage with the enemy. He closed the distance pretty quickly but was met with a steady opposition. To the freshman''s shock, his foe received his full-powered charge without any strain at all. "...good strength. Not enough though. Again!" His foemented and pushed him back, causing the brave freshmen to skid a few meters back. Gritting his teeth, the brave freshman poured more energy into his sword and executed the Sword Technique that made him famous in his home city. "Empyrean sh!" He eximed before releasing a blinding brilliance that illuminated the arena. With a surprising burst of speed, he disappeared from their view, turning into a streak of light that carried incredible momentum as well. Unfortunately, much to the freshman''s dismay, this attack failed to do anything against his foe who calmly raised his sword and parried the attack like it was some random wind. "Keugh!" The brave freshman flew back, shing with the protective barrier of the arena with blood seeping from his mouth. "That sword technique is leagues above your skill level. With your meager understanding of the sword, using it against an experienced foe is suicidal." His foe calmly chided him, greatly injuring not only his body but also his pride. The brave freshman coughed out blood but he wasn''t severely injured, he had experienced something worse so he would survive this. His wounded pride, on the other hand, was uncertain. "Your energy control sucks, your fundamental skills are almost non-existent, and you''re incredibly stubborn as well. Change your weapon into something blunt and heavy instead, I don''t think you''d have a future with the Sword. Oh, and you lost, by the way." After saying that, his foe turned around and went back to his ce. The brave freshman felt crestfallen by what happened. He lost in such an embarrassing and miserable way too. All of his bravado was for naught, his foe just basically proved that he''s all talk. A friend of his climbed up the stage to help him up and take him away from the judgemental gazes of the crowd. And just like that, the fight between the Freshmen and the older students got off to a very sour and depressing start... Chapter 122: Losing Streak "...argh!" "Your mana control is shit and you take ages to cast a simple spell. How you manage to get into this Academy puzzles me but since you''re already here, practice more. You lost." Older Students - 2, Freshmen - 0 "...crap! No!" "Your foundations are good but your senses are terrible. I could''ve ended this match as soon as it started. Take ''Capricorn''s Trials'' to hone your senses. You lose." Older Students - 3, Freshmen - 0 "...what!? How!?" "Just like the previous guy, your senses are severely untrained. I used a Tier 1 Illusion Spell just now and you fell for it, aren''t you ashamed? Go with the previous guy to the ''Capricorn''s Trials'', both of you could use some good training." Older Students - 4, Freshmen - 0 "Shit! Ow...my leg!" "That''s your weakness and it''s fairly obvious. Your lower body is untrained, that''s why you''re not making any progress in your movement technique." "How did you¡ª?" "When you''ve been here for as long as I have, things like this be easy to notice. Challenge ''Saggitarius'' Trials'' or rent a ''Gravity Room'' to train your lower body and movement techniques. If you can''t confront an enemy head-on, at the very least you should be able to run." Older Students - 5, Freshmen - 0 Boom! Bang! "...keugh!" "I will only say this once, so listen carefully. You''ve got good strength but your weapon doesn''t suit you. Instead of a rapier, try polearms like spears, halberds, tridents, etc. Those would amplify your strength even further than this. It''s not toote to make a switch, plus you''re in the best environment to do so." Older Students - 6, Freshmen - 0 "...what!? No! I was so close!" "Close to what? Beating me? If so then no you''re not. I only used 40% of the strength I''m allowed to use in this spar, so no, you''re not even close." "Honestly, your foundations are good enough. But that''s exactly why I defeated you. ''Good enough'' won''t cut it here. You''re supposed to belong to the ''genius'' group. The ''cream of the crop''. Being ordinary won''t get you far here so find ways to elevate your strength some more." Older Students - 7, Freshmen - 0 ... Older Students - 10, Freshmen - 0 The Freshmen Weing Party went on along with the sparring. So far, the Freshmen are now experiencing the gap between them and the older students, they''re learning what it truly means to be a student of the Academy. They haven''t even won once yet. It felt vexing and stifling for the Freshmen but they couldn''t do anything about it. That said...say what you will about the Older Students but at the very least, they followed their word. They said that they would impart their knowledge to the freshmen, and even though the process felt humiliating for the new students, their criticisms were sound and valid. The freshmen who received their advice started considering their words properly. Sure, it''s valid for them to doubt their words but they can''t deny that what they said made sense, and maybe they could consider it after hearing the opinion of someone more professional. Still, this was a secondary benefit to them. What they''re mainly after was, at the very least, a win or two against the older students. This might seem immature but it''s humiliating to be stomped so easily like this. The new students know that their seniors are strong but was it too much to wish for a win at least? It also didn''t help that they could feel the sheer disappointment and boredom of their seniors. They must be thinking that they''re too weak and easy to bully, and that feels vexing for the new students. "Hey, look!" "What the¡ª! It''s her, she''sing up!" "Bro, it''s the goddess! The goddess is moving!" "Go, Isabe. Win this for us!" Someone noticed it first and that led to a chain reaction. That''s right, Isabe had enough of watching from the sidelines and was nowing up to the stage to challenge one of the older students. If the freshmen noticed this, the older students did too obviously. Under her veil, Isabe frowned when she felt the lingering gaze of the disgusting men on her body. Some lingered on her face while others stuck on her body. Either way, they disgust her all the same. This is why she doesn''t talk to boys. And it''s not like she''s wearing a revealing outfit either. Her uniform was on the loose side, and on top of this, she was wearing a jacket too. She''s not even wearing a skirt, choosing pants instead because she doesn''t want those gazes to linger on her legs. ''Men are disgusting...'' She scowled beneath her veil while stepping up the stage. "Isabe, right?" The instigator of this whole event asked in a friendly tone. ''This one''s disgusting too.'' She muttered inwardly as she looked at the man. Receiving an icy re from thedy, the instigator swallowed nervously. Those eyes of hers looked as if they could see through his thoughts and he was wise enough to stop leering at her because he''d be risking his balls if he continued. "...who do you want to challenge?" He asked while sweating coldly. "Her." She whispered loud enough to hear. There''s only one female on the older students'' roster and she chose that one to be her opponent. There are several reasons why she did this but it''s mainly because she''s a girl like her. At the very least, this woman wouldn''t aim to take advantage of her during the fight. Her chosen foe looked surprised at first, but when she looked at her teammates, she understood why she was picked: "Seriously, you boys are creepy! Show some decency at the very least, or else I will report this to Mistress Christina!" With the mention of that name, all of the older male students nched. The boys scrambled to fix themselves and Isabe, to her astonishment, felt the gazes disappearing right away. Her opponent seemed to have noticed her surprise so she said: "Mistress Christina is one of the Instructors of this Academy, and she''s famous for punishing men of all ages for disrespecting women. She''s very protective of us. Go to her if somebody consistently tries to push their luck, she''d teach them a lesson." "...I see." Isabe replied softly,mitting the name to her memory. "Isabe, right?" Her opponent asked, to which she nodded. "My name is Michelle, let''s have a good round." Isabe released a shroud of cold air and became serious. Seeing this, the instigator signaled the start of the fight. "Start!" Boom! A sh immediately ensued as soon as it began. Smoke filled the arena as Michelle''s Fireball and Isabe''s Frost Orb met. Scanning her surroundings, Isabe noticed that Miche was gliding around the arena while condensing multiple fireballs. Six revolved around her body while three hovered behind her. In response to this, Isabe conjured a spiked orb of frost which hovered on top of her and followed her movements. This orb shot icicles at the fireballsing to her, neutralizing them immediately. The sh of ice and fire caused smoke to fill the arena, making it difficult for the audience to see what was going on. Fortunately, the women who were fighting didn''t seem to mind this at all. With a wave of her hand, Isabe summoned a trail of ciers which narrowed Michelle''s room for movement. In response to this, fire erupted on Michelle''s soles as she took flight. She then hurled fireballs at Isabe, who glided like a figure skater in the arena to dodge the impact while also asionally sending her attacks to retaliate. Their fight was fierce, even those who couldn''t see what was going on, they could tell that they were matched evenly. "Not bad, girly! But it''s going to take more than that to defeat me!" Michelle chuckled as she suddenly increased her speed. Her mes billowed in intensity, melting the ice that Isabe left behind at a visible pace. Isabe could even feel the sheer heat of those mes, making her ufortable. What''s more is that, Michelle''s mes now shrouded her entire body. Any attacks Isabe sent her way would evaporate before making contact with her skin. The only way she could respond to this is by using more mana to conjure harder and colder ice. But that drained her faster. After several minutes of high-octane battle, the area turned quiet. When the smoke cleared, the audience saw that Michelle still looked as fresh as a daisy while Isabe was left panting... "You lost because your mana capacity is low and your control sucks at your level. You''ve got the fundamentals of the Ice Element down but your fundamentals as a Spell Caster fall far behind." "You''ve got a lot of time to hone your Elemental Control and Affinity. Focus on improving your fundamental skillset as a spellcaster first. This includes your Mana Control and Emission. If you can perfect these fundamentals, you''ll see an explosive increase in your Mana Pool. If you want a chance to make contact with Ice Laws, this is a must for you." "Other than, you''re good. So go back to the basics first, understood?" Isabe nodded before turning around. She didn''t feel bad about this defeat because it had given her a lot of things to think about. "Good fight, girly! I''m looking forward to your growth." Michelle cheered before returning to her position. Older Students - 11, Freshmen - 0 Chapter 123: Audacious Garrick The freshmen were admittedly disappointed by Isabe''s loss, butpared to the previous matches before hers, she already did incredibly well that they couldn''t voice out theirints. Still, the Freshmen hasn''t won a round yet. And since Isabe lost, their hopes of having at least one significantly dwindled. "I''d like to try next." A voice suddenly cut through the depressing mood of the freshmen. It came from Garrick who''s now slowly marching towards the stage. "It''s Garrick!" "He''s strong! Maybe he could win." "Let''s hope so. Surely he has made progress during the past two weeks!" The freshmen felt their hopes being rejuvenated by Garrick''s appearance. And as he arrived at the arena, the instigator of this event asked him who he wanted to challenge. "I choose him." Garrick said while staring intently at the Older Student he wanted to fight. His target grinned at the invitation and took a step forward, he showed an amused expression at the freshman''s invitation. "Hoh...raw power versus raw power, this is bound to be fierce." The instigator chuckled at this. "Let''s hope the arena can endure their sh." The contenders met at the arena, sizing each other up. The older student then said: "I like your fighting spirit, Kid. Garrick Stoneheart, right? My name''s Julius, let''s have a great match." "Yeah, let''s..." Garrick replied softly as he summoned his broad axe. Even those below the arena could feel the pressure emanating from these two. Seeing as both of them were ready, the instigator stopped hesitating and started the battle. "Start!" Pshew! BOOM!!! Both of them turned into streaks of light that shed in the middle. Their struggle kicked up a cloud of dust and cracked the floor of the arena. The shockwave of their sh could be felt by the audience, stunning them with the sheer force it generated. Whistles "Dang, that''s some force right there." Somebody from the Freshmen campmented. Others looked back to see who it was and were stunned to see a blonde guy with golden eyes staring intently at the fight above. "Hey, isn''t that..." "Yeah, it''s him. I thought he wasn''ting though?" "Beats me, maybe he changed his mind? I don''t know." "Why is hete though?" "Does he n on participating?" Cedric''s sudden appearance caused the Freshmen Camp to be distracted from the fight. Even though none of them had interacted with him so far, his performance during the Entrance Exam left asting impression on them. His appearance boosted their hope. They really wished that Cedric would participateter. Because if there''s anybody who stood a chance against the Seniors, it would be him. "Hey! Cedric!" The audience was startled by the sudden call out. They looked over and saw a beautiful and stunning senior student waving at Cedric. "Sit with us! Come on!" The fairdy invited, causing both the Freshmen and the Older Students to be stunned. Cedric smiled beneath his mask and walked towards her. The freshmen were reeling at this sudden development while the other older students were puzzled. Upon arriving, Cedric asked: "Can I really sit here? Wasn''t this supposed to be reserved for Older Students?" "Nope, there''s no such thing. This is the Arcane Arena, it doesn''t discriminate to either old or new. So yes, you can sit here. And others have a problem with that, they can face me, instead. That''s if they have the balls to do so." Erica replied while sending a frigid nce at the people looking at them. Those who were entertaining some ideas flinched at her deration while turning their gazes away. The freshmen aren''t aware of this but Erica held a strong reputation in this Academy. ''Did shee here for the sake of this new guy?'' The instigator narrowed his eyes as he reveled at the sudden development. ''Her, the ''Violent Saint'', entertaining a freshman like him?'' ''What''s more is that, it seems that Senior Christina seems to know him too.'' The instigator sneaked a nce in their direction and saw both girls almost fawning at the new guy. His eyes bulged and he started sweating nervously before looking away. ''Holy shit! Did I just see that right? Not only the ''Violent Saint'' but also the ''Venomous Mistress'' knows him and fawning at him! What the hell? Who''s this kid!?'' ''This is a scoop! The biggest scoop ever! Shit! I''m d I came here! I didn''t expect to encounter a banger headline for tomorrow! Damn, I guess I won''t be sleeping this night!'' It wasn''t just him who noticed this peculiarity. Erica and Chrissy weren''t lying when they said that they have some reputation in this Academy. Cedric also noticed their reaction but he did nothing to stop it. Not like he could, anyway. He could already anticipate the troubleing his way but that''s not enough to peel him away from these two. "Why are youte, by the way? We thought you weren''ting." Erica stated. "Yeah, you made us wait here. We thought about leaving since it had gotten boring. Fortunately, you came." Chrissy leaned closer to him while pouting. "Sorry." Cedric smiled beneath his mask, he stroked their faces gently and said: "Got too immersed by my training, forgot the time. But I''m here now so it''s all good, right?" As he entertained the girls and studied the expression of the audience, he was also paying close attention to the ongoing fight between Garrick and Julius. At this point, Garrick and Julius had shed a hundred times. At a nce, it seems that they''re evenly matched, but Cedric could tell the nuances of the battle. ''Julius is rxed while Garrick''s giving it his all.'' He mused inwardly as he paid attention to the match. ''It''s normal since Julius has been here longer than we do, he has honed his skills longer than Garrick does.'' ''Plus, he''s clearly holding back because of the rules. I reckon that Julius is at Tier 5 or Tier 6, if he had gone all out, this match would be over before it even properly begins.'' ''Garrick most likely knows this too.'' Cedric judged. ''Technically, he could win this round because of the stipted rules. He only needs to force Julius to exert the strength of Tier 4 and he''d win. But that''s not what he wants.'' The tanned, broad axe-user was ferocious on his chase. He exerted his entire strength in this battle, not even bothering to hold back. His foe was meeting him in the middle in terms of raw power and ferocity but Cedric''s judgment was right, Garrick knows that his foe was holding back by a lot. That didn''t matter to him though since he had a different goal in this match. Even before he stepped into the arena, Garrick never thought about winning for the sake of his fellow freshmen. He''s at a training paradise - an environment many sought after but cannot enter. He''d be damned if he didn''t milk every single ounce of benefit he could get from this ce. No, his goal isn''t to win and gain some reputation for doing so. He''s also not that heroic to stand up for his vexed batchmates and make things even. His goal is to progress... "...he''s using him as a sharpening stone, huh? Damn, what an audacious fellow." Cedric chuckled after realizing what Garrick was after. "And by Julius'' expression, it seems that he knows it too and giving him a chance." "That''s some fast analysis, right there." Ericamented next to him. "You''re right though. However, Julius isn''t that generous." "Yep, that one''s a miser. He''s totally going hurt that kid for doing this to him." Cedric could predict that much. He could see past the mask of indifference on Julius''s face. He noticed the subtle signs of irritation and annoyance earlier. The fight continued and as the crescendo peaked, Garrick''s body suddenly emitted a bright light. His skin took on a deep bronze hue and his energy fluctuated, even bing unstable for a moment. Seeing this, Julius stopped his assault and allowed Garrick''s breakthrough to pass. Once again, Cedric stopped an annoyed expression flickering on Julius'' face upon witnessing this. Once Garrick''s breakthrough subsided, he opened his eyes and released a breath of turbid air. He then nced at Julius and said: "Thank you for staying your hand." "Cheeky brat." Julius spat before cocking his head to the side, "You think I don''t know what you''re trying to do? You''re not that subtle, kid. That''s gonna cost you." "We''ll see about that." Garrick snorted. "Oho...it seems that your breakthrough made you delusional." Julius'' eyes narrowed. He then took two steps forward, causing Garrick to raise his alertness. However, that was useless since Julius promptly disappeared after that. Garrick''s instincts warn him of a great danger nearby but it''s toote for him to react. He just felt a massive force mming onto him from the side, causing him to fly like a broken kite and crashing towards the protective barrier of the arena. "Arrogance. That''s how you lost. You''re also climbing too fast for your own good. You''re damaging your foundations by doing that." Julius snorted as he started walking away. "Oh, I won''t be paying your Medical Fees. Pay it yourself. That''s for using me as a whetstone. I''m a fervent advocate of a fair deal, after all." These events just proved what Cedric, Erica, and Chrissy predicted earlier. Chapter 124: Cedrics Turn Garrick was assisted by some freshmen towards the infirmary. With Garrick''s match over, the rest of the Freshmen automatically turned to Cedric. Well, he''s their only hope left if they want to experience even a single victory in this ''party''. "...your batchmates are looking at you." Chrissy pointed out. "I''m aware." Cedric smiled wryly. "It''s actually not just them." Of course, he''s aware of the looks he''s receiving. He doesn''t even need to look to notice them, even if he were to suppress his senses to its bare minimum, he''d still feel them. "My, it seems that everybody here is thinking the same thing." The instigator suddenly announced, catching everybody''s attention. His eyes were locked on Cedric''s position, a glint of mischievousness was obvious as he gazed at the freshman. "This year''s Top Rookie, Cedric Stormrider, right?" The instigator asked, "I wasn''t expecting you to be close to our Faries! It seems that you three share a deep connection from what I can see." "Motherfucker..." Erica swore quietly and in disbelief after hearing the host''s words. Chrissy, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes at the man, her sharp gaze promising a world of hurt because of his transgression. The host saw this and started sweating, but of course, he didn''t show it. He deliberately ignored the death stares of the girls and focused his attention on Cedric ¡ª who was seemingly staring at his soul with a cid gaze as if he could see through his every thought. "My rtionship with the both of them...has nothing to do with you or anybody else except these two. Instead of using the girls to provoke a reaction out of me, why don''t you just say what you really want to say?" His t and sonorous voice echoed throughout the arena, causing the audience to have varying reactions. Some were shocked, some were outraged by theck of respect in his tone, while others found it funny. Either way, the host was seemingly thrown out of the loop by his words, obvious by the way he pped his gums without wordsing out. Gathering hisposure after the surprising diss he received, the instigator cleared his throat and said: "Very well, I''m merely curious if you n on participating in a match against us Seniors." "Can I fight you then?" Cedric asked, causing the host to be dumbfounded and for the girls beside him to giggle. "I-I''m not included in the roster..." "Hmm, that''s a shame but why say ''us'' when you''re not included?" Cedric rhetorically asked, much to the embarrassment of the host. "Whatever. Just one match, right?" "Yes. One match." The host wisely minimized his words to prevent any further rebuke from this freshman. "...sure, why not?" Cedric then stood up and looked at the girls, "BRB, just have to handle this." "Go ahead." Erica replied while Chrissy just smiled at him. Cedric then marched towards the arena with a rxed gait, seemingly unaffected by the res of other older students. "Who would like to fight?" The host asked. "Anyone would do." Cedric replied, "I''m not picky." His t tone and nonchnt attitude grind the gear of the Older Students. To them, it felt like he was looking down on them and they simply couldn''t allow this to pass. "I''ll do it." "No, I! Let me teach this arrogant prick a lesson!" "How about I do it instead?" "Hold your horses! Let me fight him, instead!" The older students who were part of the roster argued about who was going to fight Cedric. Cedric of course didn''t do anything to stop them. On the other side of the arena, the host of this party was smiling wryly at their disy. Who knew that Cedric was daring enough to ruffle the feathers of the older students? It seems that he''s very confident in himself or just inly arrogant. After arguing for about five minutes, the Older Students finally settled on who was fighting him. "Ha! Trust me, I''ll put this kid in his ce!" A Sophomore with arge body walked forward. Veins bulged out of his forehead as he red at Cedric while releasing a ferocious fighting spirit. "You''re done for, Kid. I''ll give you a beating that you''d feel for days! Every time you feel pain, you will remember my name ¡ª stor!" "...you sound like some two-bit viin from a really bad movie. I didn''t know that people actually do that in real life, you even sound like you''ve been waiting since forever to say those words. How long have you been practicing that in front of a mirror?" "Pfff!" "Hehe...hehehehe..." Pretty much everyone did their best to hold theirughter. Some seeded while others failed. Either way, that only served as fuel that made stor angrier than he already was. "Start this goddamn fight already!" He growled at the host. "S-Start!" The host yelled in fright. Boom! stor didn''t waste time. As soon as he got the signal, he promptly disappeared from his spot and appeared right behind Cedric with his fist cocked back. The freshmen were frightened by the burst of speed and yelled for Cedric to watch out. With a mighty grunt, stor threw his punch, eager to break a couple of Cedric''s bones. Unfortunately, he''s bound to be disappointed. Boom! Arge dust of smoke appeared as soon as stor''s hit connected. The arena''s floors shattered under the might of his blow. But even with the smoke, everybody could tell that stor''s first attack didn''tnd on Cedric but on the ground instead. They just didn''t know how it happened. An unnamed Senior Studen who was closely watching the match and was rather proud of his sharp senses, saw how it happened clearly, though. "Just before the hit connected, the freshman reacted swiftly. He ''pushed'' stor''s arm with minimal effort, causing his attack to change directions. He didn''t even bother looking at it." He softly muttered. He''s right. That''s exactly what Cedric did. And to add more insult to the injury, he even went back to the same spot he was standing before with his back against stor. The sophomore on the other hand was confused. He didn''t know what happened just now but he knew that Cedric did something. ''It doesn''t matter! A fight doesn''t end with just a single exchange!'' He eximed inwardly as he kicked up his speed to deliver another solid punch to Cedric. This time however, he saw what happened clearly, in fact he even felt it better. Just as his punch was about to make contact with Cedric, the freshman responded by pping, yes pping, his punch to the side, causing his fist tond on the ground all while gazing tly at his eyes. Even with his facemask on, stor could tell the boredom in his expression, and that made him even angrier. This results in stor putting more effort into punching Cedric. But even with that, Cedric just reacted all the same - by pping his attacks away like they''re some nuisance. At this point, everybody could see the fight unfolding...if they could even call this a fight. The longer it goes, the angrier stor gets and the more bored Cedric seems to be. The freshmen felt refreshed while the older students were gobsmacked. They weren''t expecting Cedric to be this audacious and strong at the same time. The majority of them wouldn''t even dare to think about doing what Cedric was doing, much less dare to actually do so. Yet here Cedric was, doing it with rtive ease. "Fight me properly!" stor growled in anger towards Cedric. "Oh damn, I forgot you could talk." Cedric sounded mildly surprised for a bit. "With how violent you were, I started seeing you as a mindless beast, my bad." "Damn you!!" His condescending tone just made stor angrier than before, which resulted in more reckless punching, which somehow proves Cedric''s point. Yet even with his increased ferocity, Cedric''s way of retaliation remained the same. "Fucking brat! Fight me properly, I demand it!" To this, Cedric only sighed. Seemingly peeved, on the next exchange, instead of pping the attack away, he fluidly twisted his body and nted his foot firmly into stor''s guts, sending him flying and crashing toward the barrier of the arena much to everybody''s surprise. "I''m tired of this...hey you!" Cedric turned to the host, who was momentarily frightened by the sudden call out. "Why haven''t you ended the match already? Didn''t you see this guy breaking the rules?" "Hah!?" stor suddenly bounced back at the sudden usation. "What does that mean?" "You said that you''d be limiting your strength to Tier 3 against us, right?" Cedric refuted, "Ask yourself then. Were your previous dozens of punches at the realm of someone who''s supposed to be Tier 3?" "..." his words caused the entire venue to be silent. Even stor himself nched when he realized this. "You were damn near using your entire strength in your desperation tond a single solid hit on my body. Hell, I wouldn''t be surprised if you told me that you''re actually trying to kill me. I thought this was supposed to be a spar. What happened to that?" Cedric then turned to the host with a bored gaze and asked: "So? Are you just gonna stare at me? Do your job for crying out loud!" "R-right! Winner, Cedric Stormrider of the Freshmen Camp!" "Wooohoooo!!!" Chapter 125: Partys over Since he was announced as the winner of this match, Cedric see no point in staying here. While his batchmates were celebrating his win, Cedric calmly made his way out of the Arena, but before he could do so, a sigh escaped his lips... "Like hell I will ept something like that!!" stor fumed. He threw all caution to the wind, consequences be damned, he refuse to ept this result. How could a freshman dare to disrespect him, a sophomore, like this? stor sees this as a defiance of the Academy''s tradition, but more than that, he just can''t ept that he lost to a freshly minted student. Cedric''s talent and potential caused deep-seated envy to sprout within stor''s heart...maybe not just him, too. He worked so hard to reach his current position, and the year before this, he too was a freshman and experienced this weing party. His batch lost miserably, stor himself was too weak to evene up the stage. Even so, he etched that humiliation to his heart and worked hard to erase the feeling of helplessness back then. But even after working so hard, he couldn''t surpass the people who humiliated them. stor was on the verge of sumbing to the unfairness of life. He attended this party to let out some steam and hope that maybe after this, he could feel good about himself. He initially did, but that obviously changed the moment he went up against Cedric. The freshman subverted the norms, broke the tradition, and defeated him, fair and square. But he didn''t care about that damn fairness... At the very end, this has turned into a personal matter. What Cedric did to him...wasn''t that the very same thing he''s been trying to do ever since they were humiliated by the older students? ''Why? Why him? Why are there people like him? Why isn''t it me? Have I not worked hard enough? Am I not worthy of those blessings? That''s unfair!'' Ultimately, it''s these questions that make him mad and force him to do what he''s about to do. Raw power billowed from his entire being. His expression turned twisted and his killing intent red. stor wasn''t holding anything back. He turned deaf at the warnings and shouts of his fellow students. His entire focus was to hurt Cedric and make him feel the consequences of disrespecting him and his hard work. If he killed him well...that''s a problem he''s leaving for his future self. Right now, he just really...really, wants to hurt Cedric badly. He disappeared from his spot and appeared right before Cedric. The sheer force and speed of his movement caused the entire arena to shake. "Die, you fucking brat!" stor swore as he threw a punch. But oh, too bad for him really... Because of his crazed state, hepletely missed the way how Cedric looked at him ¡ª with a bored expression as if he had seen this oueing from a mile away. "...disappointing." It''s debatable whether stor heard this or not but it doesn''t matter. What matters is what happened next. Boom! Without any fanfare whatsoever, Cedric merely stretched his hand out and caught stor''s full-powered punch like he just caught a baseball. "...how is this possible?" stor uttered in sheer despair and hopelessness. The way Cedric received his full-powered strike effortlessly was more than enough to sober him up. For heaven''s sake, the freshman doesn''t even look remotely hurt or bothered by what he did. In front of stor''s eyes, Cedric''s visage was reced by a tall, tall mountain ¡ª one whose peak pierces the very sky itself. stor nched at this realization. The guy in front of him was something that cannot be measured withmon sense. This was the only exnation he could ept. "I guess being epted in a prestigious institution doesn''t guarantee that one would be wiser." Cedric stated in a t tone. The next thing stor knew was pain. He didn''t know what hit him or how it even happened. All he would rememberter was crashing into multiple things, and then losing consciousness afterwards. It wasn''t just him who didn''t see what Cedric did. At least 95% of the audience didn''t see iting either. Cedric moved way too fast for them to see, he didn''t even show any signs of attacking at all. And just like before this whole fiasco, Cedric merely sighed and continued walking out of the arena as if he hadn''t done something so ridiculous. Before leaving, he said: "I''m not paying for that guy''s hospital fees. He came at me with the intent to kill and even broke the rules you people set. He asked for it and I gave it to him. in and simple." "If that''s all, then I''ll be excusing myself. I''m rather tired of this...event." He didn''t even look at any of them while saying this. Instead, he just continued making his way out of the venue altogether while Erica and Chrissy followed behind him. Before leaving though, the girls red at the Older Students - who got the message loud and clear even without words exchanged. They could only smile wryly at this but in reality, even if they wanted to, they couldn''t just ignore the underlying threat that the girls gave to them. They are too weak to face those two so they could only lower their heads. "Fucking stor...I knew it was a bad idea to send him. He''s too vtile!" "What a fucking mess." "Who''s idea was it to send him?" "Don''t look at me, I voted against it!" "Stop arguing, help the poor bloke instead. We can''t just leave him like that, he''s gonna die!" "Good riddance, I say. It''s not like someone would miss his presence." "That''s...a bit morbid, why are you like this?" "I don''t know, ask my parents. They made me." Whilst the majority of the older students discussed amongst themselves, the host of this event went towards the frightened freshmen who were at a loss on what to do. "You may return to your dorms." He said, "Let us, older students, handle the aftermath, it''s our responsibility anyway." "..." "Oh and if you can pass on the message to that kid, tell him that he could expect the AP rewards as early as tomorrow. That''s the agreement anyway." "...thank you, Senior." Someone replied, representing the freshmen as a whole. "It''s nothing." The host said, "We''re the ones who wanted you here in the first ce. But I do hope you don''t resent us too much. I know it''s a bit difficult to do that but I''d appreciate it if you could. After all, we too are just following traditions here. If you guys survive your first year, you''ll have your turn too." "..." "The whole purpose of this...party, is to broaden your horizons. To let you see just how far and treacherous the path ahead is. Maybe it hasn''t sunk into you yet, or maybe it already did, who knows? Either way, the academy does this to dampen the impact of that realization. Trust me, in the future, you''ll appreciate this." "Work hard and use every means necessary to increase your strength. Your first year here is the most precious since you''re still adjusting, but once you are promoted to a Sophomore, you''ll see just how challenging this ce could be." "If you don''t want to be left behind, you have to fight. Cling to every advantage you can get and umte for your future. If want tost in this ce, that''s the best advice I could give you." "..." "Alright, back to your dorms now! Go! Party''s over." The host smiled kindly at them before turning around. The freshmen bowed in the direction of the older students and made their way back to their dorms. Looking back, the older students were still taking care of the mess left behind but they still acknowledged their retreat. This event was really an eye-opener for them. Like that Senior said, they saw just sheer disparity between them and the older students. It''s a little hard to believe that most of them are just Sophomores. It''s like they''re telling them that, a year ago, these people were in the same state as they now are, but within just a year, they achieved that level of strength. In hindsight, this is the Starlight Royal Academy, they have all the necessary resources to reach unimaginable heights of power, but still, that''s a little hard to believe. Or more urately saying: that concept hasn''t sunk in just yet. Still, this batch of freshmen received this easierpared to the previous ones. Most likely because of Cedric''s victory. The previous batches always lose to the older students but that streak was broken today. Whether this was for the better or for worse, only time would tell. Needless to say, the freshmen went back to their dorms with a broadened perspective and more determination to do well in their studies and training. However, one of the freshmen felt different from the rest. It was none other than Isabe who saw everything transpired and entertained different thoughts among the rest. At the confines of her room, she sat by the bed and recalled how Cedric easily trumped over his foe and she couldn''t help but wonder... ''How did he be so strong?'' ''Just who...what is he?'' Chapter 126: Hell Dive Undeads The day started a bit differently within the Starlight Royal Academy. It''s not like this day was ''special'' in particr or anything like that. In fact, the majority of people here started their day just like any other. However, even those who are slightly sensitive to their environment could discern that there was tension in the air that came out of nowhere. "Another day...another Hell Dive. Man, when will it end?" "You know, you''d think that after doing it for so long we''d get used to it by now, but no, I just can''t seem to get used to it, for some reason." "Me either, but what can we do? This is how the world works. Us normal folks could only do our best to stay alive." From the hushed discussions of the crowd, it was obvious that the reason behind the tension all over them was because of the Hell Dives. It''s the start of the month, and that generally means that humans should prepare for their Hell Dives this early so that they can free up the rest of their month. And the majority of them often take their Hell Dives on the first week of the month, only a fraction of the poption dys theirs for whatever reason. Even for the Instructors, Staff, and students of the Starlight Royal Academy, this rings true. Granted, most of them are confident about their chances. However, there''s always going to be a handful of people who still feel nervous about this. It''s the start of the weekend today. Cedric keeps his schedule open during these days to rest and rx. While he does have Saturday sses, they''re not that hard so he could afford to enjoy his time. Usually, Cedric likes taking his Hell Dives in thest week of the month. He wants to make sure that his progress is going well to increase his confidence in clearing his monthly mandatory service. However, starting this month, he''ll be changing that. He doesn''t have a big reason or whatever. He just noticed that this seemed to be what everybody around him was doing so he was inclined to do the same, that''s all. So, with that said, Cedric woke up early today to descend to the Purgatory to clear his task. ** [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 13, Failure Streak - 0 ** This is the current record. Not bad for such a difficult task. He went as Cedric for the first time, wearing light but decent armor on top of hisbat suit. His sword was at its scabbard hanging by his side and his mood primed and ready forbat. When the timer started, he immediately sensed swarms of Zombies appearing out of thin air. Because his task grows harder ording to his growth, the amount of zombies that spawn each minute as well as their strength was only a bit lower than his current realm - which means Tier 1 at minimum. However, don''t forget that the Undead Horde evolves every ten minutes and he has to do this for 5 hours with barely any rest. No matter how confident Cedric bes, he has to take this seriously, or else he''ll find his way back to the RMC. As soon as the countdown began, Cedric wasted no time and started killing the zombies. However, instead of using his Sword, he used this chance to test his Elemental Mastery inbat. This meant that he sent out a packed orb of fire toward the swarm and watched as that skill reduced the entire ground into ashes in mere seconds. "Hmm...I overdid it." He mused out loud before turning to the other direction where he sensed another wave iing. This time, he lowered the output, making the fireball weaker. Thanks to his calctions, his next attack still took down the next wave. The impact and heat of the fireball as well as the mes spreading took care of the rest who survived the initial contact. While it did take longer to do so, the energy needed for an attack like that was considerably lowerpared to the previous one he sent. "Because this isn''t ordinary fire, it packs more punch and spreads faster." He muttered as he analyzed the result. "The previous attack barely cost Ki, and because I regenerate Ki faster than anybody, I can afford to throw as many as I want." "But that wouldn''t work in the long run," Cedric stated as he threw another fireball toward another cluster of zombies. "Because the Horde evolves every ten minutes, I will eventually need to send strong attacks, which will cost more Ki. Eventually, my regeneration wouldn''t be able to keep up with my expenditure." He looked around the purgatory and sighed: "And it''s not like I could burn this entire ce because it''s weird. If I wanted the fire to spread, I could only rely on zombies making contact with each other. Even then, with the horde''s consistent evolution, I would need to make my mes hotter to deal with them. This then turns into a cycle that will only prove detrimental to my chances at clearing this task." It only took him a couple of seconds toe to this conclusion. But that doesn''t mean that he will stop right here. The horde hasn''t evolved enough yet to warrant another strategy. But as he got absorbed into his thoughts and the first 10-minute mark passed, he noticed a surprising development within his field of senses. "Is that...?" Cedric narrowed his eyes. He saw a unique type of undead that didn''t look like a zombie or a ghoul. It took on a humanoid shape. It has rotting bits of flesh attached to its body while the rest were reduced to mere bones. It has a ghastly green hue on its eye-sockets and somehow, was wearing a dirty robe and holding a rotting book which emanated with the same ghastly aura. It released a fluctuation that resulted in several more undead wing their way out of the ground, eventually joining the growing horde. "Corpse-raisers, huh? So the task has reached this level of difficulty, I see." The Corpse-raisers are also known as Lesser Necromancers. Their abilities are tied to what they''re called, obviously. However, unlike Necromancers, this is all they could do. Necromancers learned spells that could empower their summons or weaken their enemy. Corpse-raisers can''t do that. Their only ability is to raise the Undead for their grave. They don''t even have the ability to make their summonspletely loyal to them. Their only task is just that, to raise them. Although Cedric already realized this during the time he saw a Ghoul appearing in his Hell Dive, it only fully sunk into him now that this is indeed, an ''Undead'' horde, not just a Zombie horde. And since the Corpse-raisers already started appearing, it''s almost certain that he''d be seeing a true Necromancer someday, if not today. ''Zombies, Ghouls, Corpse-raisers, Skeletons, Necromancers, Headless Knights, Banshees, Mummies, Lich, Arch-Lich, Wraiths...'' ''It''s so easy to overlook the true extent of what the ''Undead'' could be with how inclusive the Demon Race is.'' Cedric pursed his lips as he realized this. It''s still a mystery to him how Demons could take on many forms but that''s irrelevant to his current situation really. With him knowing the sheer number of forms he could expect to see in his future battles in the Purgatory, his focus should be on how he could prepare against them. ''Fire is effective against them.'' Cedric mused inwardly, proven by how his enemies reacted to his attacks just now. ''Sunfire is even more effective due to itstent properties.'' ''However, Sunfire could only be used by Derrek - my alter ego. And if I want to keep up with the ruse, which I should be since I could still feel eyes on me, this means that I''m only limited to ordinary fire.'' ''That''s not too bad I suppose.'' He added, ''I mean, I could work my way around it. But the stronger the Undead are, the more resilient they are against Fire.'' ''Higher forms of the Undead could harness the power of ''Death'' and/or Curses and Hexes. They could use those spells to weaken me severely and cause me to fail my task.'' Drawing his sword from its scabbard, Cedric released his Sword Intent and prepared to face the undead head-on, on top of this, mes billowed on his sword too, further increasing its killing potential. Cedric grew rather bored of just hurling fireballs so he decided to use his sword and Sword Intent in conjunction with his mes to increase his killing speed. By now, he''s already facing Tier 2 of both Regr and Mutated Zombies, Ghouls, and Corpse-raisers. Their numbers will constantly increase from this point onwards. After every hour, he''ll also have to face a Boss. ''I should start learning spells that could counter Dark Magic after I''m done with this. It''s better to start early rather thante after all.'' Cedric concluded as he finally focused on the task ahead. Chapter 127: Necromancer Peng! Peng! Peng! The consecutive gunshots rang throughout Purgatory. Streaks of golden radiance flew across the depressing battlefielding from a crimson-haired man with a rogue-ish appearance. Don''t be mistaken, this is still Cedric, only he''s using his Alter Ego - Derrek, toplete his second clearance of his Hell Dive to satisfy this month''s quota. Aside from firing his guns, there were also at least five mini-suns hovering at a certain distance away from him. These stationary orbs fired projectiles of pure Sunfire at the speed of light toward the horde of the Undead. The poor creatures, faced with their nemesis, could only groan/scream in agony as they felt the purifying qualities of Cedric''s Sagely Aspect. He wasn''t just using his guns though. Cedric, as Derrek, would also use his sword to get up close and personal. Since he''s using his Alter Ego, he didn''t hold back in showcasing his Sage Arts. In fact, he''s even using this ce to hone his skills even more, making him deadlier against Demonfolk. Cedric''s already halfway through the timer, meaning he''s been at it for two and a half hours straight. He was given a brief period of rest each time he took down a boss, which was more than enough to restore his strength. As he disyed his arsenal as a Luminous Sage, he could distinctly feel the Purgatory writhing in pain. His golden mes powered with the attribute of true Sunfire and Sunlight were the antithesis of the corruption that gued thisnd. He could distinctly hear the heavy cries of souls being burned by the sunfire before turning into their purified version. But despite the insistent congration of his sunfire, the corruption of thisnd runs deep, no matter how long thend burns, the corruption refuses to go away. Cedric has long noticed this. Unfortunately, even now he couldn''te up with a feasible solution for this other than making himself stronger. In fact, was it even possible to clear the Purgatory of its corruption? At this point, only time will tell... Continuing with his task, the 3rd-hour mark came. This meant that he was about to face another boss. ''Now, if memory serves me right, this should be¡ª yep, it is...'' A powerful undead creature appeared after the disappearance of the zombies. It wore dark and tattered robes, holding onto an ancient book oozing with demonic might. Its eye-sockets red with ghastly blue energy, causing anybody to look at it to feel a soul-chilling sensation. It spat a cloud of violet miasma that brought rot and decay to anything it touched. And with a groan, it summoned a horde of undead - zombies, skeletons, and ghouls, ready to pounce on him. The 3rd Boss was a Necromancer - a real one this time. Cedric faced the same one yesterday and managed to defeat it. However, since he restricted himself to let his ruse y out, the fight was challenging to him. This time however, being Derrek the Young Sage, he shouldn''t necessarily struggle against it. "A Necromancer, huh? Let''s see what you got!" Derrek sneered as he charged forward with his sword billowing with True Sunfire. As soon as he moved, the Necromancer''s summons responded in kind. They threw themselves at him uncaring of what might happen to them. Seeing this, the Necromancer empowered his summons with a spell that increased their demonic might. It also tried Cursing him but got interrupted. Cedric used the Luminous Arsenal - a skill from the Sage Arts that allowed him to extend the range and power of his strikes, to prevent the Necromancer from finishing his curse. Because of the Sun''s attributes, the Necromancer snarled in pain after getting grazed by Cedric''s attack. "Tsk, tsk...only I, am allowed to cheat here." Cedric sneered as eradicated the rest of the Necromancer''s summons in a single attack. Seeing this, his foe was incensed. It tried to create distance but how could Cedric allow that? While his ¡ºLightspeed¡» was essentially stuck at Level 75 for whatever reason and refused to budge, the speed it gave to him was more than enough to catch up with the Necromancer. Cedric''s sword was empowered with his Sword Intent as well as True Sunfire. He grew skilled enough to fuse both of these elements to increase the lethality of his attacks even further. As a result, when his attacknded on the poor Necromancer, it not only bisected it but also set it on fire. And because Sunfire was the nemesis of the Undead, the Necromancer experienced pain it had never experienced before. Without the Sunfire, this creature could''ve recovered from this. Sure, the Sword Intent could hurt it badly but it wouldn''t be enough to kill it. The Necromancer would just reassemble its body and continue creating distance until it has enough space to summor its minions again. He would know, he experienced this after all. Unfortunately for the Necromancer though, the Sunfire made this impossible. The pain clouded its reason and ability to recover. It burned all the Demonic Might and Corruption it had, causing it to be severely weakened until it died. "One attack to interrupt, another to kill. Not bad if I do say so myself." Cedric shrugged as he sat down. Since he killed the boss, he''s given 30 minutes of rest. He was certain of its death since he received a confirmation from the System as well as the Purified Necromancer''s Demon Soul. ''Just like yesterday, the 3rd Boss is at Tier 5.'' Cedric mused inwardly as he closed his eyes to let his body rest. ''Right now, there''s not much difference between Cedric''s task and Derrek''s task.'' ''Fortunately, the Demons couldn''t interfere much. They could monitor what''s happening, yes. But I doubt that they would discover the ruse this early.'' ''The System already rified that this task isn''t unique to me.'' Cedric continued with his musings, ''And I''m not the only one alive who has this task. The Demon Race aren''t able to interfere with the System so they wouldn''t know the specific contents of our task. This means that the likelihood of them calling out my ruse is very unlikely.'' Cedric made this inquiry around three months ago. Because of his Lv.8 Authority, Ac could answer this for him. It''s this information that made him feel more confident about continuing his ruse. ''Derrek will continue to grow stronger as Cedric starts to, slowly but surely, fall behind.'' ''This way, their attention would be focused on Derrek. They will increase their vignce against him and chase after his shadow in hopes of assassinating him before he bes a real thorn in their side.'' ''Meanwhile, as Cedric falls behind, they will start to lose interest in him. Eventually, he will be forgotten and their threat will disappear. Meaning I will have more room and freedom to develop under their radar.'' This n is risky. It also needs a lot of time before it produces results. The Demon Race could go ahead and chase after Derrek for as much as they want. But Cedric...he''s in a more vulnerable position because of his public appearance. Of course, he has ns of leading the Demons into a wild goose chase after Derrek. At some point in the future, Derrek needs to make a public appearance to solidify the idea that he''s a real person, that way the ruse will be more effective. It''s just that, for now, Cedric is in a more vulnerable position and currently, there are few options for him to take their attention away. Thankfully, Cedric is under the protection of the Starlight Royal Academy. He could take shelter there for years as the ruse continues. By the time he graduates, he hopes that his ruse already bore results so that he could feel safer. The rest period ended eventually and Cedric once again sensed the appearance of the Undead. Because of their periodic evolution, these ones are stronger than before, their numbers increased too. Since he didn''t struggle too much against the Necromancer, Cedric wasn''t as drained unlike yesterday. He managed to recover all the energy he spent during that round so he''s full of energy right now. Because of this, his vigorous decimation of Undead Clusters remained as fierce as before. He used ''Sunlit Stars'' and summoned five mini-sun turrets around to make it easier for him. He switched between his guns and his sword as he demolishedrge undead clusters like nobody''s business. Time continued forth like this until he reached the Final Boss. And just like yesterday, he was faced with a Tier 7 Lich Demon. Because this thing was 4 Tiers above him, it was definitely a challenging fight. Even with his Sage Arts, the Lich Demon was a troublesome opponent, especially since it could cast spells that could injure his soul directly. Still, Cedric managed to defeat it, but only with too much difficulty. He copsed on the ground, panting and extremely exhausted. To his surprise though, he heard something that sent a chill down his spine. "You better start counting your remaining days, Young Sage. We''reing for you." On the outside, Cedric donning the mask of his Alter Ego only sneered in response. But inwardly, he couldn''t help but curse because of this sudden development. ''Shit! Did they catch on?'' Chapter 128: Cheating? ng! ng! ng! Within the Sword Tempering Cave, Cedric could be found fending the sharp breeze using his sword. His face wore a focused expression as he challenged the harmful winds from the depths of the cave. Although only a month passed since he became a student of the Academy, Cedric''s progress had been immense, especially with his Sword Intent. With his diligent effort, he reached the 1000-mile mark of the Sword Tempering Cave, meaning that he was a tenth of the way through this cave in just a month. While this has something to do with his talent, without his diligence, he wouldn''t have necessarily reached this far. At this depth, the sharp winds he''s facing pose a serious threat to him. It''s actually already impressive that he managed to get this far while only being Tier 3 because usually, this should be impossible. Then again, so does having a matured Sword Intent at Tier 3, so he doesn''t fit the regr standards. With his unique physique and perception, as well as having a matured Sword Intent, Cedric was able to reach this far. Thirdy once told him that he already surpassed some of his ssmates. This depth was his bottleneck for Cedric as he discovered it. Even after mustering up sufficient power, he couldn''t advance a single step. Therefore, he could only stay here for now. It isn''t as bad as he thought it''d be. Cedric himself knew that he couldn''t force this and that he needed time to allow his skills to advance before making progress. Besides, he also knows that he''s growing steadily so he couldn''tin. ''Don''t be in a hurry. I have all the time in the world.'' He thought to himself. As for the shocking revtion he got yesterday, Cedric already called the bluff. No, the Demon Race hasn''t caught on to his scheme. They''re just trying to make him nervous. He wouldn''t put it past them, they''re demons after all. Cedric''s n was subtle and he hasn''t done anything to reveal himself. He hadn''t told a soul either. Besides, Ac herself assured him that his identity hadn''t beenpromised. More importantly, if they really knew his identity, they should''ve talked to Cedric instead. That way, they''d make him feel more paranoid. Of course, this wasn''t a sign for him to be overconfident. If anything, he had to be even more careful since now, he really got their attention...well, Derrek did, but that''s the same thing. Either way, this meant that his n was starting to work. Again, it''ll take time before he could see actual results but he had time and patience to see this through. Going back to the present, Cedric stayed in the cave for as long as could. He faced the onught of sharp winds using nothing but his sword. He tempered his heart, mind, and body as in the confrontation, gaining insights into the true grandeur of the Sword Path little by little. He still has a long way to go but he''s making progress. That is what''s important. Cedric stayed at the 1000-mile mark for 4 hours before calling it a day. While he''s still energized, he has gained a lot and needed time to digest everything. "Oh, done already?" He heard someone say as soon as he got out. He looked towards the source and saw the older students smiling at him while doing their job. "Yes, I had a good time." He replied as he walked towards them to sign off his session. "I heard you reached the 1000-mile mark. Not bad!" Said one of the guardians. "Not bad, my ass!" The other one eximed, "That''s like...monstrous, actually! Just a reminder, he just literally joined us a month ago yet he already reached that far. I''m envious actually. It wouldn''t be long before you surpass us." "Oh, don''t be like that." Cedric smiled humbly, "I still have a long way to go." After signing his session off, Cedric nodded and bade them farewell. As he left the Sword Tempering Cave, he was unaware that someone was watching his back intently. It was a guy wearing a rather frigid expression. He heard the exchange of pleasantries just now and couldn''t help but feel...odd. "Excuse me..." he said, stepping closer to the guardians of the cave. Upon hearing his voice and seeing him, the expression of the guardians changed into something unreadable. The guy didn''t mind. He knew what kind of expression those were. After all, he''d been getting that ever since he knew how to talk and it doesn''t affect him anymore...not that much, at least. He had learned to ignore it as he grew up. "Booking a session?" One of the guardians asked after a brief pause. The guy shook his head in denial. No, that''s not why he approached them. After all, if that''s what he wanted, he could''ve gone in directly instead. There was no need for their assistance. He has other concerns right now... "What do you want then?" "That...ssmate earlier. What''s his name?" The guy asked. The cave guardians looked at each other for a bit before one of them replied: "Is there any specific reason why you need to know that?" "Yes." The guy unhesitatingly replied. "He''s my ssmate, no? I think it''s wise for me to know the people around me at least." His reply got him skeptical looks from them but the guy refused to budge. In the end, the cave guardians could only sigh ufortably and say: "His name is Cedric Stormrider." "Cedric Stormrider." The guy repeated the name softly. He once again looked at the cave guardians and asked: "Did he truly reach the 1000-mile mark after only a month since his admission to this ss?" ''Damn, he''s nosy. Should we even answer this?'' The left cave guardian asked his colleague. ''He is nosy, yes. And I''m willing to bet that he already knows the answer to his question, he just wants it toe from us so that he could express his honest thoughts. How troublesome!'' The right cave guardian replied. ''...so, is that a yes?'' ''Yeah, go ahead. If shit hits the fan, we report this to Thirdy.'' "That''s what the sensor reported so yes, he did." The left cave guardian replied. "Is that so?" The guy smiled in amusement, making the guardians feel greatly ufortable. "I don''t know about you but I highly doubt that." The right cave guardian sneered in contempt after hearing his words. "Yeah, of course you would. We''re not surprised in the slightest." The guy''s expression turned weird after hearing that. He then asked: "What''s that supposed to mean?" "I don''t know. Why don''t you tell me?" The right cave guardian retorted. There''s even a trace of provocation in his eyes. "I''m just being honest, though?" The guy tilted his head, looking a bit confused by the sudden animosity he was receiving. "As far as I could tell, that student is just at Tier 3, so how can he possibly reach the 1000-mile mark? Sure, he might have Sword Intent but we all experienced what it''s like to be in that cave. We know how challenging that depth was, so how can I possibly believe that a guy like him could reach that far?" "So you''re doubting the formation of the Sword Tempering Cave?" The left cave guardian asked. "My, no! How could I ever?" The guy exaggeratedly replied. "I''m just saying...something''s amiss with that...ssmate of ours, I think it''s best to investigate." "Ah, so you''re using him of cheating, then? My, isn''t that a serious usation? While your skepticism makes sense, are you prepared for the punishment that wille to you if he is proven innocent?" "I..." "You''re not just implicating that student, just so you know. In a way, you''re also doubting our capabilities." The right cave guardian supported his partner. "That''s like you telling us that the mechanisms of this cave sucks, making it possible for that kid to cheat. In extension, you''re also implying that we suck at our job because we never caught him cheating." The right cave guardian continued. "Again, your worries are sound and valid. We won''t take that away from you. But still, that is a serious usation. Are you confident with your ims? Because if you are, then let''s go ahead and report it. Come with us and say that to Instructor Uruk." "Just a fair warning though, if we were proven innocent despite your ims, you will be heavily punished for this, the lightest being expulsion from this ss. And oh, wouldn''t that be a shame?" The left cave guardian feigned pity. "Terrible, indeed. Imagine groveling for nearly three months straight just to get epted to this ss only to be kicked out because of some petty self-entitlement and false usations...yeesh, wouldn''t want to experience something like that." Their words cut deep to him, making his expression twisted. Unable to retort, the guy simply sneered and walked away, deciding to go to the depths of the cave instead of trying to justify himself. The guardians sneered after seeing him leave. "I really dislike that guy." "I, on the other hand, hate him." "Why did he even get epted? He''s too arrogant." "What can we do? Despite his arrogance and self-entitlement, there''s no denying that he''s incredibly talented." "...he''d most likely take his anger out to the kid. What should we do?" "Hah! Nothing!" The right cave guardian replied with a knowing smile. "If he thinks that Cedric is a pushover, then he''d be horribly mistaken." Chapter 129: Master Smith [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Smith Lv.100/100! (Sub) Level: Tier 3 - Lv.6 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.80, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.75 Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.101, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.17, Sage Arts Lv.60, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith''s Blessing (M), Repair (M) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 14, Failure Streak - 0 ** Tang! Tang! Tang! In his personal workshop, Cedric could be seen hammering away at a lump of metal. He''s wearing a sleeveless shirt with a leather apron on top. He also wore protective gear for his head and eyes, loose pants, and boots. Despite the high temperature of his surroundings caused by the billowing forge near him, Cedric wasn''t sweating at all. This is mostly due to his affinity with the fire element so he didn''t find it hot here. As he hammered away, his eyes glowed with razor-sharp focus. His senses were fully immersed in his work and each time he hit the lump of metal, he''d receive feedback from it, allowing him to judge how well he was doing. Even without any measuring equipment, Cedric could tell how hot the metal was. He could also see the areas that needed his attention and care. He knows how much impurities are still left on the metal he''s working on and he also knows when is the right moment to stop and the following steps after that. Tang! Tang! Tang! After hammering some more, the brilliance that the metal was releasing intensified. Cedric could feel the budding life within the depths of the metal so he focused even more. And then, as soon as hisst strikended, light exploded from the depths of the metal which momentarily blinded him. [Spirit Refinement,plete!] Cedric ignored the System''s report and hurriedly dropped the metal into the tub of quenching oil. He left it there for a minute or so before raising it to get a closer look. The previous metal lump has turned smooth. It was solid and heavy. It also releases a rainbow-colored glow when hit by the light. But beyond this, Cedric could feel the seed of vitality within the metal. It''s faint but it''s there. Smiling to himself, he whispered: "100% Purified Damascus Metal Bar, sessfully crafted. Happy Birthday, little one." As if replying to its creator, the metal bar released a soft buzzing that Cedric certainly did not miss. It felt gratifying for Cedric to see his creation attempting tomunicate with him. "System, rate my work please." [Beep!] [Spirit Refined Damascus Metal Bar] : Purity - 100% : Rarity - Tier 6 : Quality - 100% Overall Rating: S-rank ** "Nice." Cedric smiled to himself. "An S-Rank Tier 6 Metal was my first work as a Master Smith. Not bad at all." Not bad he says...if anybody were to discover his work, they''d probably smack him out of frustration. It had to be known that even for Master Smiths, forging a Spirit Refined Metal with a 100% and earning an S-rank rating from the System was close to impossible. Metal Refinement is divided into several stages; Normal Refinement, Hundred Refinement, Thousand Refinement, Spirit Refinement, and Divine Refinement. This process defines the purity, toughness, and efficiency of the metal. Even ordinary metals turn into something more using this method. And it is this very same process that allows Humanity to use their natural resources more efficiently. There are no Master Smiths who don''t know how to perform Spirit Refinement at the very least. However, those who could sessfully do it unfortunately belong to the minority. Even they have to put in the hours to hone their skills, and even then, their sess rate wouldn''t necessarily be stable. Cedric did all of this on his first try and deemed it ''not bad'', how can they not feel frustrated? However, Cedric''s just a different breed soparisons will always be unfair. "With this, I could safely say that it''s a waste for me to enroll in the ''Smithing'' ss. With my sub-ss maxing out, there''s little to nothing for me to learn there." Cedric sighed as he kept the metal bar in his Inventory. "Unfortunately, I can''t just drop the subject. That would be bad for my record even if I had a suitable excuse." Cedric shook his head, "I guess I''ll just endure it. The Instructor''s not bad anyway." In the Smithing ss, he met a man named Euclid Velmont - a short-statured guy due to him possessing the bloodline of a dwarf. However, despite his stout stature, he''s one hell of a taskmaster, a really strong one too. He could lift an entire forge with just a single hand. His hammer was at least 20x heavier than he was but he waved it around like it was some random stick. The guy was lively and amicable for the most part but whenever the ss was actually forging something, he became a taskmaster - the strict and no-nonsense type. Thanks to Cedric''s talent though, Euclid wasn''t too hard on him. In fact, he''s probably the most generous instructor out there since whenever he does something right, Cedric would receive 200 APs at minimum. Arge portion of the APs he saved so far came from Euclid''s ss, so you won''t hear himining. "Well, there''s that at least." Cedric hummed. "I''m a Master Scribe and a Master Smith now. I could do a lot from here on out and I could do more once I register for another Sub-ss." Since he maxed out his Smith Sub-ss, it''s time for him to choose another one. This time however, he didn''t need time to pick since he already knew what he was getting. "System, I choose ''Alchemist'' for my next Sub-ss." [Sub-ss changed to ¡ºAlchemist¡»!] ¡ºAlchemist¡» : Masters of the mystical and transformative arts, Alchemists wield the ancient craft of transmutation to reshape the very essence of matter. Whether turning base metals into gold, brewing elixirs of immortality, or crafting potions that defy thews of nature, Alchemists are adept at harnessing the secrets of the elements. This sub-ss blends science and sorcery, allowing practitioners to unlock the hidden potential within ordinary substances. With a mastery of sks, beakers, and arcane symbols, Alchemists navigate the delicate bnce between creation and destruction, seeking to unravel the secrets of the cosmos through the ancient science of alchemy. [Notice! Due to your Sub-ss, you received the respective ss-rted skills: Medical Knowledge, Essence Distition, Diagnostic Eye, and Vitality Infusion.] [Notice! The Passive Skill:¡ºMedical Knowledge¡»has been deemed redundant for the User due to the existence of the Passive Skill: ¡ºEducation¡». The former will be fused with thetter.] [Passive Skill: ¡ºEducation¡» leveled up to 102!] [Notice! The Active Skill: ¡ºDiagnostic Eye¡» has been deemed redundant for the User due to the existence of the Passive Skill: ¡ºSage''s Perception¡». The former will be fused to thetter.] [Notice! The Passive Skill: ¡ºSage''s Perception¡» cannot level up any further because it''s rated as a Unique Skill. To rectify this, the effect of the Active Skill: ¡ºDiagnostic Eye¡» will be added to the former and can be utilized to its fullest.] ¡ºEssence Distition (Lv.O/100)¡» : The Alchemist refines natural essences, distilling them into potent concoctions. These essences can be extracted from herbs, minerals, or magical flora, providing a variety of elixirs with effects ranging from healing to temporary enhancements. Essence Distition showcases the Alchemist''s skill in harnessing the intrinsic properties of the world around them. ¡ºVitality Infusion (Lv.0/100)¡» : Harnessing the life-giving properties of nature, the Medicinal Alchemist performs a Vitality Infusion. This skill allows the Alchemist to transfer vitality and resilience to a target, temporarily boosting their endurance and fortitude. Vitality Infusion is a key skill for supporting allies in the midst of battle, reinforcing the Medicinal Alchemist''s role as a healer and protector. ** "So, two out of the four Sub-ss rted skills I got were redundant, huh? Oh well, it''s not a loss for me anyway." Cedric mused as he felt the changes within him. The changes weren''t noticeable. In fact, if he weren''t paying attention he might''vepletely missed it altogether. The Medical Knowledge refreshed his memories about the things he already knew and added more to it. With time, he''d eventually discover everything it could offer even if he didn''t do anything. The same goes with the Diagnostic Eye. It essentially just gives him x-ray vision which also points out the possible causes of injuries and so on. With time, his body will adjust to this sensation and he''d be able to use its effect to the fullest. As for the Essence Distition and Vitality Infusion, they will need practice. However, he wasn''t thinking about enrolling in the Alchemy ss. He''d be fine on his own and this way, he could save up more AUs for future use or just in case he needs them. Chapter 130: Challenges A week passed since Cedric changed his Sub-ss to Alchemist. He attended his sses and learned as much as he could to improve himself even more. These days had been monotonous but he didn''t mind since the peace felt nice. As he was making his way back to the dorms, he noticed something was a little off. Frowning, he released his field of senses and discovered why he felt this way. ''Where''s everybody?'' Cedric asked himself as he saw the deserted rooms. Because of the difference in their schedules, it''s to be expected that some people will stay behind the dorms. Cedric has gotten used to this since their academic year began but right now, there''s nobody there. "Weird." Cedric slowed down in his tracks and opened his messages to see if he missed something. And as it turned out, he did. ** Captain_Chukles (11:34 pm): Hey guys! Instructor Orion told me earlier that tomorrow marks our first month at the Academy. Remember when he said that we could challenge each other to change the rankings? Well, we can start doing that tomorrow. He said that this already started on the 1st of this month but we were doing our Hell Dives so he postponed his reminders. Now that most of us cleared our task (at least the majority of us should be), we can begin with the challenges. The venue will be the Arcane Arena, the same one we used during the Freshmen Weing Party. If some of you are interested, just send an official challenge to your target. If the other party epts, you will be scheduled for a match. Sir Orion also said that the rankings will automatically update itself so we can do this on our own. Oh, each person could only issue a challenge 3 times and they cannot be used on the same person. Once that''s used up, you''d have to wait until the next one before challenging somebody again. epting a challenge however is limitless, so whether you want to go nuts or just do the bare minimum, depends on you. That''s all I have. Good night everybody! ** "...ah, I see. So it''s that time already huh?" Cedric mused to himself as he arrived at his dorm. To be fair, it''s his fault for ignoring the notifications from this chat however, it''s notpletely his fault, after all, he''s too focused on his activities. "I guess everyone''s at the arena right now, huh?" Blinking to himself, Cedric released his field of senses to its maximum, which reached all the way to the Arcane Arena. And just as he expected, they''re indeed there, and the matches are ongoing as well. As he ate some snacks, he returned his attention to his e-mails and discovered that, surprisingly, he received a challenge from his batchmates. "Oh?" Cedric raised a brow. He checked them out and saw that there were three people who challenged him. One was someone named Anton Frederick. "Anton Frederick." Cedric hummed to himself. "If I remember it correctly, he''s not someone from the Top 10. Let''s see...ah! He''s at the 30th ce." "Oh, I remember him. He''s the stupid guy who held himself back during the exam!" Cedric eximed. Cedric paid attention to the participants of the Entrance Exam so he had some memories of Anton. This guy hid most of his abilities during the Entrance Exam for some reason. His true strength wasn''t all that impressive, to be honest. It is nowhere near sufficient to reach the Top 10, yet he still hid it. Cedric wasn''t trying to be a hypocrite here since he too hid most of his strength, but he has a valid reason to do that. Plus, even with what little he disyed, he still managed to reach the 1st ce with a considerable gappared to the 2nd ce. Anton''s way of hiding his meager strength sounded ridiculous to him, and that''s the only reason why it made an impression on him. But well, he can''t judge too much since he doesn''t know the real reason behind Anton''s actions. As for the other two who challenged him, they''re none other than Isabe and Garrick. "Since I''m in the 1st ce, it wouldn''t make sense for me to challenge someone. After all, I only needed to defend my position and I could still enjoy these benefits." Paying attention to his field of senses briefly, he sighed and got up from his seat. "...but I can''t ignore these challenges either. Oh well, let''s how much they improved then." **** The Arcane Arena wasn''t that far from the Freshmen Dorm. It didn''t take long before Cedric himself arrived there. Since he already scouted the area before he even got here, he already knew where to go. Even if he didn''t, it wouldn''t matter since he has already been here before. His batchmates were so busy paying attention to the fight above that theypletely disregarded his presence. Not that Cedric mind that at all. He blended into his surroundings and found himself a seat to watch the matches. As expected, the battles were fierce. He could sense the determination to prove something from the participants. This was because some of them felt discontented about the current rankings. They worked hard during the entrance exams and their final ranking was a disappointment. They have no problems with the 1st to 3rd ce because the disparity was clear. Beyond that however, is what bothers them. They couldn''t express their opinions since they couldn''t challenge the decision of the Academy. But since they were given a chance to change that, of course they were eager to prove themselves. "Haaa!" "Take this!" "Fall, damn it!" "Yield for me!" Determined shouts and grunts echoed across the venue. Matches urred simultaneously since the Arena was big enough to amodate them. Cedric kept watching while remaining inauspicious. He smirked as he saw the improvement of his batchmates. Yeah, only a month passed since their matriction but their improvements were already impressive. One by one, the matches ended. Cedric noticed the shuffling of the current rankings. Those who won their match were only a handful so the changes weren''t drastic. The winners celebrated while the losers could onlyment their fate. Once most of the challenges were over, the energy within the arena dropped for a bit. Cedric smiled at this and decided to ept Anton''s challenge this time. ** Anton frowned as he waited. Most of the matches were already done and it''s starting to get boring. At the back of his mind, he wondered if that guy - Cedric, even saw his e-mail. He struck him as someone who has a one-track mind. He has been observing him, you see. Ever since Anton saw Cedric''s performance during the Entrance Exam, he already started paying attention to him. Anton didn''t do it like a stalker though, that''s just creepy. He did it from a distance and not obsessively because he had other things to do. Just like him, Anton could somehow tell that Cedric was holding back during the Entrance Exam as well as during his match at the Freshmen Weing Party. Surely he has his reasons, but Anton couldn''t help but be curious, just how much is he hiding? ''Did he even know that this is happening today? That guy...he''s such a busybody!'' Anton sighed inwardly. It was then that he suddenly received a notice from his System, telling him that his opponent epted his challenge and was now urging him to go up the arena. Anton was so surprised that he suddenly stood up. He looked everywhere but he couldn''t spot the guy at all. He felt confused and his system kept urging him to go up the arena. Grunting, he reluctantly does so. He went up the stage, feeling a bit anxious deep down. As soon as he got up and stood on the stage however, he shivered and suddenly sensed him. Seemingly materializing out of thin air, Cedric stood before him, staring straight at his soul, causing a shiver to run down his spine. Unknowingly, Anton started sweating. ''Shit, what the fuck was I thinking?'' He thought to himself. Nevertheless, it''s toote for regrets now. He''s already in for this ride and there''s no going back. He took a deep breath and assumed a stance while measuring Cedric''s nd reaction. ''It feels like I''m being stared at by an ancient beast. I can''t afford to hold back here.'' Anton told himself. The countdown for the match echoed in his ears and Anton mentally prepared himself. He released his full strength, surprising most of his batchmates but not Cedric. His opponent didn''t look fazed at all. He didn''t even take out his weapon, which displeased Anton since he felt like his foe was looking down on him too much. ''I''m really curious if you had the strength to back up yourcency.'' Anton thought to himself. ''3...2...1! FIGHT!'' "RAAAAGGH!!!" With a mighty shout, Anton put his everything into his strike. Everything started slowing down for him because of his sharp focus. It''s because of this state that Anton saw it clearer than anybody else. Cedric waited until he was close enough before bringing his hands together to...p. Pa! After that, Anton could only recall being in pain before passing out. Chapter 131: Frozen Princess (Edited) ''Oh, look at that, it worked!'' Cedric blinked as he saw what happened to Anton. To be fair, he wasn''t sure that it would end up like this. He was just trying something out and it seeded...somehow, at the expense of Anton''s well-being but that''s to be expected, after all this is a fight. [Notice! Skill: ¡ºDispel¡» learned.] Yes, Cedric tried using Dispel through pping and it worked. Typically, he needs a medium like a wand, orb, or a staff to cast a spell. Additionally, one needs to chant an aria to do so. Of course, there are ways to bypass those requirements; such as having perfect control over mana, Ki in Cedric''s case, or having aplete understanding of the spell. ¡ºDispel¡» is Magic and usually needs mana to cast. However, there are ways to work around it, otherwise, how could Cedric cast it when he doesn''t even have an ounce of mana in his body? Cedric, being the genius that he is, discovered this and found a rather unorthodox way to do so. He does feel a little bad for making Anton his test subject but hey, it worked! Luck yed a huge role but it still worked. And with Cedric''s memory and absurdly fast learning curve, he will master this in no time. ''Sorry, Dude. I didn''t mean it, but you asked for it.'' Cedric sighed inwardly as he saw his opponent being carried away to the infirmary. ''Still, he''s a bit impressive. I reckon that he raised his strength from Tier 3 Lv.7 to Tier 4 Lv.5 when he decided to go all out.'' Unfortunately for Anton however, Cedric''s ¡ºDispel¡» was the perfect counter for him. Well, who could''ve thought that Anton would go all out and use his strongest skill at the very start of the match? Cedric did see iting, but at the same time, his using Dispel had a 50% chance of failing so the fight could''ve ended a bit differently. However, he seeded so...lucky? ''I still don''t know why he''s hiding that much but meh...I don''t particrly care. It''s my business anyway.'' He''s also aware of the stares he''s receiving from his fellow freshmen but he decided to ignore them. This isn''t the first time, nor would be thest. It''s annoying but he could only get used to it. Since he already defeated Anton, he could move on to his next match. He barely used any energy to defeat Anton, and even if he did, he already recovered it by now. He''s still good to go so he decided to ept the next challenge, this oneing from Isabe herself. ** From the audience, Isabe sat in a lone corner, watching as her batchmatespeted with each other. She epted challenges earlier and defeated everyone who thought they could rece her. However, for the most part, Isabe wasn''t really concerned about the rest. Her focus is on the sole person she challenged, and that''s Cedric. If she told anybody that she lost some sleep because of this man...a man, they''d most likely react as if the world was ending. Really? The ever-so-distant and frigid ''Frozen Princess'' lost sleep because of a man? How could anybody believe it? However, it''s the truth but not in the way others think... She just doesn''t get it...how he''s so strong. He''s Tier 3 just like them. Sure, he might have some fortunate encounters and so on, but in a ce that''s deemed as a hub of geniuses, who didn''t? Everyone''s entitled to their secrets of course, but Isabe was just bothered by Cedric''s...existence. She could feel it...almost certain of it, that he hadn''t even disyed half of his true abilities. Cedric was far...far stronger than he lets on. However, just like what was mentioned earlier, he''s only at Tier 3, how is that possible? How did he train? Was his luck truly that good? How was he able to squeeze out so much strength and still remain at Tier 3? It doesn''t make sense to her. More importantly, what really sets Cedric apart from other geniuses she met is that this guy remained...reasonable, despite his overwhelming strength. What she means is that Cedric, at the very least, was still humble. She could name at least 10 people who wouldn''t hesitate to throw their weight around if they had that kind of strength. But Cedric didn''t do so. Instead, he resolutely pushed on. In the ss she shared with him, Cedric excelled. Their instructor, Michael, had nothing but praise for his performance. Isabe could even tell that Cedric had nothing to learn in that ss anymore since he already learned everything on his own. Yet, he still attends the ss, he still participates in activities and more importantly, he keeps on finding ways to improve himself despite being this powerful already. The best/worst part about this? It''s working. Isabe could tell that much. Comparing herself to Cedric makes her feel...inadequate. Isabe doesn''t understand why he pushes himself so hard. He''s an enigma and he makes her ufortable. ...add the fact that he also acts as if she doesn''t ever see her, makes her feel even more ufortable. As a Spellcaster, Isabe recognized what he did to Anton earlier, and wasn''t that just an eye-opener? Great, now the guy turns out to be so excellent that he can cast magic despite not having mana. And the fact that she caught Cedric looking surprised by what he did just makes it even worse. ''Just how far ahead is he?'' She frustratingly asked inwardly. [Beep!] Isabe woke up from her stupor and received a message urging her toe up the stage. To her surprise, Cedric epted her challenge right then and there. She looked at him and saw that he was just zoning out as he waited for her. Wasn''t the normal reaction for him to at least look at her? Isabe refuses to believe that he didn''t know where she was, so why wasn''t he looking? Somehow, she felt upset by that. Huffing to herself, she stood up and marched towards the stage. Her gaze locked on Cedric''s frame - who''s still not looking at her, by the way. Even as she arrived in front of him, Cedric was still zoning out. The countdown for the start of the match already started but he''s still zoning out. Irritation crept up to her heart as she saw this. She doesn''t know she''s so upset by this but she does know that she doesn''t like this at all. Thus, to vent out her frustrations, she conjured severalpressed ciers above her. She didn''t hold back because she knew that Cedric could take it. Besides, she wanted this match to happen. She wants to see just how far ahead Cedric is and to do that, she needs to show some sincerity. ''3...2...1! Fight!'' Woosh! As soon as the countdown ended, Isabeunched her attack. Ice crackled around her and a freezing cloud erupted from her body. She saw Cedric finally reacting, but instead of looking at her, his attention was on her attack instead. Due to her focus, Isabe entered a state where time seemed to slow down. She saw, in clear detail, how Cedric''s eyes looked at her attack; calmly analyzing it, and seemingly getting bored by how slow it was. She saw how Cedric merely tilted his head to evade her attack. Not minding the formation of ice exploding behind him at all. If she wasn''t paying attention at all, she would''ve missed it. But Cedric flicked a finger andunched a small plume of fire towards the ice formation behind him. To her surprise, she felt the heat contained by that tiny plume of fire and was astonished. With her affinity with Ice, a fire of that size shouldn''t even make her feel anything yet when Cedric does it, it''s somehow different. Then, she saw how the massive ice formation behind him melted like snow under the summer''s heat as soon as the plume of fire made contact with it. The fact that he was able to do something like that so effortlessly caused Isabe''s worldview to be shaken. ''I spent a decent chunk of my mana to cast that spell, I also did it at my top speed yet he dodged it like it was some randomly thrown pebble and melted it with ordinary fire?'' ''Sure, his temperature control is phenomenal, but to do it so effortlessly like that...and only spend a drop of his Ki to do so?'' ''What kind of monster am I up against?'' Isabe was truly shaken by his disy of skill. Unknowingly, the Frozen Princess started sweating nervously. Her thoughts raced, nearly forgetting that she was in the middle of a fight. Still, she recovered pretty fast at least, andunched her follow-up attack. She stomped forward, casting a spell where ice crept up in a cone shape toward Cedric. Yet to her overwhelming surprise, as if predicting her next move, Cedric did the same. The only difference was, instead of Ice, Cedric did it with mes. The sh of the elements caused a steam cloud to erupt, covering both the participants. With this obstruction, the audience could only groan because they couldn''t tell what was happening anymore. Chapter 132: Bitter Loss Despite the smoke obscuring their vision, both Isabe and Cedric''s senses were sharp enough to see through it so this didn''t impede them at all. For what''s worth, Isabe was doing her best. She was already aware of the gap between him and Cedric, and she also knows that there is a high chance that she will lose here, but she didn''t want this to be an easy win for Cedric, she''d be damned if she didn''t make him work for it. ''Frozen Cloud!'' She eximed inwardly, casting another spell that thickened the fog around the arena even more. This spell was harmless for the most part. Its only effect is that it lowers the temperature of her surroundings quickly. That said, the low temperature makes it easier for her to cast her other spells so in a sense, Frozen Cloud could be considered as a support spell as well. ''cial Spear'' was the next spell she used. She poured a lot of her mana into this spell, increasing its lethality overall. And just for further assurance, Isabe also used a spell called ''Blooming Ice Field'', which caused the entire area to be covered in ice shards. It''s clear that Isabe wants to turn this field into her advantage. By lowering the temperature severely and covering the entire field with ice, she''s making Cedric vulnerable to her attacks. And this is a good n, nobody would take that away from her. Unfortunately, she missed something that should''ve been obvious. Something that she has noticed earlier but somehow forgotten by now due to the mounting pressure being exerted on her. ...Cedric was leagues better than her when it came to Elemental Control despite not being a Spellcaster... Fwoosh! The sound of a loud ignition shocked her. It was followed by a rapid and rming increase in temperature. Vermillion mes billowed on Cedric''s body, shaped like a lion''s mane. The smoke cleared and the audience finally saw what was happening. Despite its size, the heat of Cedric''s mes could be felt all over the arena, those who were close to it could also feel the rising heat of these mes. The spells Isabe painstakingly set up to give her an edge, evaporated to nothing under the heat of Cedric''s mes. The worst part is that, Isabe could feel herself weakening too due to the sheer suppression of the Fire Element. This shouldn''t have been the case normally. Ice should be a tad bit strongerpared to fire. The reason why Cedric was able to do this is because of sheer skill; his control and understanding of the fire element greatly surpassed Isabe''s, and it brought them to this oue. ''Damn it!'' Isabe cursed inwardly. She tried resisting the heat but she couldn''t. Her Ice waspletely suppressed by Cedric''s mes. And as if things couldn''t get worse, Cedric wasn''t done just yet. Without moving even a single muscle, the ming lion''s mane on his body followed his will. It left his body and turned into arge fireball hovering above him. The moment it formed, the temperature rose even higher than before. It''s as if Cedric just made a miniature sun without any effort. The audience felt the sheer heat radiating from that mini-sun even from a distance. Even the older students who happened to be around and stayed due to curiosity were shocked by Cedric''s sheer skill. And if you think they had it worse, how do you think Isabe feels, being this close to it? Despair gripped her heart along with a strong sense of defeat. She has never been outssed like this before. It usually happens the other way around. Unfortunately, she met Cedric. His sheer skills and talent made her feel so...inadequate. Like she''s been wasting her time all her life which couldn''t be any further from the truth. Again, this usually happens the other way around for her. And whether she''d be willing to admit it or not, it has gotten in her head. How can it not when she practically grew up hearing it? This couldn''t be med entirely on her. But it''s precisely because of that, that this...''humbling'' experience hurts even more. ''Am I really this helpless against him?'' She asked despairingly to herself as she felt weakness iming her. ''Am I not even worthy for him to draw his sword?'' "Please understand where your current limit lies, Lady Frostwind." Cedric''s voice shook her out of her dark thoughts, causing her to be momentarily dazed. "I don''t want to hurt you any more than this." He continued while cidly looking at her eyes. His words cut deep into her, causing her to feel even more weak and vulnerable. She hated this feeling like no other yet she couldn''t do anything about it. This is the first time that she has ever been this helpless against a peer. The adults obviously don''t count since they have lived longer than her. Not even Garrick made her feel this way. Biting her lips in frustration, she let out a defeated sigh and dropped her guard, saying: "I admit defeat." Those words taste bitter for her. It felt so frustrating to be this weak and helpless against somebody. As soon as she admitted her loss, the heat dissipated almost immediately. The audience couldn''t help but notice that the ground beneath Cedric had been charred like no other. However, it''s already recovering due to the special enchantment of the arena. Feeling embarrassed to stay even for a second longer in this ce, Isabe left the arena. Fortunately, she''s wearing a veil that hid her features, otherwise people would''ve seen her forlorn expression, mirroring the despair she felt in her heart. As she made her way out of the venue, she couldn''t help but feel as if she was doing a walk of shame. Despite this, she maintained her dignity. It wouldn''t be toote to let out her frustrationster when she''s in the safety of her room anyway. Unbeknownst to her, her veil failed to protect her from Cedric''s senses. Meaning he knew what she felt and had seen her defeated expression. Inwardly, he felt guilty. He thought that he might''ve bullied her a little too much. And while that might hold some truth, in a way, he''s notpletely at fault here. This was apetition. It was normal that someone would win while the other would lose. Cedric was just defending his title. Besides, life''s been too good for that girl. She was blessed right at the very beginning; she''s talented, and she received care from strong people in the form of training and resources. She''s admired by many people and made a name for herself. It''s clear that she hasn''t faced enough setbacks to bnce her life. Sure, she might''ve experienced her fair share of struggles and difficulties, but none of it truly threatened her before and as a result, she grewcent. ''If only she knew just how much untapped potential she truly has...'' Cedric shook his head inwardly. Like what was mentioned earlier, life''s been a little too good for Isabe, andfort breedscency. In hindsight, Cedric has the means to break herpletely. If he had truly wanted to do so, he could. However, this isn''t something that he wants to do. Cedric''s no fool. Even though he wants to help her realize her true potential, he''s unqualified to do so. He also doesn''t want to be an instrument for her character development. All he can do is to be what he is for the rest as well...a wall so high that it makes them feel helpless. It''s not his intention to be mean by doing this, he only hopes that his presence could viewed as an encouragement instead. Because if he could reach this stage simply because of a simple stroke of luck, imagine what they could reach with their innate blessings. Shaking his head, Cedric stopped concerning himself about Isabe''s feelings. Whether she bounces back from this or not would only depend on her. Since he won the match against her, there''s only a single challenge left for him to answer and he could be done with this. Summoning the System Interface, he epted Garrick''s challenge and waited. Boom! The arena suddenly shook from the impact. Cedric couldn''t help by roll his eyes at the antics of his next opponent. Despite not looking, he knew what Garrick did. The dude jumped from his seat in the audience and got up the stage in this bombastic method. A little excessive if you ask him but well...everybody had their weird quirks so he can''tin. Looking ndly at his opponent, Cedric winced ever so slightly when he saw how pumped Garrick was looking. The sheer fighting spirit he was exuding was...jarring, to say the least. ''A battle junkie...I should''ve realized it sooner. Oh, boy.'' Cedric whined inwardly. And he wasn''t wrong. Garrick was certainly looking forward to this, evident with how he wore his armor and held his great axe. As soon as the countdown began, he was already releasing his aura. Cedric saw how his muscles coiled as he gathered force around them. A sigh escaped his lips as the countdown continued. ''3...2...1! Fight!'' "LET''S FUCKING GOOOO!!!" Chapter 133: Nuts ** ''This guy''s fucking nuts!'' That''s the general consensus of the audience when they heard Garrick''s battle cry. He wasn''t emitting any killing intent, just pure aggression, making a handful of people think that, at the very least, he still has a little bit of his sanity left. That said, just because there''s no intent to kill, doesn''t mean that there wasn''t one to hurt. ...well, that''s Garrick''s goal at least...to hurt Cedric. This is the first time that Garrick faced Cedric in a battle and he had been patiently waiting for this. Since the Entrance Exam, he already wants to fight him just for the sole reason of measuring the gap between the two of them. Unlike Isabe, Garrick had no qualms about losing since he was used to it. He''s always been like this... aggressive and brash, and it put him in numerous disadvantageous positions before so he''s not a stranger to setbacks. For Garrick, losing is part of life and one couldn''t expect to escape it. He also couldn''t imagine winning all the time since wouldn''t that be boring? There''s no thrill when there''s nobody that dares to cross you anymore. Garrick obviously knows that the gap between him and Cedric is just getting bigger with each passing day. However, this was no problem to him since he understands that there will always be someone better. Frankly, facing someone of Cedric''s caliber makes him excited because just like Isabe, he''s usually the one who excels and receives praise because of his luck in the ss and talent lottery. But then, Cedric appeared. Compared to him, even the likes of Garrick looked ordinary. But instead of feeling vexed or stifled by the sheer difference between the two of them, Garrick was even more pumped by this challenge. Boom! Garrick crossed the distance between them in no time and with a mighty swing, he hacked Cedric with his great axe. But of course it''s not going to be that easy. Before he could even see what happened, Garrick already felt it. The sensation of hitting something extremely sturdy and solid. When the smoke cleared, he saw to his shock that Cedric received his blow with bare hands. Gasps could be heard from the audience because of this ridiculous disy but the contenders didn''t pay any attention to it. Garrick yanked his axe and was relieved to retrieve it. He wasn''t fooled, of course, he knew that if Cedric truly wanted to, he could''ve held to the axe, effectively disarming him. ''Just like I thought...his control of his Ki was phenomenal. Even a simple reinforcement practically bes a divine skill.'' Garrick judged inwardly. He knew what that disy entailed, but again he wasn''t deterred. He''s already aware that Cedric''s obscenely strong and he wasn''t the slightest bit offended that the guy was taking it easy on him. After retreating briefly, Garrick charged again at his top speed, performing an overhead strike at Cedric. At the peak of his strength, lightning struck his axe, empowering his attack and boosting its speed... "Lightning Strike!" Boom! Despite the sudden increase in force and speed, Cedric wasn''t affected. He calmly leaned to the side, causing the attack topletely miss. He then borrowed the momentum of his movement to spin and get into a striking distance towards Garrick. Garrick obviously saw thising but he alreadymitted to his attack and was wide open to receive one. His instincts told him that he needed to dodge what wasing next so he let go of his axe to evade, however it was already toote. Gahck!! Cedric embedded his fist deep into his stomach. The force of his attack caused Garrick to be hefted a could inches off the ground. Garrick felt this blow strongly despite his boasted Divine Physique. He even felt the oscition of the force dispersing on his organs. This was when his instincts screamed at him again to dodge. As it turns out, Cedric was about tounch another attack. This time, his target was his temples. Instead of dodging however, Garrick blocked it since he''s already toote. By doing this, he was able to cushion the impact of the blow. He still felt dizzy but he knows that this could''ve been worse if he failed to react to it. Garrick retreated and took a deep breath without breaking eye contact with his enemy. Inwardly he thought: ''He could''ve ended the match right then and there.'' ''This guy hasn''t evenbined his elemental excellence with his attacks, not to mention his sword. He allowed me to retreat, that''s for sure. After all, if he truly didn''t want to, he could''ve used his speed to wallop me nonstop and I wouldn''t have been able to resist. He''s faster than me after all, and not by a small margin too. I imagine that he''s already faster now after a month of diligent training.'' Cedric''s diligence was one of the traits that Garrick liked about Cedric. Sure, he doesn''t know everything that''s going on in Cedric''s life but he does know that Cedric hasn''t cked off ever since arriving here. The guy leaves early and returnste during weekdays. Even then, he only returns to his dorm to rest or rx with his women for a bit before doing this all over again. Cedric never boasted about his abilities nor threw his weight around. He silently trained and increased his strength, not bothering to waste his time on things that were not his priority. The stomach-churning blow he received was still painful. It caused him to cough out blood but wasn''t enough to put him down. Wiping the wisps of blood from his mouth, he held out his hand and called his axe to return to his hands, which it did. His fighting strength then billowed once more, he mmed the edge of his axe on the arena''s floor and a bright sh of light suddenly emerged from one end of the arena to the other. "Earth Cleave!" Garrick roared as he gripped his axe and yanked it back forcefully. It was then followed by a deep gash that almost split the arena in half and arge explosion. "Tch." Garrick was unsatisfied. Obviously, it''s because that did nothing to Cedric - who simply hopped to the side, creating enough distance to not get hurt by his attack. Hefting his axe, Garrick grunted before starting to spin. He carried great momentum which generated strong currents of wind to revolve around him. His spinning got faster and faster until he turned into a tornado that was quickly approaching Cedric. This skill is called: ''Tornado Swing'', a physically demanding skill that no ordinary Tier 3 could cast. Because of Garrick''s Divine Physique though, he''s able to learn it and attain some level of mastery over it. Even as he was spinning so far, Garrick''s senses could see Cedric clearly. He saw the guy getting into a horse stance with an open palm stretched out. Garrick hated the fact that his instincts once again told him to dodge when he was fullymitted to his attack. But before he could get distracted, Cedric already responded to his attack. ''Ballistic Fist.'' There was no extravagance or unnecessary mour behind this technique. It was the simplest, most basic punch ording to martial arts. However, due to Cedric''s sheer mastery over the skill and phenomenal control over his strength and Ki, its effect reached a rather absurd level of strength. Pow! Boom! As Cedric''s fist reached its full length, the force he umted exploded like a whip. It''s as if he punched the sound barrier just then. The force it generatedpletely and utterly neutralized all of the momentum that Garrick''s Tornado Swing umted, rendering it useless. Garrick wasn''t hurt, but the fact that an attack of that caliber was so easily neutralized by a simple punch was a little too jarring for the aggressive dude. Gritting his teeth, Garrick was about tounch another attack but as he blinked, he was surprised to see that Cedric had already breached his space and was already in stance for another attack. That moment, Garrick felt the world slowing down and he was included in it. He could only watch as Cedric held his breath and punched him five times in his stomach at the same spot without a millimeter of difference. He did it so fast that Garrick almost thought that he must''ve been seeing things. But then, Cedric disappeared and was already back to where he was... The next thing he knew, he was hurt...like really badly. He copsed on the floor, feeling the sharp pain that made it difficult for him to breathe. He had to manually gasp to bring in air to his system. His mind was spinning and he almost vomited. He felt the pain echoing on his entire body and the dizziness was bing stronger. That''s thest thing that Garrick felt before he lost consciousness and his defeat was announced. As for the audience, the majority of them didn''t know what happened. A small handful only saw Cedric''s silhouette blinking and then his opponent copsed in pain. Cedric paid them no mind as he wasn''t inclined to exin himself. What''s clear is that he won this fight and he defended his position. And since he was done here, there was no reason to stay so he left. Chapter 134: Phantasmal Edge -- Tang! Tang! Tang! Within Cedric''s workspace, the sound of constant hammering echoed. Currently, Cedric is trying to create a sword. This isn''t his first time obviously, but this one''s a little bit special...that''s of course considering that he seeds in its creation. He felt no difort despite the scalding heat of the forge. His mind was focused on his craft. Each time he struck his hammer at the metal lump, he shaped it ording to the image he had in his mind. Due to his sharp senses, he could tell everything that was happening to the metal. He knows where to strike to get rid of the remaining impurities, he knows how much force he needs to exert to coax the metal into the shape he wants. He could also feel the resonance of energies dancing around him, seemingly anticipating the birth of a new creation, patiently awaiting until the process was finished to give it blessings. Cedric was so immersed in this state that even if a cmity happened at this moment, he wouldn''t notice it...well, maybe he would, but he wouldn''t care. Slowly but surely, with his constant effort and precise control over his strength, the metal gradually took the shape of a sword. The entire sword was three feet long with the de upying about 2 and a half feet of that, the rest was for the handle. Cedric used the [Spirit Refined Damascus Metal Bar] he created a few days ago for this sword, and as he continued with its creation, he could feel the innate spirituality of the sword maturing. The de was emitting a beautiful aurora curtain as he continued his work, which essentially means that he''s doing a phenomenal job at it. Fortunately, he already crafted the handle and the crossguard for this sword so he could just attach them when the time was right. And as he did so, the entire sword emitted an ever brighter light. Energy fluctuated around it, seemingly weing its birth. He could feel the attributes of the sword changing ordingly but he knows that his work is not yet done. After things calmed down, he held the sword and felt its exuberance. A smile formed on his lips as he put it on the table. He took out a quill and began etching Runic Symbols on the de with a clear-cut focus. This was the final stretch for this project and he doesn''t want it to fail. [Crafting sess! Congrattions, User Cedric! You made a Tier 6 Legendary ''Unnamed'' Sword. Would you like to view its attributes?] "I shall name you...''Phantasmal Edge''. And yes, System, I''d like to see its attributes." [Name registered. Disying Phantasmal Edge''s attributes...] [Phantasmal Edge (T6 - Legendary)] : A sword created by a prodigious Master Smith using Spirit Refined Damascus Alloy for the de, Elder Wood wrapped in T5 - Refined Leather for the handle, and carved with Phantasm Runic Array to elevate its overall quality. Perks: ? Perfect Energy Conductor - whoever owns this sword shall never experience any difficulties with Energy Infusion. This perk also increases all skill/spell/technique''s might by 100% if this item was used to cast them. ? Spiritual Embryo - the creator of this sword attained exceedingly high achievements in Spirit Refinement that this Sword was able to condense a Spiritual Embryo. The lucky person who bonds with this sword should nourish this sword for this embryo to turn into a ''Sword Spirit''. ? Phantasmal Siege (Active) - if the user wills it, this sword could give them the ability to release 9 Phantasmal Clones. Each clone possesses 75% of the User''s overall strength and is incredibly lifelike. The clones are all mentally linked to the user, allowing them to use the clones ording to their needs. ** Whistles! "My, aren''t you a beauty?" Cedric chuckled as he read the description of the sword. Of course, he felt ted right now. How could he not when he literally just created a Legendary-grade sword? Sure, it might only be Tier 6 but he''s willing to bet his appendix that even Tier 9 experts would be tempted by this sword. The fact that it has the Spiritual Embryo Perk is what really sells this thing. At first, this perk doesn''t do anything. But once the user of this sword reaches a deep bond with it and the perk evolves, the might of this sword will sharply increase. A sword that''s given birth to a Sword Spirit will be coveted like mad by many swordsmen out there. At that point, even Tier 9 experts would not hesitate to kill just to get this sword. A Sword Spirit remains loyal to its users even after their death. Additionally, their existence also doubles the might of the sword at its base while also giving a massive boost to the spell/skills/techniques used with it. It had to be known that only a handful of swords out there have this perk, which shows its rarity. The fact that Cedric managed to create one shortly after bing a Master Smith is a reflection of his skills. "...yes, yes, I know little one. It''s nice to meet you two. Unfortunately, I''m not destined to be your user." Buzz! "I know, I''m sorry. You see, I created you to empower my race as a whole. You''ll meet your Master soon and I hope that whoever they are, they take good care of you. Anyway, if they mistreat you, don''t hesitate to tell me and I''ll take you back, okay?" Buzz! Buzz! "Very good! Now, behave for a bit. I''ll make you some clothes." If an ordinary person were to witness Cedric talking to a sword, they might think he''s going insane. However, Smiths like him would rte to that deeply. Smiths and Master Smiths have an innately deep connection to the things they created. It''s normal for them to understand what they''re saying. With the excess material he has, Cedric crafted a scabbard for the Phantasmal Edge. It didn''t take long at all and once he put the sword in it, the little sentience within the sword immediately fell in love with it and proceeded to slumber. An endearing smile appeared on Cedric''s face as he felt this. He then kept the sword in his inventory for now. "I''ll sell itter after I create more stuff. I need more practice anyway." His achievements when ites to smithing were already high. That said, Cedric hardly felt that it was enough. You see, he''d been daydreaming a bit during these past couple of days. That gave him an idea of a really massive project that even he nearly deemed impossible to do, however the idea just won''t get out of his head. He tries not to think about it too much since he''s too weak to even start that project. However, since he knows that he isn''t like any ordinary Master Smiths out there, he thinks that there might be a small possibility that he could do it. That said, he needs experience...lots of it. That''s why he''s starting this now. He would also need arge capital for this project, and while he earns a lot thanks to his Hell Dives, the amount he umted so far wasn''t nearly enough to even begin with the project. So, he ns on making a lot of stuff to not only increase his mastery of his skills but also umte enough capital to fund the project he had in mind. As for the specifics, that will be revealed in the future. For now, he must increase his strength and his mastery over his skills, not just in smithing but also in Symbols and Alchemy. He will need as much knowledge as he can to ensure his sess. "I''ll shop for Smithing materials tomorrow for my next craft." He muttered to himself as he made out of his way from the workshop. "Hmm, what should I do next? A spear? Bow? Axe? Shield?" Cedric shook his head and decided to drop the subject. He''ll just decide depending on the material that catches his attention. For now, he''s a bit spent so he''d like to rest. Making his way to the kitchen, he cooked something to eat and showered to clean himself. After resting for a while, he tuned in to the system to see if he missed something...turns out he didn''t, but he was annoyed by the ring amount of alerts that had umted on hisms. "Whoever shared my number, I hope your pillows are hot on both sides each time you use them. I hope your food always tastes nd. And I hope that you trip on your way to your ss!" 2745...that''s how many private messages he received, and this isn''t including the other ways that these people used to reach out to him. Since his anonymity was already gone, he had no choice but to make his ount public. Even then, he explicitly wrote on his profile that he was not interested in whatever they wanted to say. A bit rude yes, but that''s who he is. Unfortunately, that didn''t really stop those obnoxious people from chasing after him. Sighing as he rested on his couch, he muttered: "At least it''s only this much and they don''t dare to harass me in public." "..." "Fuck! Please tell me I didn''t just jinx myself!?" Chapter 135: Senior Ranking Matches -- Days passed and Cedric continued with his routine. He''s steadily gaining strength, focusing on training, and taking advantage of his talents. However today, there is a special asion... "Cedric! Over here!" ncing in the direction of the voice, Cedric smiled when he saw Erica and Chrissy waving at him before making his way towards them. "Hey, girls. How are you?" He asked before sitting between them. "Just dandy, Handsome. How about you?" Chrissy replied and Erica seemed to feel the same. "Not so bad. A little bit bored these past few days but not that terrible." He said as he made himselffortable. "Well, it''s a good thing you showed up then. Things are bound to get really exciting once it starts." Erica chuckled as she leaned slightly towards him. "Oh? I look forward to it then." Despite having a facemask, Erica and Chrissy could tell that he was smiling fondly at them, which made them feel a little flustered. After all, they''ve seen his face before and almost already memorized it. That doesn''t mean they''re used to it though since Cedric''s really charming. "Good to know that neither of you is feeling nervous about this event. Here I thought you''d need a shoulder to lean on." Cedric yfully teased, causing them tough. "Oh my, I''m suddenly feeling nervous then. What shall I do?" As usual, Chrissy wasn''t one to back down when it came to flirting. It''s in her nature as Cedric learned. Shaking his head fondly, he obviously didn''t mind this side of her. "Anyway, do you two n on climbing the ranks this time?" He asked. "...that has always been the n. Sadly, the gap between us and those guys only widened ever since. At this point, I''m just happy that we could still keep our positions." Erica grumbled. "They''ve been granted a lot of resources. They''re also really ambitious and trained hard. It''d be nice if we could defeat them and rise through the rankings but I''m also okay if I could keep my current position." Chrissy stated, agreeing with Erica''s words. Cedric nodded at this. Even with his limited experience in this academy, he could imagine the truth behind their words. For context''s sake; today, the girls invited him to watch their Ranking Matches - the same one that his batch went through a couple of days ago. The difference is that, this one is for Senior Students like the girls, so the risks and rewards are much higher. "Oy! Erica, Chrissy! It''s been a whi--" His musings were interrupted by a sudden voice calling out to the girls beside him. It came from a guy who had short ck hair and a pale skin tone. What made asting impression on Cedric was the obscene amount of piercings he had. "Oh! Well hello there, Mr. Neighbor!" The man greeted him in a teasing manner while looking at the girls. "I didn''t know that you already tamed our tom-- urk!" With a speed that could almost give him a run for his money, Erica somehow closed the distance between her and the new arrival, nting her fist solidly at his guts, causing him to copse on the ground. "Y-you know...doing that doesn''t...help with your...nickname!" The man gasped in between his words, smiling despite the pain. "Shut up, Francis! I could do much worse if you don''t behave!" Erica sneered as she plopped back beside Cedric. ''Ah, I remember him now! He''s one of the people I saw back in her house. I''m guessing that he''s their teammate.'' Cedric recalled after looking at the guy''s face. "You really don''t learn, do you?" Chrissy regarded Francis with an exasperated look. "With how many times that happened to you, one would think that you''d stop and learn your lesson, but no...at this point I''m thinking that you like getting hurt cause why else would you keep doing this." "H-haha...hey now! Stop kink-shaming me..." "Ew..." Erica grimaced at her seat. Ignoring her remarks, Francis stood up and said: "Hey man, I hope you don''t mind. I''m our team''s resident clown, please don''t take anything I say seriously unless I say so. Right, my name''s Francis. Nice to meet you!" "Cedric. Likewise." He grinned and epted the handshake. "Ooh! What strong arms you got, you haverge fingers too. No wonder you can make these two very happy and satisfied." Francis winked at the girls. "Oh my god, shut the fuck up!" Erica snarled. "Hahahahaha!" Both Francis and Cedricughed at this. Erica red at the former while pouting at thetter. "Why are you even here? Last time I checked, you said you don''t like participating in these types of events because it''s troublesome?" Chrissy asked with a raised brow. "Oh, that''s simple! I''m here to bless you with my presence, what else?" Francis lifted his chin and looked really proud of his deration." "..." He was met with nd looks and silence though. "Tch. Killjoy." He snorted before sitting on the row of chairs beneath them. "I''m bored, that''s all. Captain suggested Ie to watch so I''m here." "Just say you were rejected by your flings and move on." Erica jabbed at him. "I did not!" Francis eximed in a scandalized manner. "Did to!" ''Did not!" "You totally did! Admit it!" "Alright, that''s enough you two." Chrissy interjected before the two started killing each other. "Me? Rejected? How naive!" Francis snorted right before deting in his seat. "They just have other things to do." "So you did get rejected." Erica sneered, gloating at his fate. "I said I didn''t!" "Kids, kids..." Another voice interrupted them, this time it wasn''t Chrissy or Cedric. It came from a rather burly man with a bald head walking towards them, nked by the rest of their team as Cedric guessed. "Cap! Still bald, I see." Erica greeted before giving the man a brief hug. "Hmph, mean brat!" The bald man snorted lightheartedly as he returned the hug. His eyes thennded on Cedric and said: "Nice to meet you, man. Name''s Elric, Captain of this team. Behind me is Darwin and Floyd." "Cedric. Nice to meet you all." He replied as he epted the handshake. Their handshake was firm and tight. Cedric felt the Captain exerting more force into it despite its briefness but it didn''t hurt him. Of course, Cedric responded in kind to this, tightening his grip as well. "Good grip, Young''un! As expected of the Freshman Anomaly." The Captain grinned before letting go. "That what now?" Cedric softly asked. "You heard him." Darwin replied after their handshake. "That''s what they''re calling you nowadays. You did break the tradition after all." "Tradition...you mean what happened at the weing party?" "That''s the one, though not just that." Floyd winked at him after exchanging a handshake. "Being 1st in the Freshman ranking brought a lot of attention to you. Don''t expect your skills to remain a secret here." Elric grinned as he sat beside Francis. The rest of the team also sat in the same row of seats. "...I see." Cedric nodded. Well, it''s not like he wasn''t expecting this to happen. He knew that he had gained a lot of attention because of his skills and talent, he just didn''t bother paying attention to the looks he was receiving. ''Still...this team''s quite bnced, huh?'' Cedric judged based on what he saw so far. Elric should be at Tier 9 at the very least. Even though he''s keeping his strength contained, it could not fool Cedric''s senses. ''Come to think of it, this is the first time I met a genuine Tier 9 up close. The previous ones I only saw through TV or online broadcasts.'' Cedric mused to him. Because of Elric''s physique and strength, he should be the frontline of this group. He''s even more convinced after seeing the numerous scars he''s hiding underneath his clothes. Floyd should be one of the ranged damage dealers, it''s kind of obvious since he had a bow slung behind him. Darwin should be their mage due to the abundant mana he sensed in him. Francis should be a scout. Despite calling himself the team''s clown, Cedric could tell that the guy was subtly paying attention to his surroundings. His legs are also more toned than the rest of his physique. As for Chrissy, she should also be a mage but one that deals exotic damage. He heard that they call her the ''Venomous Mistress'' for some reason. That might have something to do with it but Cedric''s not sure since he never asked for fear of overstepping his boundaries. He''s waiting for her to tell him instead. The same goes for Erica. However, they call her the ''Violent Saint''. The ''Violent'' part, he could somehow understand because of her rather brash personality. As for the ''Saint'' part, well she should be the support of the group...the White Mage per se. This team is one of the Outer World Exploration Teams (OWET), as learned in the past, and he could tell that they''ve been together for a long time because of their tight-knit rtionship. Each person in this team was talented in their own right. ''And this is just this team alone...this doesn''t include the rest of the Senior Student body. Truly, this academy is the hub of geniuses.'' Chapter 136: Might of Laws -- The ranking matches of the Senior Students began, and it started as explosively as it could get. Boom! They didn''t hold back at all. Each contender was determined to climb the rankings to receive more resources. The arena was then filled with shing lights and explosions that could be felt even at the seat of the audience. A lot was going on so it''s a bit hard to choose where to focus. But this is just the start though...the preliminaries if you will... None from the Top 10 of the Senior Student Rankings got up yet, which means that whatever''s happening is just a warm-up before the real deal. Cedric watched the matches attentively while his seatmates looked bored. It couldn''t be helped, after all they were used to this since it happens monthly. Unlike them though, Cedric was learning by watching. Despite being in a league of his own, Cedric knew that he still had a long way to go. He''s merely Tier 3 for crying out loud. Sure he could fight enemies above his tier but that doesn''t apply to everybody. The Starlight Royal Academy is the hub of geniuses all over the continent. Tier-surpassing geniuses were amon sight here so Cedric wasn''t special. This applies more profoundly to Senior Students. ''...I see, so that''s Laws, huh?'' Cedric mused as he watched the current matches. He has seen real mes erupting through sheer will alone. He sensed the difference between his fire and their fire. His fire was good, especially for someone of his Tier but it has nothing against the real intensity and profundity of Fire Laws. Ifparisons were to be made, then his fire would be akin to a candlelight against a real torch. Like he''s ying with matchsticks while they''remitting arson. There''s just nopeting with that. Thanks to the Book of Laws (which he now owns thanks to City Lord Reiner donating it to him), Cedric had an introduction to them. He already memorized the book''s contents from cover to cover but only now did he really see what they were like. Laws, as he understood it, was ''THE'' Force of Nature. The very concept that created the world as they knew it. The fundamental forces that make up the creation itself. It''s a profound subject that one could easily get lost in. Getting in touch with it could take ages, especially since luck is also involved in that, and this isn''t even mentioning the time it''d take for someone toprehend a single facet of it. Still, if someone was fortunate enough toprehend even a fraction of a specific Law, their power would truly ascend to a whole new level. And in this world, if you want to reach the heights where the real experts are at, then the might of Laws is necessary. Aside from Fire Laws, he also witnessed Water, Earth, Wood, Wind, and etc. He even senses the usage of ''Conceptual Laws'' like: Fluidity, Stillness, Mirage, and so on... While Cedric does have an absurd level ofprehension, the subject of Laws remains a distant thing to him. Even if he''s curious to learn more about it, he can only wait until he reaches a certain threshold before doing so. Still, despite that being the case, he could still understand some nuances of Laws, specifically about wielding them. ''...Tiers don''t determine control of Laws. It''s about fortune andprehension.'' Fortune in the sense of gaining more enlightenment about a specific Law. Comprehension is self-exnatory. Because of this, it is quite possible for someone who''s technically weaker to defeat someone stronger. Again, a higher Tier doesn''t necessarily mean better controlprehension of Laws. With his exposure to Laws, his mind adapted to it,mitting the feeling into memory andter into his subconsciousness. This meant that now, Cedric would start sensing the usage of Laws within his field of senses. As he honed this particr skill, it might even reach a point where he coulde in contact with Laws in the future, which will help immensely when the timees that he''s ready for it. Taking a deep breath, Cedric closed his eyes briefly as he felt his senses adjusting to this new sensation. It didn''t take long nor was it painful. More importantly, it''ll be a work in progress. Something like this wouldn''t happen overnight. It will happen naturally though and he didn''t have to focus on it which was nice on its own. His musings were interrupted when he noticed Floyd getting up from his seat and making his way toward the arena. ''Oh? So he''s up next?'' Cedric assumed inwardly. "Finally, damn!" Francis swore as he adjusted his posture. "The boring matches are done, it''s time for the main course!" ''Floyd should be high up in the rankings then, if he said that.'' Cedric guessed. It would seem that he''s right. Unlike the previous setting where multiple matches were happening at the same time, when Floyd and his foe got up the stage, there were only the two of them. A sign that this was a special match. "Hmm?" Cedric hummed and raised a brow. Once they were there, Cedric sensed a sudden shift within the arena. It was brief and swift, he almost missed it, and he would had he not been paying attention. "...that''s a lot of arrays. Had I remained ignorant I would''ve thought that they were trying to seal those two forever in that ce." Cedric muttered softly. Cedric sensed, at least, 50 array formations scattered across the arena, and each one of those had at least millions of symbols in them...hence hisment. "Good catch." Francis apparently heard him and praised him. "You aren''t wrong though, technically at least. It''s more for ''Containment'' rather than ''Sealing'' to be exact." "A match with no holds barred could get...hectic and explosive." Erica added, "For safety''s sake, those arrays are there to contain the sh between them." "Yeah. That''s what I thought too." Cedric agreed. With that out of the way, the countdown started. The atmosphere became tense and the crowd was silenced. Floyd held his bow as his eyes sharpened with focus. His opponent summoned his weapon - a pair of knuckledusters. When the countdown ended, Floyd''s opponent promptly disappeared from his previous location. ''Fast!'' Cedric eximed inwardly. The guy''s speed greatly rmed Cedric, and that''s saying a lot. That said, this was normal since this guy was way stronger and older than him. However, despite being fast, Floyd was still much faster. Cedric was barely able to catch his movement but he could fill in the rest. Floyd leaned back, evading the punch aimed at his face. Borrowing the momentum of his action, he backflipped while kicking the other dude''s chin with enough force tounch him into the air. This part was blurry but Cedric guessed that Floyd must''ve attacked his opponent afterunching him into the air because the dude flew back. He then saw three projectiles pinning the other dude into the formation surrounding the arena. This is the part where they slowed down, allowing Cedric''s senses to catch up. Then, he saw Floyd with an arrow ready and aimed at his opponent''s head while thetter was struggling to get out of his predicament. It only took a couple of seconds of struggling before the dude sighed and admitted defeat. Floyd sighed and retracted his arrow. He then snapped his fingers and the arrows pinning his foe disappeared. The formation was released and Floyd made his way back to their aisle. ''A minute...that''s the duration of the entire match. A single fucking minute.'' Cedric was seriously awed. But thinking about it, this made sense. With how fast those two move, it''s quite possible for them to exchange dozens of moves within a single minute. And in a fight of that caliber, a single mistake could prove deadly. That match was a great example of that. The other dude''s n was sound and valid. Closing the distance against an archer was a wise move. Based on what Cedric was able to see though, the dude only lost because Floyd was much faster than him. Of course, they have other things that could''ve changed the oue of the fight but none of those were disyed so he could only reserve his judgment for that. What''s certain is that Floyd won because if this was a real fight, that dude would''ve gotten his head blown up as soon as Floyd counterattacked. ''But still...damn!'' Cedric swore in amazement inwardly. That fight might''ve been brief but it gave him a solid impression of what a real fight between experts is like. He could barely follow their movements. Heck, at some point, Floyd moved faster than he could even react. Which was normal of course...again, Cedric''s just a Tier 3 Superhuman. He''s abnormal, yes. But still a Tier 3. It would be extremely absurd if he was able to follow their movements closely. "Nice job, Man." - Darwin "Good work." - Captain Elric "You were so handsome just now. Blow me." - Francis, who received a smack from Floyd. As Floyd returned to his seat, Cedric couldn''t help but take a deep breath. Witnessing a fight of this caliber made him realize how much growing he still needs to do. He wasn''t intimidated though. If anything, this just motivates him even more. After all, he''s a monsterpared to these geniuses. Chapter 137: Verbal Beatdown -- Darwin''s match happened after Floyd''s and it ended just as quickly. His opponent was a Mage just like him, Darwin baited her by casting a fake spell, causing his foe to cast Dispel to interrupt him but since it was fake, Darwin used that chance to hit her with a mana-enhanced kick which didn''t count as a spell. His foe was dazed after the hit, and that''s when Darwin used the spell: ''Thorned Vines'' - to bind her and make her yield with at least five Magic Missiles aimed at her head. Just like Cedric, Floyd, and Darwin were just here to defend their position. They were challenged and won, allowing them to do just that. That''s why their battles were swift. Still, that doesn''t mean that they weren''t skilled. If anything, this disys their experience in stuff like this. "I''m up next." Cedric heard Erica say beside him. "Oh, good luck then." He said, patting her head a bit. He of course saw the way how he subtly preen at his words but decided to notment on it. With that, Erica made her way towards the stage to face her challenger. At the other side of the arena, he saw her challenger. It was a guy that''s not even bothering to hide his hate-filled stare towards him. "If looks could kill, I''d probably be dead already with how much that guy res at me. What''s his deal anyway?" Cedric asked Chrissy beside him. "Him? Hahahaha!" Chrissyughed merrily at his plight. "His name''s Sergio, Erica''s long-time suitor. ''Absolutely smitten at me since day one and a constant source of nuisance'' - Erica''s words, not mine. I don''t pity her though." "Ah, so that''s why." Cedric smiled wryly. "Yep. He''s been trying to get her attention for years yet failed, only for you to appear out of nowhere. He probably hates you the most right now." Chrissy continued. Cedric could only really smile wryly at that. Well, what can he say? Sucks to suck? It wasn''t his fault that he couldn''t score a girl. As the contenders met at the stage, they exchanged nces. Erica looked so done while the other guy was both appalled and angry with her tant apathy. "How could you, Erica? Wasn''t I enough? Have I not given you my everything? How can you do this to me?" The guy gnashed his teeth in anger and frustration. "Ew. Stop that. It''s gross." Erica grimaced. "You should really see a doctor, your delusions have be dangerous." Oh, the guy could hear his heart-shattering at her words. So crass, direct, and painful. She didn''t hold back at all. The majority of their audience couldn''t hear their conversation but a handful of them knew how to read lips. Of course, this includes Erica''s team and Cedric himself. "Kyahahahaha! Our Little Saint is still as vicious as ever!" Francis guffawed at his seat. The rest had varying expressions but it''s generally good. That said, Erica ran out of pity for him a long time ago. She has already been kind to him during the first few times he tried forcing his delusions on her. She kindly rejected him but the dude just won''t stop. At this point, she''s so tired of him already. And because he constantly chases after her, being a constant nuisance in her life, she doesn''t feel any kind of pity towards this guy. Not anymore. "But don''t you see it? That guy...he''s a bad influence on you! He''s a yboy! He didn''t just seduce you and corrupt you, he also extended his grimy paws towards Christina! Wake up, my love! He''s not the right man for you! I am!" Cue in puking sounds "..." "...welp, there goes my lunch, I guess." Erica sighed, wiping the corners of her mouth. She then ndly looked at her foe and said: "Look what you did. Shit. I should really find someone to stitch that mouth of yours. That way you can swallow all the bullshit that coulde out of it." ''That''s a bit...'' Cedricughed helplessly at the way Erica reacted to Sergio''s words. "Ooh, now he did it." Chrissy said in a sing-song tone. "He''s about to receive a soul-shattering verbal beatdown from our resident Violent Saint, and trust me he is not ready for it." "...it''s been a while since I saw that, this will be good." Francis chuckled as he leaned closer. Sergio grits his teeth at her tant disgust and dismissal of his feelings. Unfortunately for him, she wasn''t done yet. "And please, me? A saint? Being corrupted? Chrissy as well? You speak as if you don''t know us at all. Cedric might be an abnormal guy but he''s only Tier 3, what corruption do you think he could do to us?" "It''s the other way around actually." Erica sneered, "We corrupted him." ** "Yeah, that sounds about right. My man Cedric looked too innocent so it could only be-- ack!" Francis couldn''t finish whatever he was about to say since Chrissy kicked his seat and red at him. "Yes, I''ll shut up now." Francis pouted. ** "...!!" Sergio''s eyes bulged in shock. "Yes, you heard it right. Well, technically we didn''t do that but eh...semantics. Simply put, Chrissy and I seduced him. Not the other around. We''re both too pretty to be denied so he caved in and we''ve been happy since." Sergio looked as if his soul just left his body. He paled and shook his head, desperately trying to erase her words from her memory but couldn''t. And still, even after all this, Erica was still not yet done. "What can I say, he''s cooler and more handsome than you or any of my suitors so far. More importantly, he''s a gentleman...he knows how to treat ady, respects my space, doesn''t force me to do anything I don''t like, and genuinely cares about me, not just because I have big tits. He''s so much better than all of youbined." heart shattering sounds ** "Oooh, that poor thing." Floyd winced. "I can hear his heart breaking from all the way here." Darwin added. "Well, he was asking for it." Francis ndlymented. "Mn. That little shit''s obnoxious anyway." Elric nodded sagely in agreement. Meanwhile, Cedric felt flustered but he expertly hid it. Chrissy giggled at his side. ** "...no! No! I don''t believe it." "I don''t care." Erica sneered. "I never cared about you or what you think. Believe whatever you want to believe." Sergio was hyperventting at this point. "Hmm...what else? Aha! Yeah, he''s also very rich and generous. He''s a homeowner, has a car, and pampers the both of us a lot. I''m actually tempted to call him Sugar Daddy. Sadly, he doesn''t like it." "He''s also very smart and very strong. I mean, he perfected the Written Exams and was ranked 1st amongst the freshmen. A true Rookie Prodigy. His status is something that someone like you could only ever dream about." Cue in blood-coughing sounds ** "Damn! She''s not holding back!" Darwin was shocked. "Kyahaha. This is gold! Man, if this happens at every Ranking Matches, I would honestly prefer being rejected by my girls." Francismented. "So you did get rejected." Chrissy quipped. "Shut--!" ** "Stop this! This...this isn''t you!" "Oh? ''Stop'' you say? Uttering that word means that you understand what it means. But...huh? That''s strange. Why is it then when I''m the one who tells you that you don''t do it?" "Eh? That''s weird. We both mean the same thing and I''m pretty sure I told you to stop hundreds of times already. But did you do it? No, right? And somehow you''re expecting me to listen to you because ''you'' said it? Eh, that''s a bit unfair, no?" "You know that this isn''t helping your case, right? It just proves that I''m right so far...that Cedric is far better than you could ever be. Knowing that, why would I ever waste my time on you?" Erica scoffed. ** "Preach it, Babe!" Chrissy squealed right next to Cedric - who''s really red right now because of Erica''s indirectpliments. ''Shit, am I into this?'' Twitch ''...shit, I think I am.'' ** Sergio felt weak. He feels the world spinning around him. He couldn''t even refute her words. Looking at him, Erica just sneered and decided tounch the killing blow. "But do you know the best part about him, Sergio? Do you wanna know?" Dread filled Sergio''s heart. He felt a great sense of crisis that made him want to flee as far away from here as he could. However, he felt too weak to do so. "It''s his dick." Erica whispered softly at him. Sergio nked out for a moment there before he felt the world crashing down on him. He looked at her in disbelief but Erica wasn''t having it. "Yeah, you heard me. His dick is really amazing." Erica giggled, "It''s so big, hard, veiny...it reaches ces I never knew existed. It''s simply the best. What''s better is that, he knows how to use it. He always leaves us writhing in delight, leaking with his precious cream on his bed whenever we do it." "Honestly, I don''t think I could live without that anymore. Do you understand it now? Against him...you just couldn''tpare." Sufficed to say, that...ended the match right then and there. Chapter 138: Venomous Mistress Seeing her opponent faint stunned the audience. They didn''t understand what happened. All they saw was Erica saying a couple of sentences to him and then suddenly, he fainted, ending their ''match'' in a rather disappointing manner. However, those who were aware of what transpired weren''t shocked at all. If anything, they became even more wary of Erica. It seems that her reputation as the ''Violent Saint'' wasn''t just empty talk... Meanwhile, Erica felt a little bit proud of herself. Don''t get her wrong though, she never wanted to do that to Sergio but she has run out of options at this point. That idiot was pushy and Erica wanted him gone since the first week of his so-called ''courting''. That''s why she''s not sorry at all. She knows that she went too far, and this will seriously haunt Sergio or make him mad. It''s a pity that it has to reach this point but Erica has had enough of him. She felt brave and refreshed after what she did, a bit guilty but more relieved. As she made her way back to her seat however, she was somehow regretting her decisions, especially after seeing the teasing expressions of her team and Cedric''s admitted feigned nonchnt reaction. ''Geh...maybe I should''ve just beaten Sergio ck and blue. They''ll never let me stop teasing me about this. Shit!'' Erica''s scowl just added fuel to the fire it seems... "Yes, Mama! Look at you! Showing that man his ce. Oh, I''m so proud." Chrissy swooned as she returned to her seat. "As expected of the Violent Bitc-- ouch!" Erica would never allow Francis to finish those words. The rest of he pe teammates just gave her a teasing nce. And Cedric, well... "That was hot." Erica immediately gets flustered with that tant admittance. She wanted to melt in her seat because of his heated yet subdued side nce. "...didn''t know that mouth could do that, damn!" Cedric whispered to her. "That gives me a lot of ideas." Erica couldn''t endure his teasing so he pinched his thigh, but Cedric justughed it off. "Get a room, you two." Francis chimed in, snorting as he said this. "Not yet, I hope." Chrissy suddenly interjected, causing the two to look at her. "What? You two are leaving out of this? Come on, at least wait until I''m finished with my match." She giggled while standing up and making her way towards the arena. Right, it''s her turn next. Erica pouted and crossed her arms, sulking because she was being teased. Cedricughed and couldn''t help but kiss those pouty lips of her. He received a not-so-heated re from her but again, he justughed it off. Turning his attention to the stage, he saw that Chrissy''s opponent was also a girl. And from what he assumed so far, based on how the two eyed each other, they don''t seem to be very close. "Christina." "Miranda." Both girls acknowledged each other. Their voices and expressions were strained, as if they were holding back themselves from starting the fight before the countdown ended. "Catfight! Catfight! Catfight!" Francis cheered, earning a smack on his head courtesy of Elric. "Are they...?" Cedric hesitantly asked. "Yep, those two hate each other," Erica replied, somehow understanding what he wanted to ask. "Can I get a crash course on their history or is that something private?" "Not private." Erica shook her head. "They''re...''rivals'', yeah, that sounds about right. They have known each other since childhood and have beenpeting ever since." "Chrissy said that she couldn''t remember who started it, and at this point, it no longer matters. They''ve grown used to this since they''ve been at it for so long. That said, despite what it looks like, it''s not that bad. Since they''re keeping each other at their toes, they consistently spur the other to grow stronger, so that in their next match, they''d win." Cedric nodded at that and left it there. Erica doesn''t seem like she''s going to add more to that story and it''s fine. It''s none of his business anyway. As soon as the countdown ended, the girls immediately made a move. Chrissy''s skin turned to a deep shade of purple, her eyes glowed with a ghastly green radiance and her silhouette turned simr to that of a wraith. Cedric was rmed. Even from where he was, he could sense the sheer potency of poison she was releasing. And thanks to his medical knowledge, he''s able to discern at least several types of poison on her but not every single one. "Purple Wyrm Poison, Serpent''s Kiss, ck Lotus Extract, Nightshade''s Essence, Deathcap''s Spores, Basilisk''s Bane Oil, Dragonfire Resin, and...at least 10 more poisons that I''m not aware of...geez, how am I still alive with all of that in her?" He muttered softly. He then sensed that the team was looking at him in surprise so asked: "What?" "Nothing..." Elric smirked, "We''re just surprised that you could recognize that much." "Damn it! So she used Deathcap''s Spores on me! Damn it! Damn it!" Francis snarled as he melted in his seat. For context; Deathcap''s Sporeses from the fungus family. Handling them requires skill because they can infect through touch and smell. A single ounce of this could melt a person''s digestive system within seconds. Of course, the stronger the victim is, the less effective it is. What makes this poison more dangerous is that, it is an excellent medium for concoctions, specifically ones designed to kill. They''re used in at least 75% of known poison concoctions out there. Cedric tilted his head in confusion, thankfully Erica was kind enough to fill him in. "He made her upset so she gave him diarrhea. You see, even we couldn''t specifically tell the exact concoctions she uses, and it changes from time to time, making it harder for us. However, we trust her enough to not kill us with them. She does, however, use little dosages of it for this idiot right here to teach him a lesson. " "Oh." That is all he could say. That dynamic is a bit dangerous but then again, he has no say in it so he didn''tment on it. The diarrhea sucks of course. Thankfully, she wasn''t her target. Returning his attention to the fight, he saw Chrissy releasing a violet miasma to cover up the arena. On the other hand, her opponent was surrounded by a curtain of white light that kept her poisons at bay. "Veil of White Corona...her opponent''s a Cleric, is assume?" Cedric asked Erica beside him, earning a nod from her. "Yeah. Miranda is a Tier 8 Cleric, and that skill of her stumped Chrissy since she learned it. I''m afraid that this is going to be another battle of attrition." Erica sighed. "...I don''t think so, though." Cedric mumbled loud enough for them to hear. "Hmm? Why is that?" Erica asked. "Well...the mixture of Nightshade''s Essence, Dragonfire Resin, and...at least two more poisons which I don''t know of, creates a reaction that chips away at Miranda''s skill." Elric and the rest of the team blinked at his words before trying to see clearly what was happening. After inspecting it closely, it turns out that Cedric was right. "It certainly does...but the effect is miniscule. It would take minutes before they prate the veil because any holes they make were being repaired with Miranda''s upkeep of the skill." Elric stated. "That''s enough for the invisible poison to get in, though." Cedric replied casually, causing the team to look at him in surprise once more. "Invisible Poison? Are you sure? I don''t see it though?" "That''s why he said it''s invisible, you idiot." Erica snorted at Francis. "No! What I mean is... that our senses as Tier 8s, at least. If Cedric over here could sense then, howe we don''t?" "Uh...my senses are sharperpared to most people?" Cedric winced as he hesitated to exin. "Well, she mixed at least 7 types of poison to create it and I sensed it hiding beneath the miasma. Whenever the miasma makes even a tiny hole in the skill, the invisible poison seeps in without Miranda''s knowledge." "..." "She''s inhaled at least 3 ounces of it at this point so she''ll probably faint in the next five seconds..." ''5...4...3...2...1'' Thud! "Holy shit!" Francis eximed. They looked at the fainted Miranda and Cedric back and forth,pletely ignoring the fact that Chrissy won the match in such a short time. "How did you--?" "Is it because of Poison Laws?" Erica guessed, more like asking herself this question due to her bafflement. "No, while Chrissy could indeed use Poison Laws, Miranda''s aware of that too. After all, they''ve fought each other a lot. She''s probably more familiar with it than we do so she''s mostly anticipating it." "That''s exactly why, I think," Cedric interjected. "Laws are extremely dangerous, and since they''ve fought a lot, Miranda''s probably conditioned to be on-guard towards that. Chrissy might''ve done that on purpose because evenmon poisons could kill Superhumans if they failed to notice it." "..." "...huh? Well, shit!" Floyd shivered. "You live and you learn, I suppose," Darwin muttered. "That''s...I hate to say this but that''s very ''Chrissy'' of her." "Venomous Mistress indeed." Elric nodded sagely. Cedric shook his head inwardly. He probably surprised them by how sharp his senses were but he didn''t care. Instead, he smiled at Chrissy who was walking towards them with a smug smile on her face. Chapter 139: Elric vs. Claudio -- "...wait! You sensed it?" Chrissy eximed in surprise after learning about Cedric''sments during her match. It had been known that aside from hanging out and having a good time, Chrissy and Erica don''t really involve him in their training, much less talk about it. This meant that Cedric learned that much just from sheer observation because they didn''t tell him anything about their prowess. Sure, Cedric could''ve done some research about them. After all, they have public profiles that give out certain, but not all, information about them. However, with the time they''ve spent with him, they know that Cedric isn''t like that. He''s focused on his personal growth and would only do that towards an opponent, the girls aren''t one so he wouldn''t do something like that. Which essentially meant that Cedric really did discern all of this just by observing the match. "I could''ve sworn that the concoction was invisible to the senses. Even I have to be careful of handling it. Turns out that it wasn''t..." Chrissy pouted. "It actually was, you know?" Francis interjected. "Hell, if he didn''t point it out, we would never know. And that''s saying a lot since our Tier level''s fairly even and he''s just Tier 3...no offense, by the way." Hisst words were for Cedric who just waved his hand. Cedric then turned to Chirssy and said: "He''s right. It''s barely noticeable." "But you still sensed it, though?" "More like smelled it, actually." Cedric replied sheepishly. "Smelled it?" Chrissy was gobsmacked. "From all the way here?" "Mn. I told you my senses are sharper than most." Cedric shrugged. "You sure have..." Chrissy hummed, "That''s fairly obvious from how you performed during the Entrance Exam. I just wasn''t expecting it to be that sharp. I thought you were saying that on the basis of your Tier...like your senses are sharper than most Tier 3s out there, that''s how I understood it. I didn''t expect that you were actually referring to people in general, regardless of Tiers." Cedric just smiled and refused toment. Inwardly, he thought that this wasn''t really a ce to discuss this because he wanted to keep low-profiled. That''s why he isn''t saying anything. Chrissy may or may not have sensed this, but she did change the subject: "What did it smell like then? My concoction, I mean." "Sharp mint." He said, scrunching his nose a bit. "Like, really sharp mint, the kind that hurts your nose." Chrissy blinked upon hearing his words. Thoughts shed into her mind, more specifically about the form she used for her concoction, she was trying to think of the possible reasons why he would smell something like that when there wasn''t any ingredient that smelled even remotely close to mint. "Don''t stress your pretty head over it. It''s not a big deal right now." Cedric snapped her out of her thoughts. "Like we said, the poison''s already invisible to the senses. I''m different so I don''t count." Chrissy snorted at that and said: "Yeah, that sounds about right. Whatever, then." She says this but inwardly, she''s still bothered and Cedric could tell. ''I guess she''s really serious about her craft.'' He thought to himself. ''That''s admirable. She''ll probably try her best to improve the form until I can no longer sense it, which is a good thing but not right now since we''re supposed to be rxing.'' He used the word ''rxing'' here very loosely because of the Ranking Matches, but given how short the battles have been, none of the participants so far have been tired. Besides, he does n on spending time with the girlster so he wasn''t exactly lying when he said ''rxation''. A match urred right after Chrissy''s. ording to Erica, this was between the 10th ce against the 2nd. Sufficed to say, that didn''t take long at all. 2 minutes was all it took for the 10th ce to dispiritedly walk down the stage in defeat. Once the match concluded, he noticed Elric making his way down the stage whilst the 2nd ce, who was also the winner of the previous match, didn''t even bother stepping out and just waited for him. "Oh yeah, here we go." Darwin excitedly muttered. "Shit, I can already sense the tension between them. When was thest time they shed anyway?" Floyd asked. "...six months, I think? Not particrly, sure. We''ve been busy with missions and udio entered seclusion since. Now that I say that, hey! This is actually the first time I''ve seen him in a while. Did he spend that long in seclusion?" Francismented. "He might have." Chrissy hummed, "I mean, he''s always been like that anyway. Going into long-term seclusions to increase his strength, I don''t know why he does it and I don''t particrly care." "Yeah, he does seclude himself pretty often. I heard that that''s how his Teacher wants him to train or whatever." Darwin chimed in. "But hey, at least their schedules matched now. And once again, we''re about the see them sh. Hoo, I''m excited." Francis eximed. Cedric blinked as he heard their conversation, he looked towards Erica - who saw his inquisitive gaze, she sighed and exined the situation shortly. "You see, Captain Elric and that guy - udio Skrk, are also rivals like Chrissy and Miranda." She stated, "They''re both Tier 9s and have beenpeting for the top spot since we were freshmen. In addition, just like us, udio is also the leader of an OWET, and in extension, he brings his members into this rivalry. Hell, even their Teachers are rivals as well." "They fight as if they want to kill each other every time, that''s why the boys are looking forward to it." Erica rolled her eyes at this. Chrissy who''s been listening to this, leaned in and whispered to him. "You know, I actually think that this their way of showing their love for each other, like, a courting of some sorts." She said, causing Cedric''s eyebrow to raise. "You see, udio''s socially inept. He was raised by extreme traditionalists from what I heard, you know, the toxic patriarchy shit? That one. I heard fought his way to adulthood and had no time to develop social skills. It''s only when he''s about to get enrolled here that he learned some, even during our freshmen year, he had to take a course that teaches him how to act like a human." Cedric blinked upon hearing that. He knows that Chrissy is trapping him in this gossip but makes no effort to resist it. It''s not that harmful, anyway. "Since fighting is all he knows, udio uses it to convey his feelings to Captain. Like a unique way of courting, if you catch my drift. Unfortunately for him, Captain was raised normally so he doesn''t get it. In his mind, Captain Elric thinks that this dude was just nuts, and if it weren''t for the resources, he wouldn''t get close, much less talk, to udio." Chrissy giggled after saying this. "And you didn''t bother informing your captain of this...assumption of yours?" Cedric asked her. "Why would I?" Chrissyughed crisply at his question. "If I did, I would lose some source of gossip and entertainment. How do you expect me to live without that?" "..." "I actually think it''s cute, you know?" She said softly, "It''s like I''m witnessing a budding romance. Like a live-action ''enemies-to-lovers'' trope. Seriously, it''s so good." Cedric shook his head in exasperation and ced his attention back on the arena. He decided to leave Chrissy to her imagination since it had nothing to do with him plus it''s harmless. At the stage, Elric and udio red at each other. Theirpetitive spirits rousing from slumber. Elric was d in his heavy armor. He held a hammer on his right hand and a shield on the left. Meanwhile, udio was wearing animal leather as his armor, his headgear was the skinned remains of a bear that looked alive. His massive club rested on his shoulders as he matched Elric''s energy. As the countdown came close to ending, their fighting spirit rose. Elric''s aura was like a mountain; tall, intimidating, and extremely heavy. Even as he merely stood there, he could feel the sheer momentum he had and his immovable stance. udio''s on the other hand felt uncontrolled and wild. Like an awakened beast from the very depths of the forest leaving its nest to hunt some prey. udio''s entire body was doused with killing intent that was almost manifesting in reality. It smelled like blood and death. ''3...2...1! Fight!'' BOOOM! Both of them disappeared from Cedric''s view with how fast they moved. He only saw their weapons making contact briefly before a shockwave caused the arena to cave in. They shed numerous times within a second and Cedric''s senses couldn''t keep up at all. He could, however, feel the aftermath of their sh because even with the many formations protecting the audience, the aftershocks of their sh still seep out. Cedric''s eyes widened and his heart lurched. He knew that if he were to receive at least one of those blows, he''d be dead. Yet even with that in mind, he could feel excitement and thrill watching the fight, even though he couldn''t keep up for the most part. ''Huh, so this is what a Tier 9 fight looks like.'' Chapter 140: Steadiness vs. Aggressiveness ** An immovable mountain against a feral hunter... Though this wasn''t the first time they shed, won''t be thest either, it feels just like the first time for both of them. As Elric guarded himself against a mighty swing of his opponent''s club, he winced at the sheer impact of the blow. He received it but still felt the rippling impact it left on his body. He knew that it had never been a good idea to defend like this against udio but for all the feral energy he was exuding, there was a surprisingly clear intent behind his swings and wit that only came with experience. It''s not that he wanted to do this, it''s just that he''s forced to. That said, even though Elric could feel the impact of the blow to his body, he merely shrugged it off. As the frontline defense of his team, he had experienced far worse than this and lived through it, so this was nothing to him. With a grunt, he pushed the club away. He twisted his body, gathering momentum to swing his hammer. Air screamed at his action, the sheer weight behind the blow was extremely obvious. udio sensed this and thought of evading but his instincts told him that he was already toote. Instead, he clenched his arm and covered the spot that Elric targeted, which was his ribs... Crack! The feral hunter''s eyes dted a bit after receiving that blow. He flew back due to the sheer impact, coughing out blood as he did so. However, that wasn''t enough to take him out ofmission. ''Fucking baldy...still has that mean swing, I see.'' He cursed as he stood up. He felt it difficult to breathe at first because of his rib injury, he''s pretty sure a few of them cracked and one punctured his organs. Normally, this would''ve taken someone outpletely, but not him. udio snarled as his passive healing kicked in - ''Beastial Vitality'' is what it''s called. It healed the injury he received but it god damned hurts still. That said, he''s no stranger to pain, he''d even say that it''s a close friend, so he could endure this. This exchange only took a fraction of a second before the two of them were back at it again. The ground beneath them shattered due to the sheer immensity of their strength. The entire arena rocked dangerously, giving out the impression that it would be destroyed due to their sh. Neither participant seemed to care, though. Their fight was too fast for a regr person (by the academy''s standards) to see. In these people''s eyes, they were mere blurs of shadows. The only real evidence they have that there is a fight going on is due to the venue and the aftermath of each sh they do. It makes sense because the ones fighting aren''t just some random people. They were the first and second-ranked amongst the entire Senior Student body. They are absolute geniuses amongst thousands of students who are also deemed geniuses in their own right. They''re the true kings of their batch. The next pirs of Humanity. They received tutge and resources from nothing but the best. In light of that, it''s understandable that they should be able to do this much. Boom! An explosion urred. Hammer versus a giant club. Each weapon vied for supremacy in their sh. If you were to look closely, the weapons aren''t even really touching, yet sparks of electricity fly as they sh. Both participants wore hardened expressions. They red at each other like they were facing the guy who murdered their entire family. The formation around the arena creaked dangerously as they struggled as if it was going to cave in anytime soon. Suddenly, a pure, unadulterated intent to kill exploded from the depths of udio''s body, seemingly setting him aze with a deep crimson me. His pupils turned red and his ferocity sharply increased. His aura washed the entire arena, leaking bits of it out, allowing the audience to feel the sheer killing intent he was exuding. Those who had particrly sharp senses suffered the most from this exposure. They nched, feeling as if they were suddenly plunged into a pool of dry ice. They felt overwhelming dread that drowned their reason and deeply affected their will, causing them to feel weak and scared. "Geez...his aura feels even more dangerous than thest time." Francis mumbled softly, but due to the quietness of the audience, he might as well said that out loud. Cedric, due to him having superior senses than most, had it worse. His mouth felt dry and he felt the threat of death pointing the tip of its scythe at his throat. Surprisingly, something deep within him roared in defiance. The sigil that represents ''Aspect of the Sun'' etched in his soul, seemingly stirred from its slumber and sneezed at the source of his difort, allowing him to regain rity. He felt the terrible sensation receding like a tide due to its movement, something that he wasn''t expecting at all. ''That''s possible!?'' He eximed inwardly. Completely floored by the sudden event. However, it happened too fast that he wasn''t able to get a real feel of it, so there goes the idea of replicating that sensation soon. Shaking his head, he decided to think about thister because as soon as the dreadful killing intent receded, another one sted them in the face, this one came from Elric who responded to udio''s outburst. Heavy. That''s the simplest way to describe it but make it extreme. Like the weight of the world was suddenly dropped on his shoulders. It felt stifling, even his breath was being suppressed. Somehow, it didn''t feel as bad as the previous one. That doesn''t mean that he thinks Elric''s outburst was weaker than udio''s, gods, no! This must have something to do with the movement of the sigil earlier having asting effect. "There it is...udio''s ughter Law versus Captain''s Earth Laws." Darwin eximed softly, allowing Cedric to finally understand what was going on. Suddenly, the sensations he received made sense. udio''s dreadful killing intent haspletely manifested in reality, weakening the willpower of those who even thought about defying him, and Elric''s sheer immovable and unshakable steadiness that resembles the very earth they walked in This was the manifestation of their Law Comprehension being used in their battle. There''s just noparing these to the ones he felt earlier. Theirs made the previous ones look like child''s y due to their sheer might and effect. While Cedric still doesn''t understand what exactly those Laws do for those two, it is obvious that their sh went to an entirely different level once they appeared. What''s obvious to Cedric at the very least, since he truly couldn''t follow the fight even as focused, is that udio seemingly lost it while Elric somehow resembles a mountain. udio wentpletely feral. He growled like a beast, all his humanly inhibitions were gone. He even saw him pouncing on all fours, mimicking how predators hunt. He held nothing back on his swings, his killing intent made that all the more obvious at least. Cedric felt that if he were to be grazed by udio''s club in this state, he would instantly turn into a blood stter on the nearest wall. But even with that sheer amount of force, Elric remains just as stable, if not even more, than before. He took those city-devastating blows like were mere ps on his shoulders. udio barely made his move from his spot and this was him throwing those devastating attacks left and right. In sheer speed and ferocity, Elric had nothing on udio. The thing is, he doesn''t have to. Elric possesses his own advantages and uses them to match his opponent evenly. Besides, Elric wasn''t just taking it. Sure, udio was extremely strong in this state, but even he had topletely evade Elric''s blows at all costs. Elric didn''t just embody the stability of Earth on his immovable stance. He also held its weight as he swung his hammer. If udio could devastate a city in mere seconds with his club, Elric could pound it to nothingness in a single blow of his hammer. Sure, he''s slower than udio, but that''s against him. If he was fighting someone else, it''s debatable if they could even react to the speed of his swing. As the crescendo of the fight increased, it became harder for Cedric to follow. It even came to a point where he felt helpless because he just couldn''t see anything anymore, not even blurs, only impacts caused by their sh. It was a pity but there''s nothing he could do about it. Though he feltfort at the idea that he wasn''t the only one. Like him, the rest of the audience also wore the same expression. After five minutes of nonstop sh, it ceased. When the smoke cleared, the winner of the match became obvious. It was Elric. Still standing valiantly but injured and bleeding. udio was embedded intimately on the ground,pletely unconscious. The former was announced as the winner and he limped off the stage much to everybody''s amusement. And despite feelingpletely outssed by what he saw, Cedric felt fire billowing in his spirit. ''One day, I''ll surpass both of them.'' He swore inwardly. Chapter 141: Hatching? -- [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Alchemist 15/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 3 - Lv.7 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.90, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.75, Dispel (M) Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.115, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.20, Sage Arts Lv.75, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith''s Blessing (M), Repair (M), Essence Distition Lv.5, Vitality Infusion Lv.5 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 14, Failure Streak - 0 ** Inspired by what he witnessed from the Senior Ranking Matches, Cedric threw himself into training with a fiery ardor. The desire to be stronger, faster, and see more, blossomed within him. Of course, he didn''t forget to keep a low profile while doing it so much of it was done at thefort of his own dorm. That said, since he''s pursuing higher and more difficult art forms and skills, it''s understandable that his progress will slow down. Still,pared to the rate of growth of other people, his was still rather fast so he didn''t feel like he wascking. Cedric knew that he couldn''t breeze through this because that would damage his foundations, so he found sce in the fact that he was in friendly territory and time was on his side. On another note, he''s Tier 3 Lv.7 now. Only two more level-ups and a test then he''ll step to Tier 4. Tier 4 is where he will be something more than a human...as if he already wasn''t. In this stage, his entire being will sublimate, transforming into a more advanced lifeform. Of course, this brings a whole new world of possibilities but with this transformationes a ratherrge boost in his longevity. At Tier 3, at most one could live for about 300 hundred years. Tier 4, on the other hand, extends that up to 500 years. That''s a whole 200 years worth of longevity, and with how progressive humans are, that''s long enough to witness the rise and decline of kingdoms. Of course, it couldn''t bepared to the Demon Race''s longevity since those monsters could live for eons, but still, it''s already impressive enough. That being said, Cedric wasn''t really hyped about the boost in longevity. He''s just 22 and with his talent, he would go farther than this, so he of course wouldn''t feel satisfied with just that. Yes, knowing that he could live for that long soundsforting but he knows he''s going to risk his life at one point or another. Extended longevity doesn''t mean True Immortality. Tier 4s could still be killed, even Tier 9s aren''t immune from death. Aside from his anticipation of reaching Tier 4 soon, he''s also anticipating his breakthrough with the [White Lotus Core Technique]. Currently, he''s at the Solid Core stage, and he has been umting Ki, purifying it to its utmost degree andpressing it to his core. It is nearly at its saturation, meaning that he''s close to reaching the ''zed Core'' state. If things go well, then he could have double breakthroughs; one for his Tier Advancement and the other for this technique. Once he seeds in both of these, his strength will once again gain a terrifying increase, making him even more of an anomaly than before. He doubted that he''d reach the Sword Heart stage by then given how much his progress in this area slowed down, and he was not really inclined to dy his breakthrough to wait for it, so he decided to just let it be. His {Sage Arts} also barely progressed because he''s nearly at the end. As for the {Lightspeed} skill, yeah that''s gonna have to wait until he made it to Tier 4 before progressing again. His body could barely handle the top speed this skill could give him so it makes sense why it won''t progress. Even his superior adaptability won''t save him from the bacsh this skill would cause if he pushed himself too far. That''s why he could only wait until he makes another breakthrough before thinking about practicing this skill again. In terms of his studies, Cedric already learned everything his teachers could teach him for Smithing, Elements 101, Etiquette, and Field Command. He''s only attending the ss out of sheer formality at this point. If it weren''t for the fact that he wanted to keep a low profile, he might''ve already applied for an earlypletion of these subjects to focus more on his training. He could still do it by the way, but not now. He''ll wait for a month or two, then he''ll do it. As for the Sword Art ss, well the dynamic is pretty different. Only when he reaches the Sword Heart realm will his actual tutge start for this ss. Which means that he hasn''t even started yet, technically. And finally, there is his Sub-ss... Cedric was still buying materials to craft tools and weapons for future use, but his focus was on Alchemy. After all, it''s thanks to his Medical Knowledge that he''s able to recognize some ingredients of Chrissy''s concoctions. Actually, the fact that he wasn''t able to discern everything she used for it, despite having {Education} at Lv.115, means that he still has some ways to go. He has been spending time in hisb, making one concoction after another, diligently leveling up the [Alchemist] sub-ss and learning more and more about it as he goes. Most of the time when he leaves hisbs, he smells like herbs and spices, much to the dismay of his girls, however they didn''t say anything. Witnessing Chrissy''s match inspired an idea for him, though. Aside from Hexes and Curses, he wouldn''t put it past the Demons to use poisons and venoms as well. And since he possesses a unique physique, his adaptability should save him from most of them as long as he''s given time. It''s nearly impossible for that to happen in the middle of the fight, so, he thought about administering scaling dosages of myriad of poisons into his system to build up his immunity. This way of training never urred to him before so he''s thankful that Chrissy''s match reminded him of it and gave him the push he needed to start. Surprisingly, it wasn''t as bad as he thought it was going to be. At first, he expected to be in pain or, at the very least, experience an intimate time with his toilet bowl, but no. Sure, it was ufortable, but not to a crippling degree. He even thought that he should sharply increase the dosage right away since barely felt it. What stopped him was the idea that he had time on his side, so there was no need to rush. Swoosh!! "Hmm!?" Cedric was rmed. He was just about to take another dosage of poison when he suddenly felt something stirring within him. He frowned and hurriedly inspected his body, searching for the trace of...whatever that was. Cedric initially thought that he messed up. That somehow, his continuous but meticulous intake of poison went wrong and now he''s about to suffer some serious consequences, especially considering that he did not even bother telling Chrissy of this when she''s obviously there and willing to help him. To his surprise though, that wasn''t the case, which made him feel a bit relieved but still wary. ''If it is not that, then what?'' He mused to himself. With that, he scanned his body once more and located the source of stir within him. Next thing he knew, he was sinking his perception to his heart, more precisely at the thing that was incubating near the Solid Core of his White Lotus Core Technique. "Geez, with how silent you''ve been ever since I got you, I almost forgot you existed." Cedric muttered wryly as he finally discovered the source of disturbance within him. It''s the Beast Egg...the reward he got during his ss change to Luminous Sage. Since its first feeding, the Beast Egg slumbered in peace right next to his core. It will siphon energy from time to time to feed but its intake was so littlepared to how much he had that he barely felt it. And with how hectic Cedric''s schedule was, he nearly forgot that it was even there. Now though, it stirs from its slumber. At the very moment the eggshell cracked, Cedric took it out of his body and ced it on top of a clean and warm washcloth. He stared at it, eagerly waiting for its birth. Even until now, he had no idea what woulde out of this egg because his senses still couldn''t prate its shell. Fortunately, Cedric didn''t mind mysteries and surprises. The eggshell cracked more and more until a tiny and pudgy limb burst out of it, pawing at the eggshell and taking it within, presumably eating it. Cedric stayed still and watched as the entity slowly revealed itself to him, and his surprise, it''s a--...! Chapter 142: Aurelion -- "...a lion cub?" Cedric raised a brow as he finally saw what came out of the egg. Well, he''s certainly not expecting a lion cub toe out of the egg. He was thinking of a snake, lizard, or some kind of reptile really, not a lion cub. Kyu~! "...cute." Cedric chuckled despite himself. The little guy was palm-sized and pudgy, his skin was light beige, and has a birthmark on his forehead which resembled a circle. ording to what he knows, newborn cubs like this should feel weak, you wouldn''t be seeing them staying awake for long because of how weak they were. However, this little guy''s a bit different. It''s trying its best to stand up already to get close to Cedric. Its eyes resembled his so much that it was scary, it looked intelligent enough to recognize him too. Plus, its voice was tiny yet energetic as well. "C''mere, you." Cedric giggled, gently picking up the cub with his hands and seeing it snuggle in their warmth. Cedric could feel a strong connection with the little guy, must be the result of their bond since he''s technically its parent. The cub licked his hands in affection. Cedric then thought of something. He wetted his free index finger with his saliva and swept it on the cub''s head and the rest of its body. The cub keened and purred at this act, making Cedric melt because of its cuteness. This act of his was simr to how animals groom their offspring. He''s no lion, sure, but he could at least mimic this. "What should I name you...? Hmm?" Cedric thought of a fitting name for his first pet. Dozens of names rolled through his mind which ended up being rejected one after another because he didn''t like them. Meanwhile, he just stared at his pet and found it fighting against drowsiness. ''It must''ve understood my words and is waiting for its name...'' He thought to himself, somehow understanding what the little cub wanted. "Aurelion." Cedric muttered softly. He then saw the cub''s eyes widen a bit before letting out an adorable whine. Somehow, Cedric knew that the little guy liked its name. "Yeah, your name will be Aurelion. My cute and adorable murder cat." Cedric chuckled at this. Finally, the little guy couldn''t endure it anymore and fell asleep on his palms. Moving slowly and gently, to not wake up the tiny thing, he sat on the couch and brought up the System alerts he''d been ignoring since the cub''s birth. [Alert! Your ''Beast Egg'' hatched.] [Congrattions, you''ve bonded with a ''Radiant Sunlion'' - the first of its kind! You may now view its stats and give it a name.] [You named your Beast Companion - Aurelion. Name, registered.] [Beast Companion] Name: Aurelion Age: 5 minutes Lineage: Radiant Sunlion Tier: 0 Potential - SS Innate Skills: NA Bond Level - 100 (Undying Loyalty) [Alert! Ac apuds your luck and ability to incubate a Beast Companion that has never been seen before. She looks forward to its growth and for that, she decided to bestow you with a gift to help the cub grow strong and steady.] [Congrattions! You received a ''Beast Soul Space''. Realm is automatically bound to User Cedric Stormrider. You may inspect it anytime you want.] ** Cedric raised a brow. He sensed a disturbance within the depths of his being. More specifically at his spirit. Upon inspection, he noticed that a sigil suddenly appeared there and Cedric automatically thought that this must be the thing he just received. [Beast Soul Space (T0 - Growth/Legendary)] Type: Support Item : A unique spatial artifact that could be used for raising Beast Companions. : The space inside provides a suitable and safe environment where Beast Companions could live. This ce increases the rate at which Beast Companions recover as well as increasing the chance of themprehending an Innate Skill. Both effects increase with the growth of the artifact. : This artifact grows in tandem with the owner and the Beast Companion. ** Cedric blinked and hurriedly sank his perception to the sigil. The image of what''s inside the Beast Soul Spacs reflected in his eyes as he did so. The space inside wasn''t that big, around 50 meters or so. It has an artificial environment which was enough to fool normal people. He also saw that there was a home built for Aurelion there, he didn''t even have a do anything. Once he discovered this, Cedric tried to transfer the little cub inside and it only took a thought before the little beast disappeared from his palms. Checking it out, he saw Aurelion snuggling into a bundle of hay, purring happily in its sleep at the sudden change of environment without its notice. He smiled and retreated his gaze from it, leaving the cub to slumber as it pleased. With their bond level, he would know once the cub wakes up or if it needs something so he''s free to do as he pleases until then. "Radiant Sunlion, huh?" He mused to himself as he rested on his couch. "The first of its kind too. Is it because of my Sage Aspect that it became like that?" This was the only logical oue he could think of, after all he was training to be the Sun Sage. Cedric could still remember Aurelion''s first feeding when it was still just an egg. It absorbed a huge chunk of his Ki - which was heavily affected by his Aspect, by the way, and attuned to Sun''s attribute. Even after that, to support its incubation, the egg would absorb some of his blood and Ki from time to time. So it wouldn''t be surprising if Ki''s attributes affected the growth and potential of Aurelion back then. "It has an SS-rank potential too." Cedric mused, "It sounds impressive but now that I think about it, I don''t know much about raising a Beast Companion." "..." "Might as well start now. I learn quickly anyway." Cedric shrugged as he began searching for the materials he needed online. Just like that, Cedric spent the next couple of hours having a crash course about Beast Companions and how to raise them. The materials he learned from came from Beast Tamers who graciously imparted their experience online. Some of them were paid courses but that wasn''t a problem for him, after all he had way too many Demon Souls to spare. Granted that this is his first time being a Beast Master, of course he wouldn''t be stingy. Just from the first course alone, he already knew that Aurelion was different from regr beasts. ording to this, Beast Masters must Tame the Beast first...keep them loyal, and teach them how to not be hostile to everybody. They said that even if one were to use their efforts to incubate the Beast, their loyalties wouldn''t go past ''10'' since they''re young, meaning their minds are still underdeveloped. So even if you were to raise them even before they were born, there''s no way you''d receive its Undying Loyalty. ...but Aurelion did, so what''s up with that? Well, Cedric could think of a couple of reasons, but the one that''s obvious to him is that, unlike regr beasts, Aurelion was much smarter. The gleam of intelligence in its eyes the moment their eyes met couldn''t be mistaken. Cedric''s Ki must''ve been an excellent food for the cub to develop this way too. All Beast Companions could reach Tier 9, their innate potential - which was D at the lowest and SS being the highest, determines how fast they''d get there. Simr to humans, the better the potential, the stronger the beast would be. At the same tier, a Beast with a D-rank potential wouldn''t be able to match one that has a C-rank potential. Since Aurelion was the first of its kind, Cedric wouldn''t be able to find any guides on how to raise him properly. He could only rely on general information and test things to see what would work. Since his bond with Aurelion already reached 100, which means he has its Undying Loyalty, Cedric doesn''t have to think about it ever entertaining the idea of rebelling against him. Its loyalty will never waver nor would it seek out a different master either. If Aurelion dies, Cedric will receive a serious soul injury because of how deep their bond is. On the other hand, if Cedric dies, Aurelion will not hesitate to follow him. Or maybe it will kill first whoever killed him before dying and following him in the afterlife. Since Aurelion was just a cub, it could only digest liquids for now to satiate its hunger. Once the cub grows out more, he''d need to provide it with a bnced diet to support its growth. As for elevating its strength, Beast Companions aren''t different from humans. Cedric could use Demon Souls to increase its level or allow it to hunt on its own by taking it with him on his hell dives. There''s also a chance for Aurelion to evolve by doing this but there are no guides out there so Cedric would have to research that on his own. Overall, raising a Beast Companion didn''t sound tooplicated. Cedric should be able to do it even without someone guiding him intimately. Chapter 143: Alchemy Practice -- Cedric''s in theb right now. He was holding up a ss tube on top of a small burner, shifting its position around to ensure that the mixture inside was getting even heat. His senses focused on the changes happening in the mixture as it came up to temperature. Any shift in its color, viscosity,position...down to how the exact temperature of it was reflected on his senses. ''...yeah, around this much I think.'' He mused inwardly as he removed the ss tube from the heat and ced it in a bowl of ice water. He left it there for a moment to cool down while he cleaned up his workstation. Once he''s done with that, the mixture cooled down enough to settle the changes it is supposed to have. Cedric then turned on the recording function of the system and said: "Alright, this is Test #13,beled under ''Untitled Nutritional Fluid''. In this test, I switched the source of fructose from pure apples and added berries. I also lowered the temperature this time to 175¡ãC." Cedric then looked at another system window and said: "...system remarks still remain the same. It says ''Unnamed Nutritional Fluid'', effects are unknown but safe for consumption." "..." "Well, down the hatch, I guess. Cheers!" Cedric sighed before downing the contents of the ss tube. He then smacked his lips a couple of times and hummed. He didn''t say anything right away and waited until he noticed a chance on his body. "Taste-wise, it''s better than thest one. The addition of berries gave it tartiness and mouthfeel, must be from chemical reaction, I think. For a Nutritional Drink, this isn''t bad at all, especially since we target the market for people who are 13 and above." "As for the effects..." Cedric checked himself for a bit before continuing, "Pretty much the same as thest one. It elerates the body''s metabolism, allowing it to absorb more nutrients for the next hour or so." "Since the mixture itself is packed with numerous nutrients, this effect ensures that they will absorbed effectively by the consumer in addition to other supplements that they might think of taking within the next hour." "It also improves a person''s appetite from what I can sense so far. Must be because of how it tastes. In addition, this also works as an energy drink. These effects received a significant boost from the previous product we made." Cedric eyed the System alerts and saw: [''Unnamed Nutritional Fluid''s effect revealed upon consumption!] [Unnamed Nutritional Fluid (T0 - Supplement)] : Packed with all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and nutritional ingredients. It''s sweet and tarty. : Additional Effects - Appetite Boost +7%, Energy Boost +10%,sts for an hour. ** His previous attempt only yielded a 5% Appetite Boost for the additional effect. This time, the Energy Boost was added. It''s fascinating how minor changes in the recipe resulted in this but such is the mystery of Alchemy. "Well, all things considered, it''s not a failure." Cedric said to the recording lens. "But still not good enough to beunched as is. We need more tests. I''ll think of a way to improve the recipe in the meantime. ''Til next time, I guess." With that, Cedric turned off the recording and sighed. He then sat at the nearby chair and rested his back on it. He removed his safety sses and closed his eyes for a bit. He mentally dismissed the alerts he received that stated his Alchemist Sub-ss gaining a level or two. All things considered, Cedric wasn''t going all out just yet. If he really wanted to, he could order a bunch of expensive ingredients and follow recipes online to really grind his levels in Alchemy. However, Cedric''s not really looking for quantity here. Unlike others, he didn''t take the Alchemy Sub-ss just to increase his skill set and hope for better status and pay in the Lifestyle Guild. He doesn''tck funds at all, in fact that''s the least of his problems. He took the Alchemist Sub-ss because it would y a huge role in his future ns. He''s aiming for quality here, that''s why he''s trying to improve or create his own mixtures and concoctions instead. This is a much better use of his knowledge and skills. In addition, it also conditions his mind to maximize his advantages because he will surely need it for his future. Cedric opened his eyes and after clearing his mind. He then stood up, removed hisb coat, and left theb after ensuring that it was clean. He then moved to the gym and stretched his body a bit. Kyu~! That''s when he heard Aurelion calling out to him from the sigil of the Beast Soul Space. He smiled and brought the little guy out. The tiny thing appeared on his palms, stretching at hopping with energy. From what he saw, it grew a bit while resting inside its home. "What''s up, Buddy? Hungry?" The little thing let out a whine of agreement and Cedric chuckled. "What would like to eat then? Ki or milk?" "Kyu~! (Milk!)" "Alright." Cedric nodded and brought out a pre-made milk bottle from his inventory. He then brought it closer to Aurelion who immediately snacked on it. He then ced the little guy down as it drank its milk to continue with his stretches. It didn''t take long before it finished its meal and trodded close to him with its pudgy legs. "Oh, you can walk already? That''s awesome!" Cedric chuckled as the little guy struggled to climb up his leg. He then put Aurelion on top of his head and continued with his stretches. He felt the little guy snuggling on his hair as if it was its nest. Cedric naturally ensured that the cub wouldn''t fall down from his movements. He did it using minor Ki control, not difficult at all. After stretching, he then began his usual training routine. As he did so, he would asionally hear the yips and whines of Aurelion, seemingly enjoying the ride. Of course, he made sure that his pet wouldn''t be hurt by his activities. Aurelion himself knew this too that''s why it was fearless as it stayed on his head. While the majority of his thought chambers focused on his training, the others were thinking about other tasks in the background. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that he had way too many things he''s dealing with in his mind but it''s been like this for a long time already that he''s grown used to it. This is also why mind-readers would have an awful time dealing with Cedric. Delving into his psyche would cause a harshly induced psychosis that no psychic would appreciate. And that''s considering they could get past his mental defenses ¡ª which are heavily fortified, by the way. Mind-readers poking through his mental defenses is nothing new to him, especially after he began his studies here. He had sensed numerous brushes all over his mind ever sinceing here. At one point, someone even decided to try their luck and breach his defenses. As a result of that, whoever that person is, suffers painfully from sensory overload. Cedric didn''t even have to actively interfere. The perpetrator only passed by a single room and already experienced that much. There are still 99yers to go through beyond that, each one''s worse than the previousyer so it''s safe to say that Cedric was adequately protected from their kind. Once he was done with his usual routine, Cedric wiped his sweat and sat down. His heart was still racing and he felt warm all over yet he didn''t mind at all. He then whistled to Aurelion, attempting tomunicate that way. The little guy seemed to have understood what he wanted to happen and climbed down, slowly, from his head. Itnded on his shoulders and pawed its way to his palms, releasing a sharp yip as it did so. "Good boy!" Cedric praised. Aurelion keened at the praise and snuggled on his palms. Now that he looked at the sunlion closely, he discovered that it was now growing some coat. It''s a bit patchy but it''s getting there. "You''re growing up fast. I guess that''s expected of an SS rank potential, huh?" Cedric hummed as he gently tickled the little thing. Aurelion only hatched yesterday but he''s already growing this much. Compared to how much growing there is for the cub, this much was negligible. But since Cedric considers Aurelion as his son, he doesn''t know what to feel about this. "Is this what parents feel?" Cedric mumbled to himself, smiling wryly at how ironic this felt. He never had ns of raising children. He doesn''t even think about marriage at all. He wanted to enjoy life and freedom to the fullest to make up for all the time he spent within the grimy walls of the RMC. Yet, here he is. Sure, Aurelion was no ''child'', but in Cedric''s eyes, there''s not much difference really. While it''s still too early to say if he''s doing a good job at it or not, he still considers himself as Aurelion''s Dad. So in a way, he is a parent now. "I wonder what the girls would think of this..." Chapter 144: Top 5 Sword Path Students -- Within the Sword Tempering Cave, Cedric faced the relentless assault of the sharp windsced with Sword Intent. He''s 1500 meters deep into the cave at this point, a very impressive feat since it hasn''t even been two months since he became a student of this ss. Cedric alternated between enduring and confronting the breezeing towards him, allowing it to temper every aspect of his Sword Skill, ensuring that he was getting the full experience here since this was the only ce avable to him where he could practice his sword. Even at his dorm, Cedric was careful not to go all out with his Sword Intent in fear of damaging it. After all, he''s only a temporary resident there. Sure, he did apply several formations in the training area of his dorm but even they could barely keep intact after a single full powered swing from him. That''s why he''s only releasing his entire strength within the cave since this ce could endure his blows. At this stage, Cedric''s Sword Intent was already having a minor effect on reality whenever he manifests it. It''s still invisible to the naked eye but if he wanted to, he could let everybody feel just how sharp and unyielding his Sword Intent was. Whenever he releases it, an invisible shroud that distorts the space appears in the area where he released his Sword Intent. Most of the time, it''s focused on his sword, however, he also douses his entire body with it sometimes. Cedric has lost count of how many times he felt hurt by the strong and sharp breeze within the cave. His Sword Intent experienced numerous cycles of destruction and refinement because of it, and each time it experiences a cycle, ites back just a bit stronger than before. That''s the cruel but effective way the cave helps someone temper their Sword Intent. With how much tempering his Sword Intent received, Cedric could feel that he was inching closer and closer to forming the Sword Heart. Whenever he sank his senses into his Sword Intent, he could already feel the shallow seed forming within. It''s like when he''s still condensing his Hollow Core of the White Lotus Core Technique. There''s still some work left but he''s nearly done. Once he achieves the Sword Heart Realm, that''s when he''ll officially be considered a Sword Master and a real student of this ss ¡ª not that he needed to prove his belonging to this ss any further since the Instructor himself verified him but well...it''s more personal for Cedric. While Cedric does know a few faces here and there, he never had a ''real'' interaction with the ''stars'' of this ss. At most, they exchanged looks and pleasantries but no more than that. He understood that they were busy and had no time to socialize, and that they had a goal that they wanted to pursue. Cedric wasn''t seeking their validation or attention either, however, it would be nice to at least have some friends here if it''s possible. After all, they''re ssmates, no? And even though Cedric wasn''t able to interact much with his ssmates, that doesn''t mean that he''s ignorant about them. What use does he have for his hearing if he''s not using it to eavesdrop on conversations? In total, there are 30 students in this ss including him, official ones, that is. As for the unofficial students, the ones proving their worth at the za, there are at least 50 and that number increases from time to time. Of course, official students or not, each person here is a genius of the Sword, some are justckingpared to others. The really notable people though are the Top 5 Students of this ss ording to the official rankings of the ''Sword Coliseum'', they are: Aurora Swiftde at the 5th ce. A female senior student. She formed the ''Shadowless Razor Sword Heart'' ¡ª which prides itself in speed, lethality, and quietness. In 4th ce is Roran Bloodsteel, a male senior student. He formed the ''Blood-letting Sword Heart'' that is lethal to anything that bleeds. So long as he has a source of blood, his killing intent will never waver and his sword will never dull. Darius meheart, a male senior student is at the 3rd ce. He''s famous for his ''Ceaseless Combustion Sword Heart''. Each swing of his sword explodes with the strength of 10 volcanic eruptions. Cedric heard that this guy once reduced a metropolis-sized area in under a minute. In 2nd ce is Lyra Moonsteel. A female sophomore student. Yes, she''s one of the youngest here in terms of seniority but her skills are the real deal. She''s famous for her ''Moon Cycle Sword Heart'' ¡ª which follows the cycles of the moon through her Sword Art. Despite her being a Sophomore, she is deeply respected by her ssmates because of her talent and skills. And finally, in the first ce, we have Cassius Nightfall, a male senior student. Famed for his ''Withering Night Sword Heart'' that saps all life it touches. Any life he harvested using this, he could control as he pleased. It is said that even a graze of his sword could drain hundreds of years of someone''s longevity. Ain''t that just terrifying? Cedric had seen these people once or twice during his time here. However, because of their status and fame, they''re a bit difficult to approach, not because they''re arrogant or whatever, people just feel embarrassed or inadequate to hang out with them. At least, that''s what Cedric understood so far. As for himself, he didn''t even try. He''s an antpared to these people. Even Lyra - who''s only a Sophomore, already reached Tier 9 recently. He wasn''t disillusioned that they would pay attention to him. They might''ve heard his name in passing but he''s not worthy of their attention just yet. These people also receive the full attention of Instructor Uruk. He would often give them lessons to help them increase their strength so that they could walk the Sword Path even further. Don''t be mistaken, just because the rest of the official students weren''t mentioned, it doesn''t mean that they suck. Well, they might be true here, but outside? They''re frightening still. It''s just that the gap between the 6th ce to the 5th was a moat that hasn''t been crossed yet in this batch of students. ** Cedric sighed as walked out of the Sword Tempering Cave. He concluded his Sword Training for today, feeling rather drained and hurt from his fight against the wind within the depths of the cave. He winced as he felt the soreness in his arms. After greeting the guardians of the cave and signing off his session, he was about to make his way out of the cave when he sensed a gaze on him. Even without looking, he could tell that this man was up to something and that he was being targeted. Not wanting to deal with this, he merely continued on his way. He didn''t even n on looking at the guy who was clearly waiting for him. "...reaching the 1500 meter depth and staying there for an hour straight despite being merely Tier 3. I''d say that''s impressive if it wasn''t so suspicious." ''Yeah no, not dealing with this cliche. Just ignore him and leave. You know what''s gonna happen, so just ignore him and keep walking.'' Cedric muttered to himself. Not even stopping to acknowledge the man talking to him. "I meane on!" The man sneered, "Am I the only one seeing this? It''s absolutely impossible for a Tier 3 to reach those depths! I get that you''re a genius and all but in this ss, who isn''t a genius?" "..." Cedric adamantly ignored him. Not even sparing him a nce at all. He already passed by the guy, not even slowing down his pace nor showing any changes in his expression. Seeing this, the man was incensed. How dare this trifling cheater ignore him! He knows full well that he''s talking to him yet he dares to treat him like air? "Ah, I see how it is." He sneered louder this time. "Too full of yourself, huh? Figures. After all, any random Tom, Dick, and Harry that ends up in this ce would experience a significant boost in their confidence, believing that they''re some hot shit only to find out that they''re just as worthless as before." The man scoffed in disbelief and looked at the ceiling of the cave. "Fine, be that way I suppose. I don''t know what method you used to be a student of this ss but know this...you can''t fool me. I know that you cheated somehow and no, I don''t need proof because you''re the proof itself. I don''t know how long you can keep this up but know that you will¡ª!" "...uhm, excuse me?" The man blinked and finally looked in front of him, only to see apletely different face than the one he was expecting. "Err, are you okay? Do you need medical attention?" For what it''s worth, the one who asked him this question looked genuinely concerned but that''s not the issue here. His intended target actually dared to run away from him! The gall of that guy! Shame burned in his heart as he heard the spluttering giggles of the cave guardians nearby. He could only ignore the nice guy and stomp his way out of the cave to save himself from any further embarrassment. Chapter 145: Alexis Von Julis -- Fuming and enraged...these are the two emotions that Alexis Von Julis strongly feels right now. "How dare that...that cheating scum to ignore me!" He gnashed his teeth as he paced inside his room. His sharp brows furrowed deeply and his deep obsidian eyes clouded with rage. He huffed and puffed as he recalled the tant disregard that pesky freshman showed to him. What made him even more upset was that he turned into a joke by those who witnessed it. Alexis had never been disrespected like this before, and he refused to let it pass. "How can they ignore this? Have they gone blind? How can they let a mere Freshman ignore me like that? Even more, how can they let someone like that cheat so openly and not even reprimand him for his behavior?" He couldn''t ¡ª no, he refuses to ept this. Where did fairness go? Where''s the respect he earned by reaching his status? How can they tantly ignore all the signs of corruption in this ce? This, of course, couldn''t go on. But, my isn''t this a dilemma? Because it would seem that he had no allies here. That filthy freshman was all chummy with the cave guardians, meaning that he had them on his side. Of course, Alexis wasn''t blind to the looks that the others were giving him. He had tried to recruit people to his peerage yet none of them understood his genius. That was okay with him. After all, finding someone who could understand him on a deeper level would be a dime in a dozen. He had long since understood that most of the people out there were merely jealous of him and his overwhelming talent. How could they not? He is Alexis Von Julis, the fiercest and most handsome prodigy ever born! "He must''ve done something then!" Alexis concluded, "Yeah! I wouldn''t put it past him. After all, he already resorted to cheating just to get enrolled into this ss, and bribing must be included in his filthy skillset! Yeah! That makes sense! After all, that kid''s an ex-convict! A dirty and sinful criminal!" Alexis'' eyes brightened as he reached this conclusion. He then erupted inughter and eximed: "I got you, you little shit! As expected, I truly am a genius! Oh, you filthymoner. I knew it''d be impossible for an ex-convict like him to even be here!" His madughter then subsided as another issue arose in his mind. "As much as I hate to say this, he must be skilled. After all, he presented enough evidence that he is a genius to be admitted here on top of his filthy ways. I cannot underestimate him but he must be exposed!" His eyes burned with righteous indignation as he dered: "I must let everybody know of crimes...whatever they may be! He does not belong here! The likes of him should be rotting behind jail cells, never to see the light of day!" "Don''t worry everybody, I, Alexis Von Julis, will shine a light upon this filthy criminal and expose his evil ways! I will eliminate this malicious tumor that has infiltrated this sacred institution!" "I know that you will doubt me but it''s fine! I don''t need you to understand, my actions shall speak for my pure intentions and my heart!" Alexis then summoned his sword and raised it perpendicr to his face. His eyes shone with a savage glint, his determined expression reflected on his sword. "As for you, you dirty cretin! You shall die by my sword! You will pay for what you''ve done to (me) my league. I will send you to the deepest pits of hell where you truly belong!" "AHA....AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" His maddenedughter echoed on the corners of his dorm,pletely unaware that somebody was watching his embarrassing disy of self-entitlement and insanity. **** Achoo! Sniff! Cedric shook his head and shivered a bit. He looked around and released his field of senses to check if someone was plotting near him but didn''t find any. "Weird..." He muttered to himself, "It''s not colds I''m sure since I''m immune to that. Somebody must be talking behind my back then? Is it the girls?" Cedric hummed as he continued walking on the market while checking some goods. He''s here to buy groceries and maybe search for interesting products. Speaking of the girls, Erica and Chrissy just left yesterday along with the rest of their team. They said that they were off to another Outer World expedition. And even though they spent the entire yesterday snuggling under the sheets to make the most of their time, Cedric already misses them. He''s worried of course, after all, we''re talking about the Outer World here ¡ª a ce that had been conquered and corrupted by the demons long ago. There are all manner of dangers out there that will threaten their lives, and even though their team is strong enough to handle whates their way and they''re sensible enough to not bite more than they could chew, he still couldn''t help but be worried. Cedric admits that he had gotten used to Erica and Chrissy''s presence. Before he knew it, they already be very important to him. And even though they never discussed it, adamant that they''re still fairly young and that they shouldn''t put too many responsibilities andmitments to themselves, he already sees them as his future wives (he wouldn''t tell them this for now because he didn''t want to pressure them, but yeah, wives). That''s why he gave them a couple of items that would, hopefully, make their time out there easier and bring them back safely. The girls told him that their mission would take a month at the very least. It''s subject to extension depending on the requirements of their department and any further developments in the field. He knows that if he threw himself into his training, days would pass by quickly, however he feels that a month is still too long. Shaking his head out of his reverie, he decided to go home. He didn''t see anything that piqued his interest in the market aside from what''s on his grocery list so there''s no need to stay here anymore. Whistling a tune as he made his way toward his dorm, he suddenly stopped and his expression crumpled. ''Tch. It''s this guy again. Yeah, no. Not dealing with you today.'' Thank god for his field of senses, otherwise he wouldpletely bump into this bbering idiot which would certainly ruin his day. He''s referring to the guy who tried to insult him a few days ago during ss. Cedric doesn''t know his name and he''s not interested to know but he could certainly spot an asshole if he sees one so he calls him that. From the feedback he received from his senses, he could tell that the guy was searching for something. Focusing slightly on him, he could almost hear his thoughts. ''Oh, joy.'' Cedric deadpanned inwardly, ''He''s looking for me. God, if you''re there, why hast thou forsaken me? Why would you let his shitstain perceive me? What did I even do?'' Groaning, he shook his head slightly. He really didn''t want to deal with this guy. So, he drifted his path just to make sure that their paths wouldn''t cross. He minimized his presence to a point where he seemed no different from a mortal. He also made sure that the guy wouldn''t even sense him nearby. Thankfully, his field of sense could extend very far. It helped immensely with what he wanted to do. Meanwhile, on Alexis'' side... "Where is that cretin!?" He softly eximed to himself as his eyes darted around the market. His sources told him that they saw him here, and they wouldn''t dare lie to him so he''s here. Unfortunately, his target was nowhere in sight. He continued walking around, entering stores and stalls one after another in search of him to no avail. It was getting on his nerves but he kept searching. However, even after he checked all of the ces avable there, his target was still nowhere in sight! How can this be!? Did those people lie to him? No, they didn''t! If they did, he would be able to tell and he made sure of that! Getting angrier and angrier as time went on, Alexis forcibly calmed himself down. He couldn''t allow his anger to erupt in this public ce. He tried to think logically which was rather hard for his current state but he did so nheless. After a couple of minutes of thinking, his eyes suddenly brightened when he came to a conclusion. "Ah! How could I have been so blind? He has allies! How did I not think of that? That guy''s brain is too small to do all of this so he must have formed a group of like-minded fools to help him achieve his evil ns!" His eyes then revealed a sharp glint as he warily looked at the people around him. "As expected, he is cunning. But this means that his corruption extended to the entirety of the academy!" "It seems that I could only rely on myself to stop him." Alexis heaved a deep breath. "No matter. I, alone, should be enough to trump him. The heavens are on my side. Why else would it make me an unparalleled genius if it wasn''t?" "Enjoy your remaining days, Little Devil. For I, Alexis Von Julis, aming to y you once and for all." Chapter 146: Confrontation -- Wave after wave of incredibly sharp and life-threatening breeze assaulted Cedric within the Sword Tempering Cave. Despite the obvious danger, Cedric wasn''t fazed. He used his sword and bravely confronted the sharp gales. At 1500 meters depth, even a stray breeze from the cave could kill any ordinary Tier 3. Even seasoned Sword Practioners had to be careful upon arriving at this depth. Fortunately, Cedric wasn''t ordinary at all. His Sword Intent billowed and sliced the gales apart. Not all, but some. After all, the currents have gotten considerably tough and sharp due to the source of Sword Intent at the very depths of the cave infused in them. Still, despite struggling, Cedric wasn''t cowed. It''s dangerous yes, but so was confronting demons who didn''t hold any inhibitions. Between this and that, there''s not much difference in terms of danger and if this was sufficient to scare him, then he didn''t deserve his title as the Son of Heaven. As he shed with the strong and continuous wind currents,prehension blessed his mind. Aside from honing his skills even further, this confrontation was also deepening his understanding of himself as well as his sword. Little by little, the path to Sword Heart Realm was being revealed to him. He''s getting closer and closer to his initial goal. As exciting as this idea was, Cedric didn''t dare to celebrate too early. He remained calm and logical. Until he steps into the Sword Heart Realm, he won''t celebrate his achievements just yet. His confrontation against the breeze continued. The gales were unceasing and their frequency was increasing the deeper he went. Each wave drains him considerably of his strength, thankfully he has it in abundance, allowing him tost much longer than anyone would initially expect. Cedric has been at it for three hours now. As soon as he entered, he wasted no time and fought against the gales. Once the three hours were up, he sighed, put his sword away, and doused his body with Sword Intent. For the following two hours, he''d be enduring the breeze instead of confronting them. He allows the strong and sharp winds to blow him away, only using his Sword Intent to defend against them. Because the attacks are wind-natured, it allows Cedric to confirm the imperfections with him using his Sword Intent, which also allows him to learn the areas he should temper to perfect this skill even further. The dangers of doing this need not be exined for it is obvious, still, he did it anyway. This has been his routine since he came here and he''s confident that he''s doing the right thing so he didn''t bother changing it. Just like this, Cedric''s rm sounded in his ears, signifying that he was done for the day. He stood up and began retreating. He wiped his sweat with a clean towel and left the cave depths. He reappeared at the entrance where the cave guardians were stationed. He felt a bit fatigued but his body was already starting to recover once he was out of danger. Cedric signed off his session and began walking out. He then unfolded his senses a bit and he nearly wished he didn''t. A groan escaped his lips. He then thought: ''God damn! Doesn''t he have anything better to do? Why me? Seriously, what did I ever do?'' He was incredibly tempted to just run back to the cave and endure the dangerous gales there rather than deal with this guy. Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? Why is he so obsessed with him? Whining to himself, he dragged his feet to the entrance. He pretended to be busy with his System interface, a mere excuse to not cross gazes with...whoever his person was. "You!" Ll, Cedric doesn''t hear shit. "You! Stop at this instance!" Oh, look! A butterfly! How cute. "I told you to stop! Imand you to stop! I''m talking to you!" A prime-grade rib-eye steak for dinner doesn''t sound bad. Just as well, he had a whole rack dry-brined in his fridge. He also thought of making an au jus and horseradish cream to pair along with the dish. Yeah, that sounds really nice after a day of hard work. "Damn you! You''ve forced me to do this!" Cedric paused in his steps and his eyes narrowed closely. His gaze panned down at the sword tip aimed at his jugr, he then looked at the obnoxious guy who was holding the sword in front of him. "...and here I thought this was a ce of learning, not a battlefield. It seems that I''ve neglected to read the guidebook thoroughly. Though, pardon me if I seem a little bit confused because I truly don''t recall doing anything that would warrant this...treatment. Can you enlighten me, Sophomore?" His bored and cold tone droned in the surroundings while his golden eyes coldly regarded the person who threatened him. Everything that Alexis was about to say froze along with his thoughts, especially after being subjected to the frighteningly cold gaze of the Freshman. In his eyes, Cedric''s expression seems to be screaming: ''Be very fucking careful of your next move or words if you don''t want your head to be separated from your shoulders.'' Still, Alexis had already ridden the proverbial tiger''s back. Meaning that he had already gone this far. His move already garnered the attention of people. He could already hear their whispers in his ears. Alexis'' hold to his sword faltered ever so slightly but he refused to back down. He swallowed his initial fright and remembered that he was doing this to preserve the sacred sanctity of this institution. "Bold words, Fiend!" He spat, looking fiercely at Cedric. "Stop pretending, I know who you are and what you''ve done. You might''ve fooled everyone but not me!" Cedric couldn''t help but blink at that. Is he on drugs? High? "What are you talking about?" "Ha! Still acting dumb! As expected, of course, scum like you would keep washing hands until the very end. I''m telling you, anything you do is useless against me and today will be the end of your evil ways." "Oh wow...are you okay? Are you high? Drunk? Or something else maybe? Cause I swear you''re talking some serious nonsense here." Cedric deadpanned as he stared at the guy. "Shut your mouth, Criminal Scum!" Alexis roared. Cedric would admit, it stings to be called like that. And from what he could tell from this guy''s line of thought, he understood that he had done his homework. "You dare spread your corruption here! A criminal like you should''ve obediently stayed where you were. The likes of you are not wee here! I don''t know what method you used to escape your jail cell and how you fooled everyone into thinking that you''re a good person. But like I said, that might''ve worked on them but not me!" "..." "I can smell your corruption from miles away. I know what you''re doing and I will stop you, for I must uphold the sanctity of this institution!" At this point, a sizable crowd already formed around them. Themotion Alexis caused wasn''t small and his voice was loud. The crowd was whispering to each other but nobody tried to stop whatever this was. "...so you''re one of those." Cedric sighed long and slow after uttering this. Alexis watched as Cedric closed his eyes for a brief moment. Yet when he opened them and looked at him, he could swear that he got doused in a pool of ice-cold water. "Look. I have no idea what your problem is with me because as far as I can remember, this is the very first time we met. You im to know me yet I don''t know who you are. I''m not particrly interested in knowing you either. All I know is that..." Fwoosh! Cedric''s body suddenly emitted a fierce heat and killing intent. Alexis held back a gasp being the receiver of its entire weight. He could feel his organs sinking in like he just poked a sleeping beast and pissed it off. "...your sword is still aimed at my neck and I''m not particrly fond of people threatening my life. Especially after what I''ve been through. Therefore..." An iparably sharp sword intent which seemingly pierces the sky itself billowed out of Cedric''s body. "I will countdown from 5 when I''m done and this sword of yours is still aimed at me, I will treat this as a confirmation that you are trying to kill me. And at that point, I swear to my sword...that I will use Every. Single. Way. I cane up with to ughter you!" Fwoosh! It''s as if heaven and earth''s attention suddenlynded on the two of them. A mysterious pressure mounted on Alexis'' shoulders that frightened him to his core. His pupils dted as he felt the increasing momentum of Cedric''s killing intent pressing him down. "Five!" Alexis'' hand trembled as the countdown started. "Four!" Anxiety drowned him as he felt himself sumbing to the might behind Cedric''s voice. "Three!" The threat of death came closer and Alexis could''ve sworn that his life shed before his eyes. "Two!" "Hiii!" Alexis shrieked in fright as he hurriedly dropped his sword. At the same instant that the killing intent receded like the tide, he ran away out of fear of what Cedric could do to him. Chapter 147: Resolution -- "...you have to believe me, Honorable Instructor! This man this...devil! He''s corrupting you all. He''s a tumor that needs to be removed from this institute! He''s a danger to us all! Don''t you see it?" Within Instructor Uruk''s office, Alexis eximed in hysteria. His eyes were red and his body shook from heightened emotions. He wasn''t alone of course. With him, was the guy he''s calling ''The Devil'' - Cedric, Thirdy, and more importantly Uruk himself. All three deadpanned at the hysterical man, inwardly shaking their heads in disbelief. Cedric didn''t even want to be here. Unfortunately, themotion they caused was too huge so Uruk had to intervene. But seeing as how the Instructor was reacting to this whole issue, Cedric knew that he had nothing to worry about. "I urge you to wake up, Honorable Instructor. We are all in danger and only with your help will we be able to be rid of this! He''s not what you think he is. I know so! You need to cull him right here and now!" Uruk sighed to himself as he continued listening to the mad ramblings of his student. How this guy ended up here was a mystery to him. This guy''s insane and delusional. How did he get past the initial screening of the instructors? Moreover, how the hell did he condense a Sword Intent with this kind of mentality? He then turned his head to the used student sitting on the corner. Even without eyes, he could see the sheer boredom in Cedric''s eyes, looking so done with this already. And seemingly feeling his ''stare'', Cedric raised his palms up and shrugged. Not really wanting to be a part of this any more than he already was. It''s as if he was saying: ''I didn''t do that and that''s not my problem.'' Beside him, Thirdy muffled his giggles. Another sigh escaped Uruk''s lips. He could still hear the continuous ramblings of the insane guy and honestly, he''s tired of it. He had been asking for Alexis'' proof of his statement for 30 minutes now but all he received was dramatic speeches that seemed incredibly rehearsed. And as much as he wanted to smack this guy in hopes of waking him up to reality, that mightplicate the situation and he didn''t want more paperwork so he could only delegate this problem to someone else. "Alright, alright. I get it." Uruk then gave Alexis a sealed document and said: "Find Instructor Jin in the faculty and give this to him. Under no circumstance were you allowed to open this document, if you do, then the...n will fail. This must be opened by Jin and him alone. Understood?" Alexis'' eyes brightened like stars in the night as he solemnly received the document, immediately putting it into his inventory and eyeing Cedric like a hawk. "Ha! You''re done for, Demon! Wait until Instructor Jin receives this. Your evil reign will end soon!" Alexis snarled at him before leaving the office in a hurry. To this, Cedric merely rolled his eyes in contempt. Once the crazy guy left the office, all three men released a sigh. "I''m hurt." Cedric suddenly broke the silence. "Does Sir really think that I am a devil? Have I really corrupted all of you? Oh, woe is me. You even sent him to another Instructor to ask for help." His dramatic words caused Thirdy to giggle and Uruk to snort in amusement. "Nah, man. He just doesn''t want to deal with that crazy guy anymore, that''s why he sent him to Instructor Jin." Thirdy revealed. "You see, Instructor Jin is the head of the Medical Department of the Academy. The document Master gave away will ensure that Alexis wouldn''t return to this ss unless he receives a clean bill of health." "Wow, my youngest student really just called me irresponsible in front of my face. I''m offended." Uruk light-heartedly chided as he took a sip of his warm tea. "I didn''t lie, though." Thirdy cheekily replied. He then turned to Cedric and said: "Also, don''t worry about the gossip outside. We already knew of your life before enrolling here since it was included in your Public Profile." "We have zero tolerance towards discrimination here so if they were to cross the line, don''t hesitate to tell us, you hear?" Cedric nodded at that. "Besides, the only status that matters in this ce is the Student and Instructor status. Any identities you have outside of the Academy be invalid here. That''s public knowledge so your peers shouldn''t make it a big deal. They''d probably gossip about it for a bit but with time, it''ll eventually disappear so endure it for now." Cedric shook his head in amusement. He''s just d that Alexis has been dealt with. That''s one less troublesome person for everybody in this ss. "Still, what''s that guy''s deal anyway? He''s too absorbed in his delusions. How was he even allowed to enroll here." This is what confused Cedric, because aside from identification to confirm one''s citizenship, anybody who enrolls here must also send a medical clearance as one of their requirements. Alexis was clearly not right in the head, so howe he got past the screening? "No clue." Uruk replied, "But personally, I think that his insanity was recent. After all, I''ve talked to that child before and I could swear he wasn''t like that." "He''s arrogant, conceited, and acts as if he''s some hot shit. Though in this ss, everybody''s pretty much like that, others just aren''t that obvious. That kind of attitude wasn''t really illegal per se, and it usually curbs down the more they are exposed to the gap between them and real geniuses." Thirdy supported, "Because we''re used to students acting like, we didn''t bother with him. So we''re just as surprised that his mental health deteriorated that much." "...so, he''s expelled just like that?" Cedric asked. "Not formally. Not right now, at least." Thirdy answered for his Master. "He''d be given 6 months to settle whatever issues he has. If after 6 months he still hasn''t returned with clearance from Instructor Jin himself, then yes he is expelled." "I see." Cedric nodded. Well, he asked out of sheer curiosity. In reality, he couldn''t care less whether Alexis was expelled or not. He''d only have a problem with him if he kept bothering Cedric''s peace. He doesn''t care what the guy''s ending would be so long as he stays as far away as he can from him. "Enough about him. How about you? From what I can sense, you''ve been progressing really fast. I reckon that you''re already condensing the seed of your Sword Heart." Thirdy grinned as he spoke. "Right. But for it to form, I will need more than this. I''m nearing the limits of Sword Intent but for it to form the Sword Heart, I need something more. I just don''t dare to think about it now because I don''t want to be obsessed with it." Cedric replied truthfully. There''s no use hiding his progress from them. Even Uruk who doesn''t have eyes could tell how far he came. He didn''t want them to see him as a liar or untrusting so he kept it real and honest. "Your growth is astonishing, Young Man." Uruk smiled and praised him. "Take your time. Though, I''m sure that you''d encounter the chance you were looking for soon." "I hope so too, Sir." Cedric politely replied. He then stood up and said: "Well, I guess I''m no longer needed here, so I will now take my leave. Do you have any task for me, Instructor?" "None." Uruk shook his head, smiling amicably at him. "Just continue what you have been doing. We will meet again once you finally reach the Sword Heart Realm." "Understood. Then, I shall take my leave." Cedric bowed towards Uruk and proceeded to leave the office with a rxed expression. As he left the office, he could hear the hushed whispers about him and the fiasco that happened earlier. Choosing to ignore them, he left the dojo and headed back to his dorm where he could finally prepare that steak he was craving for. Back at Uruk''s office, Thirdy and he continued drinking their tea in silence. It was Thirdy who then broke the peaceful quiet between them. "Hisprehension speed is astonishing. His work ethic was alsomendable. A hard-working and efficient genius. Are all Sages like him?" Thirdy asked. Uruk snorted and replied: "No. God, I wish they were because each Sage has the potential to shape an Era. Unfortunately, most of them fall under the temptation of wealth, status, etc. Mostly due to their arrogance. I hope that the kid remains that way or else, he''d be another wasted potential." "...the chance/inspiration needed as a catalyst to form his Sword Heart...when you said that he''ll encounter it soon, you''re referring to ''THAT'' event that freshmen students go through, right?" Thirdy asked his Master tentatively. "Maybe." Uruk mysteriously replied, "I mean, it''s certainly a chance. However, whether it''ll be enough or not, that would depend on his luck and determination." "I see." Thirdy nodded, he then looked outside and got lost in his thoughts for a bit. "Well, I hope so too. I''m a bit excited to see what kind of enlightenment a Sage will have in the realm of Swords." Chapter 148: Announcement -- [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human II sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Alchemist 50/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 3 - Lv.9 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T1 Lv.3 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.99, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Lightspeed Lv.75, Dispel (M) Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.120, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.25, Sage Arts Lv.90, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith''s Blessing (M), Repair (M), Essence Distition Lv.50, Vitality Infusion Lv.50 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 16, Failure Streak - 0 ** Two months have passed since the fiasco with Alexis. Long story short, the poor guy has never been seen again after meeting with the Head of the Medical Department. Cedric doesn''t know what happened to him, he doesn''t care either. With Alexis being gone, the Sword Path Dojo was once again peaceful so it was a good riddance. His Sword Intent was a level short of being maxed thanks to his diligent training. The closer he gets to the Sword Heart Realm, the more anxious he feels. However, he made sure to tamper that feeling down. It wouldn''t do him any good to be anxious, the best he could do is to continue his diligent effort. Aside from his Sword Intent, Cedric hasn''t neglected the rest of his skill set. Just like the Sword Intent, his Sage Arts are also nearly maxed. He''s only ever limited to his current Tier and level, that''s why his progress was so low. At least it wasn''t like the Lightspeed skill which had gonepletely still. His Alchemy levels are also progressing well. He actually already improved some of the forms that he got online, making better versions of their products. He had been grinding his production skills to make sure that he could get stable results every time. It''s still a work in progress though but at least there is progress. As for Aurelion, the cub''s now the size of an old house cat. Its coat had grown out and they''re slightly thicker around his neck, which shows signs of him growing a mane. The little guy''s boisterous though, talkative too. No, Aurelion couldn''t speak humannguage nor couldmunicate mentally with it, but Cedric could understand him just fine so there''s no worries there. Just by existing, Aurelion had grown to Tier 1 Lv.3, perks of having an absurd potential it seems. He did nothing but eat, nap, y, and sleep, all day long yet he''s already stronger than mortal men...theparisons are truly vexing. Luckily he''s cute... Currently, Cedric was doing his morning exercise when all of a sudden, he received an alert from his System. It was a general message sent to the freshman studentsing from Instructor Orion himself. A serious expression appeared on his face because he knew that this was important. He sat on the ground and opened the message to read it. ** To: Freshmen Students From: Instructor Orion : Good day, Freshmen. I have an important announcement that you all should hear in person. Please arrive at the Central za at 4:00 pm in the afternoon for this meeting. If this conflicts with your academic schedule, please know that you''ll be excused. Just inform your Instructors ahead of time. : Ps. You are obligated to attend this meeting. The Academy will not ept any less than a life-threatening event to excuse you for not being present at this meeting. Should you fail toply, you will be punished ordingly. That''s all. ** Cedric couldn''t help it. He raised a brow after reading the e-mail. "Was the threat really necessary...?" Cedric nked out for a bit then smiled wryly, "Eh, well...maybe. What''s this announcement going to be anyway?" He asked this but he already knows that he''s not going to have any answers soon. He could only wait until they met with Orion. Cedric nced at the clock and saw that it was barely 09:00 am. He still has a few hours left for himself. Thankfully, it is Sunday today so he had no ss. He originally nned on going to the Sword Tempering Cave today but he decided to drop the idea just for today. Cedric had been training nonstop for two months straight now. At first, it''s because he had nothing better to do without Chrissy and Erica there to apany him. It''s not like he''s close to anybody else aside from those two and, by extension, their team as well. Now, it''s still mostly the reason. But there''s also the hidden anxiety in his heart because their team has yet to return even after two months. The girls told him that they were fine. It''s just that their mission has beplicated, and that''s why they can''te home just yet. Of course, they can''t tell him the specifics of their mission because they weren''t allowed to. For Cedric however, it''s good enough to know that the two of them were still alive. That''s all that matters to him. Still, he''s feeling a bit lonely since they weren''t here. He didn''t like it but he also doesn''t feel like socializing so he attuned his focus into training instead. It wasn''t as bad as it seems. He''s used to loneliness anyway. Since he had decided to rest for the day, he went for a filling meal and a warm shower after his exercise. Then, he slept until two in the afternoon. Once he woke up, he ate and showered again, and watched some online streams until 3:30 pm. He wore his uniform and went towards the Central za by himself. He arrived 10 minutes early which wasn''t bad. Cedric noticed that Orion was already there, his presence was just so muted that themon students couldn''t sense him. He''s probably waiting until the clock hits 4 or up until every freshman arrives. All of the freshman students arrived before 4 pm which was nice. Once everyone was there, that''s when Orion broke his cover, seemingly appearing right in front of them like a ghost. "Good afternoon Freshmen. I appreciate that all of you arrived in time, keep it up and we will have no problems." "Now, without any further ado, let''s get on with the reason why I called all of you here. Do listen carefully, and take notes if you want to or don''t, I don''t care. I won''t be exining twice so if you missed something and happened to mess up, I''ll hold you ountable for it." "..." Some of his batchmates began moving, most likely taking out tools to take notes of whatever they''d be discussing here. As for Cedric, well...he''s toozy to do that so he just recorded the entire meeting using the system. ...what? Orion didn''t say it wasn''t allowed so why not, right? "Freshmen, I will need you all to prepare yourselves, because two weeks from now, you''ll be going on your first-ever mission as future Scions of Humanity." Orion announced. There were varying reactions from the students, the majority of them being confused. Cedric was too since this was the first time he heard of this. "We, at the Starlight Royal Academy, don''t just ept students because we want to educate them. If that''s the case, then why would we bother setting up all sorts ofbat sses and trial grounds for you to use so that you can use them to increase your strength?" Orion started exining after seeing their reactions. "In simpler terms, think that this is a Military Academy and all of you are Cadets in training. We are raising you to protect and contribute to Humanity''s future." "More than three months passed since you enrolled here. That''s more than enough time for all of you to adjust and enjoy the benefits of being here. Now, it''s time for you to make your first contributions, and that starts with a simple excursion to the Eastern Walls and participate in a Patrol Mission." Cedric caught the tumultuous changes of some students'' expressions at the mention of the Eastern Walls. He couldn''t me them, after all, this simply means that they''re going to the Frontlines. "This trip willst for two weeks and you are mandated to participate. And if you''re thinking about using legal means to escape this, I''d advise you to re-read the agreement you signed. The only way for you to refrain from participating is by being dead so don''t even think about it." Orion paused to let his words sink into them. Then, he continued: "More details of the Patrol Mission would be discussed upon our arrival there. For now, I sincerely advise you to make sufficient preparations for this trip because if you''re careless, you might just be there." "That''s all I have to say. In two weeks'' time, I expect you all to be ready." And just like that, Orion left the students to their own devices. Chapter 149: Mission -- Orion''s announcement caused turmoil for freshman students...well, most of them at least. Some of them knew it wasing, they just don''t know when. Well, now they have the answer to that. Yet despite expecting it to happen, they were still surprised nheless. In the grand scheme of things, their mission was simple. Wasn''t it just a simple patrol mission? How bad could it possibly be? However, these people grew up listening to stories of how terrible the Outer World was. News shes of Outer World Exploration Teams returning beaten and battered from their mission always make the headlines whenever they ur. Their stories, the horrors they faced, the sheer difference between this continent and the rest of the world, and how they''re grateful to be back even to the extent of sobbing in relief...people have been conditioned to rte the Outer World as something bad because of this. The worst part is that they weren''t lying. Every information they share with the public is the truth, even Ac agrees with them, and everybody knows that she''s the personification of Prime Earth''s consciousness. That''s why even though this mission was only going to be a simple patrol mission, the Freshmen couldn''t help but feel extremely nervous and uneasy. The part where this was mandatory just makes it worse. Among the 200 freshmen students, a handful of them took this notice with rtive ease. Either because they were confident or they were just going with the flow. Cedric belongs to the former, as he was already expecting this as well. With his senses, it is very difficult to keep a secret from him. He has heard hushed discussions of older students about the Freshmen Initiation set up by the Academy Staff. It''s like a ''Rite of Passage'' more than anything. Orion said so himself, they''re raising students to contribute to Humanity''s well-being. They wouldn''t waste time and resources with people who only seek glory and vanity. That''s why this was mandatory. He''s not surprised when Orion says that they might die from this mission. Again, this was included in the agreement they signed when they enrolled here. There''s no escaping this. As cruel as this sounds, the Academy would rather see their students die fighting against demons than see them turn into a waste of space and air. It''s harsh but they have a reason behind this. Given how long Starlight Royal Academy had been around and their contribution to humanity in general, who was he to question this? The group chat was noisy. Cedric has to mute it because of the great flood of texts being sent by his batchmates. What''s happening there could be summarized with a single word: Panic. Cedric didn''t read much but he knew that everybody was asking for help in whatever way they could to prepare for the trip. Back at his dorm, Cedric rests on the couch, petting Aurelion who''s nibbling at his fingers. "...two weeks to prepare, huh? What can I do within that time frame?" Cedric hummed as his mind went through several possibilities. "I remember...there''s this one time when Erica leaked a piece of information unconsciously. Sheined that she had to carry arge bag filled with stuff because the boys of their team were all injured and couldn''t carry them for a while." "Although she didn''t borate, I have a theory as to why she said that." He muttered, "I think that the Ac System bes less effective the deeper you go in the Outer World. Her influence couldn''t reach that far because the Demon Race imed thends for themselves and subjected it to their rule." "Why else would she need to carry a lot of things when she has ess to the Inventory? There''s no way she could''ve forgotten that function even in a stressful environment like that. So that must mean that at a certain distance away from Humanity''s civilization, the Ac System bes less and less useful." Nobody could confirm this theory for him right now but he had a feeling that he was right, just like with most things. "...would my strength be affected too? I mean, a bulk of it was only possible because of the System. If the System''s being affected out there, then it''s safe to say that I would be too, no?" This is another problem for Cedric. Sometimes, being too perceptive has its own downsides. Because now that he thought of this, he couldn''t help but be worried when he was supposed to be rxing right now. "...I might as well use my advantages here. I have a Lv.8 System Authority for a reason." He muttered as he summoned the System Interface. Very quickly, he searched for articles that detailed the situation on the Frontlines. He spent half an hour looking through articles and documents before feeling confident that he knew enough. "I was right." He sighed. "Using the System Functions at the border would be risky." What he learned goes beyond his assumptions. While it is true that humans can''t use the Inventory and be weaker the deeper they are within the Outer World, there are bigger reasons for this. The Inventory is a minor pocket dimension granted by Ac to Superhumans for the sake of convenience. Everybody has it and through secure channels managed by the System itself, they are connected, further increasing its efficiency. Using the Inventory was only safe within Human Territory because Ac''s presence is the strongest here. Beyond the walls of this continent''s border, the Inventory bes a liability. The Demon Race is always looking for an opportunity to bypass Purgatory and invade Prime Earth to do real damage to humans. Their main targets are the ''Risks'' because ''Risks'' could turn into ''Nodes'' after experiencing certain requirements, allowing real Demons to descend. Since the Inventory was a pocket dimension, it is subjected to the Laws of Space. It would''ve been great if Humans were the only ones who couldprehend that Law but unfortunately, that''s not the case. Demons could use the Laws of Space too, and they use it very well. If a human were to use the Inventory outside of Human Territory, a ce where Ac''s influence was weakest, the Demon Race would take advantage of it and will invade Prime Earth this way. Using the Inventory out there was simr to lighting up a beacon for all demons to see. It''s shouting; ''I''m here, idiots! Come and get me! I want to die!'' In the documents he read, he saw numerous people who fucked around and found out ¡ª the hard way, why this was inadvisable. So much so that it became a Military Law. Soldiers will have their System Functions and, more importantly, their Inventories sealed until they are discharged from their service. That then begs the question; ''If they can''t use the Inventory, then what do they use?'' The answer to that would be: ''Runic Spatial Rings''. Runic Spatial Rings were invented by the Lifestyle Guild to rece a Superhuman''s Inventory. Contrary to one''s belief, this ring doesn''t operate under Space Laws. The Lifestyle Guild Master was the one who invented it through the use of Runic Symbols and Modern Technology - both of which are concepts that the Demon Race does not understandpletely. How the Tech God achieved this is a closely guarded secret, and it''s better that way. What''s important is that they work, and the Military has been using them since then. Runic Spatial Rings are one of the few pieces of technology that operate normally in the Outer World...because yes, human tech tends to malfunction out there too. Sadly, the Military applied for control over the production of these rings, and the government approved of it. They imposed strict rules over who could own these rings and sadly, not even Cedric who has a Lv.8 System Authority could get his hands on it. "I''m guessing that the Military Law will also be imposed on us when we arrive there." Cedric whispered to himself. As for Humans bing weaker out there, that''s because of Ac''s weakened influence over thends she used to have. It''s normal since the deeper someone is through the Outer World, the weaker Ac''s presence bes and in extension, her blessings as well. "It shouldn''t weaken us too much." Cedric muttered, "After all, our mission was just a simple patrol. We''re not gonna be exploring the depths of the Outer World." This made him rx a bit at least. There''s no way Orion would lie about something like this. If anything, he should expect a fierce battle in there, but any greater responsibility (military-wise) wouldn''t be expected from them during their trip. "Well...in general, there''s a chance that I''d feel much weaker when we arrive there and I''d be forbidden to use the System. It sounds bad but not enough to kill me. I''ve been through worse so this should be doable." "Besides, it''s not like they''d leave us to our own there. There would be supplies and support avable. And since it''s just a patrol mission, getting ess to those shouldn''t be difficult." Cedric patted Aurelion''s head and ced him back on the Beast Soul Space. He stood up, stretched, and made his way to his training area. "There''s that, I guess. Now, it''s time to enter Tier 4." Chapter 150: Advancement -- [Notice! User Cedric is attempting the Tier 4 Advancement Quest!] [Requirements] : Current power level must be at Tier 3 Lv.9 (Clear!) : At least Five Skills (Active or Passive) must reach Lv.8 (Clear!) : Minimum of 5 Hell Dive clear streak. (Clear!) : Fee of 100,000 T3 Demon Souls or 50,000 Tier 3 Purified Demon Souls. (Clear!) : Pass the Advancement Quest. (Pending) ** Within the Advancement Quest space, Cedric could be seen shing away at his foes. Every swing of his de was apanied by a golden wave of mes with scalding heat. Some of his enemies evaporated even before getting hit by his shes so others scrambled to flee from it. If there''s a great distance between him and his target, he would either close the gap by using Lightspeed or imbue his sword - the Sris Edge, with the Sage Art: Luminous Arsenal, which extends the reach of his sword. Speaking of Sage Arts, there were at least 7 golden orbs of pure sunfire acting as a stationary turret shooting at his foes. He leaves a burning trail of golden mes everywhere he passes, said mes reach extremely high temperatures, making it deadly for those who dare to cross them. In this Advancement Quest, Cedric was waging war against an army of phantoms. These phantoms are from Ac''s memory. They''re people who are hailed as geniuses of their own who met a terrible fate by dying early. Ac remembers each and every single one of them and, in a sense, immortalizes them by having these memories fight against the modern-day Superhumans. What makes this quest difficult is that, unlike the Undeads he''s used to fighting in Purgatory, these folks know teamwork. They support and defend each other to maximize their results. Sure, Ac''s certainly behind this since this was supposed to be a test for him, but that doesn''t make it any less annoying. Cedric disappeared from his spot once more, appearing in front of a White Mage...at least he thinks it''s a White Mage, before proceeding to stab it to nihility and moving on to his next target. The tanks were the least of his priorities, they were too slow to catch up to him anyway. He rushes through the backlines to cripple their formation and make this quest a little less annoying for him. Surely, only someone like him would find this quest annoying. Others would probably feel despair or just straight out give up if they were to experience this kind of difficulty. Fortunately, Cedric isn''t like most people. His monthly Hell Dives conditioned and trained him to deal with armies and hordes all on his own. It''s practically ingrained in his entire being at this point. In fact, he could even say that he''d perform better if he were to face hordes of enemies on his own since he has never experienced fighting with a team. Still, despite being annoyed, Cedric progressed steadily through the quest. This was a smelting trial in a sense, Ac was testing if he was still sharp and he was. His edge never faltered even when faced with a seemingly impossible task. Actually, this was much easierpared to his Hell Dives. Sure, their teamwork was annoying but Cedric could use that to his advantage as much as it was an advantage for them. Their teamwork makes them predictable. Troublesome still, but predictable. Since he''s used to fighting armies all on his own, Cedric no longer counts the amount of enemies he has killed so far. If it''s breathing or still moving, then it''s not dead. It should be dead. That''s the logic that he follows whenever he does his Hell Dive and it''s applicable here as well. Eventually, Cedric found himself standing alone in the middle of a destroyed field. All of his enemies evaporated to nothingness already. As he waited there, expecting more toe, he was surprised to hear the announcement of the end of his Advancement Quest. "Oh!? Is it over already?" Cedric blinked as he looked around. Since the phantoms didn''t leave bodies behind, it felt weird to him. And to his astonishment, he discovered that he didn''t even sweat from this. He also didn''t spend as much energy as he thought he would. There''s plenty more in his tank that could allow him to do another round of this. But that''s unnecessary. [Congrattions, User Cedric. You have cleared your Tier 4 Advancement Quest with flying colors.] [Please prepare for your evolution.] The system''s t and emotionless voice echoed in his ears. Cedric returned Sris Edge from where it was stored and sat down to wait for the start of his evolution. It didn''t take long before energy started umting above him. Cedric took a deep breath and focused. That''s when the energy descended to him and his body immediately began devouring it. Bump! Bump! His heartbeat turned thunderous over the sheer density of this energy. His blood furiously rushed to every corner of his body and ignited the umted potential he had gathered so far to start his evolution. A bright golden light erupted from the depths of his body. The sigil which represented the Aspect of the Sun, roused from its slumber and served as a guide for Cedric''s evolution. Meanwhile, the White Lotus Core in his heart started revolving like crazy. It spun too fast that it caused a cyclone which drew the energy towards itself. Just as Cedric expected, he''s going to have a double breakthrough this time. One was his evolution to Tier 4 and the other was his White Lotus core going from the Solid Core stage to the zed Core stage. Cedric could literally feel his strength rising. His Body was bursting with raw power, his Mind was buzzing with activity, and his Spirit was pulsing with life. All aspects of his being were being elevated to a whole new level with this evolution. As this process continued, Cedric suddenly found himself arriving at an empty space. He didn''t know how he got here or where this was. In fact, his mind was hazy at this point due to the evolution process so it''s his subconscious who arrived here. Cedric began hearing sounds but he couldn''t make out what it said. He could feel strange sensations but they''re foreign to him. He could see something happening in front of him but he couldn''t see it properly. Even with the strength of his senses, he couldn''t decipher anything that was happening around him. His subconscious thoughts became chaotic. He felt as if he understood something yet nothing at the same time. It was truly bizarre. This phenomenon continued for a while before his consciousness suddenly jerked away and he was brought back to reality. As he adjusted to his present state, he nearly suffered from Sensory Overload. Everything became too much for him for a brief moment before his entire being started adjusting to it. Once he feltfortable, he opened his eyes and released a long sigh...which caused a trail of smoke that slithered like a snake as it left his mouth before dissipating to nothingness. If the first 3 Tier Advancements brought a qualitative change in someone''s strength, then the Tier Advancement beyond that improves a person''s overall quality as a human being. This evolution goes beyond just increasing someone''s explosive strength or speed, Cedric would have those still but that''s not the important part. It raises them to something more than a mortal. At this stage, it''s no mortal illness or disease can have an effect on him. It''s already like that when his physique evolved so the evolution this time just increased his immunity to debilitating ailments even further. It also brought a whopping 200 years of increased longevity to him. Meaning that even if he bes stuck in this stage, then he could live for more than 300 years still searching for a way to break through. That time was long enough for kingdoms to change. There''s that and also the advancement of his White Lotus Core Technique, which now reached the zed Core realm. The zed Core was at the size of a pearl. Previously, it was the size of a baseball after Cedric''s constant umtion but it shrunk now he made a breakthrough. Don''t be mistaken, this core didn''t get weaker. It''s the opposite actually, it became much stronger since it waspressed. Compared to the Solid Core, the zed Core looks crystallized and is capable of revolving by itself. This breakthrough massive increased the amount of Ki Cedrid could store and use. In turn, he could supercharge his skills if he wanted to do more damage. Overall, there was no ident here. Cedric evolved and broke some of his mortal shackles. Not all but some. And that''s more than enough to bring a qualitative change to his entire existence. Clenching his hands and feeling the raw power coursing through his veins, Cedric smiled widely. Truly, the sensation of bing stronger was addicting. "With this breakthrough, I am more confident in going for that patrol mission." Ending his celebration here, Cedric decided to consolidate the changes that happened to him before he was kicked out of this ce to return to reality. Chapter 151: Departure -- [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human III sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Alchemist 50/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 4 Lv.1 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T1 Lv.5 Aptitude: Body: EX! Energy: EX! Spirit: EX! Final rating: EX+ Skills: Actives: Sword Intent Lv.99, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Lightspeed Lv.76, Dispel (M) Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.120, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.25, Sage Arts Lv.90, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith''s Blessing (M), Repair (M), Essence Distition Lv.50, Vitality Infusion Lv.50 [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 6 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 16, Failure Streak - 0 ** [Race: Human III] : Gained through qualitative evolution of the Human Bloodline. : +30% Natural Charm, Increased Luck, Greatly Increased Life Expectancy, Greatly Increased Intelligence, System Authority Increased. ** Cedric clenched his hands after immersing himself in the changes on his body. Reaching Tier 4 brought a profound change in his entire being. What made him even more different was the existence of the marble-sized core silently revolving at the core of his heart. Each time it revolves, it sends out wisps of pure Ki through his bloodstream, energizing him and making him stronger. He could tap into this hidden power with but a mere thought. This was his zed Core, his other source of power besides from advancing his Superhuman Tier. Cedric actually has to be careful now. He had this feeling that if he were to be careless, he might just destroy things at his dorm. It had to be known that this ce was built for a Superhuman to use, the training area was even more fortified because of this, but Cedric truly felt that if he were to summon all of his strength in one attack, he''d be damaging this property, and he didn''t want to do that. His race also evolved to [Human III], bringing forth an overall increase in the boons it gives him. Due to the increase in his strength, his field of senses expanded too. From barely being able to cover the entire academy, he could now do so quite easily. The amount of detail he could perceive increased as well and its less burdensome to use. It is rather scary how many things he could observe, and with the help of Multitask and his increased intelligence, the speed at which he processed information was mind-boggling too. He felt as if there was literally nothing that could escape his senses. Realizing this just makes Cedric even more certain about his decision to hide his skills. If Demons were to learn of this, they would certainly do everything in their power to assassinate him. And finally, the ¡ºLightspeed¡» skill finally made some progress, now reaching Lv.76 after so long. This meant that, because of his breakthrough, his body became much stronger and could endure faster speeds. He''s getting closer and closer to having his explosive speed equal to the speed of light, and frankly, he can''t wait for the day when he reaches that. Aside from the changes within him, he also discovered that his Hell Dive Task changed too. An hour was added to the time requirement. He has tost for 6 hours twice in Purgatory, bringing it to a total of 12 hours. He could only smile wryly at this. He''s powerless to change Ac''s opinion so he could only do his best. Overall, Cedric experienced a massive boost in his strength. He also received heavier responsibilities but nothing too daunting for him at this point. With his increase in strength. He felt more prepared for the uing patrol mission. He still had some additional preparations to do but in terms of strength and abilities, this is as good as it could get right now. ** Through the next two weeks, the freshman students made their preparations for the mission. Some trained like hell, others prayed to all saints and gods to keep them safe. They were given a two-day leave to inform their family about this. Most of them took it while others, including Cedric, remained. Cedric''s family was dead so there''s nothing for him to visit. He could''ve returned to his actual home at the ck Thread City but there''s nothing for him there either. Erica and Chrissy still haven''t returned from their mission so he''s utterly alone right now. He didn''t feel like visiting bars or clubs either to have fun since it was just going to be a waste of time. With no other options left, he could only stay and stave off the loneliness he felt. It''s not that bad yet and he could still endure it. He just hopes that the girls return soon. Just like that, days passed by quickly and the day of their departure arrived. The freshman students were all gathered at the za, waiting for the rest of their batchmates to arrive before leaving. Cedric was already here, packed and ready to go. Aside from a small backpack filled with a change of clothes and sealed rations, he bought nothing else. He even left his inventory mostly empty by cing them at a bank. And just to prepare for the worst scenario, he signed a will. Yes, he did. It says that if something were to ever happen to him during this excursion, all of the assets he had - wealth, status, treasures, etc, would all be transferred equally to Erica and Chrissy. If the girls are unavable to im this, they will all be donated to RMC and his chosen orphanage. Of course, Cedric wasn''t nning to die out there. It''s just for the worst-case scenario. It wouldn''t hurt to be prepared, that''s all. Cedric noticed that just like before, Orion was already here with them, he was just hiding his presence nearby, waiting until every student appeared or until the agreed time. As soon as thest student arrived, Orion calmly broke his cover and appeared in front of them like a ghost. He regarded the Freshmen with serious expression before saying: "I hope you already prepared well, because whether you''re ready or not, we will be leaving now." Orion then whistled and all of a sudden, a portal appeared behind him. From there, a flying bus emerged, honking merrily as it approached the nervous students. "Get in, all of you." Orionmanded. The freshmen scrambled to get it to the bus. As if their seating location would change anything. Cedric didn''t even botherpeting with them. He waited until the majority of his batchmates got in before getting in himself. He already knew that the first three rows of seats closest to the driver were empty because he had seen it with his senses even before he got in. Shrugging to himself, he chose to sit in the 2nd row to the right, next to the window. As soon as everybody was in, Orion signaled the driver to move along. And the bus began to fly. "The Starlight Royal Academy is close to the Eastern Walls..." Orion announced to get their attention. "...that''s where we''re headed today." "Your mission is simple. Once we got there and you''ve settled in, you''d be divided into groups of five. The team you get is final so be professional and work together." "Each team will be assigned a Team Leadering from the Military Camp. They''d be supervising your mission and will teach you how to do it properly. Take note that they are not your babysitters. Once there, you are expected to respect and follow theirw, and should you vite any of their rules, even the Headmaster wouldn''t be able to save you from their punishment." Orion''s words caused the already nervous students to feel more dread creeping up their spine. "If I were you, I''d treat this seriously. If you think that I was just scaring you when I said that you might die here, then you''re done for. Remember that you signed something pertaining to that. Those are official documents for a reason. We wouldn''t go that far for a mere prank." The students gulped nervously. Nobody really doubted his words...openly, that is. For some students, some of part of them wished that this was indeed just a prank and that the Instructor was just testing their resolve. However, from what Orion said and how serious he looked just now, it seems that it truly isn''t a joke or a prank. They might really be in danger here." A bout of silence permeated the bus. The students were starting to feel nervous, especially those who were looking out the window because they could see that the skies were turning darker and darker even though it was supposed to be morning right now. [Alert! You are approaching the border of Human Territory. Please be advised that your signal with the Ac System will start to be weaker the further you go in. System Functions might stop working after a certain distance.] [If you didn''t mean to arrive at this location, please turn around and leave. The area behind the walls is filled with dangers that not even the System could urately calcte.] Cedric wasn''t the only one who received this notice. Chapter 152: Revelation -- [Alert! You are approaching the border of Human Territory. Please be advised that your signal with the Ac System will start to be weaker the further you go in. System Functions might stop working after a certain distance.] [If you didn''t mean to arrive at this location, please turn around and leave. The area behind the walls is filled with dangers that not even the System could urately calcte.] Cedric wasn''t the only one who received this notice. That much was obvious by how at least 90% of the students suddenly froze in their seats. As if the fact that they were riding a bus to get there wasn''t enough, the system kindly decided to warn them just to drive the idea home. "So you''ve received the warning, it seems." Orion''s voice cut through their thoughts. He looked at them with a nk expression and said: "No, this isn''t a mistake. The Ac System is way too advanced for something like that." "The Ac System is made for humans. No Demon or Demon Hybrid would ever be able to use it. In exchange for the security however, the Ac System''s prowess became limited to just the Human territory." "Out of all of us, Ac was the one who was injured the most in the war because she''s literally the consciousness of our world. She already did her best to shelter us from harm and give us a chance to be stronger. Even if she wanted to help, her abilities are now extremely limited because she has gotten weak from all the malicious attacks of the demons." "At least 75% of Prime Earth had been lost to demons. In Ac''s case, that''s 75% of her actual body. It''s already a miracle that she''s still alive. Each day passed, the Demons'' corruption gnaws deeper and deeper into her flesh, consuming and changing her." "If the Demon Race conquers thest 25% of this world, meaning if we lose what territory we have left, then it''s safe to say that we will then be extinct. Don''t hope for mercy because Demons wouldn''t let us be after defeating us." "Because her power is limited to our territory, it would make sense why the Ac System would lose functions the deeper you go into the Outer World. Don''t worry though, your mission is to just patrol the borders. We won''t send you to the jaws of hell...not yet at least, so rx a bit." If that was supposed to make the students feel better, then it clearly wasn''t working. All it did was to make them feel worse than before. The fact that the Ac System could only be used within Human Territory was news for most of the students. As much as they didn''t want to believe it, there''s proof that they couldn''t deny it. However, just as they thought that this was it for the revtions, Orion revealed another important piece of information. "...1000 miles away from our territory is still rtively safe for the most part. However, one still has to be careful since the environment out there is unpredictable. Even Tier 9s would die there if they''re not paying attention. Beyond that, you''d find all sorts of horrors and nightmares that would kill Tier 9s in just a nce." "I know what you''re thinking; ''How is that possible, Sir? ording to the news, the OWET team goes way deeper out there. Howe they could return safely? Is the media lying to us?'' No, they''re not. The reason why is because the Tier 9 that you know isn''t the end of the road." "From a simple mortal transitioning to Tier 1 all the way to Tier 9, we call this the Superhuman Realm. They are strong within human territory but still an ant in the grand scheme of things." "Whates after that is the nar Traveller Realm. As the name suggests, these people reach a level of strength where they can roam the entire world and, so long as they''re being careful,e back alive. This realm has 9 Tiers as well, just like the previous one." "At the same time, there are Demons around who are just as strong as them. We call them Demon Lords, and there are a lot of them out there. There''s even more out of this world, waiting for a chance to descend and set the world aze. The Purgatory realm is the only thing stopping them from totally doing so." This time, even Cedric was mildly surprised by this. Yeah, he already guessed that there might be something more to humanity''s Power Level System, he just wasn''t expecting it to be revealed this way. He couldn''t get his information from the official forums so he thought that he needed more credentials and authority for it. "And beyond that, the nar Traveller Realm is the Star Traveller Realm. Only those who reached thetter could go anywhere in this world unhindered. Our dear Headmaster - Lissandra Mardeux, is one of such people. Aside from her, there''s the Lifestyle Guild''s Tech God - Charles Makarov, the Wandering Swordmaster - Old Man Jin, and the Sorcerer Supreme - Hayden Clover. There might be more on the Military''s side but I do not know of them." "Together, they are the Pirs of Humanity. Everyone, except Old Man Jin, stays within human territory to protect us. The reason being is that, if they make any movements, then the Demon Kings that hid themselves in our world will notice it, and a terrible sh that could cause mass destruction will ensue." The freshmen felt chills running down their spine when they imagined how terrible that scenario would be. "You might be hailed as geniuses in the city you grew up in but in the grand scheme of things, you''re irrelevant. None of you possess enough strength to refute that or protect yourselvespletely from the real dangers of this world." "The Hell Dives you face each month is nothing but a smelting trial forced upon you to make sure that, if things go south, you could, at the very least, fight. Surviving is an entirely different matter." "In truth, all of you are sheltered and catered to. Your pride and supremacy that you''ve shown in the academy were mere delusions of grandeur in front of the real world. If the idea hasn''t sunk in yet, follow me. I''ll show you an undeniable truth about the reality that you live in." The students didn''t even realize that the bus alreadynded. Not until Orion stood up and got off the bus. While the rest of the students were still hesitating, they saw Cedric standing up almost as soon as Orion left the bus. Unlike them, Cedric already knew what Orion wanted to show them, but who was he to ruin the surprise for everyone else? He didn''t say anything and just stood behind Orion, silently waiting until the rest of his batchmates gathered the courage to join them here. It took longer than expected. Eventually though, everyone left the bus and as soon as they did, they were met with a vast field of depressing sight. They stood on top of the Eastern Great Wall. Looking at the world beyond Humanity''s territory. They were greeted by a scene straight out of Hell. The view reminded them so much of what Purgatory looked like; ckened soil oozing with corruption, rivers of vicuous blood with bones floating above the surface... Haunting howls echoed from a distance. Thend was dested, not even a single de of grass could be seen growing out there. The shadows seemed to be moving and making shapes under the veil of darkness, and the skies...oh, the skies... Despite the fact that it was supposed to be the middle of the day, the skies out there were mostly clear aside from the asional dark clouds. The sky waspletely ck. Not a single star was in sight. Inevitably, their gazesnd on the shattered moon above. The poor thing barely provided visibility for anybody. But the dreadful feeling of wrongness that''s really throwing most of them off at this sight was the absence of the sun. Where is the Sun? "If you''re looking for the Sun, you better stop looking." Orion''s voice cuts through their haze. "Even if you were to travel all over the Outer World, you will not see it, simply because it is gone." And there it is, the horror dawning upon the freshmen''s faces upon the reveal of this fact. "The Sun has disappeared since the beginning of the Superhuman Era. It was swallowed by the Demon King Asmodeus back then, permanently ridding us of its blessings." Orion then faced the students and continued: "It was His Highness - Malik the Bold, the 5th Legendary Hero, who killed the Demon King. But even his death couldn''t bring back our sun. The real sun." "The sun that you see back there? That''s fake. It was created by the ''House of Light'' as a remembrance of what the real sun looks and feels like. However, it''s been centuries since someone saw and felt what the real sun looked like, so who could truly say if their creation was urate?" "This is what the real world looks like. This...is the real situation of our world...the real situation of Humanity." "Carve this image in your mind. I don''t care if it haunts you for the rest of your life, I want you to remember it." "This is proof that in front of real power, everything else is irrelevant." Chapter 153: Natural Sensor? -- The students were given time to let the revtions sink into their minds. That, and most of them weren''t really in a proper headspace to work right since their worldview had just been subverted. What they saw and heard today made them feel like their entire life was a lie. And they couldn''t be med for being out of it. This is also why the words ''sheltered and catered to'' cut deeper since, as much as they hated to believe it, it was the truth. They truly have no idea how terrible the current state of Humanity was. Compared to the real world, their battles within the Human Territory were nothing but mere children''s fights - irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Sure it made them tougher, made them stronger, and taught them how to stand up and fight, but in the face of a real war? That''s just a little bit better than being useless. And being pped awake to that reality hurts bad. Cedric was probably the least affected by all of this, mostly because he had been desensitized before. He was no stranger to hardships and unfairness, considering that he literally spent a good chunk of his life trapped in the RMC. Additionally, he received a Lv.8 System Authority which allowed him to learn about these early on. Cedric already knew that the sun within the Human Territory was artificially created by the ''House of Light''. Hell, the entire reason why he chose the "Aspect of the Sun" as his Sage Aspect was because of this. He wants to y a role that''s much bigger than himself, rather than being human, to prove himself worthy of the gifts he received. Cedric already discovered that the Ac System only works fine within Human Territory. He even prepared for that beforeing here. He also knew that the sun disappeared but not about it being devoured by a Demon King. That was news for him. Also, he didn''t know that the moon was shattered as well. Orion didn''t give any details about that but that''s fine. It''s not that relevant to the current him anyway. Overall, since he already learned most of the stuff that Orion revealed to him, the impact of his words was cushioned, so he''s not as affected as the rest. The most important factor here is that Cedric knew that the situation of Humanity sounds too good to be true considering that demons are literally always looking for a way to breach Purgatory to finish what they started. This was one of the things he discovered as soon as he arrived at the ck Thread City, freshly out of the RMC. He had never forgotten about this sensation and had always doubted it. His recent discoveries only proved that his instincts were, once again, right. The freshman students were divided into quarters. Boys and girls are separated. There were more men in this batch than women so the boys'' quarters were bigger. They weren''t given individual rooms, only a single one filled with bunk beds. There are enough supplies for everyone to use, not a lot, just enough. There''s amunal bathroom and at least threefort rooms here as well. Surprisingly, Cedric was the only one using the bunk bed. The rest shared with each other yet they seem to be avoiding him somehow, and Cedric don''t quite know why. He''s notining though, he just hoped that this wouldn''t be a problem here because he didn''t want to leave a bad impression on their first day. Orion told them that someone would fetch them once they were needed. Maybe an officer or something else? Who knows? The time hasn''t been specified though so just to be safe, Cedric kept alert at all times. He was actually tempted to roam around and learn more about this camp. From what he discovered so far, at least in the nearby area where they''re stationed, there are at least 20 military camps, not counting the entire battalion stationed here. All were built in a giant cluster close to the entrance of the Eastern Great Wall. The people who were stationed here were the first line of defense if any Demons breached this side of the wall somehow. The walls are designed to forcefully funnel them here so that they will receive a direct bombardment of extreme prejudice should they dare encroach upon Humanity''s territory. Aside from this though, as well as the facilities they passed through to arrive at the men''s quarters, he knew nothing else. He was really tempted to just unfold his field of senses here to spy on everything but he recalled Orion''s words. There are people here who are probably nar Travellers and above, maybe even a Star Traveller. These people would likely sense his probe and reprimand him for spying. Again, Cedric didn''t want to leave a bad impression so he held that desire within. In his boredom, he carefully, like really carefully, probed his System. Trying to see if it''s still online and could be used. He wasn''t surprised when he discovered that, although it is working, there''s a noticeableg with the System. It wasn''t performing as swiftly and as smoothly as it was back in the civilization. Noticing this, Cedric didn''t even bother opening his Inventory. Even though Orion hasn''t told them about it, Cedric could theorize that using it would be risky here. After all, if there''s already a noticeableg in the System, then it was highly possible that the Inventory, being one of its functions, would be at risk too. As he rested and waited to be called out for the briefing, Cedric suddenly felt a probe sweeping through the room which alerted him. He raised a brow but didn''t move. He closed his eyes and attempted to track the source of that probe because he was certain that it didn''t belong to any of his batchmates or Orion. Cedric followed the trail through his senses and it led him to its source, which was a man who wore a military outfit, wearing a silver badge with the symbol of a hawk on his left breast pocket. To his surprise, he saw the man lifting his gaze suddenly and he could''ve sworn that he was looking at him. The guy even smiled yfully and mouthed: ''Not bad, Kid. Not bad at all.'' To his surprise, Cedric retrieved his probe and limited it to a mere 5 meters around him. ''See that, self? Your senses aren''t that special. Learn to tone down your curiosity next time.'' He admonished himself, feeling a bit apprehensive because he might''ve just offended someone before the mission even began. ** "Ha! What a naughty kid!" The same man who sensed Cedric''s probe guffawed after sensing Cedric''s retreat. He could tell that the kid probably got scared or intimidated. Couldn''t me him, after all, they were in unfamiliar territory. "What''s the matter, Captain?" Orion asked, seemingly surprised by his sudden outburst. "You brought a good Kid with you, Sir Orion." The man shrugged before sitting down next to his colleagues. "Kid...you mean my students? Who caught your eye?" "The kid with the golden hair and eyes. Pretty strong for a Tier 4 too." The Captain replied. "I probed their location and the kid sensed it. Followed my trail all the way here and saw me." "I mean, I was being careless since they''re just a bunch of kids but I''m still experienced in my sensory skills. The fact that the kid noticed me right away...ha! He''s interesting." Orion thought for a bit and said: "Ah, you must be talking about Cedric Stormrider, the 1st ranked of this batch. He''s the only blonde I know who is quite sensitive to his surroundings. He''s a curious one. I''m terribly sorry if he offended you." "No, no, no!" The captain shook his head. "Not offended at all. In fact, I am impressed. It''s been a while since I saw a natural sensor. He has the foundations of a Scoutmaster." Orion, as well as the rest of the captain''s colleagues, were fairly surprised by his remark. ''A Natural Sensor.'' Orion ruminated the words in his mind. ''Of course, he is! How did we miss this?'' Natural Sensors are a type of talent that is fairly rare even among geniuses. The term refers to people whose senses far surpass what their supposed limits should be in Tiers and Levels. Recalling Cedric''s performance so far, Orion almost wanted to smack his face forpletely forgetting about this. Had he known, they could''ve probably had a better position in this meeting. Natural Sensors are highly valued in the army. Common people would most likely be disdainful of someone who had a sensitive tongue, but in the army, that person would be a treasure. Having a sharp sense of taste could bring numerous advantages to certain activities that the army does. And in the grand scheme of things, they are at the bottom of the ranks of Natural Sensors. A sharp sense of smell, skin sensitive to energy fluctuations and vibrations, ears that could listen to everything within a 1-kilometer radius, and eyes that could make out the size of a horde before everybody else saw them. These talents receive far more importance in the army because of their practical uses. "Let''s talk about the kidter." The captain said, "Right now, let''s focus on the matter at hand, the patrol..." Chapter 154: Great Terran Wall - 101st Battalion -- Azure Terra - the only remaining continent left for Humans to live here in Prime Earth. It is surrounded by the Great Terran Wall, protecting it from demons who want nothing more than to wipe out the remaining traces of Humans topletely annex this world. The Great Terran Wall was 1000 feet tall. A certified giant even amongst the great buildings and infrastructures of humanity. It''s said that this was made by a single person. How? That''s a damn good question. Unfortunately, the truth isn''t avable to the public. Most of the people only knew that it existed to protect them, the rest doesn''t matter. There are only four, and only four, entrances built to ess Azure Terra, and each of those entrances are located in the cardinal directions and each gate is heavily fortified and guarded by the military. On each gate, there are at least a 1000 Batallion of soldiers. Each battalion consists of 1000 strong men and women ready to confront any sort of nightmares that will dare wander close to the walls of their civilization. Mind you, each soldier here was a Tier 5 Superhuman at minimum. Each one is training to withstand the horrors of what lurks beyond the walls. Strong-willed and unyielding in the face of adversity. Each battalion is led by a person who earned the title of a ''Lord Commander''. Under the Lord Commander are the 10 Knight Captains each leading 99 Soldiers to form respective teams. The sheer number of soldiers here is why the Military is feared and admired. The majority of these soldiers volunteered or willingly joined their cause, risking their lives to make sure that their friends and family remained safe from the demons. Today, the 101st Batallion''s Knight Captains, their Lord Commander, and Instructor Orion were gathered in a single room to discuss how the batch of the academy''s students be divided amongst them. If the students saw how polite and subdued Orion was acting around the soldiers, they''d probably have a whish. In the few instances that they interacted with him, Orion always had an air of aloofness and disdain for the world around him, yet now he looked like an obedientckey, not even daring to speak out of turn. That''s because, in this room, Orion had the lowest status. Hell, his prestige was no better than a foot soldier - a cannon fodder. And this isn''t because he was weak. Orion was a proud nar Traveller, one of the Academy''s best. However, this is the army. The true protectors of this world. They don''t ask for respect, they demand it. And if he acted arrogant here, he''d lose his head before he could even blink. The worst part is that the academy wouldn''t even avenge him. They''d side with the army for this one because everyone knows that they are not to be trifled with. "...so I suggest four groups on each Knight Captain. That way, the entire batch will be divided equally. We will follow the standard patrol route for now and adjust it depending on the situation." Orion concluded his proposal in front of the battalion leaders, taking a step back afterward to listen to their response. One of the Knight Captains asked: "Is it wise to follow the standard route? The demons might take advantage of that." "That''s an ominous im, friend! It''s like you''re implying that we have spies in our ranks." "No, that''s not what I mean. But you all have to agree that whenever the academy sends their students here, this ce always bes lively. It happens every single time that it has be the norm now. In fact, isn''t that the reason why we''re having a discussion? Because if we''re not expecting any activity, what''s there to discuss?" "He''s right, guys. That has turned into a tradition by now. Even the foot soldiers know that. But at the same time, I think that we should still stick to the standard patrol route to make things easier for us by making their attacks predictable." "I support the division of 4 groups for each captain and following the standard patrol route." "I do too." "Same." "I vote against it. Demons aren''t dumb. If we could think of this, then they would most likely be able to as well. That''s enough for me to believe that they will switch things up just to mess with us. Even though we''ve set proper expectations for the students, I don''t want the kids to be traumatized by seeing their batchmates die, especially if we could''ve done something to change that oue." "You speak as if you''re certain that some of them will die." "Because they will." The previous guy grimly replied, "It has always been that way whether we follow the standard route or not. Their numbers will be culled. A world-ss talent is raised through the remains ofmon people. The weak will die and the strong will prevail. This is the most cruel yet fundamental truth in the frontlines." "You said that you don''t want to see the kids traumatized or dead, yet you also preach about the survival of the fittest. Aren''t you contradicting yourself here?" "I''m just telling the truth. Besides, thew of the fittest applies to his soldiers. They are kids, they still have so much to live for. If they return to the ce wanting to join our cause, then they will be subjected to thew of the jungle. Right now, I don''t believe it''s necessary to terrorize them too much, especially since this is their first time here. I just don''t want to scare them away and force them to the enemy side if we could avoid it." ... It was mostly the Knight Captains who debated against each other here. Orion politely listened to their words, standing at the corner and waiting until the final decision was made. He didn''t dare to voice out his thoughts unless he was specifically asked to. The debatested for an hour until the Lord Commander, who had been silent all this time and was just watching the heated debate transpire, suddenly lifted his hand. The Lord Commander was a middle-aged-looking man wearing a soldier''s uniform. If he were to stand, he''d be at least 7 feet tall and he had a massive build. Even though he''s sitting there and doing nothing, he''s exuding an aura of pure authority and grit that have been cultivated after decades of experience in his line of work. His appearance could cause a misunderstanding because in truth, this man was at least 300 years old. He''s one of the oldest people here. And in this line of work, where death is a constant thing, his age was one of his greatest badges of honor. Everyone went silent right away, a sign of his undeniable authority over them, and waited for the Lord Commander''s words. "You all raised good points, but we will be following the standard patrol route." He then looked at the Captain who was the first to vote against it and exined: "Your concerns are valid and I agree with most of your statements. After all, I am a father too. However, we cannot afford to leave them out of this. They might be children to your eyes but they''ve been legal adults from the moment they awakened to their Superhuman potential." "Uneducated or not, we made sure to inform everybody that poweres with responsibility. And all of them have been training for this. We''ve already broken the veil of illusion that our people sheltered them with right in front of their faces as soon as they arrived here." "Most of them might''ve been forced out of theirfort zones because of this, but this is necessary for their growth. As for driving them to the other side, don''t worry too much. We have Ac to cover our backs. We only needed to do what were supposed to here." "Just look after them. It''s okay to give them pressure but don''t expect them to perform at your level. Remember who we are and who they are, and everything will be fine. Am I clear?" "Sir, yes Sir!" The Knight Captains roared in response. "Good!" The Lord Commander then looked at Orion and asked him: "I hope that this arrangement is satisfactory to you, Young Man." "It is, Lord Banestar. I believe that our dear Headmaster will also agree." Not only did Orion not get mad at how the Lord Commander addressed him, but he even showed humility. Calling him ''Young Man'' was well within the rights of the Lord Commander because Orion''s not even 70 years old. Compared to the Lord Commander''s age and experience, he is undoubtedly a Young Man. "Oh? Lissandra, huh?" Lord Banestar hummed in a mncholic tone. "I''m guessing that she told you that your brats would be under me. That''s fine, I guess." "Still, the youngsters nowadays are truly fierce. I can''t believe that my foolish secretary has now be a Headmistress of the strongest Academic Institution there is. She''s even stronger than me now. Oh, how the time flies. Hohohoho..." After saying that, the Lord Commander stood up from his seat and left the rest to discuss which teams with be with whom. Chapter 155: Briefing -- Cedric had his eyes closed in meditation when all of a sudden, he sensed a presence invading his minimized field of senses and closing in on their location. He saw that it was the people from the army, and behind them was Orion. Seeing this, Cedric sat up on his bed and stretched a bit. He nced at his other male batchmates and saw most of them trying to get some sleep or doing something else to distract them. BAM! Those who were caught unprepared jumped in surprise when the doors of the quarters suddenly blew wide open. Four people entered as if nothing happened and stopped at the center of the room. "First years, gather around and form a line." Orion ordered in a stern voice. The students rummaged to fix themselves up and do as they were told. Cedric was fairly calm since he already knew this wasing. He was actually the first one to be ready, the rest followed after him, even then, it still took them a minute to do so. Once they were in position, an ufortable silence descended within the room. The male students felt the cold and measured gazes of the people in uniform that Orion brought with him, making them feel tense as if they had done something wrong. "It took you an entire minute to get into position." One of the men in uniform clicked his tongue as he spoke. "For superhumans like you lot, that''s awfully slow. You will get killed here if you continue being like that." His rough and deep voice rumbled within the corners of the room, causing most of the students to shiver when they heard him. "Don''t think for a second that just because you''re in this camp, you''re safe. Erase that mentality in your brains. Yes, you all have some level of security here but don''t forget that you''re in the frontline. If shit was meant to happen, it will happen here. If you want to live, then you must always be aware of your surroundings. Am I clear?" The same man scolded and asked. "Sir, yes Sir." "What''s wrong boys? Have you not eaten? Where''s your spirit? Answer me properly!" "SIR, YES SIR!" "Good!" The man nodded then said: "My name is Julius Dreyar. A Knight Captain or the 101st Battalion led by Lord Commander Banestar! Your batch will be delegated to us and us only during your stay here." "From now on until the end of your stay, you will be addressed as Cadets. Your name, upbringing, and background are all irrelevant here and when your Captain tells you to go south, I should never see you going north. Disobey and you will be punished ording to ourws. You will be given codenames instead of using your real names. Your codenames will be followed by your batch''s student ranking. Am I understood, Cadets?" "SIR, YES SIR!" "Good! Now, once I call your codename, I want you to step forward. Cadets #6, #15, #27, #60, and #145." Those who were called stepped forward and were given supplies. Cedric saw that it was a set of military uniforms, a Cadet Badge, rations, water canteen, and a military standard knife and pistol along with a knapsack where they could keep it all. Then, someone from the military who came with Captain Julius stood behind the cadets and did something to their Monitoring Chip, causing it to turn into a deep shade of green. The first group where then asked to step aside as the captain continued calling out other caderts into their team. Momentster, Cedric himself was called, unlike the other teams though, his team only consists of two people aside from himself. Cedric had some theories about this but he kept his mouth shut. This continued until everybody was divided into groups. Once done, the captain told them: "You were made aware that all of you will be divided into groups of five. For those who don''t have five members yet, that''s because the rest of your teammates were females, who are also receiving their briefing now." "Aside from that, you have received your supplies and ration. By tomorrow, I expect all of you to be wearing the uniforms we gave to you with the badge. Anybody who fails to follow this will receive disciplinary action." "The rations you received shouldst you for a week." The captain paused, seemingly relishing at the student''s dumbfounded expression. It was clear that he was messing with them because the dried rations they received were simply not enough tost them three days, much less a week! "If it turns out that it wasn''t enough for you, you may freely exchange some for Merit Points. You will learn how to earn Merit Points after meeting with your Knight Captains." "Here, our day starts before the crack of dawn and ends whenever we feel like it. Tardiness will not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form! Repeat vitions will get you dismissed/expelled or thrown into the other side of this wall to serve as bait." The cadets shivered at the threat. "And finally, you may have noticed that we did something with your Monitoring Chips. That color represents that you''re a part of the army. In that state, your ess to the Ac System is frozen until you''re done with your service. This is to avoid any mishaps that could happen with the System being vulnerable here." "Also, any pending Hell Dives will be frozen until you''re dismissed." "Don''t get me wrong. We''re not excusing you from your Hell Dives, we''re just freezing your due date. If you haven''t cleared your Hell Dive for this month, then you will have to do it once you return to civilization." "Judging by the date, that would be next month. That means that you''d have to do your task twice if you want to remain on the green. This is non-negotiable. Am I clear?" "SIR, YES SIR!" ''Thankfully, I already cleared mine.'' At least half of the cadets including Cedric thought inwardly. It would have been a nightmare if Cedric had to do this Hell Dive twice next month. That''s a total of 4 times in his case because of how much the world hates him. "Good. That''s it for your briefing. You will meet your Knight Captains tomorrow and I expect you all to be on your best behavior. Dismissed." After saying this, the group of men in uniform left the men''s quarters with Orion trailing behind them. As soon as they left, the cadets felt like a boulder was removed from their bodies. Some even copsed on the floor due to the weakness. Cedric went to his bunk bed and rummaged at the stuff he received earlier. While the rest of his batchmates were discussing how strict and cruel this ce was, Cedric took off the uniform of the Starlight Royal Academy and tried the military uniform on. He''s a bit surprised that it fits him just fine. It''s a bit loose on some parts but that''s be expected. ''They probably got my measurements from the Academy. Or they have other ways to determine it. Whatever, this works just fine, I suppose.'' He took a look at himself in the mirror. Although this is probably thest purpose of a military uniform, it didn''t look bad on him. He also sensed several symbols carved in the uniform that provide minor conveniences like; deodorization, self-repair, self-cleaning, etc. The standard-issued knife and pistol weren''t bad either. As he was returning to his bunk bed, he saw that his teammates intercepted his path. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, he stared at them with an unimpressed look and raised an eyebrow. Even before they could say anything, Cedric could already tell what they wanted to aplish, he overheard their discussion after all. It''s amusing how easily his batchmates forget how sharp his senses were. Also, their faces say it all and he could hear their thoughts. "Cedric bro, we are¡ª" He stopped them right then and there by holding a hand out. He then let out a breath and said: "It''s #1 here." He reminded them. "And there''s no need to pretend. I know what you want. A piece of advice from me to you. Stop it. It''s not gonna work. I''m in the same spot as everyone else here. Bound to the samews as you do." "Unless our Knight Captain, whoever they might be, specifically told me to babysit you, I will be on standby. Don''t think that just because I''m on your team means that you can take it easy. Something like that won''t fly here." "The earlier you two wake up from your delusions, the earlier you could actually work on bing stronger to survive this ce. Remember what''s on the opposite side of this wall. People die here very frequently. And as Instructor Orion said, without power, everything else is useless. Good night." Cedric didn''t even wait for their response. He left them blushing in shame since he wasn''t holding back his volume, and others heard his words. To others, Cedric''s actions might''ve been too much but in truth, it is what''s necessary. Besides, he didn''t really feel the need to be chummy with people who intended to ride on his coattails. If they want to thrive, they must work hard for it. It''s as simple as that. Chapter 156: Punishment -- Frrrrt!! A loud and piercing whistle broke the peaceful silence and slumber of the students. Some even fell from their beds due to the fright and shock. The noise continued as the one responsible for rudely waking them up banged on the metal doors repeatedly just to make sure that everybody woke up. "Up, Cadets! Up! Everyone up! Get dressed and gather outside in a neat formation. I want all of you out there within 5 minutes. Tardiness will be punished heavily, don''t say I didn''t warn you." After making a noise and saying his piece, the officer left the quarters to let the boys do their thing. The majority of them groaned and whined. Since the light of the sun doesn''t reach these parts, they can''t tell what time it is unless they look at the clock. But even then, it feels like they just closed their eyes seconds ago and yet they''re woken up already. Cedric didn''t have this problem though. Since he required less sustenance, which includes sleep, he''spletely fine, unlike the rest. Also, he already saw that officering ahead of time since his field of senses was partially opened at all times here. At the very moment that the officer opened the door and made a sound, Cedric was already wearing the military uniform he was given. He already had the pants on sincest night so he only had to wear the shirt and the vest. He took out the standard-issued knife and pistol, putting them in thepartments on his belt and securing the knapsack to his back, making sure that even reckless movements wouldn''t shake it off. Once he had everything on, he left the room and exited the building, not even waiting for the rest of his batchmates. It only took him 3 minutes from start to finish. Before the 3rd minute was up, he was already standing in attention at the designated spot for cadets like him. He stared straight ahead and looked alert. He ignored the mildly obvious look of appreciation from the officer''s eyes. As he waited for the rest, he felt a little bit daring. He extended the range of his field of sense just a bit, being very careful to make it subtle so that what happenedst time with the Captain wouldn''t be repeated. Cedric extended the field for a kilometer radius, and at the rooftop of the building behind him, he saw ten people whom he determined as Knight Captains, looking down at his position. Nobody seemed to sense his probe, not even the same guy who caught him yesterday. However, it could also be that they could but decided to ignore it since he didn''t have ill intentions anyway. Maybe he''ll know the answer to thatter. Halfway through the 4th minute and the cadets aren''t all here yet. All the female cadets were already here yet the boys are still iplete. Cedric saw the officer looking at his watch impatiently. What he felt was obvious by his facial expressions. Then the 5th-minute mark arrived, and the boys were still notplete. Cedric wasn''t imagining it when the surroundings suddenly felt cold all of a sudden. He sighed inwardly, looking at the face of the officer, it was clear that those who werete would have a hard time. The worst part is that, amongst those who arete, his teammates are included. ''I swear that if this implicates me, those two are gonna get it.'' Cedric grumbled inwardly. He had given them a warning yesterday, but it seems that the only thing that they remembered was the shame of being found out, not the actual value of his advice. 30 secondster, thest of thete cadets finally arrived,pleting all 200 of them. When they arrived at the silent field, they could already tell that they fucked up. They tried shrinking their presence, doing their best to be as small as possible to hopefully evade the punishment. Unfortunately, that''s not gonna happen. Even without seeing the officer''s direct gaze at them, he could feel him staring at them. It''s like these survival instincts were screaming at them to run but inwardly they know they couldn''t because there''s nowhere to go. "It seems that some of you still don''t understand your situation." The officer coldly uttered once all of them were present. "You''ve been warned yesterday and five minutes ago. In this ce, we have a general dislike of repeating ourselves because all of us are functional and intelligent people. Being told twice is just a waste of time. And in the army, time is a sacred resource that we put huge emphasis on." His voice grated to the ears of the cadets, more so at those who werete. "Very well, I shall use this as a teaching opportunity." The officer sneered. "All of you who arete, step forward now! Don''t make me call you out because if I do, that means that your punishment will be doubled." Some hesitated greatly, inwardly wanting to avoid punishment since they were only a few secondste. Those who are downright terrified or owning up to their fault already stepped forward, afraid of escting their punishment even more. With their initiative, the rest of thete arrivals also stepped forward to ept their punishment. "Hmph!" The officer sneered at them. "You see that racing track over there?" He was met with nods when he asked this. "Good. You tardy folks will runps around it. 20ps would do. You''re not allowed to stop in between." When the cadets heard that, some were relieved and others felt nervous. The track was at least 20 kilometers in circumference, this punishment will undoubtedly exhaust them greatly. However, the officer wasn''t done just yet. He whistled a tune, and out of nowhere, 20rge hounds suddenly appeared. Each one looked feral and ready to tear their flesh apart. They''re literally drooling at the sight of the young cadets. "Go to the track, boys!" The officer snarled at the cadets who werete, causing them to scramble in fright. Once all of them were in the starting position, the officer whistled again and each hound ''partnered'' themselves with them. The cadets saw what was happening and felt an ominous premonition of what will happen next. "The hounds are there to make sure that you willplete your punishment. They will chase you around and if you''re slow and allow them to catch you, they will tear a piece of your flesh and eat it in front of your face." All the cadets are now nching in fear. "Don''t worry, we won''t let you die. Someone will heal you right away instantly. It''ll be like you never lost anything in the first ce!" The officer cheerfully exined. "That said, it wouldn''t make you numb. Additionally, since you''re healed, that means that you can get hurt again" "Since you didn''t actually lose a pound of flesh, then the hounds can bite you again should they catch you. Oh and let me remind you, the saliva of the hounds causes the infected target to feel more pain. The only way to avoid that is through outpacing the hounds andpleting your punishment right away." With lips trembling in fear, the cadets who are about to face their punishment waited for the officer to tell them that he was only joking, only to realize that he meant every word that he said and that they truly fucked up. "Let this be a lesson to you that while you''re here in the army, our orders andws are absolute." The officer coldly sneered at their frightened expressions. He then whipped the ground and yelled: "RUN, YOU USELESS SACKS OF SHIT!" ARF! ARF! ARF! "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" The frightened cadets ran with all their might, chased by the baying hounds drooling after them. One guy already stumbled in panic and fell to the ground. To his horror, he was immediately pounced on by the hound, it tore a chunk of his arm, causing him to cry out in pain, made worse by the effect of the hound''s saliva. Then, a green light bloomed from his injury, and before he could blink, the flesh he lost already regenerated. But that didn''t make the situation any better since the hound was still staring intently at him while still chewing at his flesh. The cadet ignored the soul-piercing pain he felt and got up to run away. Even as he tunnel-visioned in his panic, he could still see the rest of his fellow punished cadets being chased and attacked by their respective hounds. Those who were watching the punished cadets suffer from their tardiness gulped nervously. Even Cedric looked mildly disturbed by the sight. Meanwhile, the officer looked as if this was just another Tuesday for him. He then talked to the unpunished batch and said: "If any of you want to experience that, you know what to do. If you don''t want to, you also know what to do. If I had to exin it to you again, that..." He pointed at the running cadets suffering from the relentless attacks of the hounds, "...will happen to you on the other side of this wall. Mark my words." Chapter 157: Knight Captains -- The tardy cadets weren''t the only ones suffering. They suffered the most but the rest were put to work too. This all started at four in the morning. Whether it was the tardy cadets or not, it didn''t matter since when it turned six, everyone was sweating and exhausted. Some cadets couldn''t even stand, eyes zed with exhaustion and nearly passing too. The worst of them would undoubtedly be those who were punished. It''s unknown how many pounds of flesh they lost to the hounds chasing them. While they looked intact on the outside, that''s just because they were being healed as soon as they lost a piece of their flesh. Inwardly, those who were punished were broken on the inside. They never felt so much pain and misery in their entire lives. This will definitely be a traumatic experience for them. It''d be a miracle if they could prevent themselves from shaking at the mere sight of the flesh-eating hounds in the future. Do note that some of these cadets still haven''t finished their punishment. Meaning that they are still being chased by the drooling hounds. Only a handful of people looked rtively fine after the heavy workout. One of them was Garrick, who was also sweating but looked mostly fine. To him, what they did in the past two hours was nothing but a warm-up to him. And nobody was surprised given what they knew about him. He had a powerful physique and build. He could''ve done all of the previous tasks under double gravity and he''d still be fine. Another one that didn''te as a surprise for everybody was, of course, #1. Cedric''s physique was deceptive. He had a slimmer buildpared to the majority of the cadets yet his strength certainly doesn''t lose out to any of them. In fact, he wouldn''t be called the #1 of their batch for absolutely no reason. He was sweating too, but barely. All things considered, he still looked as fresh as a daisy. During the past two hours, they were ordered to run, and do all sorts of physically demanding exercise. While Cedric wasn''t pumping out numbers in a sh, his performance was consistent. He paced himself appropriately and did all that was expected of him without uttering any single word ofint or excitement. He''s like a precise machine when he performs. And he performs well. Some of the cadets noticed the look of approval on the officer''s face when looking at Cedric, and frankly, they couldn''t me him. Cedric''s just on an entirely different level and they haven''t even been scratching the surface. When their ''warm-up'' was done, the officer gathered all the cadets avable, save for those who were still receiving their punishment. He then said: "Now that you''ve worked up a sweat and got that blood pumping, you should bepletely awake now. If you still aren''t, I could always motivate you until you do." The officer swept his nce at the frozen cadets who did their best not to react to his words. He sneered inwardly and continued: "I believe that all of you received your assignments yesterday." He paused for a bit and then rified. "I meant your team divisions. Am I right?" "Sir, Yes Sir!" "Good. Now, under our 101st Batallion, we have 10 Knight Captains. However, you have been divided into groups five. There are 200 of you so that''s 40 groups in total. To remedy that, four groups will subordinate themselves to one of our Knight Captains for the entirety of your stay." "I have here your team designations. I will do a roll call of the teams. Once you hear your codenames, gather them into your respective groups. Let''s begin with #1, #40, #55, #90, #115." This was Cedric''s team so he moved. #90 and #115 couldn''te with him just yet since they''re still trying to finish their punishment. As for #40 and #55, they''re the female cadets who he only heard of today. He nced at them and they looked at him. He nodded to them as a sign of acknowledgement and they did the same. No words were spoken but that''s not necessary for now. The roll call continued until all 40 groups were called. After that, the officer stated: "Now, I will call which team will be with whom. I will call the highest-ranked member of each team that will be grouped together and say who your Knight Captain would be. Let''s begin! #1, #5, #30, #80, #120. You will be with Knight Captain Siverwing. #2, #6..." Cedric saw the teams of #5, #30, #80, and #120ing closer to him and his team. He had little impression of his teammates since he barely interacted with their batch. He could try recalling their names, but it''s irrelevant here. They simply nodded with each other in acknowledgement. Actually, Cedric was still feeling a little ashamed because out of all the teams, his was the only one iplete. Some of #80, and #120''s teams also camete and received their punishment but they still finished earlier than Cedric''s teammates. Thankfully, Cedric''s an expert at concealing his thoughts so nobody notices what''s he thinking. Once the group allocation was finalized, Cedric sensed movement within his field of senses. He barely caught it and before he could react, they already disappeared from his sight. However, that''s normal since these people were their supposed Knight Captains. If a Tier 4 like him could urately track their movement, then they don''t deserve their rank. The Knight Captains appeared behind the officer, standing like stone pirs with how fearsome their presence was. The cadets had this urge to avoid their gazes due to how intimidating it was. They also felt a subtle pressure mounting on their shoulders at the presence. Yeah, there''s no doubting this now. These people are the real deal. They are people who had seen and did all sorts of nightmares and horrors, living to tell the tale and willingly staying to push them back. "Cadets!" The officer roared, causing all of them to straighten their backs. "The people behind me are the Knight Captains of our 101st Battalion! Remember their faces because you will see them very frequently." He then turned around and saluted at the Knight Captains before saying: "I''ve grounded these brats for you, Sires! I''ll let you all take it from here." "Mn. Thank you for your service, Officer Miles. You may now attend to your other duties." One of the Knight Captains smiled and patted the officer''s shoulders before dismissing him. Officer Miles then saluted once more before stiffly marching away. The Knight Captains then looked at the cadets. Their faces wear varying expressions ranging from mild amusement to total indifference. One of them stepped forward and said: "I am Knight Captain Hannes. Those who are assigned to me, follow." He gives off a no-nonsense impression as he indifferently walks away, not even bothering to look at the teams assigned for him as if he doesn''t care whether they''re following him or not. Of course, the team did and they scrambled behind him, trying to keep some semnce of order. Following his lead, the other Knight Captains began introducing themselves and asking the cadets to follow them. Some appeared friendlier than others, and some just didn''t seem to care at all. Thest one to introduce himself was Cedric''s superior... But before he introduced himself, he looked at the two cadets who were still pathetically running for their lives. Cedric felt the urge to groan in embarrassment since those two were his teammates. Whistles! The Knight Captain whistled and to everyone''s surprise, the hounds chasing after the two turned into streaks of light. Before they could react, the hounds dragged the two by their cors, throwing them like sacks of trash in front of the captain. Everybody, save for Cedric, was surprised to learn that the hounds could move that fast. It was only then that they realized that these hounds were merely ying with their food because if they were specifically ordered to hunt the cadets down, they would die before they even knew what happened. "If you have the energy to cry pathetically and whine about your punishment, then you have the energy to at least stand up." The Knight Captain coldly uttered to the two. "So what''s it gonna be? Do I convince you to stand up or I order these hounds to do it for me?" The exhausted and totally scared cadets mustered all their remaining energy to stand up and join their respective teams. It seems that they have beenpletely traumatized by the hounds at this point. All things considered, it was surprising that they could still stand properly after all that, considering how much these two had been through in thest two hours. Now that they''replete, the Knight Captain finally saw fit to introduce himself. "I am Knight Captain Silverwing, seeing as all of you are the only ones who remained here, means that you''re assigned to me." He looked at every single one of them and continued: "And I can already tell that I''m gonna have a lot of fun with you, Cadets." Chapter 158: Knight Captain Silverwing -- "Follow." Knight Captain Silverwing ordered before turning around and started walking. The cadets marched behind him, silent and pondering. Some were feeling nervous, others were merely curious. Cedric took this time to subtly study his superior. Knight Captain Silverwing was the same guy who sensed him yesterday and teased him. He didn''t know if this assignment was on purpose or not but that''s not important right now. The man was around 6 feet and 5 inches tall. He''s overweight which makes people feel like underestimating him. His skin was tinged with deep bronze and his eyes were like a fox, turning into slits when he smiles, giving him a cunning vibe. His strength was perfectly restrained yet his gait demanded attention and authority. Cedric doesn''t know what kind of personality he has or if Silverwing is even his real name since this was the first time they met. He led all four groups into what seemed like an apartmentplex. It''s a building with three floors and fenced along with a few training facilities from what Cedric could see. Before they entered the apartmentplex, he stopped and faced the cadets, causing them to stop in their tracks too. "This is where you''ll stay for your entire time here." He told them, "The quarters that you used earlier are for official recruits - people who are actually thinking of joining our cause. You''re not one of those...at least not yet." "This apartmentplex is for my men. I have 99 under mymand. You''re not part of that...officially that is. The only reason why I''m letting you use this is because the previous tenants are sent to a training camp for promotion." "Try not to break anything inside if you don''t want to be punished. After all, pretty much everything that you see here is owned by the army." The cadets, save Cedric, flinched at the mention of punishment. Captain Silverwing definitely saw that and inwardly sneered at their reaction. It seemed that they were truly frightened by the hounds earlier. Deciding to fan the fire, he added: "...the idea is to let you see the real situation of our world. I believe that you''ve seen what''s on the other side of this wall, to that I say...you''ve only seen a very small part of it." "Beyond what you''re eyes could see atop of the walls, is where the real horrors are. Things that could kill you before you could blink or finish aplete thought." "Sending you out for patrol is risky. We, in the army, are aware of that more than anyone else. You think that we are bullying you because of the things we''re forcing you to do but in reality, that''s for your own good too. We don''t care if you understand it or not, but believe me when I say that we also don''t want to see you brats die." "Even though you signed up for this, ultimately this is our duty, not yours. But since you''re here, you must cooperate because, at some point in your lives, you will deal with the horrors that we''re trying to push back here." "Anyway, your task is to patrol the borders three times. Once during your first week, and twice by the following week. Do that and you''ll receive supplies tost you for the entirety of your stay and an A-rank for your performance in school. After that, you only need to pass the subjects that you took and vo! You are now qualified to be a Sophomore at your academy! Isn''t that great?" Knight Captain Silverwing smiled cunningly at them before opening his narrow eyes and staring at them with his piercing sky-blue eyes. "...but that''s under the assumption that you survive this ce." His words sent shivers directly down their spine. While they''d like to think that he''s just scaring them, his face was certainly deceiving. And with the real horrors of the world lurking just beyond this 1000-foot wall didn''t help at all. Captain Silverwing''s fox-like gazended on Cedric and said: "#1 right? Step forward, Cadet." Cedric stepped forward and saluted. "I am appointing you as the Interim Leader of your group. Your task is to get your fellow cadets ready for your first patrol. Later, I will summon you to my office to give you the materials you need to study with your group." "Additionally, I will entrust you to keep them in shape. You''re plenty strong for a brat your age and you wouldn''t be number one for no reason. Later, I will also teach you how to call the hounds if you want to have some proper motivations to keep everybody moving." There it is again, the shivers at the mention of those hellhounds. "Your performance will be tied to how your entire group performs. If you want to receive a good grade or to pass this mission, you must take charge and ensure that by the time you are called, you and your team will be ready for the patrol." "What do you say? Will you ept these responsibilities, #1?" "Sir, I ept these responsibilities, Sir!" Cedric replied enthusiastically. "Excellent!" The captain then looked at the rest of Cedric''s teammates and asked: "Does anybody object? Just so you know, I''m open to ideas. If you feel like you''re better suited for this role than #1 here, then step forward and fight him for the position, the winner will be the Interim Leader. So...anyone?" Nobody even entertained the idea of challenging Cedric. Like what was mentioned earlier, he''s not #1 for no reason. Everyone here knows just how obscenely strong Cedric was and he has yet to disy his full strength. Nobody felt like fighting a losing battle so nobody dared to voice out their objections even if they had any. "Well, that''s that. At ease and adjust to your new surroundings. Tomorrow will be the real start of your hell here." After saying this, Captain Silverwing disappeared from their view. Cedric couldn''t even follow his movements at all. Shaking his head for a bit, he pushed the doors of the apartmentplex open to see what was inside. It looked fairly ordinary. There''s a living room where all the tenants could hang out, a kitchen, a pantry, and arge table that everyone could use at the same time, there''s also a bathroom that''s separated by gender and a door that leads to the backyard. ''The pantry''s empty, not even a grain of rice was left behind. We have no gas for the stove, and the state of the fuse box is terrible. There''s no way we have electricity here if it is like that.'' ''More importantly, this ce is fucking dirty and smells like a foot. I''d bet a million demon souls that the previous tenants of this ce are all men. There''s no waydies could live in a dumpster like this.'' Cedric sighed as he looked at the state of their temporary home. And judging by the looks of the test of the group, they''re most likely thinking the same. He faced them and started speaking: "I personally don''t to live in a pigsty like this so this is what we''re gonna do." "First of all, I can see that those who are punished earlier are barely standing. You will be of no help so go find a room and rest, sleep, or cry, I don''t care. Just make sure that by tomorrow, you''ll be up for training. You still have your rations so make do with that for now. Go." He didn''t miss the looks of gratitude he received from the previously punished cadets. His own teammates couldn''t even look at him in the eye, they just bowed slightly at him and limped up the stairs. Once they''re gone, he then continued with his orders: "This ce is dirty, we have no gas and I''m pretty sure we have no electricity either. You guys deal with the cleaning, I''ll take care of the fuse box. As for the gas, we''ll stick to rations for now. I''m this close to thinking that everything we need will cost Merit Points...points that we obviously don''t have, so endure it for now." "The cleaning materials are in that cab over there. You don''t have to clean all the rooms by the way, only the ones that you will use. And like what I said to others earlier, make sure you are well-rested for tomorrow. I just know that what we experienced earlier will be a breezepared to what we''re about to face the next day." "Alright, make yourselves busy." After saying his piece, Cedric turned around to work at the fuse box. Since his field of senses was open, he could see that the rest of his team was doing what he told him to do. At least they''re sensible, like that. Fortunately, Cedric''s Education level was so high that fixing a fuse box like this one was easy. Still, just because it''s fixed, it doesn''t necessarily mean that they will automatically have electricity since it''s cut offpletely from the supply. ''Well, thank god I''m a Master Scribe, huh?'' Cutting his wrist with his dagger, he used his blood to create a symbol that would gather energy and convert it to electricity. Applying that in the fuse box was but a simple task for him so, not even 30 minutester after their arrival here, they have electricity. ''Alright, one problem down.'' Chapter 159: Handyman Cedric -- The individual rooms weren''t so good either. Aside from a single pillow and a tiny mattress, nothing else was there. No table, chair...not even some random posters or something. There''s afort room at least, but that''s not entirely a good thing because this one''s clogged and it reeks like a fucking sewer. ''Thank god I haven''t eaten anything yet. Geez, disgusting freaks.'' Cedric cursed whoever was thest user of this room. He could totally change rooms to not deal with this. However, he already explored the entireplex with his senses and discovered that all thefort rooms in the individual rooms were clogged. Those that aren''t are already upied. Maybe it wasn''t a good thing that he let the others choose the rooms first, cause now he has to deal with this. Judging by the ufortable faces of his teammates, he figured that they probably don''t know how to fix something like this, so yep, he''s totally gonna have to deal with all of this. ''Thank god for small mercies.'' Cedric sighed as he formed a symbol in the air which eliminated the foul smell. He didn''t have to be on his knees and get his hands dirty either since he could just make symbols to deal with this bullshit...literally. It didn''t even take him 10 minutes and the room was spotless and smelled like flowers once he was done with it. Thefort room was no longer clogged and was returned to its pristine condition. It''s usable now, at the very least. Since they were only staying here for two weeks, he didn''t mind having only a pillow and a thin mattress. He doesn''t need that much sleep anyway. He could totallyst two whole weeks without sleeping so long as he could rest. ''Though, it wouldn''t hurt to make this ce a little morefortable. After all, it''s gonna be our home for the next two weeks.'' He understood that life on the frontlines was supposed to be horrible, but since he could make things a little easier andfortable, why wouldn''t he do so? The venttion of the room was poor, it didn''t even have a window. has electricity, yes, but that''s only after he fixed the fuse box. Even then, he could guess that even the simplest act of turning on the light here would make this room scalding hot. How the previous tenants endured these living conditions was beyond him. Thankfully, he could change things and doesn''t have to endure the same kind of difort. An array formation solved everything that he didn''t like in this room. All of a sudden, cold air swirled in the room causing him to sigh in relief. Even though there were no windows here, it was fine since the array was connected outside and could absorb winds and convert them into cold air to be supplied in his room. ''Free air conditioning, hell yeah!'' Once he had done this, he went outside to see his teammates looking troubled. He sighed to himself and took care of their problems as well. He copied what he did with his room to theirs. By the end of it, his teammates were looking at him like he was some kind of god. He also took pity on the traumatized cadets and did the same to their rooms. Upon arriving at their respective rooms, he saw them sleeping ufortably, lying in a puddle of their sweat. Once he was done with his work though, he saw their expressions easing up and their breathing even. Cedric only took care of the upied rooms though. He didn''t touch the rest since he didn''t have to. From what Captain Silverwing said about the previous tenants of this ce, they will most likely return whether they get promoted or not. They could handle it then. This wasn''t his responsibility in the first ce. ''Okay, theplex is mostly clean now. The bathrooms are useable, the problems of the upied rooms have been fixed, and the electricity was working just fine.'' ''I also added a formation which functions like a telephone line in each room connected to the rest of theplex. We could use it tomunicate even without leaving our respective rooms. It''s also more convenient to use since all it will take is a finger press.'' ''There''s a problem of food but we have rations, that should suffice for now. Still no gas, but we don''t even have anything to cook so that can be solvedter.'' ''Overall, this isn''t bad. This team''s very lucky to have me.'' Cedric felt good about himself, though he didn''t show it in his face. He knows that things will only be more challenging from this point onwards but that''s fine, he''s ready to take it on. He doesn''t know about his teammates though. Since he had already taken care of most of the problems, he rested in his room and waited for the captain to call him into his office. ** Knock Knock! "Come in!" Cedric heard from the other side of the door. He pushed the doors open and saw Captain Silverwing behind a desk buried in mountains of paperwork. He ignored the sight and saluted, then he said: "#1 of the Cadet Troops, reporting for duty, Sir!" "Ah, you''re here." Silverwing didn''t even look up and he didn''t have to. Cedric already knew that the man sensed his presence as soon as he stepped inside this building. The captain then stood up and took a stack of documents out of the nearby drawer. He then walked in front of his desk and handed the documents to Cedric. "Study these properly and teach it to your team. I''ll give you the entirety of tomorrow to do so. I will personally conduct your tests the day after. Fail, and I will reduce the Merit Points you receive. Understood?" "Sir, yes Sir!" Cedric replied vigorously. "Good. And here." Silverwing handed him a tiny blue bead with a hole through it. A look of confusion appeared on Cedric''s face as he received it. "This is the tool we use to call the Hellhounds," Silversing exined seeing his confusion. "The hounds will not answer your calls even if you perfectly mimic the sound if you didn''t use this to make it. This information is confidential so don''t go around spreading it, you hear?" "Yes, Sir!" "I believe that with your memory, you already memorized the tune?" Silverwing asked to which Cedric nodded. "Good. Use that tune along with this to summon the hounds if you need them. y it for longer and you will summon a bigger one to y with you." Cedric''s eyes glittered in recognition. He knew what Silverwing was trying to say. The hounds, or Hellhounds as they''re properly called, were True Demons. This, he already discovered this as soon heid eyes on them. At first, he was surprised to see the army using actual demons as tools to instill terror in their people but from what he observed so far, the hounds were all enved. Each one has a cor that has a veryplicated formation engraved on it. Cedric counted at least several thousand symbols weaved meticulously in that formation. It''s a ve cor, that''s why they weren''t killed and used as tools instead. Cedric''s ¡ºDemon Lore¡» allowed him to view the database of Demons straight out of Ac''s folders. Of course, he knew about the Hellhounds. He also knew the ''bigger one'' that Silverwing was talking about and that''s why he''s shocked. ''To think that they could enve that rowdy thing too...'' "Like I said earlier, you are in charge of your squad. Your first patrol is scheduled by the end of this week and they are right now, there is a huge chance that your squad won''t return intact." "The situation beyond these walls isplicated. Even we couldn''t predict everything that''s gonna happen. Therefore, you can only rely on your skills and strength to fend for your own." "As the Interim Squad Leader, you should help your team increase their overall survival chance. Because if you don''t, you will be one of the responsible parties that caused them to die." Silverwing crossed his arms and continued: "I''ve read about your file. I know that you are impressive. I also know that you are capable of doing more. I have no doubts that you are one of the people in your entire batch who treats this experience as a smelting trial - a way to be stronger." "You study Field Command, and even though you haven''t evene halfway through your first academic year, you should''ve learned a thing or two already." "Aside from being the strongest of your batch, this is also one of the main reasons why I put you in this position. And I''ll be expecting decent results from you. Am I clear?" "Sir, yes Sir! I will do my best." Cedric wouldn''t lie, he''s ttered by Silverwing''s trust in him. "I know you will," Silverwing smirked. "Alright, you have everything you need. Now, shoo. I have mountains of paperwork to deal with." Chapter 160: Hell Puppies!! -- Ulfric Hawkeye is his name, but that doesn''t mean anything now. Here, he''s simply #5 of the 1st Year Cadets. #5 was just as nervous about this mission as the others were. He could still remember the faces of his parents and the cries of his little sister before he left. His father was a government official, and his System Authority was Lv.7, he knew stuff that most wouldn''t so when his son told him that they would be sent to the frontlines for a short mission and that they were mandated to do so, he was filled with fear. That said, his father already knew this wasing. The best thing he could do was to set his son''s expectations to increase his chance of returning intact and alive. #5 won''t lie, he felt terror when his father mentioned what was out there. It was hard to ept since he grew up in this reality, only to learn that it was nothing but a mere illusion - a veil to keep a pretense that everything was fine. His mother didn''t want him to go, saying that it isn''t so bad to live in a false utopia and let the big men deal with the horrors outside. He couldn''t me her since she was a mother, she just wanted her babies safe. However, #5 has his own convictions too. One of the many good traits that he inherited and learned from his father was the art of being responsible. He knew that he couldn''t run away from this. As terrified as he was, he decided to walk on this path and was informed of the dangers he might encounter. Still, he willingly signed his name and epted it because he had made a decision and he was sticking with it. What his father told him softened the impact of the reality he saw on the other side of the Great Wall. It still terrified him greatly but he wasn''t paralyzed by it. The first time he wore the army uniform and was given their codenames, #5 was already to face hell. He knew that their time here wouldn''t be easy. He took small victories where he could though, at least he was on the same team as #1, if there was anybody here whom he could trust his back to, he felt like it''d be him. When they arrived at the apartmentplex, he would admit that he was stumped for a bit. He personally saw the horrid state of the ce and wondered if people really lived there. But #1 pulled came through. He took his job seriously as the Interim Leader of this squad and hatched out orders right away. He asked him to clean while he fixed their electricity problems. This is where they discovered that #1 was actually a Master Scribe. He didn''t stop there, he also helped them with their respective rooms, turning them into a proper living space. #5 still don''t know how much trouble he had saved them from until now but you won''t hear himining. It sucks that they''re stuck with rations for now but honestly, it can be worse. From what he heard from his father, this could get much worse, he should be thankful that they even had something to eat. Then, #1 was summoned by the Knight Captain. He could still remember the trepidation he shared with the rest of his squadmates when they saw him leave to receive orders. They knew from that moment that hell was about to begin but they refused to discuss it. Either because they really didn''t want to think about it for now or they''re inly terrified. Still, there''s no stopping this. All things considered though, their 2nd night here ended on a rather peaceful note. #5 slept soundly in his room, sighing infort as he felt the cold breeze caressing his body and lulling him to sleep. But then... Weng! Weng! Weng! #5 flinched awakened, blinking blearily at every corner of the room in search of danger. He even summoned his spear and aimed it forward due to the sheer panic he felt. He then saw a rune on the wall that was releasing a soft brilliance and the sound that woke him, and everyone else, up. Frowning and feeling irritated about having his sleep interrupted, he stood up intending to stab the rune with his spear, but before he could do so, he heard #1''s voice through the rune. "This is #1 speaking. I know that all of you are awoken by the sound. That''s good because I need everyone to be up right now. We will start today''s training. We''ve got a lot to learn. Don''t bother eating anything because you''re just going to vomit them out." "Get dressed, and meet me outside, I''ll give you 15 minutes to do so. You all know what will happen if you''rete." #5, and he assumed the rest of the squad as well, shivered at the implications of hisst sentence. That''s like a bucket of cold water drenching him from head to toe, forcing him to bepletely awake. With his knees wobbling a bit, he forced himself to go to thefort room to deal with his morning rituals first. They''ve got fifteen minutes so they have some time. He didn''t even think about taking a bath or brushing his teeth. He just sshed cold water on his face to wake himself up. He then changed into his uniform, which was starting to smell weird now, and walked out of his room to go downstairs. As soon as he got out, he saw and heard all manner of chaos going on in the other rooms. Everyone was scrambling to move. To his surprise, he already saw the girlsing out of their respective rooms at the same time he got out. They nodded to each other and went outside to meet #1 who, to their abject horror, was already ying fetch with the flesh-eating hounds. Yes, he was ying with them. And god would this scene fool anybody who hasn''t seen what those hounds could do, because right now, they''re acting like yful dogs with him. How did he even do this? Why did they already call him here in the first ce? And where did he get the guts to y with them like they''re pet dogs? #5 had way too many questions in his mind that he''d like to get answers to but was terrified to ask. So, he could only do what he thinks is best. They stood there frozen like statues and stayed silent until everyone was there. ncing at the girls who arrived with him, he could tell that they were doing the same. If anything, he thinks that they''re more afraid than he was. The prospect of receiving a punishment served as a great motivator for everybody, especially those who were punished yesterday. Some of them were still a little bit slow but at least they arrived before the time was up. Once all 20 of them were here, Cedric ordered the hounds to behave and faced them. "Nobody''s left. That''s good." He took a deep breath nced at the dark skies above and continued: "It''s five in the morning now, though that won''t be obvious considering where we are. This is when I usually start my day, and since I''m appointed as your Interim Squad Leader, you will also start your day at this time until the end of our stay here." He swept his gaze at them and said: "Spread out and do your stretches. Warm your body up because you will need it for what you''re about to do next. Move!" #5 hauled his ass to a nearby unupied spot, dropped down and began stretching. He''s not a stranger when ites to warm-up exercises, he just doesn''t usually start this early. As they stretched, they heard Cedric''s voice echoing in their ears: "My senses could cover the entirety of the apartmentplex and its territory. Nothing you do or say will escape my senses so forget any thoughts about cheating, that would just make me upset and I might just send one of these cute puppies to you." #5 could''ve sworn that all of them collectively shivered at his thinly-veiled threat. He knew that Cedric most likely saw this but even if he did, he didn''t say anything about it. He gave them a total of 30 minutes to finish their warm-up. All of them saw that Cedric was also doing the same as them. Once they were done, his voice echoed in their ears again. "There''s a running track at the edge of the territory. Go there and begin running. I will send the hounds after you." That brought a wave of terror to everyone''s hearts. "You can fight back. Just so you know, the weakest of these puppies was at least Tier 5 and they were raised to dish out and receive a beating. You all need your fighting skills sharpened anyway." "And if all of you think this is unfair..." They all then heard Cedric whistling a long tune. And to their abject horror, a giant monstrosity with three heads appeared right in front of the field, snorting at Cedric. "...I''ll be ying with this one. So you all better start running...now!!" Chapter 161: Squad Leader Cedric -- ''He''s fucking insane!'' This is what Cedric''s squad members thought as they ran for their lives, chased by the hellhounds. They wanted toin. They really do. This is just too cruel. Although it hadn''t even been 30 minutes since they started, all of them had been bitten by the hell puppies and lost pieces of their flesh. Well, they grew them back right after (would''ve been nice to be informed of that before this torture began, but whatever), but it still hurts like a bitch. Moreover, why threaten them with the hell puppies for beingte if he would send the things after them anyway? Like, what''s the point? So they really wanted to whine andin about this, but they can''t. They really can''t. Not when they could see their Squad Leader wrestling with a fucking Cerberus. Yes, the big one he called in before they ordered the rest to run for their lives is a massive Cerberus - a three-headed hound that''s about 10 feet tall when it stands on all fours. Its skin was cracked and charred ck, and looked tough too. Its paws were bigger than a person and each of its heads did a unique thing; one head spits out magma (molten earth,va is liquid fire), the second head spews out corrosive acids that could melt bones in milliseconds, and the third head breathes out sharp and corrupted gales. The Cerberus was at least Tier 7 in strength, but make no mistake, if this thing went all out, even Tier 9s would have to be wary of it. Yet Cedric, a puny Tier 4 Human, was wrestling with it. But even though their fight looks tough and dangerous, in reality, they''re just ying around. The Cerberus wasn''t using any of it''s heads to breathe out nasty shit. It''s just pawing at Cedric, sending him flying or ttening him on the ground whenever he catches him. The entire squad saw Cedric being toyed around by the puppy like he was some sort of a pesky fly. And this is the strongest person in their batch. Yes, he''s not using his sword, just his fists, but that doesn''t change things too much really. Because if Cedric were to use his sword, the Cerberus would escte this y-fight, and that would endanger the entire squad. Still, even after being beaten down and humiliated by the big three-headed puppy, not a groan or a lick ofint escaped from their Leader''s lips. Whenever he''s thrown or smacked, he just gets up, dusts himself, and does it all over again. His flesh wasn''t being chewed by the big puppy, yes, but they''d heard several bones on his body crack or even downright shatter. The big puppy might be ying around but its strength was no joke. And if that could happen to Cedric''s bones, one could only imagine what kind of abuse his organs go through. Still, even with all of that, they''ve yet to hear him utter a grunt of pain whatsoever. He just stands right back up like he didn''t just nearly die from thest attack. Seriously, he''s too hardcore. How was he even healing that quickly? Ah, right. The mysterious healer. It''s because they could all see and hear this, that even though they wanted toin so bad or quit to escape this torture, they can''t. Not when Cedric himself endures far worse than they are experiencing. ''Y''all seem to be forgetting what I just told you.'' Everybody heard Cedric''s voice in their heads. Strangely enough, they expected him to sound tired and whiny but he wasn''t. His voice still carried dignity and aloofness worthy of bing the #1. He spoke them using sound transmission so it''s different, but still... ''You can fight back.'' He continued as he wrestled with the Cerberus again. ''Those puppies can take a beating. The army made sure that they could take a beating.'' ''I''m not making all of you do this to run away as fast as possible at the first sight of a real demon when we''re out there. It''s part of it, yes, but not the main thing.'' ''You all have been facing your versions of Hell in Purgatory. I refuse to believe that all you do to pass your Hell Dives is to run until the timer''s over if that even applies to you.'' ''For what reason do you have those weapons out if you''re not even using them? Fight back damn it! Fight back or at the very least, defend yourselves. Do it while running!'' It felt shameful to be reminded of such a simple thing in the middle of this torture. They''ve been consumed with panic and fear that Cedric''s words just flew by their headspletely. What''s even more embarrassing is that Cedric had to remind them again while he himself was in the middle of a vexing and humbling experience. His hands should be full dealing with that big puppy but he still managed to leave a piece of his attention to watch over them. Their pride as geniuses were stomped mercilessly in this ce. So far, only Cedric had been proving his worth here, and in the army''s eyes, it''s not even that impressive. The thought of this made them feel strangely indignant. They''ve been feeling this since the start of this mission but there''s just too much going on that it keeps being pushed back at the back of their minds. However, they have time now. And Cedric''s words awoken their pride and their desire to retaliate. More specifically, he reminded them and gave them the chance to retaliate. "Raaaggghh!" #5 was the first one to release his rage. He attacked the hound assigned to him as it was about to tear another piece of his flesh. He stabbed it with his spear and continued running. The others saw this and were inspired. They too began retaliating against the terrifying hell puppies in their own way. But to their surprise however, their attacks did nothing. Sure they pierced the hounds'' flesh, someone was even sure that he killed one, but it turns out that the puppies heal just as quickly as they do. Their retaliation was nothing but a mere momentary injury to the puppies. It only slowed them down on their chase, not stopped itpletely. That''s when they heard Cedric''s voice echoing in their ears once more... ''Treat these puppies as sparring partners. They won''t die easily and so are you. If you haven''t noticed it yet, the hounds attack you at your most vulnerable spot. They could sense holes in your defense and use that against you.'' ''If you have been bitten at the same spot over and over again, that''s their way of telling you to fix that part of your defense because it''s too obvious and could be exploited by anybody, even dumb hounds like them.'' ''The hounds adjust their strength just within the level that you could handle. They are raised and trained that way. The army wouldn''t keep literal demons in their yard for absolutely no reason when all they''re about is killing them. Do you understand?'' Cedric''s words were like church bells ringing in their ears, causing their minds to nk out in sheer shock and enlightenment. Because yeah, why haven''t they thought about that? Forget about the army using actual demons as tools, the fact that there is a demon chasing them right here and right now, and they never even questioned it, really made them doubt their intelligence. They should''ve known that these little murder puppies were actual demons. God, they''re officially called Hellhounds, and that term had been thrown here and there before! How did it not click on them before!? Seriously, is there something within this ce that''s making them dumb? ''I''m making you run like hell to prepare you for the worst. When we''re on the other side of this wall and shit hits the fan, I don''t want any of you getting weak in the knees before we arrive at a safe zone.'' ''Out there, once we move, we will never know when we could stop. There are more demons out there than any of us could imagine, and right now, your endurance sucks ass. We don''t have much time so all I can do is to condition you this way.'' ''I called the puppies here to help you fix the ws on your defense. Nobody, not Instructor Orion, the Knight Captains, or even the Lord Commander of this entire battalion, expects any of us to kill real demons en masse.'' ''As far as they are concerned, we are here to participate in a simple patrol mission. To us, it''s a rite of passage since we''ve been exposed to the truth of the world. To the army''s eyes, it''s a nuisance since they have to look after a bunch of entitles and pompous brats like us.'' ''You wanna kill real demons? Fine. But do that when you decide to volunteer for military service. Here, what we do is simple. Complete the patrol mission three times and return home, preferably intact and alive. My task as your Squad Leader is to increase your chance at survival, but I can''t do everything.'' ''Help yourselves too. I have no control over your body. Think and move. Preferably at the same time. Use every chance you get to increase your chances of surviving and put a little trust in me. That''s all I ask.'' Chapter 162: Resource Exchange -- ''Broke a couple of my ribs, punctured my lungs a few times, dislocated my hips, shattered my kneecaps, mangled my arm, probably lost consciousness a couple of times...'' ''All because I was ying with a big three-headed puppy.'' Cedric huffed despite himself, ''Yeah, sounds about right...'' He''s probably the only one in his batch who could shrug off this kind of abuse. Thank god for the mysterious healer fixing him up every time he''s injured or else, he would''ve died already. As he is right now, he''s definitely not the Cerberus'' enemy...a ymate, more like, but definitely not an enemy. Cedric then looked at his squad members and saw that all of them were on the ground; beaten, and exhausted. They have no energy to even move a muscle. If breathing wasn''t necessary, they probably wouldn''t be doing that either. ''...I said I wasn''t going to babysit anybody here, but look at me.'' Cedric inwardly shook his head as he recalled the words of advice he imparted to them earlier. ''Well, I''m tasked to do that anyway. Not explicitly, but it''s the same thing. And I epted the responsibility. Besides, their performance will reflect on my mission rating so I might as well do it properly.'' Cedric already dismissed the puppies. The training yard fell into a strange quiet since nobody except Cedric had the energy to even speak. Most of them stared at the dark and gloomy skies above. The absence of the sun and light really creates a depressing mood. Add the fact that they are still wary of their surroundings because only that 1000-foot wall was separating them from the real hell... Really, if Cedric wasn''t a good motivator, they would most likely quit already. Screw being called a genius and graduating at the most prestigious institute ever! As for Cedric, he subtly nced at a certain distance. About 5 kilometers away from where the apartmentplex was, on the 5th floor of a building, he sensed a presence watching over them earlier, though he ignored him since he wasn''t close anyway. But as he continued observing that person like he was doing with them, Cedric sensed his motive for doing so... ''Most likely a scout and sent by Captain Silverwing to monitor us.'' He mused to himself. He didn''t need to face the direction where the man was because of how his field of senses works, so no awkward eye contact here. ''But I am certain he knew that I found him. I could swear he grinned at me when he discovered it. Meh, whatever. One day, I''ll hone my senses to the point that nobody can sense it.'' Cedric then stood up and dusted himself. He then approached his exhausted teammates and asked: "Tired?" A cacophony of whines and grunts were the replies he received. He fought the urge to smirk at their misery. "Well, the day''s far from over folks so stand up and walk it off. I''m giving you three hours of rest. Do whatever you wanna do during that time but three hourster, I''ll be calling you back. There are still things for us to discuss, formations to practice, and strategies to memorize. So up! Don''t sleep there." His squadmates winced at the mention of more work. Some even red at him. However, all of them did find sufficient energy to at least stand up and return to their rooms. All things considered, they are d to be given time to rest. Lord knows they need it. Cedric watched them go inside. Once they were gone, he turned around and wasn''t surprised to see someone standing not too far from him. It was the same man who was monitoring their performance. "Good work, Squad Leader. Here, a little incentive from Cap." He threw a card at Cedric who inspected it a bit. It''s a supply coupon. One he could use to exchange for rations, water, and other needs of their squad. The card says that it''s good for one week. This was exactly what they''recking right now considering their current situation. Cedric bowed slightly at the man but was stopped before he could do so. "None of that, Kid." He said, "We''re all in the same boat here. My position isn''t much different from yours. Reserve that for the Captains and above." Cedric nodded upon hearing that. "Anyway, continue with the good job. Captain Silverwing wouldn''t be stingy with the rewards. And before I leave, let me tell you this: wherever you are, whatever you do, know that the Captain is always watching you. That''s all." After saying his piece, he promptly disappeared from where he was. Cedric could follow him for the most part but he did something to lose him, he''s also still too fast so that was normal. Sighing to himself, Cedric didn''t even bother going inside to change. He left theplex and went to the Resource Exchange Center nearby to use the ticket he received. The documents he received from Silverwing included the locations of important ces, and Cedric had them all memorized by now so he knew where he was going. Upon arriving there, he approached the window and the worker there saw him, "Hello, how can I help you?" She asked in a gentle and weing voice. "I''d like to use this, please," Cedric said before showing her the resource ticket. The woman nodded in understanding. She fetched arge backpack and a simrlyrge jug before saying: "They''re bigger inside so don''t be fooled. Not ''Inventory''-like big, and definitely doesn''t pose a danger. It''s safe to use around here, though they can''t be brought outside for safety purposes." She''s probably aware that he''s new here so she took her time to exin things. Cedric appreciated it. "These contain a week''s worth of food and water. You could also pick a few things on this list to add but don''t go overboard since you can only have a week''s worth of supplies after all. Choose wisely though, and tell me after you made your pick." Cedric was already reading through the list as she talked. He even made several picks already before she finished talking. He already guessed it earlier; things like electricity supply, gas, and other misceneous things also cost merit points here even though it''s supposed to be given for free. He reserved whatever he wanted to say though since he''s not really in a position to say anything. Before he told her his choices, he asked: "Are we allowed to exchange Demon Souls for Merit Points?" "Absolutely!" She replied cheerfully, "But I do recall your System being sealed so how are you going to do that?" "Bank." Cedric replied tly, causing thedy to blink owlishly at him. She then chuckled and said: "Clever. I''ll only ept T4 Demon Souls though. And the ratio of exchange is 5:1. How much will you exchange." "1000 for now. Here''s my choice, by the way." Thedy retrieved the list and saw his choices. Inwardly, she''s surprised. Not because of his choices...he''s practical on that part and that''s to be expected, though she''s a bit puzzled why he didn''t ask for an electricity supply, that''s none of her business. What she''s surprised about is the fact that Cedric''s choices, including the excess that can''t be covered by the ticket, exactly amounted to 1000 Merit Points. Right at the dot. How he calcted that while there''s barely a pause in their conversation eludes her, but again, that''s none of her business. "Let me fetch these for you. Meanwhile, enter your bank ount here and get yourself verified. You can also do the exchange yourself, that machine''s beginner-friendly anyway." She didn''t even wait for his reply before leaving. Cedric merely shrugged at this and did what she said. Yeah, she''s right. The machine was beginner-friendly. Even a simpleton could use it well. Probably made the Lifestyle Guild exclusively for the army. ''Thank god I have a good foresight to deposit some of my wealth into a bank. Otherwise, even with this supposed 1 week''s worth of supplies, we''d still have to consume them sparingly.'' Cedric does not have qualms about spending his own money to provide for his squad. Demon Souls are something he had in spades. He has so much that he doesn''t even know how to spend it, so this much wasn''t a problem for him. He didn''t even feel the pinch at all. After doing the exchange himself, thedy returned with the stuff he ordered. She helped him pack it all. She also gave her the rest of the things he ordered like; gas for the stove, more cleaning materials (because the ones back there are old), a second set of uniforms for the whole team, toiletries, etc. Once he was good to go, he concluded the exchange and marched back to theplex. Upon arriving, he saw some of his squadmates in the living room. They saw him return with stuff and were immediately interested. "What''re those?" #5 asked. "A week''s worth of supplies." He replied before starting to take out the supplies from the bag. "Help me with these, we''ll divide them equally amongst ourselves." Excited at the prospect of eating real and warm food, those who were avable unhesitatingly stood up to help him sort out the supplies. Chapter 163: Training -- ''Thank god he''s on our squad.'' That''s what #5 and the rest of Cedric''s squad members thought as they devoured their food. #5 couldn''t think of a better person to lead them other than Cedric now. Not only did the guy have some serious leadership skills, able to rouse their fighting spirit and help them improve by leaps and bounds in just a few instructions, but he was also insanely responsible. He returned after their training with a week''s worth of supply. He divided it equally for everyone and they witnessed this. Apparently, somebody gave him a ticket that could be exchanged for a week''s worth of resources. Cedric didn''t even rest. As soon as he received that, he went straight to the resource exchange center and got their supplies. He decided without asking for the team''s opinion but nobody cared. He''s the leader and all of them know that he''s better at making decisions based on what the team needs. He wouldn''t be chosen as the squad leader if he wasn''t. Of course, the squad was extremely grateful to receive their portion of the resources but it didn''t end there. As it turns out, the guy could cook too! And damn does he cook well... The food he makes is seriously even better than 5-star restaurants #5 knew, and this isn''t an exaggeration. It actually felt a bit illegal to consume such good food considering where they were, cause this food was pure luxury. That said, their taste buds had been corrupted now because there''s no way they could ever eat other meals withoutparing it to his. On top of the food, he also brought back toiletries and other essential stuff to make their life here a little morefortable. Seriously, #5 was starting to think that life here wasn''t so bad so long as he was under #1''s leadership. Thinking about this, #5 wondered if the academy or the soldiers of the army ever thought that life here could be sofortable. Yes, it''s all still terrible since hell''s just literally on the other side of the wall, but Cedric made it so much easier for them. "The supplies you received are supposed tost you for a week. Not more or less. Exactly that. So n out your consumption well. Of course, you are not prohibited from saving them just in case, that''s yours anyway. You do what you want to do with it. However, since I''m aware that your needs are met, I am expecting an equal amount of effort as well. We can''t be caughtcking." "I know that I''m making life a bit easier for all of you here and that could breed satisfaction which could lead to stagnation. Don''t worry, I won''t let you be toocent. After all, I have several tools I can use to keep you motivated." #5 and the rest of the squad could only smile wryly at his words. Of course, they all thought of this as well, but once again, their leader was a few steps ahead of them. Well, that will suck. But hey, they''re not exactly here for a vacation anyway. So this was to be expected. They''re here to see the real state of their world and experience what its real responsibility is like. So this shouldn''t be surprising. After eating, the squad returned to their respective rooms and used the rest of their free time resting. They don''t have as much time as they would like but they''ve been warned so whatever. As tempted as he was to take a short nap, #5 didn''t do so. The rude awakening earlier was terrible and he didn''t want to experience it again. He instead opted to clean himself a bit, notpletely because he knew they''re gonna get dirtyter again, and distracted himself by nning out how to divide his supplies for an entire week. He did n on conserving the packed rations for emergency use, but there''s no way he could pass warm and freshly cooked meals, especially since it''s avable and Cedric pretty much implied that he''s willing to cook for the squad. This bit of luxury wouldn''t hurt. At least he''d have something to look forward to and keep him motivated. Unknowingly, it took #5 the remaining time of their rest to do all of his nning. The rm shook him out of his stupor and knowing that they were about to be summoned, he kept his stuff and left his room to participate in their training. ** "...alright, Formation C! Move it!" Cedric barked in a strong voice as hemanded his squad. His presence was like a giant, towering above all of them and showing unmistakable authority. The squad members couldn''t help but to be swayed by his momentum, following his orders like their life depended on it. They''re learning Squad Formations right now. It''s apparently one of the assignments that Sir Silverwing gave to them. Cedric reiterated that they must familiarize themselves and memorize the formations before the end of the day. Even going as far as saying that they wouldn''t rest until they achieved that. Frankly, there''s no reason for him to even intimidate them. By now, everybody in this squad already knows their ce. Their prides were already humbled and learned their lesson the hard way. They also knew that Cedric was doing what was best for this team so without his intimidation and threats, they would rise and follow his orders. As they practiced their formations, the squad warily observed their audience. It''s none other than the hell puppies - as Cedric calls them. The big, three-headed one was here too. They were still scared by their puppies but not as much as before. What Cedric put them through earlier this day and the fact that they traded hits with the puppies shattered the nightmarish illusion they had. Sure, the puppies are still stronger, faster, andrger in numberspared to them, but with Cedric''s help, they realize that they''re not infallible. They bleed and thus could be killed. In their eyes, these puppies are no longer nightmares on legs. Instead, they are sparring partners, one that wouldn''t hesitate to tell you how much you suck by tearing a piece of your flesh, but great training partners nheless. The squad was slow at the beginning. They hesitated a lot and stumbled to follow his orders. That''s to be expected since this is new to them. However, under Cedric''s leadership, they learned quickly. He gave them bits and pieces of advice. He didn''t tell them everything, only enough for them to figure out the rest. This is the best way to teach them. The things they learn and understand on their own will always be better than outright telling them what to do. Cedric didn''t want mindless puppets to follow his order. If he did, he would''ve just created those. He wants them to be obedient, sure. But their ability to think for themselves must be preserved because they would work better that way. There were times when Cedric would whistle and order the hell puppies to attack them. As expected, the puppies didn''t show any signs of restraint. They sniffed out the holes in the formations and mercilessly attacked them. They punished the squad heavily for any ws they disyed. And as vexing as that was, Cedric exined that this was a good thing. Because if the real demons on the opposite side of the wall did this to them instead, they wouldn''t leave until it killed at least one of them. At the very least, they are in a controlled environment right now. The hounds will hurt them badly but won''t outright kill them. They''d be healed instantly too. Each time their defense failed, they would stop to discuss what happened. Cedric would let his team discuss what happened and how to fix it. He would chime in and add a hint or two and let them figure out the rest. Slowly but surely, they were learning. The ws were being mended and the hounds are finding it more and more difficult to break their defense. After lunch, they moved on to offensive formations. Cedric kept using the same strategy to help everybody learn the formations quickly and thoroughly. At some point, even the squad members who had awful stamina forgot their exhaustion. Well...notpletely, they still feel tired but miraculously, they discovered that they could still move somehow. What really made them motivated was the fact that they could feel themselves improving by leaps and bounds. It was an explosive growth that none of them expected to happen. Even without ess to the system, they could feel the changes happening to their bodies. And that''s what kept them going. Time passed by without them noticing since it''s always dark here. It was only when Cedric revealed to them that it was already close to midnight that they learned how much time they already spent training. He called it a day, and made them food. After eating, he told them to clean themselves and get some rest because tomorrow, they will do the same. Sufficed to say, as soon as they finished their meals and cleaned themselves, they passed out on their beds. Not even minding how badly their body hurts. Chapter 164: Trust -- A few kilometers away from the apartmentplex where Cedric and his squad temporarily live, a round-bellied man with fox-like eyes stood in the air, several hundred feet above the ground, peering at the activities of the group. His eyes were too narrow, giving the impression that they were closed, but make no mistake, his eyes saw everything that was happening around him with perfect rity. This means that, even at this distance, he could observe Cedric and his team''s performance as if he were right next to them. A faint smile formed on his lips as he watched them. ''It seems that giving him the position was indeed the right choice.'' He mused inwardly as he stroked his non-existent beard. He could see Cedric barking out orders like he was some seasonedmander. Even more impressive is that he got the full obedience of his team. This wasn''t the first time that the army received sheltered brats like them and opened their eyes to reality. This also isn''t his first time to have a bunch of brats assigned to him. He had seen how they crumbled under the pressure. He had seen groups refusing to cooperate with each other due to petty reasons. He had seen groups barely working together. But a team that performs at this level within mere days after its formation? He''d admit that this was indeed the first time he had seen it. And that makes this all the more impressive. Sheltered is sheltered, nothing can change that. And despite these kids being that nobody could deny that they''re geniuses. Each one was impressive. They are the cream of the crop. The best amongst all others who came from the same city they were raised. It''s very rare for a city to have two representatives, even then, there will be differences. Upon their arrival here, the illusion will be lifted. They will face the real truth which will make them think as if their entire life was a lie. Whates after that varies. Some break downpletely, either dying during their mission or returning to civilization after dropping out from the academy, never to be heard from again. Others take it to the extreme. Suddenly thinking as if they''re burdened with a glorious purpose. Running themselves rugged for the sake of having a purpose - a reason to live. It''s thetter that creates more trouble for the army. And usually, they''re the ones at the top of the batch rankings. Because of their pride and the sudden change in their goals, they usually tend to force their ideas and visions onto others, putting them on the same pedestal when that''s clearly not how it works. ''As a result of that, disagreement urs. What follows is usually a fight thatpletely removes all possibilities of the team ever working together in harmony.'' ''It''s usually those groups that don''t survive.'' Silverwing''s expression turned a bit solemn as his thoughts arrived at this point. He had personally seen it happen before and it has never been pretty. Every time a batch of freshmen was sent here, it was usually followed by a lot ofints andwsuits from bereaved families, ming them for their children dying. Even when they present undeniable proof that none of this was the army''s fault, they are never satisfied. There''s just no winning against a grieving family. It sucks but that''s how life works. Humanity and its army are not exactly in a position to be empathetic when every day, they are forced to face the reality of their current status. ''But it looks like I won''t have the same problems with these brats.'' The solemn expression on his face disappeared and was reced with a small smirk. Cedric''s squad works like a well-oiled machine. It''s astonishing to see how he was able to gain their loyalty and obedience in just a day. Silverwing had read Cedric''s profile before. He knew that the kid was anti-social. Aside from his two girlfriends, he doesn''t even pay attention to the rest. It''s not because he''s arrogant or something, (though even if he was, could anybody me him? It''s already a miracle that he''s still this civil to others with that overwhelming talent of his), it''srgely because of his past. Yes, Silverwing knows that Cedric spent a huge chunk of his life trapped in the Risk Management Center. He had been there before and he knows how toxic the environment there was. Silverwing also learned that the only friend Cedric had in that ce turned out to be a traitor and that Cedric himself was the one who put him down. Cedric already lost his parents to the demons. He suffered a lot because he was unlucky - something that''s not his fault, he had been given an impossible mission by Ac and was convinced that the world was trying to kill him at the mere age of 15. Then, his only friend, the one person who''s willing to waste time on him, talk to him, understand him, and treat him like family - betrayed him. In the end, Cedric himself had to put him down to save the people who didn''t and never cared about him. Yes, the fact that Cedric still hasn''t lost his mind yet was a miracle if there''s ever been one. So could anyone really me him for not easily trusting people? Silverwing could name at least 50 people in the army who would not survive even a fraction of what Cedric has gone through. The fact that he bounced back from that and even experienced heaven-defying changes was astonishing. While it''s true that there''s more to his story, it''s not necessary to scrutinize even deeper. Everybody''s entitled to their secrets. Humanity should already be thankful that Cedric hadn''t allied himself to the Demon Race yet, because if he ever did, one could only imagine the amount of damage he could cause to let out all the grievances he experienced. ''There''s still a few days before their first patrol.'' Silverwing mused to himself. ''Enough time for Cedric to polish their formations to an eptable degree.'' ''Not bad. Amongst all of the groups I''ve seen so far, this group has the highest chance of surviving this mission.'' Smiling to himself, Silverwing turned around and returned to his office. He had seen enough and was impressed. He had a fair grasp of Cedric''s character and believed that he and his team didn''t need intervention. ''I can''t believe that I found myself believing that a mere Freshman brat will be reliable, but here I am.'' Silverwing chuckled to himself as he made his way back to the mountains of paperwork on his desk. ** "...well, good work there, Squad Leader. I think this is the first time that I saw Sir Silverwing satisfied with a freshman like you. Don''t get it into your head though. The moment you slip up is when you will face his wrath, and trust me, it''s not gonna be pretty." A soldier from Captain Silverwing''s group fiercely reminded Cedric, only to feel a bit awkward since the kid didn''t even look remotely scared of his words. Cedric just stared at him nkly and nodded at his words. It was unnerving and awkward for the soldier so instead of saying more, he just gave him a card that contained the merit points. "Anyways, here. Continue with your good work. That''s all for me. Bye!" Cedric blinked as he saw how fast the soldier left after handing him the card. Shrugging to himself, he inspected the card and discovered that his team received 5000 merit points. After a brief pause, he walked back to his team. Each one was lying on the ground, exhausted and in pain. Some saw him talking to the soldier earlier so he decided toe clean. "Sit down, all of you." He ordered. The team followed and tried their best to hear what he had to say. "Captain Silverwing was observing us earlier." His words shocked the team awake. They looked panicked at the idea that they might''ve screwed up. "Rx. Everything''s fine. I knew he was going to do that since he told me that when he called me to his office. I decided to not tell you because it wouldn''t have made any difference. Our performance couldn''t be faked. We won''t fool him considering his experience so it''s useless to tell you." His words made sense so everybody epted his reason. "Sufficed to say, we gave a satisfactory performance. Because of that, he decided to reward our team with 5000 Merit Points. The soldier earlier gave me this." Cedric showed them the card. "That''s 250 Merit Points each. Shut up, we are dividing this equally and that''s final." He red at them to emphasize his point. "I''m keeping it for now, though. Mostly because we have everything that we need for now. And it wouldn''t be toote to distribute them once we''re done with our first patrol." "Just so you know, Merit Points holds a lot of value. So in case of...emergencies, we should save some. Just to be safe. So I''m keeping this for now. Does anybody disagree?" The squad shook their heads in reply. "Alright. We''re done for the morning. Clean yourselves and gather at the table. I''ll cook, we eat, and rest. We''ll do this all over again in the afternoon." Chapter 165: D-day -- ''The day finally arrived...'' Cedric sighed to himself as he wore his uniform. It''s funny considering that there are only a handful of people in their batch who could tell when the day begins or ends in this ce. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of this ce was misleading. It gives the impression that time doesn''t move. He wouldn''t be surprised if there were people who genuinely think that not even a day has passed since they got here. Cedric was one of the few people who was sensitive to the flow of time. He even uses it to his advantage and his means, so how could he not tell? Today marks their 6th day here, and today is also when they will be gathered to go on their first patrol as Cadets. Deciding to leave most of his stuff, only packing rations and necessary supplies, Cedric mentally ran through the list of his preparations to double-check, just in case he missed something...which was a bit unlikely considering how sharp his memory and attention to detail was. Once he confirmed that he had everything he needed and that he was ready to leave, Cedric let out a long breath. He shook the jitters away from his body and allowed serenity to settle down. Sufficiently prepared and calm, he stepped out of his room and went downstairs. He scanned the apartmentplex to check on his squad. Some of them were praying, others were panicking, and a few were writing a few words in their journal. Cedric refused to see more than that, opting to leave them some privacy despite already intruding on it. For him, it''s good enough to know that his squadmates felt it too. That means that he did not waste his time training them. He also didn''t need the rm at this point. He didn''t need it yesterday too. The squad has been conditioned by his daily routine that their bodies automatically move as soon as he wants them to. They were primed and ready, Cedric did all he could to prepare them with what little time was given to them. The rest is up to fate. Ten minutester, the squad gathered outside theplex. Everyone''s packed and ready for the mission. Nobody waste, thest one to arrive was even two minutes early. Still, Cedric allowed the whole 10 minutes to pass before talking. "This is it." He said, breaking the tense silence. "We''re about to go on our first trip on the other side of this wall." Cedric wasn''t facing them. He stood with his hands against his back as his gaze scaled the 1000-foot-tall wall separating them from real hell. "I''d like to tell you to remain calm and don''t be nervous..." Cedric paused and leveled his gaze, "...but I''ve no right to do that. I can''t tell you what to feel, I''m not you. What I can do, is to tell you what to do as your Squad Leader." Cedric faced them wearing a face of grim determination. "We will finish this patrol intact and alive. We will return to this apartmentplex, we will rest, get cleaned, eat, and train all over again. We will do this all until our time here ends and we return to civilization. That''s what we will do. Disobey and I will hunt you down even if you go to the deepest pits of hell, am I clear?" "Yes, Sir!" The entire squad replied vigorously. "Alright. Let''s move." Just like that, Squad #1 marched towards the Mission Center. It''s toote to feel the jitters now since they''re already moving, and even if they do, there''s no stopping this. Still, Cedric''s words lit up a fire in them. They desire toplete this mission alive and intact to return to their home and families. It might be but a plume of fire right now but it gave them enough warmth to push on and face the uncertainties of their task. The Mission Center wasn''t that far from the apartmentplex. In fact, it''s just right next to the exchange center, so they didn''t need to go that far. Their squad was the first to arrive. Quite fitting since they were called Squad #1, but that''s not really the point here. Due to the harsh but effective training that Cedric put them through, the squad immediately discovered that they were being watched. Cedric noticed this and inwardly nodded in satisfaction. ''Yep, I trained them well.'' He inwardly thought, feeling a bit smug. Yet despite discovering the attention, with others even tracing it to their source, the squad did nothing. They acted as if they didn''t notice it at all. Cedric taught them how to respond to things like this, and his rule was: ''If there''s no killing intent, there''s no reason to be rmed. Keep observing them back and act as if you don''t know they''re there. If they made any move that could be interpreted as a threat, respond in kind and don''t hold back.'' ''If they were conscious enough to attack, they are conscious enough to know the consequences of their action. We won''t be med for protecting ourselves considering where we all are.'' So, the squad just chilled there. They were in a stand-by formation as they waited for others to arrive. Cedric guessed that all of the freshmen should be here first before something happened. They didn''t need to wait long until the others arrived. The next after them to arrive was Squad #3 - Isabe''s squad. They were followed shortly by Squad #5, then Squad #2... One by one, the squad groups arrived, slowly but surely filling up the mission center. There''s a tense silence around and sounds of whispers being shared amongst groups. Eventually, everyone was there. And that''s when the Knight Captains and Army Officers showed up. Cedric briefly scanned them, trying his best to make it as subtle as could. He could tell that some of the Knight Captains and Officers were discontented while the rest were indifferent. Their very own, Captain Silverwing, however, seems to be in a good mood somehow. Maybe it has to do with their squad being the first to arrive. Who knows? Also, Instructor Orion was there. But he was standing behind the army personnel, making himself somehow inauspicious. Whatever''s up with that, Cedric can''t tell, and it''s probably not important to anybody right now. "Alright, Cadets! This is it! You''re all going on your first patrol!" An Army Officer announced, causing some of the cadets to shudder in fright. "Follow your respective Knight Captains. They will brief you on your task. Move!" Cedric''s and Silverwing''s gazes met as soon as the officer concluded his words. Silverwing blurred and appeared in front of them. He tilted his head to the side wordlessly and turned around to walk away. "Let''s move, Team." Cedric uttered softly and authoritatively. His squad followed his lead, marching behind him with a disciplined and steady gait. The difference between their atmosphere from the rest of the squads was clear. Some people who were close to some members of Squad #1 nearly had a whish due to how different they were acting all of a sudden. Some of the Knight Captains exchanged nces subtly, even including some of the Army Officers, whatever those nces met was only privy to them. But some did notice other Knight Captains looking a bit peeved. Back to Squad #1 and Silverwing... The group followed their captain into arge room. Behind the doors was a massive transmission array, the likes they had never seen before, not even Cedric. To their shock though, as soon as they entered the room, Silverwing suddenly erupted into an uproariousughter. Cedric and the squad blinked at him, confused as to why he was suddenly acting like this. "Whew...my bad, kids. I''m just happy because you''ve given me a lot of face just now, Ha!" Silverwing shook his head and cleared his throat. He then gestured at the transmission array and said: "This Transmission Array is reserved for my toon, since you''re under me, you will be using this too." He exined, "This will transport you directly to the other side of that wall." "The Eastern Great Wall spans for a couple thousands of miles. There is only a single gate and that is always upied by soldiers bombarding everything that''s trying to get in. The attack is non-stop, Demons do not need rest and certainly don''t feel exhaustion, so live bombardment never ends there." "Because of that, we hardly use the gates to go out. The only ones who could are the Lord Commanders and people with higher authority than them. That''s why we use Transmission Arrays to send people outside." "Your mission is simple." Silverwing''s expression turned serious here. "You get out of there and observe the situation. Compile a report of everything that you see. The more detailed it is, the better." "You will stay there for 8 hours. During that time, unless an emergency happens, don''t expect any type of support from me, or us. I will only move if I determine that you are in grave danger, even then it will take me some time, so you better not rely on me too much." "Come closer, brats. I''ll show you the area of your responsibility..." Chapter 166: Black Lands -- The ck Lands... That''s what they call the closestndmass to Azure Terra, only separated by the Great Wall. They call it that due to the sheer corruption that has tainted, what used to be vast and fertile,nd ck. This ce is crawling with demons of all shapes and sizes. With the absence of the sun, they are extremely powerful here. Thends have been converted into their home, giving them the advantage and even more strength. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that every inch ofnd outside was harmful and an enemy to humans. That''s why only a select few people could go out here safely. About 500 miles away from the Eastern Gate of the Great Wall, perpendicr and to the left, a light suddenly blossomed. Then, came a group of 20 young men and women, feeling a bit shaken by the sudden transfer. These were none other than the Squad #1. They just got transported from the other side of the wall to here to do their mission. Despite having a glimpse of what''s truly on the other side of the wall, it wasn''t enough to prepare them for the real thing. The air was foul, thend was like a quagmire dragging and slowing them down, the visibility of their surroundings was shit, and the density of corruption makes them feel greatly ufortable. Some of them felt fear gripping their hearts. Panic was slowly tightening its grasp on them, causing them to see visions and experience psychosis. The resolve that they tried to build up beforeing here was slowly crumbling. ...and all of this happened within the first minute of their arrival here. The entire squad seems to be experiencing this except for one person. And thankfully, that person was their leader - Cedric. Seeing the state of his group, Cedric could only inwardly sigh. As much as he wanted to scold them for dropping their guard, he really couldn''t. He''s the weird one here, not them. He flourished his sword and got into a stance. With a snort, he released a pulse of Ki filled with his vigor and unbending willpower. When his Ki swept to his teammates, the corruption''s hold on them disappeared. They suddenly found rity returning to them. This wasn''t its only effect though... The pulse of his Ki didn''t go very far, it went for about 50 meters or so before dissipating into nothingness, but in that tiny distance, it was uncontested. Corruption screeched and sizzled when Cedric''s Ki touched them as if they were burned by fire. It weakened the corruption by a smudge in the grand scheme of things but it was more than enough to save the people who were spiraling down to the endless abyss of fear and uncertainty. This...was a fairlymon martial art called: Ki Pulse. It was not difficult to learn but making it effective on a real battlefield was an entirely different story. Still, this wasn''t limited to Ki. It could also be done using other forms of energy, so long as one''s intent was pure and they have a firm grasp of its concept, they could use this art. "I won''t me you for what just happened. This is the first time anyway. But I''d very much appreciate it if that were to be thest. I can''t always save your butts out here. Get a hold of yourself. I taught you the Ki Pulse for a reason." Cedric stated to his squad who were still catching their breaths. Once they''re sufficiently calm. Cedric told them to be in a formation. Judging by how swiftly they moved and aplished their orders, Cedric could tell that they were fine now. "#5, what''s our mission objective?" Cedric asked. "Sir! We are to patrol and document everything we see within 100 kilometers away from the wall, Sir!" #5 vigorously replied. "Good, you still remember what we''re here for." Cedric calmly replied, "I divided tasks amongst us, tell me the responsibilities I gave you. Start!" One by one, his squad reported the duties he gave to them before they were sent away by Silverwing. He tasked people to look out for any possible threats, some people to document, and others to watch their backs. As for Cedric himself, he''s their core here and he will oversee the entire group. His field of senses waspletely unfolded here. He knows everything happening within 10,000 cubic miles (length, width, and height), and this was with his senses being heavily suppressed. The Starlight Royal Academy was around 60,000 square miles, it''s just as big as the Capital City of Fiore - a metropolis. If Cedric were topletely unfold his senses to any of these ces, pretty much nothing could happen without him knowing. Of course, Cedric couldn''t do this at all times. At most, he could do surveince for about 4 hours, even with his recent breakthrough, and no more than that. Even with his absurd senses and ability to multitask, there are way too many things to pay attention to. This isn''t limited to sight, oh no...it''s all of them; sight, hearing, smell, taste, feel, and a bit of intuition recently. As awesome as this sounds, it has its downsides too. What feels bad to others, feels horrible to him. The stench of corruption, the disgusting murky sensation of the ground, the gruesome sight of the ravaged and corruptednds, everything was amplified (not enhanced) to Cedric. So it wasn''t all positive. The fact that his brain could process this all was nothing short of a miracle. But if he were to, say, minimize this for about... 1000 miles for example, then he''d have no trouble keeping it up at all times. There are still too many things to pay attention to but it''s more bearable this way. Still, it doesn''t change the fact that his senses are truly ridiculous and it''s still growing. This was the entire reason why he''s keeping a low profile. And even though he''s heavily suppressed out here, Cedric guessed that it''s mostly because of the corruption, the distance his senses could cover was still greater than the surveince his teambined could manage. Hell, he could even see other squads not too far from them. He could see that they were dealing with the initial panic that his squadmates felt earlier. Truly, the evolved senses of a Sage thanks to the foundationid by the Eyes of the Godking were truly immensely overpowered. That''s why Cedric had to always be on guard. ''We''d have to be here for 8 hours, I should limit my field of senses to 5,000 miles. That should be good enough to prevent any surprises.'' Cedric mused to himself as he heard his squad finishing their reports. "Alright. Since you can recall your duties, it means that you''re back to reality. We will begin moving soon. Whenever you feel that the corruption''s getting to you, don''t hesitate to do Ki Pulse." "Remember what I told you. Demons only use Demonic Corruption and Infernal Energy. They don''t understand and disdain energy forms that we, humans, use. So don''t worry about alerting them." "Sir, yes Sir!" His squad replied to him. "Good. Let''s move. Keep up the formation, go!" And just like that, Squad #1 began their patrol... Cedric was at the helm of the formation, nked by two people. Behind them were thedies who were tasked to write down as much detail as they could see. He tasked them to write their own observations so that they couldpare notes after the mission was over. Of course, Cedric also had mental notes to add to their observations. Guarding them were the fairly sensitive boys. Their task is to be on the lookout for any possible threats. Anything they see that so much as twitch the wrong way, they were supposed to report to alert the team. Right behind these boys were the rest whose task it was to watch over their entire formation. Every five minutes, they have to do a headcount to make sure that everybody''s still around and hasn''t left the formation. The dark, depressing, and corruption-fillednds of their surroundings could cause hallucinations and visions, as they have experienced before, therefor their task is paramount to ensure that everybody returns to the other side of the wall intact and alive. Of course, everybody was primed forbat. They all have their weapons out and are ready to y if they are attacked. They are to keep this formation for their entire patrol. The only times it will change is when Cedric orders them to and the changes will vary depending on their encounters. Cedric instilled every formation in their bodies to the point that they would react even before thinking as soon as he gave out orders. "Heads up, I see a pack of Imps 100 meters away from us. They burrowed and are starting the hunt, it seems that they have noticed us." One of the scanners reported to the team. Cedric could feel everybody tensing up so he cleared his throat and said: "Maintain the formation and prepare for battle. Eliminate them with extreme prejudice. Am I clear?" "Sir, yes Sir!" And just like that, Squad #1 prepared themselves for their first battle outside the walls. Chapter 167: Capra Demon -- Imps...short and stocky demons. They have pitch-ck and cracked skin with glowing red eyes. They used pitchforks as weapons and had tiny bat wings. They are small, most of them barely even reach a foot tall, the tallest being 3-foot maximum. On their own, they are weak. Even a Tier 3 could defeat a single imp on their own. But see, Imps never travel alone. They hunt in packs, like wolves. A pack of Imps is a dozen. A few walk above ground to serve as bait while the rest either fly up or burrow underground to ambush unsuspecting victims. The Squad #1 braced for impact. They are about to encounter their first fight outside of the walls. Through Cedric''s orders, they waited for them toe. Swoosh! A two-foot-tall Imp running towards them suddenly threw its pitchfork at them. In response, a squad member stepped forward and raised his shield to catch the attack. It was blocked squarely, the defender wasn''t even forced back an inch. "Careful, the ones underground areing!" One of the scanners warned. As soon as his words came out, the imps underground burst above with their pitchforks aimed at the humans. Thanks to the warning of their teammate, they readily received the attack. The ones behind the defenders threw attacks of their own, killing most of the imps who attacked. The scanners were keeping an eye out for the ones above ground who were still running/flying towards them. As much as the scanners did their jobs the best they could, their senses weren''t as broad as Cedric''s. They failed to sense the big one, the pack leader of the imps, since it was hiding deeper underground. Well, Cedric couldn''t me them for this so he decided to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed his standard-issued pistol and gathered his Ki into it. He aimed and shot the pack leader despite it being underground. He used enough energy to give the shot sufficient oomph to prate the murky and corrupted ground and st the 3-foot-tall Imp''s head, killing it in a single shot. Due to the heat of the battle, some of his squadmates didn''t even see what he did. They were busy handling the imps harassing them. They didn''t do horrible. They culled the pack as swiftly as they could, eliminating them with extreme prejudice as Cedric ordered. Five minutester, no imps could be seen around. The squad rxed and the scanners reported: "I don''t see any hostiles. How about you guys?" The other scanners replied saying that they don''t see any either. "Wait! We haven''t seen the pack leader! I think its¡ª" "Dead." Cedric interrupted. "Shot it earlier when you were busy. Pack''s dead. Good work, team. Do the pulse, y''all are dirty." Following his orders, the team performed Ki Pulse to cleanse themselves of corruption. While they were mostly untouched and unharmed by the imps, the mere presence of demons was enough for corruption to infect them. Not by much, but considering where they are, this will snowball until it bes unbearable. It''s better to get rid of it now to stop that from happening. Since the squad performed their Ki Pulse as a group, multiple pulses swept through everybody, eliminating the hold of corruptionpletely. Once they were done with this, they continued heading deeper into their area of responsibility to continue their mission. As he led the group, Cedric paid close attention to his surroundings. He could see all sorts of nightmarish scenes around them. He could feel strange movements above and underground. He could also feel the tension within the group. The ck Lands itself was already looking more terrible than Purgatory itself. And they haven''t even uncovered every inch of it. To think that there are ces out there that are far more sinister and dangerouspared to this one really puts things into perspective. ''This world must be in so much pain...'' Cedricmented inwardly. The sheer disgust and hate he felt towards the Demonic Corruption was almost primal. He had been keeping the instinct to just spray Sunfire on everything in his sight because he didn''t want to attract trouble, but it was hard. Really hard. To keep the team alert and present, he periodically talks to them, ordering them to report their findings and/do something. This is to prevent them from spending too much time in their heads because out here, that''s dangerous. Demonic Corruption is horrible like that. It takes advantage of vulnerabilities of any kind, and once ittches on you, there''s only so much you can do before it starts taking effect. As they patrolled, the team faced more demons on the way. After Imps, there were insects, followed by carnivorous nts, more imps, and a few beast demons. Cedric left the team to handle most of them, only stepping in to cover the areas that they missed. He did this to help them realize that, so long as they''re being methodical about it, they could handle the threatsing their way. Through this, he''s shattering the image of invincibility that the Demon Race established so far in the psyches of his squadmates. The Demons are not invincible, they can be killed in their territory. The humans haven''t lost yet. He''s igniting hope and determination within his team. But of course, he''s not fostering it to over-confidence because that will kill them. In a way, he''s training them still, because this wouldn''t be thest time that they''d be here. "Stop." The squad paused before they could think (effects of Cedric''s conditioning). They looked at him in curiosity and saw that his expression had changed into an rmed one. That made them feel nervous. "Formation F, now." Cedric ordered softly. Once again, the squad found themselves moving before they could think. Actually, it would''ve been better if they couldn''t think at all because upon realizing what he just ordered, the squad immediately knew that things had gotten seriously dangerous. Formation F, ''F'' stands for ''Fade''. It''s something that squads/toons would only use whenever they encounter something that they have to avoid or they can''t handle. The squad gathered closely, like skin to skin close since that''s a requirement, they then supplied energy to the sigils on the back of their left hand. With this, the formation was set and the presence of the squad faded into nothingness. Boom! Not even a minute after they hid, an explosion urred right in front of them, causing the majority of the squad to flinch. ''Hold. Breathe through your nose and out to your mouth. Try to not make any sounds. If you can''t handle it, don''t look. I''ll keep an eye out for you. Just be ready to move when I tell you to. Otherwise, staypletely still.'' Cedric''s t yet strangelyforting voice echoed in their ears. It was enough to keep the team grounded despite the hulking menace trying to sniff them out. Yes, a demon was hunting them. It was a ten-foot-tall demon with a goat head, humanoid torso, andrge hooves for feet. It is holding tworge cleavers on both hands, made from the bones of its own kind. Its upper body was covered in fur but the tough sinews beneath that were still noticeable. There was no doubt that this was a very strong and dangerous demon. It released an aura that couldpete with Tier 9s easily so there''s no doubt that the squad would be demolished if they were to fight this. ''A Capra Demon...I wasn''t aware that they roam this near to the walls.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. What really made Capra Demons scary was itsbat instinct. It''s flexible and agile. It''s capable of recognizing patterns and even imitating them. Fight them long enough and they might just surpass their targets in the skills they copied. Within the squad, only a few could look at the Capra Demon properly, and even if they could, they couldn''t suppress the fear they felt. Thankfully, Cedric warned them earlier. Had they the caughtpletely off-guard by this thing, it would''ve been over for them. But as the team rxed and remainedpletely still to hide from the Capra Demon, they didn''t notice the clouded expression dawning on Cedric''s face. The reason for this is because, in his field of senses, he saw another Capra Demon roaming around. Not just that, there''s also a Taurus Demon, a Hellfire Demon, and Nightmare Worm slithering underground. All of these demons aren''t weaker than Tier 9s. To make it worse, Cedric was sure that that Nightmare Worm was a nar Traveller! ''What the hell is going on here?'' Cedric was sweating. Isn''t this a little too much? How are they supposed to survive this? Is the army aware of this? Too many questions emerged on his mind but they remain unanswered. The best he could do right now was to stay alert and be prepared if things go south. ''I better let Captain Silverwing know this. Thankfully, the traces of these demons are scattered everywhere, I can forge a report that would hide my capabilities without lessening my credibility.'' And just so you know, their shift hasn''t even gone for an hour yet. Chapter 168: Respite -- Squad 1 stayed in formation for about 10 minutes. Cedric extended that for another 5 minutes just to make sure that the Capra Demon wouldn''t just turn around after sensing their presence once more. It also smelled them from miles away and it runs fast, it''s better to wait until it ispletely left rather than risk it. He kept it under surveince to ensure their safety. As for the Taurus Demon and the Nightmare Worm, those were still around but they''re about 2500 miles away from them. Taurus Demons aren''t good hunters, they kill things that annoy them only when it is within the range of their senses, otherwise, they would just go about their way. The Nightmare Worm, on the other hand, doesn''t move very fast unless it''s on a hunt. It usually just digs tunnels undergroundzily and would fall asleep at random intervals. So long as the squad doesn''t make any explosive actions above ground that would be felt by the Nightmare Worm, they''re safe. Cedric already made a report to Captain Silverwing, a report not an SOS. He figured that it was best to let the authorities know that there were these kinds of demons roaming so close to the walls rather than ignoring them. Due to his Demon yer ss, Cedric had ess to a skill called: ¡ºDemon Lore¡», it''s Ac''s database of demons that he could freely ess to help him y demons, of course. This is how he was able to recognize most of the demons he encountered. From there, he knew that Capra Demons, Taurus Demons, and Nightmare Worms could only be found deeper into the ck Lands... around 100,000 miles away from the Eastern Great Wall. Squad #1''s not even 10 miles away from the wall yet, so how could they be here? With this question in mind, Cedric immediately thought of the worst. These are Demons, it''s only natural to expect the worst out of them. That''s why he didn''t hesitate to let their supervisor know right away. As for letting his squadmates know...not now. If he had the choice, he would rather not let them know at all, but he couldn''t do that since he''d be betraying their trust. He could postpone it though. Letting them know now would just frighten them greatly, and that would affect their mission. Sure, it is wise to let them know about the threats around them, but if the said threats are above their paycheck, would it really make a difference? If anything, that would just cause the squad to lose hope, and that''s fatal in this environment. Cedric spent a lot of time building their confidence, it''d be a shame to lose that just because they were unlucky. "Alright, we should be safe now. Remain in the formation though, we''ll travel like this to reduce our presence. Capra Demons are frightening hunters, even though it has left our surveince, we should always assume that they will return if we make too much activity right away." "We are heading deeper into our area of responsibility." Cedric paused to let that sink in, "Mind your positions and remain sharp. Focus on your task and we will be fine. Understood?" "Sir, yes Sir!" The squad replied. "Alright, move." Upon his order, the squad began moving. They were slower this time because of the formation they''re using but it''s safer this way. As they moved, Cedric manipted his field of senses to survey their surroundings including the underground. He''s still paying attention to the bigger threats nearby. Every so often, he would tell the squad to move in a direction, swerving their patrol route just a little bit. Nobody questioned him because they trusted him, which was good for Cedric since he didn''t want to tell them that scarier demons were on the move just yet. Another hour passed in their shift and they patrolled 30% of their area of responsibility. They didn''t fight any demons because they''re on stealth but that didn''t reduce the pressure they''re facing. On their way, they''ve met all sorts of abominations. They''ve seen demons brutalizing their own kind like it''s a normal urrence here, and that''s not exactly wrong. They also saw how the environment seemed warped into something more terrifying. From thends shifting to the changes in its appearance. They''ve seen strange demonic flora and fauna growing wildly here, each one was dangerous on their own. The squad encountered toxic pools of acid, pitch-ck slime pits, nts that have eyes and rows of razor-sharp teeth, swarms of demonic insects migrating, etc. One nightmare after the other showed itself to them, and all of it appeared this close to the walls. Some of the squad members couldn''t help but throw up and feel dizzy at the sight of these ces. Was this really what their world looks like? Is this really Prime Earth? Seeing all of this made them think that they were the invaders here and not the Demons. To think that everything outside of the walls was like this, how is this world...how is Ac alive? And these were sights ''NEAR'' the walls. What kind of horrible nightmares are there beyond the ck Lands? One could only shudder imagining it. The more they see, the more horrible they feel. Yet at the same time, though this was still unknown by most, the team could feel the seed of defiance germinating within them. Facing the real nightmare scared them greatly, but it also tempered their spirit. Cedric''s voice echoed in their mind as they patrolled: ''...For what reason do you have those weapons out if you''re not even using them? Fight back damn it! Fight back or at the very least, defend yourselves. Do it while running!'' He said this during their first day of training under him. He said it to encourage them and help them get rid of their fear. Cedric probably didn''t intend this to happen, but his words resonated more deeply now than before. A sense of purpose...to serve something greater than their own. This is the inspiration he brought to his team. As their leader, Cedric remained steadfast, calm, and encouraging. He uses his authority well and never goes overboard. He''s the pir of the squad and rightfully so. Ever since the academy''s examination, Cedric always shone brightly, outssing every single one of them. And he never gotcent with his overwhelming talent either. He works just as hard, if not harder, than everyone else, everybody knows that because they''ve seen it. When everybody''s frightened and uncertain about their chances of survival, Cedric''s presence and faith in himself never wavered. He''s probably the only one who''s undeterred by the thought of walking right into True Hell. That belief and talent of his extended to his team, that''s why it was so easy for the rest to naturally follow his orders. But it did more than that. The seed of defiance and a sense of greater purpose...Cedric unknowingly nted it within his squadmates. It''ll be up to them to nourish it but it''s more than enough to spark changes within. "Pause." Cedric''s voice suddenly echoed in their ears. The squad stopped in their tracks and listened to what he was about to say. "We''re approaching the distance where our paths will cross with another squad. Squad #3 to be exact. Team, observe, and report. #5, you begin." Upon his orders, his squad mates began reporting everything they saw around them, describing them with as much detail as they could notice. The scanners had better reports than the rest but that''s to be expected. If the scanners missed something, their other teammates filled in,pleting the image from the entire squad''s perspective. "...excellent. So you''ve also seen tracks and traces of recent fights." Cedric stated, "Safe to say, there are hostiles nearby and it is possible that they will return once they sense us here." "From the hints we''ve collected, it''s very likely that the culprits are beast demons. One wasrge, like 10 feet or taller, and the other was around half of the other''s height but faster." "Beast Demons are feral and good hunters. If Squad #3 isn''t on Formation F when our paths cross, the Beast Demons will likely return here to hunt us down." "Based on the damages we could see from the environment, we could assume that they are somewhere around Tier 6 to Tier 8 in strength, no more than that I hope." "Talk to me, team. What do you think we should do?" Cedric asked this not because he didn''t know what to do. He did it to distract his team, preventing them from falling into a downward spiral of madness brought by the sight of nightmares they encountered so far. He''s also doing this to keep their mind alert and ready for confrontations. This will prevent Demonic Corruption from taking hold of their minds and use their fears against them. Last but not least, he did this to give his team some respite. They couldn''t camp out and there were no real breaks in their shift. Pausing in a rtively low-activity area like this one could make up for that. So as his squad brainstormed ideas and threw out suggestions, he also ordered them to take a bite and drink some water. Chapter 169: Route Intersection -- "Report, Squad #3 entered the surveince field." One of the scanners reported. "Keep the pace. We will meet them in person soon." Cedric replied to which his team affirmatively replied. After their brief rest (not really), they continued on their patrol route as usual. Everybody''s still wary about potential attacks so they proceeded with caution. Considering that they''re not even proper cadets, they are pretty far from the walls. Even with theirbined strength, there are a lot of enemies around these parts that could kill them within seconds if they''re not being careful. This was not an exaggeration. After all, the team personally saw those things themselves. After a few minutes, someone alerted the rest that Squad #3 entered their line of sight, and that turned out to the be case. Cedric of course saw them already before anybody could. He did even before they took a break. What he saw did not impress him though. Squad #3 is in a dire state. "Leader, they are..." #5 muttered softly to him. "Mn, I see it." Cedric replied, wearing a serious expression. It''s clear Squad #3 had an ident. They were missing two people already, and the rest had this harrowed expression on their faces. Cedric saw Isabe, the leader of this squad, and despite her stoic expression beneath her veil, it was clear that she too was in a terrible state. It didn''t take long before members of the Squad #3 saw them. The way they informed each other and how their eyes brightened upon seeing them didn''t escape his sight, nor his team. "H-Hey, it''s you guys¡ª...!! What!" Whatever that person had to say died in his throat when he saw how Squad #1 entered abat formation and appeared hostile against them. "Hey! Hey! What''s this!" "Stop! We''re not enemies!" "Shit! Could it be that they''re imposters?" "What do we do? We can''t lose people anymore!" "We''re gonna die! We''re gonna die!" Squad #1 grimaced as they saw how easily Squad #3 crumbled. They couldn''t help but be shocked but also disappointed at this sight. Where''s the order? Why so hopeless? It''s understandable for them to feel depressed because they lost people, even though they would feel the same, but losing all sense of order isn''t wise in an environment like this. More importantly...what''s their leader doing? "Why turn hostile all of a sudden? I don''t believe we''ve done anything to warrant this." Isabe finally stepped forward to say, only after her team made a ruckus. "Squad #3, if that''s what you are...this is Squad #1''s Interim Squad Leader speaking." Cedric stated with a vigorous and authoritative tone. "I demand an exnation for your Squad not following the protocol upon the intersection of our route." The energy of his voice and the sheer density of authority behind it greatly intimidated the other squad. It didn''t help that his words greatly resonated with his team members as well. There''s no doubt if he told them to kill their fellow Cadets, they won''t hesitate to do so even if it means killing their own and being traumatized about itter. "I shall give you 1 minute to exin, fail to do so and we will see you as a threat like the Demons, and you shall be eliminated with extreme prejudice." Cedric red his killing intent which was enough to douse the entirety of Squad #3 in fear. The rest of his team also ring their killing intent didn''t help either. As much as Cedric wanted to tease Isabe for showing a colorful expression beneath her veil, because she usually doesn''t do that, this was a serious situation. It''s times like this that everybody is reminded how big the gap is between Cedric and the rest of their batch. The sheer density of power emanating from him outssed any they could musterbined. Even Isabe nched at the sheer immensity of the threat they were facing. Despite this, her mind worked. Cursing under her breath and being very careful to not show any signs of hostile action, she informed her team on what to do to de-escte this situation. Under Squad #1''s watch, the other squad arranged themselves neatly in a formation with Isabe at the helm. She cleared her throat before whistling a tune and making gestures using her hands. Nobody aside from Cedric could understand this, and that''s within reason because this way ofmunication should only be known and used by Squad Leaders. Once she finished, Cedric replied in kind using the same method. The atmosphere remained tense but they could also feel it toning down. "Interim Squad Leader #3 apologizes for our misconduct. We faced an ident and are quite shaken about it. Forgive us for forgetting order and not following protocol." A tense silence passed as Cedric carefully measured every single one of them with his eyes. "At ease, team." He ordered. Squad #3 saw how #1''s team smoothly and unquestioningly obeyed his orders like they were born to do so. "We will this pass only because you proved your identity. Make no mistake, I will be watching you." Cedric coldly stated. A few members of the other squad sighed in relief while the rest wore ugly faces. It was obvious that they were not okay with how Squad #1 tantly threatened their lives. How is that okay? What kind of protocol forces cadets like them to kill each other? Their thoughts didn''t escape Cedric''s senses of course, but he does not care what they think. They are Cadets and they shall follow orders. in and simple. "Approach." Cedricmanded. Squad #1 began moving. Squad #3 saw how clean their formation was and how smoothly they operated. Others were fooled because all of Squad #1 was rxed and they didn''t disy any kind of hostility since there was no reason to, but others were not that easily fooled. Every single member of #1''s squad was primed and ready to respond to any threats that would ur. They will not hesitate to bury all of Squad #3 if they so much as twitch the wrong way. "We shall do the same." Isabe ordered her team. They too went on a formation but it was awkward. Even the weakest member of Squad #1 could point out several holes in their formation, they''re even more ring because they''recking members. However, even if they could see it, none of them said a thing. It was unnecessary anyway. Unless they were given explicit orders to do so, they will remain silent. What follows after this should be an intersection. The Squad Leaders will exchange information briefly and go about their way. It''s as simple as that since they have other responsibilities to attend to. Before crossing routes, Cedric stepped forward after ordering his team to remain in formation. Isabe did the same, but it is now clear to everybody that she does not haveplete obedience and authority over her squad. "You''re missing members. Talk to me, what happened?" Cedric asked her, starting the information exchange. "Terriblending." She replied, "We were attacked as soon as the transmission was over. The corruption was too much and we were too slow to get into formation." "You didn''t teach them Ki Pulse?" Cedric asked with a raised brow. "I did, but we''re too pressed for time. Only two learned it and they''re dead." She stated with a t tone but Cedric could tell that she was shaken about it. The slight quiver in her tone might not be noticed by others but not him. His ears are too sharp and she''s too close for him to miss that. "Tough luck, then." Cedric replied, choosing to not sound empathetic because she did not need it. "My team didn''t experience a terriblending but we had a close shave with a Capra Demon." He told her. Isabe''s eyes widened in disbelief beneath her veil. "Fortunately, we made it out alive. I sensed the thing before it got to us, so we used stealth. I reported the sighting to Captain Silverwing so they should be informed of it." "Howe you''re still here if you did that?" She asked. "It''s a report, not an SOS." Cedric deadpanned at her. Inwardly chuckling at the way she blushed in embarrassment for making that mistake. "Right, sorry. I''m a bit frazzled." She admitted. "I know." Cedric uttered. "If it weren''t for the fact that you proved your identity, I would''ve thought you were a Demon because of how you reek of corruption." Isabe looked at him in rm, seemingly asking if he was kidding. However, she saw Cedric''s deadpan expression and silence, convincing her that she was not. She then saw him turn to his team and barked: "Pulse, now." Swoosh! Every single one of Squad #1''s members, including Cedric himself, performed Ki Pulse. 20 pulses of pure and unwavering Ki swept through their surroundings and onto the members of Squad #3. That amount was more than enough topletely cleanse the hold of corruption to every human in the vicinity. Isabe herself felt some kind of invisible burden leaving her body, causing her to involuntarily sigh in relief. That''s when she truly realized that he was indeed not lying when he said that she reeked of corruption. But before she could say anything, she saw Cedric returning to his squad and saying: "Formation A! Eliminate with extreme prejudice!" Chapter 170: Combat -- "Hey! Hey! What''s this all about!?" "You said you weren''t gonna attack us!" "Why are you doing this?" "We''re gonna die! Holy shit, we''re gonna die!" Squad #3 panicked upon seeing the other squad enteringbat formation. They released a fearsome aura as if they were seasoned soldiers and their killing intent seeded their surroundings. Isabe was stunned. She couldn''t help but wonder if they were duped. Was Squad #1promised by Demons? But how can that be? Are they trying to silence her squad here? Or they just genuinely think that she and her squad were demons. She didn''t know what to think anymore. She''s tired, stressed, and scared (though she''ll never admit to thest part). Too much has happened within thest few hours that she''s overwhelmed. Isabe took out her weapon. Despite knowing that she and her team might be outssed in this fight, she refuses to die here. She''s too young and she had dreams she wanted to achieve. She refuses to be another set of bones scattered across this disgustingnd. Seeing their leader take out her weapon and prepare forbat, the rest of her squad did the same, but it''s clear that they''re hesitant to do so. They didn''t know what to think. Just like Isabe, they too were stressed, tired, and overwhelmed. That''s when everybody heard a deep and soul-shaking roar that sent shivers down their spine. OOOOOOOUGGGHH Boom!! Alert and panicked, all of Squad #3 turned around only to see a pair of demons slowly marching towards them. One was a 15-foot-tall giant on fours, each limb was thick and bursting with strength. Its skin was charred ck and cracked like tree bark. Its crimson-red eyes exerted enormous pressure and it had a pair ofrge tusks protruding out of its mouth. Dark purple vines wriggled on its back too. This one is a Demon Mammoth. The other is a man-snake demon hybrid wearing an armor that''s certainly crafted by humans, it most likely piged the armor from one of its victims. This one had the torso and lower body of a human. It has a snake body for a neck and a bunch of tiny snakes hissing with pitch-ck acid dripping from their mouths for a head. This thing was also holding a pair of sickles. It is called a Demon Gorgon. A parasitic demon that uses its victims'' bodies to hunt more. "Aaaaah!!!" Someone from Isabe''s squad couldn''t take it and copsed on the ground in fear, even pissing his pants in the process. Others couldn''t evenment on that because they too were just as scared as this guy, the only difference is that they haven''t lost their dder movement just yet. As they spiral in fear and feel the grip of death tightening around their throats, Cedric''s vigorous voice slices through their haze. "Here they are. Move ording to what we nned. Cover each other''s backs and take them down as soon as you can. Go, I''ll be watching you." Under their amazed and dumbfounded gaze, the members of Squad #1 scattered and confronted the frightening demons like they were tired of living. Everyone except Cedric moved and engaged their targets. 9 dealt with the Demon Mammoth and 10 handled the Demon Gorgon. Cedric stayed back, standing in front of Squad #3 as if he were guarding frail and innocent children. Seeing this, Isabe''s eyes twinkled in understanding; ''So that''s why...his animosity wasn''t aimed towards us but at the Demons. He had seen theming.'' It wasn''t just her who realized this, some of the stronger and sharper members of her team also realized this. ''Yet how...how could they recklessly engage dangerous foes like that? Aren''t they afraid of dying?'' Isabe muttered to herself, and maybe she was not alone in thinking this. If Cedric ever heard that, he''d onlyugh and sneer. Reckless? If they truly think that this was them being reckless, none of them deserved to be called geniuses. #5 led the charge against the Demon Gorgon. In his personal opinion, this one was far more dangerous than the mammoth. The other guy was huge but it''s slow. The vines on its back will attack and restrain its target, allowing the mammoth to use its overwhelminglyrge body to finish the fight. The 9 people sent after it could handle that. The Demon Gorgon on the other hand was trickier. Its strength depends on its host, and this one uses a human this time. What makes Demon Gorgons dangerous is that they could perfectly utilize their host. Any and alltent talent and skills that their host had when they were still alive will also be utilized by the Demon Gorgon after they hi-jacked their bodies. And that''s on top of the snake-heads being able to stretch and attack too. The ck acid that drips from its mouth was an extremely corrosive venom. One drop could melt T5 Metals in seconds and it spreads fast. It also paralyzes the target''s nerves and injures the soul. With how many heads it has, it''d be a miracle if its target survives once the demon''s got a hold of them. When Cedric called for the team earlier, he already informed them of everything he knew about their approaching enemies. He told them their strengths, weaknesses, and ways to defeat them. He divided the members and gave them tasks to fulfill before the targets appeared in their line of sight. Themunication of Squad #1 was smooth thanks to Cedric''s conditioning. It might not sound much but in truth, it helped immensely towards the squad''s efficiency. "There, hold it!" #5 hollered when he spotted the chance. Three of his teammates pinned the snake heads down, preventing it from interfering with the rest. It released copious amounts of venom that melted the corrupted soil but it did nothing to change its state, it was still pinned down. #5 wore a fierce expression as he brandished his spear and severed the neck from the body. The spearhead sliced through the flesh like a hot knife through butter. The physical connection of the parasite to the body was severed with that, but it doesn''t mean that it lost control. Unless the snake heads were dead, the body it attached itself to would still be under its control. One of the scanners on #5''s team already told him where the core of the parasite was located, the dude even marked it for him. #5 grinned and wedged his spear precisely where the mark was. He felt a solid resistance that gave under the force of his blow and heard the sound of ss shattering. That was followed by the snake heads and the puppet body turning limp. Just like that, a Tier 6-7 Demon Gorgon was handled without anybody dying or sustaining injuries. While #5 team burned the body of the Demon Gorgon and its host, the other group also dealt with their enemy. The Demon Mammoth did its best, but it''s just too slow. The 9 people sent after it were the fastest of the squad. While they''re collectively not as strong, as big, or as tough as the Mammoth was, they were faster. The vine tentacles on its back couldn''t even touch them during the entire fight because of how slippery they were. In the end, they target the mammoth''s weak spot and it copses dead. It was burned just like the Demon Gorgon. Squad #3 watched all of them with shocked faces. They couldn''t believe what just happened. Did they really do all of that? And that easily too? There''s almost no suspense in that battle! It didn''t make sense to them. Demons are horrible creatures! They are obscenely strong and terrifying! Yes, Squad #1 was strong but in their eyes, it''s because Cedric was with them, and Cedric was strong. Yet what did they just witness? Cedric didn''t even do a damn thing! He let his team handle the rest, which to them sounds like he''s sending them to their deaths, but that''s not what happened. Not only did they not suffer any casualties, but they trumped the Demons like they were some kind of losers! How is that possible? Cedric ignored whatever they were thinking since they were not his responsibility. Instead, he focused on his team and said: "Good work, but you''re reeking now. You know what to do." His members nodded and one by one, they performed their versions of Ki Pulse. The pulses swept through everybody, including the dumbfounded members of Squad #3. The invisible corruption screeched and sizzled before disappearing once the pulses made contact with it. They all sighed in relief and the Squad #1 returned to their formation even without Cedric''s explicit order since they were conditioned to do so. "You all did great, but don''t let it get to your head, at least not right now. Remember, our duty is to patrol, not fight. We only fought because we can''t evade it." "I had a hunch that it will happen again though, so focus on the present and remain alert. Alright, let''s move!" Cedric and his team turned around to continue their patrol but then they heard someone calling out to them. "W-wait! Can we pleasee with you? We are¡ª hiiik!!" The rest of his words died out because Cedric aimed his sword at his throat. With a cold gaze, he said: "Be careful of what you say, Cadet. Or I might just kill you right here and now for treason." Chapter 171: Rude Awakening, End of Shift -- Cedric''s words were not a threat but a promise. He''s under a legal obligation to execute people who abandon their posts for personal gain, especially on a battlefield like this. In fact, it would''ve been fine if he actually killed the guy because what he said was definitely treason. The army would not me him for his actions because if they were in the same position as him, this guy would not be spared. Seeing the coward back down in fear, nearly pissing himself in the process, Cedric retracted his weapon. He then looked at the leader of Squad #3 and said: "This matter will be escted upon our return to the camp. As their Leader, you should be more proactive in your role. Expect a Disciplinary Action enforced upon you..." Cedric then looked at the frightened guy, "...and him, especially him, upon our return. Of course, that''s under the assumption that all of you return in one piece." "The state of your team doesn''t give a positive impression of that oue." After saying that, Cedric turned around to continue with their patrol nked by his team, leaving the dumbfounded and intimidated Squad #3 behind. They could only look as Squad #1, who''s quite possibly the most stable and strongest team there is in this batch, walked away to perform their duty, wishing that they were on this team instead of this. Seeing how well-off Cedric''s squad made Isabe jealous. Why can''t her team be more like them? If she had those members instead of these people, she would probably have an easier time in this dangerous ce. If he had those behaved and obedient people on her team instead of these cowards, she probably wouldn''t be as stressed as she is right now. ''Jealousy isn''t a good look on you, Lady Frostwind.'' Isabe''s eyes widened in disbelief after hearing Cedric''s voice inside her head. ''Did you honestly think that if we were to switch teams right here and now, all your problems would be solved? Do you really think it''s that easy? If you do, then wow...you''re as pompous and as entitled as I initially think you were.'' ''The state of your team reflects your capabilities as a leader since that''s what you are here. Did you think that your aloofness and disgust towards men helped your team to bepetent at their responsibilities?'' Isabe was rmed. How in the world did Cedric know about that? She''s not surprised that he knew she was aloof and distant because that''s public knowledge, but how did he know about her disgust toward men? ''Distancing yourself from your team is practically saying that you''re leaving them up to fate and had no desire to lead at all, which is contradictory to your sworn duty since you epted the position, did you not? As far as I''m aware, the Knight Captains wouldn''t force anybody in this position, you had a choice and you made it.'' ''Your final rating in this mission will be decided based on your team''s performance. Granted the state of your squad, do you think that you''re doing fine?'' Isabe looked down involuntarily when the facts wereid out in front of her. She had no words to refute. ''The world doesn''t revolve around us, Lady Frostwind. ring at a problem wouldn''t make it go away. There will be no knight in shining armor here, Babe. If you wanna be saved, you must do it yourself. Get off from whatever high-horse your own, get down and dirty. Crawl your way out of this hell, if you must, only then you will know the real meaning of strength.'' ''If you don''t move now and use whatever knowledge you have in that brain of yours, you will die here. My team could confidently escape the hunt of a Capra Demon, can your team do the same? Let me remind you, that thing is still out there.'' ''That''s all I have to say. Best of luck, #3.'' Just like that, Isabe watched as Squad #1 left their field of vision under Cedric''s lead. Goosebumps ran throughout her entire body as she was reminded, harshly if one might add, about the ce they were currently in and the dangers lurking around. Cedric''s words rang in her ears. As painful as they were, all of it was the truth. As much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn''t. Not when they''re facing the real threat of death. "Get up, all of you!" She snarled at her team, surprising every single one of them. Frightened by the sudden change in her, they stood up and gathered around her. In their eyes, Isabe was downright murderous right now. "This is all my fault, I should''ve tightened my leash around you since day one. Maybe things would''ve been different if I did that." She uttered with clenched jaws. "That won''t fly anymore. From here on out, I expect obedience from you. Fail to show that and I won''t hesitate to throw you out to the jaws of demons lurking around us." "We will stay in formation and continue with our route. However, in addition to that, all of you will learn how to do Ki Pulse. I don''t care if we attract the attention of demons while we do that cause we will just fight them off." "Not knowing Ki Pulse is just as dangerous as fighting those abominations anyway. I will not ept excuses. All of Squad #1 knows how to do it, if those people could learn it, then so are you." "If you have any objections to that, leave at once. I don''t care what you think. If you say, then obey. If you don''t want to obey, then fuck off to somewhere, I don''t care. How about that?" "Any objections?" If they weren''t already intimidated by her before, then they sure are now. This was probably the most words they all heard her say in the collective amount of time they knew her, including their time at the academy. Right now, Isabe''s far scarier than the demons lurking around them. She intimidated them to obedience. And Isabe couldn''t help but feel surprised with how easy that was. Do you mean to say that all she had to do was snarl and scold them so badly to get theirplete obedience? Why did nobody tell her? She would''ve done so earlier! But of course, she wouldn''t forget that this was only possible because that man woke her up from her stupor. As much as she hates to admit this, he''s right. ''If want to be saved, you must do it on your own.'' She''ll think more about thatter, for now, she had a task to finish and survival to do. They''re alreadyte on their schedule so they must move now. ** More toxic swamps, flesh-eating trees, unstable and corruptedndmass, hordes of migrating demons, and a couple of hourster... The Cadets'' shift was approaching its end. Squad #1 performed as they always have, with machine-like precision and perfect teamwork. They faced horrors after horrors but they remained steadfast in their task. Theirmunication is smooth and their collective will remains unbreakable. As expected, they fought more demons on their way, but they eliminated them all. They didn''t not pick fights because that''s not their duty but they also didn''t back down from it. By now, every single one of Squad #1''s members wasn''t afraid of the True Demons anymore. Sure, they get intimidated from time to time but it''s not crippling them anymore. They became brave enough to look at a True Demon''s eye and kill it without flinching. All of this was possible because Cedric conditioned them to it. He kept them at a stable pace, watching over them and keeping their minds alert and sharp by consistently talking to them either out loud or through sound transmission. Because of that, the team fell into a rhythm that only seasoned squads/teams could get to. None of his team members knew this, not even Cedric himself, but they didn''t have to since their focus should be on their task. Right now, Squad #1 made it back to the transmission area - the ce where they were dropped off earlier. Their shift was over and they were just waiting to be transmitted out of the field. They stood in formation when light descended on them. When they blinked, they found themselves standing at the Transmission Room reserved for Knight Captain Silverwing''s toon. "We''ve returned team. Let''s pulse just for good measure, yeah?" Cedrid ordered, which the team obeyed immediately. "Good work, Squad #1." Captain Silverwing shimmered into existence, wearing a wide smile on his face. Cedric hollered at his squad to give salutations to the Knight Captain and thank him for his praise. "At ease." The fox-eyed man smiled in return. "I can see that you''re all tired. Give me yourpiled reports to look over, you''re dismissed after that. Tomorrow''s your day off so have a good rest." "Thank you, Sir." Squad #1 replied in unison, grateful at the prospect of being able to rest. Chapter 172: Cedrics Report -- Silverwing received a total of five reports from Squad #1 after dismissing them... Four came from the ''Scanners'' as Cedric calls them - people he tasked to scan their surroundings to not only make the report but also alert the team if there''s danger around. The fifth one came from Cedric himself. Silverwing breezed through the first four reports. Inwardly, he was satisfied. The reports contained some unnecessary details but that also makes it incredibly detailed. Someone even drew the environment they encountered. Not bad considering that these were mere children who only learned about the truth of the world a few days ago. Then, he saw Cedric''s report... It was ordinary. At least on the surface, it was. His style of reporting was already close to what a seasoned Squad Leader would make. The real kicker though, was the rune he inscribed at the very end of his report. The rune looked like some random, non-sensical intersections of lines and circles. It took up a whole page in the notebook. Considering who gave this to him, Silverwing knew that Cedric wouldn''t just put this here without any particr reason. Plus, Cedric gave him a certain look before handing his own report to him, emphasizing first giving him the report that his teammates made before handing it out. Silverwing touched the rune, and as soon as he did so, he felt something attempting to connect to his consciousness. ''Well...that''s new.'' He mused inwardly. He never encountered something like this before. What a unique rune! Since he didn''t feel any ill intent, Silverwing allowed the connection to be made, and as soon as he did so, a bunch of images flooded in his brain. This didn''t overwhelm him. After all, he''s a nar Traveller. Nevertheless, he''s still shocked. ''What the fuck!?'' He eximed inwardly, his fox-like eyes widening ever so slightly. From the visions he got from the rune, he could conclude that there was trouble brewing just outside the walls. ''A Capra Demon was already surprising, then he tells me that there''s also a Taurus Demon and a Nightmare Worm roaming this close to us?'' He didn''t know how but Cedric used the rune to ry his discoveries to him. It''s like he engraved the things he saw on the rune to show it to him. If this was any other day, Silverwing would''ve bothered Cedric to teach the army this rune, even if they had to pay him way too much money because this way of rying information could seriously be useful in so many ways. But that''s not the priority right now... While his mind was still reeling at the reveal of the dangers Cedric witnessed, Silverwing was already running towards the Lord Commander''s office. He arrived there in no time and requested an audience. "Silverwing?" Lord Commander Banestar looked up from his desk and frowned upon seeing his subordinate''s rmed expression. "Are we under attack?" "No, Lord Commander." Silverwing shook his head. If they ever were, the Lord Commander would be one of the first people to notice it, so his question was a bit weird. Still, Silverwing didn''t dare to say that out loud. "I need you to see something," Silverwing said before handing him Cedric''s report notebook. More specifically, he showed the Lord Commander the rune Cedric engraved on the book. Lord Commander Banestar was surprised to see the very unique rune. He had never seen one like this before, but he''s old and knowledgable so he could venture a guess of its uses. Just like Silverwing earlier, he touched the rune and also felt an attempt to connect. The oldmander''s eyebrow raised, allowing the connection to the made. And again, just like Silverwing, Lord Commander Banestar also saw the visions Cedric left on the rune. What he saw did not make him happy...not at all... He closed the notebook and ced it on his desk. The Lord Commander closed his eyes and rested his back against his chair while massaging his temples. "How valid do you think this is?" He asked Silverwing. "I''m 90% confident that he''s not lying, Sir." He replied, "He sent an earlier report to me that they encountered a Capra Demon. They managed to evade it but it''s a close shave." "I went out and saw it personally. It ran away after sensing me." The Lord Commander looked pensive for a bit. The tense silence within the room was only interrupted by the continuous tapping of the Lord Commander''s fingers on his desk while he was in deep thought. "...he highlighted something else in those visions." The Lord Commander softly said. "The route that the Nightmare Worm was making follows something..." "It was brief, but it''s there...a series of veins that had long lost its luster. The Nightmare Worm brushed its body to it, and while it might seem a little bit random, I don''t think it is...because those veins...they''re part of the leylines." Silverwing''s pupils shook upon listening to the Lord Commander''s analysis. Recounting the visions he saw, it turns out to be the truth! He felt a bit ashamed to miss that because that was a big thing! It''s the Leylines! The veins and arteries where the world''s vitality flows! Of course, that''s a big deal! Anything that has something to do with it, no matter how seemingly random or coincidental it may be, will still remain a big deal! "But they''re..." "Sealed or cut-off, yes." The Lord Commander nodded, taking a deep breath in as he felt stressing. "It has been cut off to prevent corruption from seeping deeper into the world''s core, given how badly damaged the rest of the world already is." "But it''s been decades since it was sealed." Commander Banestar''s eyes revealed a deep look. "The one who sealed it was a trustworthy fe and he did his absolute best to ensure the seal was sturdy." "However, like I said, it''s been decades since it happened. And with the Demon Race''s cunningness, I wouldn''t be surprised if they''ve been going under our noses to study and/or break that seal." "After all, that''s gonna be one effective way to convert our world into their territory. And while I''m confident that the Demon Race are arrogant pricks who disdained to learn our ways, it''s not farfetched that at least a bunch of them will be interested in doing so." Banestar''s eyes sharpened at this point. "Nobody''s guarding that seal since it''s outside of the walls. And it is located straight out of the gate, which is an active warzone where explosions go off every waking moment." "All that noise and chaos serves as a perfect cover to do their investigation. We wouldn''t think that they''d be able to get close due to how much we are bombarding that zone with shells, but doesn''t that exin why there are nar Traveller-level Demons roaming around?" "Like that Nightmare Worm...!" Silverwing shivered as he pieced the picture together. The captain paled as he realized how dreary this was. Being caught unaware of a dangerous plot does that to anybody. "What shall we do?" He asked the Lord Commander. The oldmander sighed and stood up from his seat. He grabbed his coat from the hangers and began wearing them. "I will go down there to check, see what the situation is like, and go from there. Though I''m afraid that this will be huge...we might need to escte this to Grand General...or to the High Marshal." "Let us apany you, Sir." Silverwing requested with his fighting spirit zing. "No." The Lord Commander refused, causing the captain to dete a bit. "You need to look after the kids, they suffered a lot, only half of them remain and that just from their first patrol. Brainstorm ideas with the rest and give them a push. We can''t send only a fraction of them back, we will face a serious bacsh from that." Silverwing grimaced. Yeah, he already knew that the batch of freshmen greatly suffered. 90 died and 10 were crippled. The rest were tired and traumatized, except Squad #1, and this was just from their 1st patrol. There are two more left. If they don''t do anything to improve this somehow, only a handful of these people will live to tell the tale. And even though the army''s status was unshakeable, it would still be a PR nightmare. The number of recruits applying to join might drop once this goes out in public. "Don''t worry about me, I don''t n to die just yet." The Old Commander grinned. "I''ve yet to use my vacation and y with my grandchildren." "I''m taking the Old Coward with me and he won''t refuse. So even if I was seeking death, that bastard wouldn''t allow it." Lord Banestar cackled mischievously as he finished grabbing his stuff. He then faced Silverwing and patted his shoulders. He ryed some instructions to him, which Silverwing memorized and swore to do before he disappeared from the office. The Old Commander moved like a phantom and appeared in front of a dpidated house. He raised his foot and kicked the door down, announcing his presence. "Knock, knock, Motherfucker! You there?" "Fuck you, Banestar!" "WAHAHAHAHAHA!" Chapter 173: Reasons of #1 -- "Interim Squad Leader #1, the Knight Captains requires your presence, please follow me." Cedric blinked, not because he hadn''t seen this maning, but because he wasn''t expecting to be called by their superiors right now. He looked back at his squad who''s ying with the hell puppies, his gaze zoned to #5, and said: "#5 you''re in charge. Continue the drills, take a break at 12:00, and resume at 13:00 if I haven''t returned by then." "Order acknowledged, Sir." Cedric turned back to the man who summoned him and nodded before they left. Cedric saw that his team continued with drills right away even after he left, he did not doubt that they would obey his orders since they knew how valuable this exercise was for their survival here. Their day off already passed, and most of them spent that time resting since they badly needed it. Cedric, not as much as the others, but it felt good to know that they''re in safe territory right now. Even with stamina, being exposed to the overwhelming density of corruption tires him out. The man led him to an office where he sensed several presences. His batchmates were there but not all of them. More specifically, it''s the leaders like him that were here, as well as the Knight Captains. After leading him here, the officer gestured for him to go in, it didn''t look like he''s gonna follow him inside. He muttered a small thanks before pushing the door open and entering the room. As soon as he did, all eyesnded on him. "Ah, he''s here..." One of the Knight Captains stated after seeing him. Cedric performed a salute towards his superiors before saying: "Interim Squad Leader #1, reporting for duty. How may I be of service?" "Spoken like a truerade." Another Knight Captainmented before turning to the rest of the leaders within the room. "See that, brats? That''s just one of the reasons why he''s #1, learn a thing or two from him will you?" Cedric fought the urge to blink in confusion. He didn''t know what was happening here, though he was aware that it had something to do with him, considering how they were ying a video of him and his team doing their drills. "At ease, Squad Leader #1. Take a seat." Silverwing ordered, which Cedric followed right away. He found an empty seat and took it, waiting for whatever''s gonna happen next. "This meeting is to discuss your collective performance so far." One of the Knight Captains stated, "Which, if we''re being honest, was horrible." "I''m sure that some of you knew the casualties you suffered already." He swept his gaze among them, "After all, a few of you are more concerned about seekingfort in each other''s arms instead of focusing on strengthening yourselves to prevent such idents from urring...muddleheaded fools." Cedric saw some of his fellow leaders bowing their heads in shame and guilt. It seems that this Knight Captain was talking about them in particr. "Only half of you are left." Another Knight Captain spoke this time. "90 died and 10 were crippled, putting them out ofmission permanently. They can be healed but the trauma of death will stay with them. For how long? Even we can''t tell. What''s certain is that they won''t be returning for duty, or even at the academy." "Aside from Squad #1..." The previous Knight Captain who jeered at the leaders earlier spoke once more. "...all of your squads experienced casualties. The fact that all of you are here, means that they died for your sake and that you are to be med for their deaths." That cold logic in addition to his stern and authoritative tone caused the other leaders to feel even more shame and guilt. Cedric already knew how many casualties they rued due to his sharp senses. He personally ryed this information to his team yesterday. It wasn''t pretty. This report just solidified the already established idea of their vulnerability here. It proves that they''re really dancing at the edge of a de right now, and one wrong move will kill them. Cedric allowed his team to process their emotions and find their resolve back, which wasn''t hard since he already cushioned the blow due to his conditioning. However, they can''t grieve for too long since there''s just no time for it. They have to continue training to ensure their safety. If they can get out of here alive, they can continue grieving then. "#1." Silverwing called out to him. "Sir!" He responded. "As you can see, we are watching you and your team''s performance here." Silverwing gestured at the video that was paused on the screen. "Can you tell me when you started these drills?" "Yes, Sir. We started as soon as our Squad was formed. Day 1 of Official Duty, Sir." He replied. Of course, he didn''t miss the looks sent his way by his fellow leaders. "I see...I remember giving you the whistle to call the Hellhounds, but I don''t recall giving you explicit orders to use it. So, why did you? Was it to scare your team to establish your authority and gain their obedience?" "Gaining their obedience is a side-effect, Sir. A bonus. My main goal is to prove a point and to improve our teamwork and dynamics." Cedric could almost see the question marks hanging above his fellow leaders'' heads as they listened to him. "Pray tell me what is this point you''re trying to prove? And why the Hellhounds specifically? Are you not able to lead and inspire your team on your own?" Silverwing continued his interrogation. " ''Demons are strong, fearsome, and vicious. There are hordes of them out there and they won''t hesitate to drive Humanity into extinction to reach their goals. There''s a lot of reasons to be afraid of them and most of them are valid...but in reality, they''re not as scary.'' " " ''Demons are many things...living beings included. Since they''re alive, they can be killed. Their tough exterior and ferocity, boosted by the effect of their corruption give an impression that we, Humans, are hopeless against them, but that''s false. It''s nothing but a mere veil of illusion. Demons are just as vulnerable as we are. Humans are just as talented at destruction and killing as they are.'' " " ''Demons acent race. Humans thirst for progress. We have all the means of killing them, so why not use it? Demons being a threat to our world is enough for us to eradicate them with extreme prejudice. Demons can be killed. If they cannot, then they can be broken''. " "That''s my point, Sir. The very first thing I wanted to do, as a Leader, to get things going, is to shatter the false immortality and invulnerability that the Demons left in their minds. Once the veil is lifted, turning them into soldiers capable of resisting Demonic Influence will be easier." His lengthy exnation earned the admiration and praise of the Knight Captains. Silverwing didn''t even bother hiding his smug expression which practically yelled: ''Yeah, yeah, that''s my brat right there!'' "As for using the Hellhounds, they are tools that could expedite the process of perfecting our formations and teamwork. During our Team Assignments, where some of us were punished for beingte at the assembly, I discovered that the hell puppies..." "Skrnt...Hell Puppies he says, yeah that sounds about right." One of the Knight Captains snorted in amusement. "...ahem, the Hellhounds attack their target at the most vulnerable spot. They hit where it hurts the most. If the punished understood that instead of drowning from their fear, I assume that it will make them stronger." "I tested that theory on my team and myself." Cedric paused, looking at the scene where the video was paused, it was the scene where he was wrestling with the Cerberus. "And it turns out that I was right. Besides, the army would rear demons for absolutely no reason. Especially when it was meant to protect us from them. The things on their neck are ve cors, so they were meant to be used as tools." "Since they''re readily avable and I was allowed ess to them, I figured I should use them to increase our efficiency." "If I was given enough time, I certainly could push this level of unity even without the help of the hounds. However, given that we''re on a limited time here and we''re about to be sent to a dangerous territory, I figured that it''s best to use all the tools necessary to increase our chances of survival. After all, I epted the role of their Leader. The least I could do is to make sure they return to their families alive and intact. If I had to hurt them so that they could learn their lesson, so be it. We have healers here anyway." Cedric concluded his lengthy exnation there. He saw Silverwing nodding at him before he, and the rest of the Knight Captains looked at the dumbfounded leaders in the room. "If you lot had discovered even a fraction of what he noticed, I bet the casualties you rued would be far lesser than what it is right now." Silverwing calmly stated at the ashamed leaders. Chapter 174: Worthless -- "Ahhh! Please, no more!" "Shit! Fuck! God damn it!" "Stop this, please! I can''t!" "Don''te closer! Eeek!" "Argh! Get away from me!" In the middle of a vast track field, a bunch of people were gathered. The majority are running for their lives, chased by the yipping hounds who had no ounce of hesitation going for their vulnerable parts; arms, legs, sustained injuries, private parts...the hounds had no qualms abusing the weak points of the scared cadets, especially those who refused to learn their lesson. Some of them couldn''t help but wonder how things reached this point. Because as far as they''re aware, their day off just passed. And while they were expecting to return to training and hopefully survive their next patrol, they certainly weren''t expecting their training to escte to this hellish level. Just what in the world brought this on? As much as they''d like to demand an exnation from their respective leaders, they couldn''t simply because the suffering they were experiencing was far worse than theirs. All the Squad Leaders were wrestling against a Cerberus - a three-headed giant hellhound who''s definitely yipping delight for having so many ymates. The cadets could see the Squad Leaders getting maimed in real time, only to be healed during the next moment. Some shivered and paled in fright, having brushed so close to dying. But even so, they''d stand up and throw themselves at it again...willingly, like they''re going mad. This might just be as bad as going on a patrol. The only saving grace is that they''re healed as soon as they''re injured, so they''re under no real threat of dying. However, the pain was simply too much, and their fear overwhelmed them. In their haze and fear, none of them kept track of time. They had no idea how long it had been since they started this. And they couldn''t see an end to this. Slowly but surely, they''re losing hope and energy to the point that they can''t even run anymore. ''So...geniuses, huh?'' Suddenly, a clear and t-toned voice echoed in their ears, cutting through their haze and pulling them back to reality. ''Geniuses...people really throw that word fairly easily nowadays. Attaching it to some random Tom, Dick, or Harry, just because they achieved the minimum standards for power.'' ''Just because you never failed your Hell Dives...just because you got lucky at the wheel of fortune, getting a fairly rare ss...just because you threw your image around, looking cool and awesome...suddenly, you all became geniuses in their eyes.'' ''Handsome/Beautiful, endlessly heroic, an example for everybody, dragons amongst men, deserving of all the respect, and...future pirs of Humanity.'' Then, all of them heard a mocking sneer from the voice, cutting so deep into their insecurities. ''I wonder what they''d think when they see you...future pirs of Humanity, crying and begging to be spared after receiving just a slight abuse from these cute little puppies.'' ''They''re not even that bad, to be honest. Haven''t you all gone on a Clear Streak on your Hell Dives? Then by all means, shouldn''t this be a cinch for you?'' ''It''s just a Hellhound. What are you crying for? Haven''t you fought worse? Have none of you learned anything from your Hell Dives? You could clear waves upon waves of demons in there but when it happens in real life, suddenly you couldn''t?'' "Geez, you lot are more pathetic than I initially thought." Thatst part was said out loud, and by this time, everybody knew who was talking to them. It was none other than Cedric, #1 here. He didn''t even nce at their direction but they could just feel the sheer disdain he held towards them and he''s not even bothering to hide it. He fearlessly charged toward the Cerberus, and amongst the Squad Leaders who were ying with the giant pup, he was the only one who was making it difficult for the thing to hurt him. Even as he was caught multiple times - they saw him getting stabbed in the heart and pummeled to the ground, they heard his bones shatter and his organs rupture, he stood up as soon as he was healed and threw himself right at it again. Not a grunt of pain or a curse left his lips as he did so. ''You all have so much energy and brain capacity to use, yet instead of using it to find a solution to your problem, you use it to whine, cry, and wallow in despair, victimizing yourself for something that you signed up for.'' ''All you needed to do, was to fucking look around you and search for clues that might help you with the predicament you''re in, yet all you''re doing so far during the 10 minutes since we started this, was to panic and run away from your problems, hoping that someone will take a pity on you, save you, and end your suffering...because you all think that you did absolutely nothing to deserve this.'' Another mockingugh echoed in their ears, one that pierced through their deepest and darkest thoughts, putting them in shame and seemingly humiliating them. ''Let''s see...so you all grew up in a peaceful environment where all your needs are met. You got lucky during your ss awakening for received varying levels of ss rarity, which was followed by all sorts of privilege, status increase, all manner of resources, and loads of people wanting to stroke your egos in hopes of rising with you.'' ''Because of your dogshit luck, Hell Dives - which were supposed to temper your fighting spirit and prepare you for the actual thing, became nothing but a mild inconvenience to you. Still, even though you never learned your lesson, you were rewarded for doing it. Hell, you even made it to the most prestigious learning institution, which opened your eyes to the real broadness of the world.'' ''Everything was handed over to you on a silver tter, all under the assumption that once the need arises, you wouldn''t hesitate to contribute for the benefit of the race...themunity that allowed all of that to be possible in the first ce.'' "You reaped all the benefits, consumed all manner food and resources, enjoyed numerous privileges, you took, took, and took some more...but when the timees that you''re supposed to do the one thing requested out of you before they gave you everything, you fold, curl-up, whine, and cry." Cedric paused, released his killing intent at full mast, dowsing every single living being in this track field with his sheer animosity and pulsating anger... "Geniuses my foot. Where''s all that hesitation, uncertainty, and fear when you take everything that has been handed to you? What you''re experiencing so far barely even counts for everything that you took, yet you all are already like this?" He snarled. "You lot are nothing but a waste of space, rotten flesh bags, a sorry excuse of a Human, pests, locusts, nasty parasites, and pathetically weak insects!" "Turning you all into an endlessly regenerating food source for the Hellhounds is a more fitting end to you than dying out there on the field! You pompous pieces of shit should''ve already learned your ces here, but just so I can remind you, you''re nothing more than cannon fodders here. Your lives are expendable, and nobody will bat an eye if you die." "You want to be valued? Treated like a person at least? Then fucking use your brain, dipshits! Use the one thing that separates you from these Hellhounds. Maybe, just maybe...you can earn a little respect from me and the army." After mercilessly berating them like no one ever did, Cedric whistled, sending the hounds running after them once more. He refused to say a word to them after that. Things got silent for everybody, except for the asional grunts of pain, and hurt cries of the suffering cadets. It''s safe to say that all of them were cowed and ruthlessly pped awake to the bitter reality of their situation...because apparently, showing them the real state of the world wasn''t enough to do it for them. Some distance away from the track field, the Knight Captains watched everything that happened. They heard everything, even Cedric''s sound transmission to the rest of his fellow cadets. "Gosh, that kid''s gonna make me cry." One of the Knight Captains dramatically fanned his eyes. "Why can''t every brat we get be like him?" His other colleagues nodded sagely at his remark. Whether they admit it or not, they were moved by his words. Indeed, spoken like a true soldier. "Look at you, Silverwing. Looking all smug and shit." Someone jeered at the fox-eyed captain. "You got lucky with that one, you bastard." "Go on and cry about it, bitch!" Silverwing fired back, not letting his colleague rain on his parade. "You''re just jealous that I wouldn''t receive so manyints and paperwork,zy ass." "Hey, can we really not adopt him?" One of the female knight captains asked tentatively. "I mean, he already speaks like he''s part of us. I''m sure that if we put out a request, the Academy wouldn''t mind." "It''s too early." Silverwing shook his head. "The kid has to return there. I just know that he still has many things to do. And we can''t risk it. If our enemies knew of his real potential, it could spark another great war." His colleagues were silenced by his words and none could refute it. "He needs time to grow. But don''t worry. Once he matures, the kid will return here." Silverwing smiled with confidence. "After all, the world out there will be his stage." Chapter 175: Large and in-charge -- Cedric sighed as he sent his fellow cadets away. If they were back in the civilization right now, it would be around midnight already. People should already be asleep by this time yet here they were, just finishing their drills and training. The perpetual darkness and depressing atmosphere of this ce really make one lose a sense of time. If it weren''t for the fact that Cedric allocated one of his numerous thought chambers to solely counting each second that passed, he too wouldn''t recognize what time it was. "What a mess." He muttered softly as he returned to his room. When the Knight Captains added the responsibility of training the rest of his batchmates to him, which happened by the end of their meeting yesterday, he was really tempted to refuse. He didn''t want to be a babysitter. Looking after his own team was already enough for him. He didn''t care about the well-being of his other batchmates because he believed that they would get what wasing for them. Cedric wasn''t a hero and he didn''t want to be. Besides, this will be a thankless task from what he understood. His ratings would only be affected by the performance of his team, not the entire batch. However, he still ended up epting it. As much as he didn''t want to, leaving them be would only cause their deaths once they go out there again. Only half of them remained, and while Cedric was mostly unrted to them, he could imagine the grief that their family would feel after receiving this news, and that made him feel bad enough to ept this responsibility. Besides, he''s not gonna do it permanently, only for the remainder of their stay here. And it shouldn''t be too hard since he''s good at multi-tasking. That said, while it''s not that hard, it turned out to be a headache though. His batchmates weremer than he initially thought. His outburst earlier was a bit out of control. He can''t help it. Comparing the lives they had to his just grinds his gears. Everything was handed to them on a silver tter. They had all the time in the world and resources to be a semi-decent Superhuman at the very least. Cedric could still clearly recall how they paraded their status and ''strength'' all over the academy, feeling good about themselves and thinking that they were the best. Yet at the first sign of trouble, they fold and weep. It''s beyond pathetic in his eyes, and he resents it greatly. That''s why the filters of his mouth disappeared earlier. And based on their expressions after hearing everything he had to say, it''s safe to say that his point was sent across with perfect rity. He had stomped and thrashed that worthless sense of importance and pride on them. Rendering it meaningless as it should in a ce like this. He reminded them of their ce and taught them how to carry themselves ording to their status. Cedric never told them directly what to do, he only gave them hints because that would be better for them. The hints he referred to were his own squad. They weren''t spared from this training, but they''re not his targets either. As everyone else was being chased by the hellhounds, his squad mates were experiencing it too. But because they''d been with him since day one, they knew what to do. They fought back, tooth and nail, against the hellhounds. They weren''t isted from the entire group, they were there amongst them. Everyone could see what they''re doing and everyone knows which squad they belong to. The fact that none of the cadets even thought of copying them, or even taking inspiration from their example, is what really pissed Cedric off. That''s why he''s extra harsh on them. As for his fellow Squad Leaders? Cedric did not pity them. They''re one the same boat as him and they''re held equally ountable for the casualties their batch suffered. That point was made and engraved in their minds with the help of the Knight Captains, so any further reminder of that wouldn''t help. Besides, most of the chosen Squad Leaders were pretty high up in the rankings so they''re not stupid, unlike the rest. He still made them suffer with him, but that''s natural, after all, they epted great responsibilities as he did willingly, so they should prove that they could handle it. "Kyu~!" Cedric was interrupted from his daze by Aurelion who came out of the beast space. Seeing the cute little thing made Cedric smile, the little guy probably felt his irritation and went out tofort him. "I''m fine, little one." Cedric told the feline softly. He picked him up and started petting him gently. Cedric couldn''t bear to leave Aurelion behind so he stayed with him. The little murder cat mostly stayed within the beast space and yed there. Aurelion''s a smart cat so he understood instructions, Cedric said that he''s not allowed to go out of his room (beast space) unless Cedric was in a safe ce, mainly the apartmentplex - specifically, his room. He yed with Aurelion for a bit before asking him to return to the beast space. ''At least right before the day ends, most of them finally used their brain cells.'' Cedric thought to himself, continuing with his train of thought earlier. It started with one, and the rest followed afterwards. Someone finally noticed how his squad members were performing and began copying them at least. Then that person asked a question which led to them learning that the Hellhounds abuse the patterns and vulnerabilities of their targets. Meaning that so long as they stay mindful of their stance and habits during a fight, the hellhounds would find it more difficult to attack them. Learning it was one thing, doing it was an entirely different subject altogether. Normally, instilling a lesson in a person''s body needs time and discipline. Nobody could just expect it to happen in a single day, especially since old habits die hard. But that''s the point of sending the Hellhounds after them. Those hell puppies don''t get tired and they are excessively trained to abuse their targets. The only motivation the cadets need to fix their habits, engrave the lesson to their bodies, and expedite the process is suffering from the sharp canines of the puppies. It''s difficult and vexing, especially considering that they had to do it while running, but even through their suffering, everybody could clearly tell that their improving. Again, it started with one and the rest followed. The cadets did nothing but do this the entire day, only having short breaks in between. They lost count of how much flesh they lost and regenerated since this day started, and frankly, it doesn''t matter anymore. At the end of the day, they already learned their lesson the hard way. And since this is only the start, they will for sure not forget it anytime soon. As for the Squad Leaders, Cedric was more methodical towards them. No, they didn''t just force them to y with the Cerberus all day long. Sometimes, he would pause and review drills and protocols with them as theyy on the ground in pain. Even thebat-nut Garrick, was spent, hurt, tired, and whiny once Cedric''s done with them. Isabe actually passed out three times in total, only for Cedric to smack her awake and tell her to walk it off. In their eyes, he was a ve driver and far scarier than the demons they''d encountered so far. However, his methods were effective. He might be forcing them to suffer from abuse, and that might be the truth, but that''s also sharpening their willpower and increasing their pain tolerance. Leaders like them were the core of the squad. Above all, they must always be alert and ready to ry orders as soon as the need arises. They are allowed to be caught off guard and hurt, but that shouldn''t stop them from leading their team. Of course, that lesson couldn''t learned in just a day. But that''s not a problem. Cedric essentially became the acting Captain of his entire batch, and they would be with him for the following days. They would learn what they need to learn whether they like it or not. After all, if any of them died after this, then their deaths would partially be med on him. And Cedric would like to avoid that from happening if he could. The first day of him being in charge of his batchmates...the ones that are still alive, ended on a rather nd note. Despite his streak so far, he wasn''tpletely merciless. He gave them breaks in between and bought them food. He didn''t cook for them, they could do that for themselves, but he did shoulder the expenses by exchanging money for merit points. He didn''t care whether they learned of this or not. All he needs them to do is to perform ording to his expectations and that''s enough. "They will only have a few hours of rest." Cedric muttered to himself. "Let''s see if they could truly be a decent Superhuman after this." Chapter 176: Accident -- Grrr!! Woof! Woof! "Defenders, hold! Pay attention to yourself and the hounds. Don''t create any openings!" Swoosh! At the same instant that someone said that five hellhounds turned into a blur of motion. The defenders only felt something fast and solid colliding on their shields and barriers, causing them to wince from the impact. Still, they defended against the attack sessfully. If this were two days ago, they wouldn''t even be able to stand properly like this. "Counterattack, now!" Another order was sent. Those who were behind the defenders sent out volleys of their attacks towards the hellhounds. Some used balls of fire packed with heat, some used icicles, others used fired arrows that nearly turned invisible with how fast they streaked through the air, and some threw their spears with all of their might. Some attacksnded while the majority didn''t. Despite that, nobody berated those who missed. Everyone was focused on their task and primed to execute orders right away. The fight continued like this, the teams continued shuffling between formations to respond to the threat and the hellhounds continued attacking them, searching and abusing all their vulnerable spots without fail. "Ah, shit! They got me again!" Someone grunted in annoyance, but it didn''t keep him down. He stood back up after regenerating the flesh that was torn from him and corrected his stance. "You really need to work on your stancing. This is...what, like the 50th time already since we started? Others have already learned their lesson except you." One of his teammates pointed out. "I''m grateful for the reminder but the hellhounds are enough to remind me of that, thank you very much." He replied sarcastically. "Don''t worry, I''m almost there." "By almost, you mean like 50th hell bites away?" "Shut it, you! And pay attention, they''reing again." Two days ago, banters like this amongst cadet squads would''ve been impossible. By this time, they''d be too tired, scared, and defeated to even think of it. Yet here they are now, two dayster. Things have changed and they''ve grown used to it that quickly. Sure, the jaws of the Hellhounds still hurt like hell, that''s why they call them Hell Bites, but they''ve learned - the hard way, to endure it and keep going. All of it was thanks to Cedric''s lead. It''s astonishing how quickly they changed. Some of them couldn''t even believe it themselves, but the results won''t lie. Gone was their sense of self-importance and pride, it''s been ruthlessly crushed, turned to dust by Cedric right at the very start. It was reced by humility and a genuine desire to be better, to prove that they weren''t a mistake. They fumbled at the start, but once they discovered how quickly they were improving, all disagreement and skepticism disappeared. They learned to grasp the situation and knew how to cultivate real strength and power.m The cadets never experienced such brutal hard work before. Sure, they''ve trained hard before, butpared to this? Their previous experience might as well be called a warm-up. Still, it was enlightening how much they''re growing despite this hardship. Some of them thought that they hit the ceiling of their potential already and that the only way they could grow stronger was by earning more Demon Souls to level up, advance their Tiers, or upgrade their skills. And all it took for them to find that out was to be abused and tortured by the Hellhounds and be the target of Cedric''s ire. Actually, Cedric only berated them harshly once. And that''s two days ago when they all started this. They didn''t hear any harsh words from him after that. However, that doesn''t mean that Cedricid off them. Every cadet here knows that he''s watching them at all times. How? Because periodically, someone or some people will hear his voice in their heads, either giving them instructions by pointing out what they''re doing wrong and giving them a few ways to fix it, or by telling them to do something for him that will spice up the training. All of them knew this. And it''s astonishing because how is he even doing that? There''s a hundred of them here, all at the same time! Just how absurd he senses were that he could achieve this? It''s like each time they thought that they''d seen the ceiling of Cedric''s abilities, he would do something to shatter their beliefs and make them realize just how much of a gap there really was between him and them. The Squad Leaders felt this the most, that''s what the majority of the cadets thought. Because even as he kept observing all of them, they had never seen Cedric idle, even during their breaks. Each time they look at him, he''s doing something important. And their poor Squad Leaders could barely keep up with him. Everybody knows that Cedric was harsher to the Squad Leaders than the members. Sure, he isn''t verbally abusing them or even directly hurting them, but the sheer pressure of his authority and skills pressed down on them. Cedric held them to a higher standard because of their position, so he was much stricter towards them. He forced them to confront the Cerberus - which still terrified the cadets by the way. The cadets saw how their leaders were maimed, burned, shocked, melted, and faint, all under the yful assault of the big three-headed puppy. Neither Cedric nor the Cerberus discriminated against them. Male or female, they experienced the same, held to the same standard as Cedric was. To top that off, even after experiencing so many close shaves to death, Cedric would just tell them to walk it off or worse, question them about the responsibilities of a leader. Some cadets felt fortunate that they weren''t chosen as Squad Leaders because if they did, they''d experience that too. The hellhounds looked much tamer and cuter inparison to what''s happening there, so they prefer this instead. Still, between the cadets and the leaders, one thing was constant. And that''s progress. They are stronger, tougher, more resilient, and braver than who they were two days ago...two days ago! They might''ve suffered a lot but it wasn''t for nothing. This was one thing they couldn''t deny. And all of it, was because Cedric pped them awake to reality. ** Once again, the Knight Captains are watching the cadets from afar. Only a few of them were here but that''s because not all of them have the leisure to do so. "He came through." One of them said, sounding impressed by what he''s seeing. "Yeah, he did." Silverwing nodded. "I sensed his hesitance to do it before, but he still epted the responsibility anyway. I thought that he would only do the bare minimum but he had proven me wrong." "There''s still two days left before they go on patrol again. If they can keep progressing like this, we shouldn''t have to worry about more casualties." The person who said this suddenly shivered, and not just because his colleagues turned to re at him. "Me and my god damned mouth." He swore under his breath, crossing his fingers and hoping he didn''t just jinx it. His colleagues could only roll their eyes at that. "The academy really lucked out on him." A female Knight Captain sighed. "Silverwing, you better make sure this kid joins us after he graduates. It would be a waste of his talents to leave him out there! They will turn him into a mascot." "Rx, I know what to do." Silverwing snorted, "Besides, I really don''t think it''s necessary. The kid''s going ces, sure. But I don''t think he''d be satisfied to just being a City Lord or a Governor and rot away like that." Silverwing stroked his non-existent beard and continued: "I can recognize the look of ambition when I see one. And that kid has loads of it, despite the mask of discipline he wears at the time." The rest went quiet after that. Silverwing wouldn''t be wrong in his judgment, he''s always been good at discerning people with that eye of his. All of a sudden, their military badge buzzed. All of them took it out at the same time and the first buzz. They held it and analyzed what was happening...and when they did, their expressions fell. "Shit!" One of the Knight Captains swore and immediately left. The rest of his colleagues weren''t far behind him. "How can this be? This doesn''t make sense!" The female Knight Captain sounded distressed. Silverwing gritted his teeth and refused to say anything. Inwardly, he''s panicking too, he''s just more disciplined about it. Seeing the Knight Captains - leaders of 100 strong men who frequently deal with the horrors of the outside world, panicking like this was not an everyday urrence. That''s why whenever it happens, everyone will know that something earth-shaking just happened. But right now, everyone would probably agree that it''s for the best if the news they received doesn''t spread for now. After all, two men of the Lord Commander rank being gravely injured and currently fighting for their lives, would only cause widespread panic and chaos to the entire army. Chapter 177: Patrol Again -- It''s that day again... All cadets were gathered by the Knight Captains. Each one arrived in time and by looks of it, they''re ready. Some did look nervous but that can''t be helped, after all, they are about to go on two consecutive shifts. They have no choice in this matter, it''s what the army decided for them. That said, the cadets could decide whether toplete two shifts at once or space them out with a couple of hours of rest. So, they either go out there for 8 hours, return to rest for a bit, then go out again for another shift. Or, they couldplete all 16 hours at once. The Knight Captains asked the Squad Leaders to make the decision after talking to their teams. Cedric already talked to his team. He let them decide, saying that he was fine with whatever. In the end, they decide to choose thetter. Completing all 16 hours left of their shift at once. Cedric epted that decision, and so did Silverwing. There really wasn''t a ''better'' choice between the two. Not with how chaotic and unpredictable the world is outside. However, their choice did change their patrol routes. And Squad #1, along with other squads who made the same choice as they did, were finding that out now. Silverwing wasn''t sending them to the previous route they went through before. He gave them apletely new route to follow this time. Still, their responsibilities remained mostly the same: record everything they notice, eliminate anything that poses a threat to the route along the way, and return. They would just be going out there longer. But Cedric thinks that they should be fine. The transmission circle lit up and swallowed them. They felt everything spin for a bit before stopping. The next thing they knew, they were outside the walls and into apletely new territory for them. There''s no mistaking it; the stench of corruption, the thick killing intent and madness in the air, the horrifying sights, and the disgusting pitch-ck soil...they''re at the ck Lands again. This time though, their start was a bit different. Squad #1 didn''t fall under the spell of corruption. Their willpower has been tempered and disciplined a lot to fall for something like that. As soon as the transmission was over, every member immediately performed Ki Pulse even before they realized they were doing it. Pulses of pure and strong Ki swept over the team, getting rid of the corruption that was trying to take hold of them. After that, they immediately went into a formation with Cedric in the lead. Their eyes were sharp and alert, they scanned their surroundings, assessing any threats that may be hiding from them. The defenders were already in position with their shields up to defend their teammates. The scanners were already taking note of their surroundings, the fighters were also assessing their immediate vicinity. Cedric wore a thin smile as he watched them move. He has yet to utter a syble since their arrival yet his team already went over the prepatory checklist on their own. Such was the effect of his conditioning. "We''ve gotpany." One of the scanners alerted the team. "Two packs of Imps are heading towards us." "Handle it. They''re too close forfort. Keep alert just in case there''s more." Cedric replied. He already saw the imps way before their scanners did but he didn''t say anything. He let them do their jobs since that''s what they''re here for. With the alert, the team readied themselves. Not even a minute passed and they saw imps flying towards them with the majority being underground. The Defenders ced themselves in between the Imps and their team. The attackers already sent out volleys of ranged attack to reduce their numbers before they even arrived, and the scanners kept alert. When some of the imps came close, with some even throwing their pitchforks at them, the defenders absorbed the impact, not letting any go past them because that would injure their teammates. One used a ''Taunt'' to im the hostility of all imps, his fellow defenders wouldn''t let him take it alone though, so they worked together to lead the imps around and make it easier for the attacks to pick them off one by one. Shortly after that, the ones from underground appeared, but the scanners were ready for them and had already alerted the team earlier. Their element of surprise was rendered useless because of the scanners. And because of their harsh training, their detection range improved by a lot. The scanners already located the pack leaders of the imps who are hiding deeper underground. A Magic user aimed her staff toward their location and sted the two with a pure burst of mana which prated all the way to their hiding spot. Killing them before they could do anything. Just like that, Squad #1 eliminated two packs of Imp Demons in less than five minutes. This was a great sign of their improvements since during their 1st patrol, it took them longer and Cedric helped them eliminate the pack leaders. These results weren''t missed by the members of the squad. Deep down, they''re astonished as well but celebration has no ce on a battlefield like this so they piped down. They can''t becent after all. "Heads up! There''s more!" One of the scanners alerted the team once more. "Gorgons, two of them! ETA, 30 seconds." "Same deal as before. Take them down." "Affirmative, Sir!" The Squad responded. Cedric stayed back and observed their performance. Once again, he already saw these two before the scanners did, around the same time as the imps. The Gorgons were attracted by the smell of corpses and the sounds of battle. His squad operated like a well-oiled machine. Their teamwork andmunication were smooth and uninterrupted. Cedric didn''t even have to lift a finger to help because he could tell that they could handle it. Instead, he just kept observing the situation. Extending his field of senses as far as it could reach. It''s still suppressed but that''s not surprising at all, it''s just the nature of this ce. Since the team decided toplete their remaining service all at once, Cedric had to pace himself here. He''s prepared to take out extra measures in case of emergency, but if it''s not necessary, he would just do what''s expected out of him. By hook or by crook, he will bring back his squad alive and intact, even if their mission is to bepromised. That''s a promise he made to himself. The Gorgons were more challenging to fight than the Imps, but with thebined effort of the squad as well as their recent improvements, they went down without any fanfare. The demons were suppressed the entire time. Nobody was injured or grazed, even the defenders were fine. They held the position for a whole minute with the scanners furiously scanning their surroundings in search of more threats. Not finding any, they turned to Cedric to receive instructions. "All nearby threats neutralized. Great work team." He said, "We maintain this formation as we go. You have your objectives to do, keep it up. I already taught you what you need to do. If you have any concerns, talk to me, and don''t dy." "Since we chose the long shift, we''ll be out here for a while. Pace yourselves properly. We will take breaks asionally but that will depend on our immediate environment. Are we clear?" "Yes, Sir!" His teammates replied. "Alright, let''s move." Upon his order, the squad moved out. They have a long way to go, and that''s reflected in the route assigned to them. Instead of going towards the depth of the ck Lands though, Squad #1 will be following a route parallel to the walls. The length of the route assigned to them was 500 kilometers, which was greater than the 100 kilometers assigned to them during the first time they were sent out. Of course, this was done under consideration. They will be moving close to the walls so the dangers were bound to be lesser around these parts, that''s why they''re going on an extended route. But just because this route was predicted to the less dangerous than the previous one, doesn''t mean that they''repletely safe and should becent. The ck Lands are chaotic and unpredictable. Anything could happen here and if they''re not careful, their deaths will be a certainty here. Cedric drilled this idea in their heads since day one. He also conditioned them to never be too confident about themselves so there shouldn''t be any problems, but just in case, he will still look after them. It''s his duty as their leader to do so anyway. "Gee...it''s too silent." A squad member muttered softly. But because it was too quiet, everybody heard it. "It''s giving me the creeps." Everybody, including Cedric, agreed with the remark. For a ce like this to be too quiet...is unnatural. It wasn''t like this during thest time. "Brace yourselves." Cedric suddenly said, which alerted the team. They moved just in time to hear¡ª BOOOOOOOOM!!! ¡ª an explosion that seemingly rockets the very foundation of the Great Eastern Walls. They then saw arge mushroom cloud appearing a few hundred miles away from them, followed by a staggering impact that nearly blew them all away. As the impact subsided, each member of the Squad - save Cedric, looked at the guy who spoke earlier. They saw him wince and say: "...should''ve never opened my goddamn mouth..." Chapter 178: Bombardment Accident -- "What the hell was that all about anyway? Did anybody see what happened?" #5 asked, still shocked and confused as to what happened. "Ask Leader. He noticed it earlier than we did." One of the scanners replied on behalf of his fellow scanners. Hearing their query, Cedric said: "It''s quite far, couldn''t see properly either. Most likely a shell from our side though. They probably blew up some nasties." Cedric shrugged and concluded it there. "Anyway, that mushroom cloud will either deter Demons or attract them. Don''t let your guard down. We''re vulnerable here. Let''s move." "Yes, Sir!" His Squad replied to him as they continued moving. As they continued on their patrol. Cedric scanned the explosion zone with his senses. It''s just barely at the edge of his sensory radius, just enough for him to inspect it. Aside from the molten ground, zing fire, and thick smog that rose to the dark skies, Cedric didn''t notice anything that would warrant this bombardment. He''s just as puzzled as #5, because he didn''t hear anything about this. A little warning or a heads-up would''ve been nice because he, his squad, and some of his batchmates were out on patrol. They could''ve died from...whatever that was. Fortunately, it seems that nobody from their sight was caught in that explosion. At least nothing that Cedric could see. If there were demons who died because of it...good riddance. ''Hmm...?'' Out of nowhere, he noticed movement from that zone. More specifically from beneath the molten soil. He watched as an enormous creature burst from the ground, emitting a pitched and ear-shattering squeal that caused the nearby surroundings to shake. "Uh oh," Cedric muttered out loud, causing his team to be rmed. But before they could ask him what was happening, Cedric waved his hand and erected a ki barrier that covered everyone. That''s when the sound wave mmed into the barrier, causing it to creak due to the sheer impact. Some sound even prated through the cracks and was heard by his squadmates. They winced ufortably as they heard the sharp screech. And that''s with the barrier dampening the sound already. If Cedric hadn''t erected this barrier earlier, all of them would''ve been deafened by the sound. And while Cedric did save them, he himself was injured from that. Because he sensed it earlier than them and his senses were sharper than most people, even the dampened sound was lethal to him. Blood flowed from his ears and he was struck with a sharp headache from the attack. Still, Cedric''s expression did not change, even with the rmed cries of his squadmates. "Shit! What happened!? Leader, your ears...! They''re bleeding!" The one who eximed just now was also the squad''s healer...one of them at least, and was already healing Cedric from whatever it was that he suffered from. "Just a scratch, no need to panic." He replied. "Scratch my ass! Both of your eardrums were ruptured and you suffered from concussion! Hold on, I''m nearly done. Fortunately, your regenerative capabilities are strong." The healer did her work while scolding him a bit. "How did you even hear her? Weren''t you rendered deaf just now?" #5 asked. "Lip reading." Cedric replied casually, causing the rest of his squadmates to smile wryly at him. Of course, he knows lip reading, why wouldn''t he? Seriously, is there nothing that this guy couldn''t do? "Anyway, I discovered why they shelled the area." Cedric stated, "They somehow discovered a Nightmare Worm nearby and killed it with that. The sound wave just now was itsst screech of despair and unwillingness it seems. It''s our bad luck to be the closest to it." "Nightmare Worm..." some of his squadmates repeated, slightly paling at the mention of the creature. Aside from drills and conditioning, Cedric also imparted Demon Lore to them since he obviously could. He told them what types of Demons they should expect to see out here so they wouldn''t be caught off guard. And one of them was the Nightmare Worm. Cedric pointed out that Nightmare Worms should be at the very bottom of the list of demons they are expected to meet around these parts. And that is mostly due to their strength and nature. Moreover, the army wouldn''t let something like that be so close to the walls due to them having the ability to dig deeper than the foundations of the walls. Simply put, Nightmare Worms could effortlessly bypass the walls by simply digging deep enough, and one could only imagine the kind of destruction that would follow its wake. "Like I said, it''s dead now. It''s no longer a threat so we could safely move on and do our jobs. Anyway, it''s a pity that it has to happen close to us but what''s done is done. After all, the army simply couldn''t let that thing hang around due to the sheer threat it posed. Let''s just be thankful that nobody died." Cedric stated. "Let''s continue. You can stop healing me now, let my body patch up the rest." He said to the healer before signaling the squad to continue. The healer wanted to disagree but Cedric looked adamant so she could only give up. It should be fine though, their Leader is a fierce man. They''ve seen him experiencing and enduring worse than this and just walking it off. He''d be fine. Besides, he''s insanely responsible. He wouldn''t say this without confidence, especially if it wouldpromise the mission. Just like that, Squad #1 continued on their way on the patrol route. ** On the opposite side of the wall, Silverwing red at some of his colleagues - mostly people who came from other battalions. He snarled at them, saying: "Couldn''t you all have picked another time to release that shell!? What if that squad died? How are we going exin this to the High Marshal!?" "There will be no ''another time'' Silverwing! The Nightmare Worm was literally this close to the walls! It''s now or never! Everybody here knows what kind of damage that thing can do if it manages to appear here because it has happened before!" Somebody counter-argued. "We were given explicit orders for this, Silverwing. Believe us, we didn''t want to risk it either, but we simply couldn''t leave it up to chance." "The calctions included squad into the results. It''s already adjusted to minimize the damage it will do to them, and as you can see, they''re still alive. Only one was injured and it wasn''t even that bad. I don''t see why you''re getting angry at us." "The reason, you dipshit, is also within that fucking calctions that you seem to be so fucking proud about!" Silverwing snarled at thest guy who spoke. He got up to his face, grabbed him by the nape, and smothered his face into the ''equations'' that he made to get the point across. "YOU said it yourself that the Nightmare Worm''s predicted path was diverging away from the walls. YOU said that YOU are 99% certain of this!" Silverwing bashed the head of the guy to the screen of his equations in pure rage. Some people tried to stop him but Silverwing wasn''t alone. He was nked by his fellow Knight Captains, united under the banner of the 101st Batallion. "YOU including people under our jurisdiction waspletely unnecessary because if YOU only waited enough, we could''ve killed the Nightmare Worm without even harming them at all. That missile was YOUR creation! YOU said that it could kill anyone within 200,000 miles away from the walls! YOU could''ve waited until the Nightmare Worm was far enough to not risk the 1st years, but YOU and your Batallion''s willingness to purge our enemies even at the cost of our own men, made YOU think that doing it this was fucking better when YOU YOURSELF discovered all the options avable!!!" Silverwing''s rage was unstoppable and right within reason, that''s why people found it difficult to refute his words or even stop him. And each time he uttered the word ''YOU'' he would bash the head of the person he grabbed at the monitor just to really drive the point him and make him understand the error of his ways. Silverwing raised the person''s head and got up to his face, not minding that his ''supposed'' colleague''s face was bleeding from all the bashing he did. "If I hadn''t personally known how nasty you and your Battalion''s morals could get, I will seriously consider unleashing the Inquisitors upon you and watch in utter glee as they fry your fucking brains in hopes of proving your allegiance to the army. Because if all of you see us men-in-uniforms expendable resources, I am seriously thinking that you''re doing this to weaken our forces to let our enemies in." Silverwing''s words were venomous and carried some serious repercussions. His willingness to call the Inquisitors on them was already proof of that because everyone knew that those people were merciless when doing their jobs. And everybody here knows Silverwing''s reputation. He''s a man of his word. Nobody dares to shrug off any threats thate directly from his lips. "If I see you or anybody from your Batallion interfering in our responsibilities again, don''t me me for what will happen next. I''ve had enough of you people throwing your useless sense of importance around. The Eastern Army could afford to lose you because there is a fuckton of people waiting in line to rece you." "You''re just as expendable as those kids were, fucking remember that, asshats." Silverwing mmed the person''s face into the screen one more time before marching out of the office. Chapter 179: Intersection -- Unaware of what was happening at the Headquarters, Squad #1 continued on their patrol. Fortunately, after the army''s bombardment and the death of the Nightmare Worm, the squad didn''t face any unexpected encounters or events as they continued on their route. As was predicted, all demons nearby were rattled by the sudden shelling. The imps and some of the weaker demons ran away in fear. Others stayedpletely still. That resulted in a rather uneventful patrol for the squad, which was a good thing since none of them were really looking for a fight. Their task is to simply follow the patrol route and report anything they notice. That''s all there is to it. No need to go the extra mile, especially when it poses a risk to their lives. Since the squad was following a route parallel and close to the walls, the horrifying sights they came across were minimal. However, since the length of the route they needed to follow was extended, they figured that it would even out the further they went eventually. Their first three hours on the shift were rtively peaceful...well, as peaceful as it can get. They could still hear the screech and soul-shivering groaning from the depths of the ck Lands echoing out and reaching their location, but the squad had been conditioned to shake those off as if they were nothing. They maintained high-alert of course, since they''re at an unfriendly territory. After their three-hour march, Cedric ordered the team to have a break. They ate some rations and drank some water to replenish their energy. They also wentpletely still and focused their efforts on restoring the energy they spent so far be it mana or ki. Cedric watched over them. He''s the only one who''s still rtively full of energy since all he does is observe things and dish our orders. His energy expenditure was low, and his natural recovery rate greatly outpaces it so he didn''t need to rest at all, this also applies to his ki. They spent a total of 20 minutes to rest, not one second further, Cedric ordered them to continue the patrol. None uttered a word ofint or dissatisfaction, they knew that this was gonna happen so they were not surprised. As they moved on, Cedric said: "Alright team, talk to me. What have you discovered so far." One by one, Cedric''s squad reported their discoveries to him... Most of their findings were simr, which was to be expected given that they''re moving as a unit, but there were some minor things where it went differently. For example, some people saw a pond of ck miasma nearby and promptly wrote it as it was. However, there was one who said that they saw a figure swimming on the surface of that miasma pool. Others didn''t notice it because the creature was covered in a thick glob of miasma, but it was definitely there. If it weren''t for that slight difference, the pool of miasma would just be written off as an environmental hazard. However, because someone sees a creature in it, it bes a potential trap that everybody should look out for. It''s little things like this that make a lot of difference, especially in an environment like this. Naturally, the scanners'' reports contained the most details out of everybody. After all, it''s their task to scan and analyze their immediate surroundings. Their roles are extremely vital to the team and Cedric drilled that in their brains and bodies. They talked as they marched on. Their discussion prevented the team from being trapped in their own minds where corruption could take hold of them. Additionally, it promotes smoothmunication within the squad so Cedric didn''t hesitate to take advantage of it. After their discussion, Cedric then announced: "Alright, we''re approaching our first route intersection point. We will soon see Squad #2. Remember the drills and protocols, and act ordingly." "Yes, Sir!" Actually, Cedric already saw Squad #2 in his field of senses. From what he saw, they seem to be in a bit of a pickle. They''re fighting against a couple of beast demons who were hunting them down. Cedric would''ve ordered the team to rush out and assist them, but he could see that Garrick''s got this. Because of his help, even though Garrick''s a stupid bloke who has poor leadership qualities, he''s able to learn the basics of leadership from Cedric, allowing him to be passable in his duties. He could''ve just allowed his team to handle the threats and only move when necessary, but deep down, Garrick''s abat nut. He thirsts for fights and blood-curdling stimtion. There''s no way he''d stay idle when there''s a fight happening nearby, especially when it concerns him. All of that''s fine so long as Garrick won''t go out of his way to look for a fight because that would be going against his orders. He could face severe punishment from the army if he does that. And that''s what Cedric drilled into his brain during their training. With Garrick participating, the fight ended sooner. Cedric heard him holler at his squad to move on without resting since they were behind their schedule. Cedric''s squad already arrived at the intersection point. They''re on time, but Garrick''s squad was five minuteste. That''s not a huge issue though since they have a valid reason to bete. Once the squad saw each other, they stopped moving. Nobody spoke since anybody who does will be treated as a traitor. Cedric and Garrick''s eyes met. Both stepped forward at the same time and began exchanging signals using hand gestures. Nobody aside from them knows what this means, all they know is that this protocol and it must be followed here on the field. "Verificationplete, well-met #2." Cedric greeted them after they were done with the process. "Right back at you, #1." Garrick replied. The two of them approached each other with their respective squads following behind them. While the Squad Leaders began their information exchange, their squad members took advantage of this downtime to rest. Some from Cedric''s squad saw the state of Squad #2 and decided to help them out. They''ve been verified so there''s no problem in doing this. Cedric and Garrick discussed things for about 10 minutes before concluding their information exchange. After that, their respective squads returned to their formation and the intersection ended with the squads passing by each other. This was how it was supposed to be, not like what happened during their encounter with Isabe''s team previously. That said, everything changed now and Cedric saw that Isabe had taken his advice to heart so it would be different this time...not that his squad would meet her''s again, she picked the other option for the patrol after all. "Alright, listen up." Cedric ordered his squad as they continued moving, "#2 told me and from beyond here, things will get a little bit boisterous." "Apparently, arge horde of Beast Demons were migrating when the shelling urred. This caused their paths to diverge greatly, forcing them this close to the walls." "The aura of the dead Nightmare Worm also didn''t help. Because apparently, even though it''s supposed to be charred ck by the bombardment, it still appears as a 5-star meal to demons nearby. The migrating beast demon horde caught a whiff of this and started fighting each other, causing the environment to be rowdy." "Although the carcass of the Nightmare Worm was far from our route, the chaos of the beast demons could possibly reach us. Stay alert and primed for battle. We will try to avoid it if we can but if we can''t, then we will handle it as usual...eliminate with extreme prejudice. Am I clear?" "Yes, Sir!" The squad vigorously replied. "Good! Let''s use Formation F though, just for an extrayer of security. #2 said that the felt presence of Tier 7s nearby. As much as I believe in our collective strength, I believe that it''d be much safer if we stay out of trouble, altogether." The squad already moved to the new formation before he could even finish his words. In truth, Cedric didn''t need to exin his reason to them any longer. He had long since convinced them of his vision and foresight as a leader. Each order he dishes out is made for the sake of the team''s preservation. That''s why none of his members found it difficult to follow his lead. How could they when every decision Cedric made had them in mind? Still, Cedric wanted to be as transparent as he could, that''s why he exined his thoughts anyway. F in Formation F, stands for ''Fade''. This formation was created for stealth operations. Because of how the members are distributed for the formation to take effect, their speed will visibly go down in this. However, that''s a valid exchange for increasing the team''s security. As Squad #1 moved in this formation, they heard several roars of Beast Demons nearby. It hadn''t even been 10 minutes since the intersection with Squad #2 was concluded yet here they were already. "There''s a pack of Demon Wolves nearby, they''re fighting against Hyenas. Let''s not disturb them if we can." Chapter 180: Broodmother -- Cedric should''ve known that wishing to avoid a fight in a ce like this is like wishing for the sun to miraculously shine down on their foes...it will never happen. Boom!!! "Hold your positions, assess the threat, and respond ordingly." #5 yelled as he encouraged the rest of the team. With the time the whole squad spent together so far, it has been an unsaid agreement that #5 was the squad''s vice-leader, and nobody has any problems with that since #5 was qualified for the position anyway. In the end, even though they reduced their presence and tried to avoid the wolves and hyenas fighting, they still found themselves getting dragged into their fight. The worst part is that these demons came into a tacit understanding and postponed their fight, for now to take on the humans first. Having no other options, Squad #1 could only engage inbat. Fortunately, despite not really looking for a fight, the squad was more than ready to take them on. Colorful lights dotted the depressing darkness of their surroundings. Despite their enemies using the shade of corruption to confuse and surprise them with attacks, the squad has enough experience to discover where they are and eliminate the threats. A pack of Demon Wolves are a dozen, each one was Tier 4 at least with some being stronger. A pack of Demon Hyenas was 20, they''re physically smaller than wolves but they''re far more sinister when hunting and they always attack in pairs. The weakest Demon Hyena here was Tier 3. Despite being outnumbered though, Squad #1 handled them with finesse. They worked together smoothly as if they''d known each other their entire lives. They chained skills and spells right after the other, amplifying the damage they do against their enemies. Where was Cedric in all of this? Well... "He said there''s only Beast Demons..." Cedric muttered softly as he gripped Sris Edge - his sword, and stared at the enormous spider marching close to him. "Howe there''s a Broodmother here?" Cedric cursed Garrick inwardly for not reporting this to him. That said, it is also possible that he and his squad never encountered this thing, which exins why he didn''t warn Cedric about it. The Broodmother is a Demon Spider...a really big one. What Cedric was facing was a 20-foot-tall spider with obscenely long legs. The hairs on its body were akin to steel needless, releasing a fatal re and drenched with a toxic substance. Its body was shaped like a peanut and it had three pairs of crimson-red eyes. On its own, the thing wasn''t a huge threat since it was slow and stiff. Even if it was a Tier 8 in equivalent, someone who specializes in agility could harass this thing to death. What makes a Broodmother terrifying is the nest she carries on her back at all times. There''s a small hill of silk cocoon attached to the Broodmother''s back. Even without inspecting it, Cedric knows that that''s where the children were...and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them inside. It will only take a singlemand from the Broodmother and her children willy waste to her immediate vicinity. And unlike the Broodmother, her children are vicious, quick, and carry lethal venom that could be fatal even to nar Travellers. The nest children are weak, some of them don''t even reach Tier 1 properly. They make up their weakness with numbers though. Because the Broodmother carries her nest at all times, she will never be alone, and that''s what makes her species extremely terrifying. ''She already saw me, huh?'' Cedric released a breath and braced himself for the uing fight. Just like many things in his life, this battle is something that he can''t avoid. And it''s against a truly formidable thing so Cedric had to take this seriously. His squad members are busy dealing with the canine-packs so only he could fight this right now. Since he chose to deal with the Broodmother on his own, he passed themand of the squad over to #5 as he focused on his fight. Screech!! The Broodmother released a rallying cry. Not even a secondter, Cedric saw her children crawling out of the nest and climbing down her body, spewing toxins everywhere. With a twitch of his muscle, his sword was erased with billowing mes. He waved his sword and torched his surroundings. He manipted the shape of the mes to form a cage that trapped him and the Broodmother inside. The scalding temperature of his mes immediately became evident by the toxins boiling within mere seconds after he caged them. The weak spiders let out piercing shrieks of pain as they felt the high temperature of Cedric''s mes. Taking a deep breath, the mes on his sword intensified and a formidable and sharp cutting aura erupted on the sword''s edge - this was Cedric''s Sword Intent. He shed horizontally, slicing off the legs of the Broodmother. Therge spider let out a piercing shriek of pain before it was brought down to a manageable height. Her children were still pouring out of the nest and they were immediately assaulted by the extremely high temperature of Cedric''s mes. Cedric then blurred into nothingness, utilizing his speed to weave through the hordes of man-sized spiders trying to get him. He arrived at the Broodmother''s back and plunged his sword of mes into her nest, injecting it with bright orange mes that could melt even Tier 6 metals in seconds. ...and just for good measure, since he''s hidden within the cage of mes he made earlier, he also injected a plume of True Sunfire in there as well. The Broodmother shook in pain and agony. Her nest was burned down to a crisp, and all of her babies were incinerated by both orange and golden mes. Her poison was rendered useless against the high temperature and she''s nowhere near fast or flexible to avoid Cedric''s assault. Her children were just as helpful as she was because they''re inherently weaker - they couldn''t even endure the mes'' temperature, so how could they even dream of touching him? This terrifying beast that should''ve sent his entire squad running in fear, was taken down with utter simplicity. It was rendered helpless from start to finish. Bright orange mes swallowed up the demon, reducing it to dust particles scattering in the air. Not even a silk from her nest was left, but the Broodmother left something behind for Cedric. A piece of its skull, calcified and purified by the mes. It looked like a beetle''s shell, only about several times bigger. It''s ck and smooth, but it also still contains some heat due to what it has gone through. Cedric picked it up, assessed its safety, and confirmed it. He flicked his fingers at it, seemingly testing its hardness, and nodded in satisfaction. ''True Demon Bone, huh?'' Cedric muttered to himself, ''This should fetch me around 8-10,000 merit points if I surrendered it. Not bad, at least I''ve got some harvest in this mission.'' This thing was extremely rare even for the army. Despiteing from True Demons, True Demon Bones are treated as precious resources that the army collects. They use it to create Superhuman Weapons/Armor for nar Travellers. Cedric heard that only Lord Commanders and above are eligible for a full set of armor and weapons crafted from True Demon Bones. And even those are divided ording to their rarity. How exactly? Cedric doesn''t know, and it''s not important right now. He could either exchange it for merit points or keep it for himself and study it. After all, he too was a Master cksmith. He''ll decideter, for now, he should go back to his team because they''re starting to get worried. Cedric stuffed the bone into his backpack. Despite it being way bigger than his bag, it shrunk down perfectly. Because his connection to the Ac was sealed, he couldn''t use the inventory, thankfully this sufficed. It did, however, make the backpack heavier though. Which isn''t a huge problem for Cedric. If you ask him, he''d say that it''s still pretty light. After doing this, Cedric dismissed the cage of mes he made. As it disappeared, his squad members finally saw him and sighed in relief seeing that he was not injured. It was followed by awe upon realizing that their leader took out a Broodmother and her children - things that could kill even nar Travellers if they''re not careful, by himself. Nobody saw how he did exactly but is that important? Cedric came out of that cage alone. Not even a trace of the Broodmother was left behind after he was done. That''s more than enough for them. The squad automatically surrounded him and fell into a formation. All threats had been taken care of and there was nothing within their field of surveince. Cedric assessed the energy levels of his squad members and saw that they could continue for a little while. "We''ve got dyed by those things but not by much. We will continue using the same formation. Let''s go, we''ve got ground to cover." Cedric ordered. "Yes, Sir!" And as usual, his squadmates vigorously responded. Chapter 181: Unexpected Development -- The pack of Demon Wolves and Hyenas, as well as the Broodmother, wasn''t the end of their battle. Squad #1 faced more trouble along the way, ones that they couldn''t avoid so they could only fight to eliminate them. The migrating Demon Beasts hadpletely forgotten what they were supposed to be doing, and it was because of the temptation of the dead Nightmare Worm. The good news is, they''re halfway out of the active zone. The bad news is that battles are getting worse, and it''s draining their stamina pretty quickly. Also, they''re behind on their schedule because of the fights they had to go through. They''re five hours in their patrol yet barely covering the 100th-kilometer mark on the route. They need to speed up or else they will fail this mission. "Whew...there''s just no end to them." One of his squad members sighed after killing thest of the hostiles, for now at least. "And there will be moreing." Another one replied, "We''re really gonna be busy here." "Let me just remind everybody that we''re behind our schedule." #5 announced to the team, not that anybody was surprised since they too know that. "So far, we''ve only reached the 100th-kilometer rank and it''s been five hours. We have 11 hours left to cover 400 kilometers more. If we keep getting dyed like this, we might not be able to make it." "We''re moving out of the active zone, though." One of the scanners stated, "Beyond that, we shouldn''t encounter this many demons. We could speed up past this point." "That''s the n." Another scanner added, "But you know what they say, no n survives the first contact with the enemy, so don''t put your hopes into it." "I''ll take on an active role to remedy that." Cedric suddenly announced, causing the team to look at him. "I need some exercise anyway. Besides, we really need to get out of here soon. The meaner demons are starting to show up. Even they can''t resist the allure of the dead Nightmare Worm." Although the range of his senses was suppressed here, Cedric could still see pretty far ahead. Of course, he could tell that things were gonna get more chaotic here from the signs he saw. Nobody disagreed with his decision. They knew that Cedric wouldn''t make any rash decisions and once he decided, he already considered all options avable and chose what was best for the squad, how can they oppose that? So, from this point onwards, Cedric took an active role. He brought out his sword and cleaved through demons like he was harvesting wheat. Because he''d be stuck at managerial duty, it''s easy to forget how overwhelmingly efficient Cedric was at killing demons and how fast he was. He would take out dozens of demons before the scanners even saw theming, reducing them to ashes with ruthless precision. They were initially worried that Cedric was spending a lot of his ki and stamina to cover them but they were reminded of his frankly unfair amounts of it. Right, this was the guy who could wrestle nonstop against a Cerberus all day long, what were they worried about? To Cedric, this was nothing but a light workout. Because Cedric was active, the squad formation changed to the base one; allowing them to move faster. Sure, they''re making a lot of noise and attracting more demons to their spot but Cedric handled everything, only leaving stragglers for them to take care of every now and then. Their speed picked up and after an hour or so, they left the active zone and were back on track. They kept up with their progress too; reaching the 180th kilometer mark at the 6th hour of their patrol. They slowed down at this point to minimize the noise they were making. Since they''re out of the active zone and caught up with their supposed progress, they can afford to pause and rest up for a bit. Which was precisely what they did. Cedric ordered the team to stop, eat, and drink some water. Then everybody closed their eyes to focus their energy on their recovery. Spells that hastened this process were used, as well as other supplements that would help. It can''t be helped, the drain on the team was considerable at this point. They''ve been harassed multiple times after all. Like before, the squad rested for 20 minutes in total and managed to top off their reserves. Ignoring how dirty and haggard they looked, they''re as good as new. Once they were sufficiently rested, Cedric ordered the team to move on. ** Two hourster and they reached the 270th kilometer mark, which was a little bit ahead of their schedule. It also marked the conclusion of their 1st shift...supposedly. Only 8 more hours of this and they''d be done here. They didn''t experience any stressful situation within those two hours, proving that the real activity was focused on that area and that getting out of there as fast as they possibly could was the right move. Because they chose to do a double shift, they have to continue still. They can''t camp out somewhere because that would greatly dy their progress. All they could do was little rests in between. Fortunately, all of them were still energetic even after 8 hours of patrol. The psychological drain is what they have to look out for, though. Because they won''t recover as fast as their physical body could. Even though the dense corruption of their surroundings couldn''t do any real damage to them, it was constantly trying and cannot be stopped. Fighting against that on top of focusing on their duty grinds on their mental state whether they like it or not. As conditioned as they were against this, they were bound to suffer from its effects. After all, they''re not even proper cadets yet. It hasn''t even been two weeks since they arrived. They had another brief rest and were about to continue on the road when all of a sudden, Cedric felt a sinking feeling on his stomach. A foreboding sense of crisis dawned on him out of nowhere, causing him to sweat coldly. Without a single word, he exerted himself to expand the range of his sensory field. ...and what he saw did not make him happy. "All of you, listen carefully." Cedric uttered in a gritty tone, causing his squad members to tense up. "We will be speeding up now and go to the nearest extraction point as quickly as we can. I''m afraid that our mission ispromised." "What!? Why? What happened?" "No time! Move!" Cedric stressed, and so the team followed. While running, the team couldn''t help but feel nervous all of a sudden. And the fact that they suddenly felt their surroundings getting colder and the stench of corruption getting thicker, didn''t help at all. On the way, they heard Cedric''s badge emitting a sharp buzzing sound. Cedric tapped it rhythmically and suddenly, they heard a voiceing out of it. "HQ to #1, I repeat, HQ to #1, do you copy?" "#1 to HQ, I hear you loud and clear." Cedric replied. "Good. If an emergency urs, take your squad to the nearest extraction point for retrieval and make it quick. A Demon Beast Horde ising." Every member of Squad #1 felt chills running down their spine when they heard that. The majority of them suddenly felt fear gripping their hearts and clouding their mind. "Size and distance?" Cedric asked. "Unclear." The person on the other line replied, "They have Smog Belchers obscuring them. But we have a feeling that it''s somewhere between Medium to Large. They''re moving fast, but still pretty far from your location. Anyway, just get your assess out of there if you wanna live." "Will do, thanks for the heads up. We should arrive at the nearest extraction point within 10 minutes. I''ll buzz you up once we''re close. Over and out." Cedric replied. "Understood. Over and out." Cedric released a tense breath as he continued rushing out with his squad. He momentarily nced at his team and saw their clouded expressions. He sighed once more and yelled: "Pulse. Now!" The team jolted in surprise before following his orders. 20 Ki Pulses swept over the team, with Cedric''s beingrger and stronger, it even contained a distinct warmth that provided themfort. "What''s our new directive?" He asked the team. "To reach the nearest extraction point, Sir." His squad replied in unison. "#5 What''s the likelihood of us reaching that ce before getting swallowed up by the uing horde?" He asked again. "95% of sess, Sir, the remaining 5% is for unforeseen ident and unlikely happenstance." The man replied with confidence. "Remind me of our ultimate goal." Cedric ordered. "To finish our service and return to our normal lives alive and intact, Sir!!" His squad replied vigorously. "And we''re doing exactly that now." Cedric stressed, "We might''ve been caught off guard but we''re making it. Straighten your backs and fix your faces, we''re nearly there." With the squad''s spirit revived, they continued rushing out, not minding that they were making a lot of noise while moving. Cedric said it himself. They''re making it out of here. They''ve trusted him then and he hasn''t failed them. There''s no reason to start doubting him now. They''re gonna make it out here alive and intact. That''s his promise. Chapter 182: Fear and Resolve -- Squad #1 continued rushing towards the nearest extraction zone as quickly as they could. Because they were moving fast and making a lot of noise, they were attracting demons on their way. Fortunately, they didn''t be a problem because once again, Cedric became active. He carved a way out for this squad, bisecting and reducing demons to ash in a single swing of his sword, nothing could slow them down. His squad members were also helping as best as they could. "There! I can see it!" One of the scanners eximed. The extraction zone finally came into view, causing the squad to breathe a sigh of relief. They only need to arrive there and the HQ will beam them back to the other side of the wall, which will get them out of this ce - which will about to get catatonic because of the iing horde. Seeing their goal within sight, they went even faster, eager and looking forward to getting out of this ce as soon as possible. Unfortunately... "Get down!!!" Cedric roared at his team who obeyed his orders before they could even think. They all dove to the ground at the exact moment a ray of pitch-ck light flew across the horizon,nding at a certain spot of the Eastern Great Wall and causing widespread destruction. An explosion urred which felt like the world was ending due to its intensity. A terrifying energy swept through the vicinity of the impact, containing a dreadful amount of corruption and destruction. Any human who was exposed to it would be greatly affected by this aura, especially the weaker ones. Thanks to Cedric rming the team early, they were mostly okay after impact. The aftershock nearly blew them away and forced them to be scattered but Cedric held on to them by creating ropes of ki and wrapping around their waists. He also erected a barrier at the moment of the impact to dampen the force they had to endure while also releasing a thick pulse of ki to counteract the corruption it contained. Everybody was fine, a little shocked and terrified, but fine. That doesn''t mean that they''re happy though. Especially after seeing arge brown cloud filled with purple lightning umting in front of the Great Wall. The residue of that pitch-ck ray of energy still lingered as well, trying to corrupt humans and causing demons to turn hysterical. "What the fuck!? What is happening now?" "Is that the horde?" "What is that?" "The Great Wall! Don''t tell me..." Cedric couldn''t even stop his team from panicking at the sight because even he was frightened. That was too close forfort. He couldn''t even react properly to that, he only saw that ray of ck light streaking across the air at an astonishing speed. All he could do was to warn his team and that''s it. Fortunately, they weren''t the target of that thing or else they would''ve died before knowing what hit them. Still, as the squad leader, he couldn''t afford the luxury of staying idle. Especially not when they are in immediate danger. He didn''t know what that ray of ck light was nor that brown cloud with purple lightning either. But he does know that the horde is stilling and they don''t have much time left. He tapped his badge rhythmically to connect to HQ, they''re right next to the wall right now so he should be able to connect. "Squad Leader #1 to HQ, do you copy?" Cedric asked but all he got was a static sound from the other line. "I repeat, Squad Leader #1 to HQ, do you copy?" ms...*buzz*...down...fixing...15 to 20 minu¡ª...*buzz*...copy?" "#1 to HQ, I can''t hear you properly, the connection is awful. Am Iing to you clear?" Cedric asked. "...*buzz*...Yes!" "Good. I was able to pick up some words you said earlier. Am I safe to assume that thems and the transmission functions are down because of that attack just now?" "...Yes!" "You''re fixing it and you need us to wait anywhere between 15-20 minutes before extracting us out of here?" "...yes...*buzz*...yes..." Cedric took a deep breath after his guess was confirmed. His squad members could literally feel the pressure mounting on his shoulders turning heavier at that very moment, which made them feel awful. Yet Cedric''s face hardened with resolve as said: "Can you at least connect me to other squads that are in the same situation as us? I assume that they wouldn''t be able to connect with you either and that would cause them to panic greatly. I will let them know of your situation and pass on the expectations." The squad watched as Cedric began arming himself in preparation for what was toe. They could just feel the resolve rolling off of him in waves, affecting them as well. It was at this moment that they knew that this wasn''t something they could avoid. They are about to go on a fight for survival, and they will need to harden their resolve if they want to make it out of here alive. "...*buzz*...you are connected...*buzz*...need to fix this...*buzz*...godspeed...¡ªver and out..." "#1 to HQ, over and out." Cedric terminated the connection to the HQ and tapped his badge rhythmically again to connect to the other leaders who were stuck in the same position as they were. He took a deep breath before cing the badge near his mouth to say: "Attention to all Squad Leaders, this is #1 speaking..." ** Squad #2 led by Garrick...Squad #4, Squad #6, Squad #8, Squad #10, Squad #15... These are the squads who chose the same option as Squad #1 - to go on a double shift, and are now stuck in this current predicament. They heard the explosion, and some even directly felt it. Most of them were panicking and the leaders had been trying to contact HQ since it happened. All of them received notice of the Demon Hordeing and were ordered to take their team to the nearest extraction zone. Some were there already while others were still on the way. All, however, remained stuck outside because of what happened a few moments ago. To their horror, they couldn''t contact the HQ properly. All they were receiving was static. In this, Cedric was luckier than them because, at the very least, he is call was heard and answered...albeit with great difficulty. Most of the Squads who were caught outside were now panicking. All semnce of order was lost in the face horde of death and decay, as well as the unknown variable lurking just outside of walls in the form of a brown cloud filled with purple lightning. "We''re gonna die!" "Over...it''s all over!" "Mom...Dad...I''m sorry, but it seems that your son will head over to the afterlife earlier than you. I just wish I could see your faces onest time..." "Mother...Father...I''ming over there, we will finally be reunited." "Noo! I don''t wanna die!!" Everybody disyed a certain stage of grief in the face of their iing demise. And as much as the leaders tried to restore order and empower their team, the fear and corruption took hold of them and refused to let go. That''s when the leaders'' badges emitted a crisp sound that alerted everybody. Next, a strong and vigorous voice echoed in their ears. "Attention to all Squad Leaders, this is #1 speaking. HQ connected me to you upon my request to ry some important details to you." Cedric''s unmistakable voice sounded out, and because of the impression he left on everybody, his voice broke them out of their despair-filled pity party, returning them to the present and giving them a moment of rity. "Pulse, you idiots!" They heard him roar and much to everybody''s amazement, they followed his orders before they could even think. "I''ll assume that you are clear-headed now. If so, good. If not, ask somebody to punch you in the face, that might help." "You all felt that explosion earlier. You all saw that ray of ck light as well as that brown cloud with purple lightning just outside the wall. I don''t know what caused those either but what I know is that it banged up the HQ, causing thems and the transmissions to malfunction, that''s why we can''t contact them or have them take us out of here." "My team''s position is closer to the gates, so we can connect and receive advice, albeit with great difficulty. They told me that they are working to fix the problems on their side and it might take them anywhere between 15-20 minutes...their words, not mine. But that''s the only thing we can hold on for." "The Demon Horde ising." They heard Cedric take a deep but shaky breath in. That is when they realized that he too was afraid, but unlike them, he isn''t allowing it to control him. He''s resolved as much as he''s afraid. And that''s incredibly admirable. "This isn''t something we can''t avoid now so strap in, losers. This is gonna be a wild ride." "Some of us will live. We will be injured, we will be tired, we might even lose a limb or two. If that happens, walk it off." "I won''t tell you to die gloriously. We''re a little too young for that. But if you''re gonna die anyway, take some demons out with you to do us all a favor. If you''re gonna go out, then go out swinging. Don''t just open your arms and ept death. Fight back, damn it." "But more importantly, I want all of you to endure," Cedric stated with a strong voice. "There is hope, we are not abandoned. We haverades on the opposite side of the walls doing their best to save us. Have faith and stand your ground...and kill some more demons." "Communicate with your team and cover each other''s back. Break your limits and show them what you''re made of." "This concludes my message. #1 over and out." Unbeknownst to Cedric, the HQ connected him not only to the Squads that were stuck outside but also to all of the Squad Leaders. This means that other cadets who were safe from this tragedy also heard his announcement. Chapter 183: Fight! -- They could feel the rumbling of the earth, and the creeping swarm of darkness getting closer. It felt like a stone pressed on their chests, making it difficult to breathe. The only saving grace they had it the hope that they ''might'' make it out of there alive. The Demon Horde wasing, that is for certain. And every cadet who happened to be caught outside the walls must stand their ground and fight for their survival - that''s their only choice if they want to make it out of here. ''It''s like the ck Sky all over again.'' Cedric muttered inwardly, recalling the events that happened to the ck Thread City. ''The only difference is that the ck smog creeps below instead of up.'' ''They essentially function the same - to conceal the horde of demons marching inside. But while the ck Sky is a natural environmental hazard that happens because of how deeply corrupted the world was, this ck fog is caused by Smog Belching Demons, whose entire purpose in life is to spew that pestilent smog.'' The ck Sky is something that not even the army stationed on the Great Wall could stoppletely. It brings millions of demons along its march and the army could only shave their numbers as best as they could before letting the rest bleed out to the civilization they''re protecting. Besides not being able topletely stop the horde, the army allows some demons to pass to temper their civilization. Because while it is the army''s duty to protect their people, in this era where everyone has the ability to fight - even with a nonbatant ss, they should experience a taste of the real world to serve as a reminder. The army is strong, yes. But it''s not omnipotent. It can''t defend against everything, they could only try their absolute best. When shit hits the fan and the army faced a problem that they can''t solve on their own, it would be for the best if the people they''re protecting also knows how to protect themselves until order was restored. That''s why they''re letting demons attack the cities and empires behind the walls. A Demon Horde, on the other hand, is different. This falls under the army''s responsibilities and isn''t something they can allow to pass the walls. ''A Medium to Large-sized horde, huh?'' Cedric mused inwardly as he drank some water. ''A medium horde consists of around 500,000 demons of all shapes and sizes, it might also contain a Demon Lord (nar Traveller level) or two.'' ''A Large-sized demon horde is double that, and it''s the minimum. It can go anywhere between 1 to 2 million rampaging demons and dozens of nar Traveller level demons.'' ''I guess we should count our luck here. Fortunately, it''s not a Catastrophic-sized horde. Otherwise, the entire army - not just those who were stationed on the walls; North, East, West, and South...all of it, will be rmed. After all, the catastrophic level means that a Demon King (Star Traveller) is on the move.'' His attention then turned to therge brown cloud with purple lightning swarming the walls above. Try as he might, he couldn''t see through it. Something was preventing his senses from inspecting what it actually was aside from its appearance. ''The Demon Lore doesn''t contain anything of that sort.'' He frowned deeply before turning his attention elsewhere. ''It might be a conjoined attack of Demon Lords or one of their weapons at least. God forbids that it''s an attack from a Demon King or else we will be toast.'' Cedric inhaled deeply, wincing as he caught a whiff of the pungent smell of corruption. Thankfully he has high resistance towards it or else he would''ve gone mad after doing that. The rumbling of the earth got more intense the closer it got. They''re within sight now, but because of the pestilent smog covering them, nobody could actually see what they''d be dealing with. "#40." Cedric called out to one of his teammates. "Sir?" The member replied. "Arrow rain at 1:00, 800 meters away. It''s the part where the smog is the thickest." At his order, #40 unhesitatingly drew her bow and used the skill: Arrow Rain, at the spot Cedric pointed out. Upon unleashing the skill, a hail of arrows rained down on the target area. They heard several cries and bellows of demons who were affected by the attack. But aside from serving as the initial fire, the Arrow Rain also aplished something else; it killed a Smog Belching Demon that''s causing the, already awful, visibility to drop. Upon its death, the pestilent smog it was releasing dissipated as well. Without the cover, the entire squad was finally able to see what they were dealing with - Beast and Insect Demons were the majority that showed up on their side. Since the target was exposed, the squad was able to strategize better, and their chances of survival increased. Cedric then tapped his badge rhythmically to connect to other Squad Leaders and help them by giving him hints: "Order your ranged units to search for areas where the smog was the thickest. That''s most likely where the Smog Belchers are hiding. Kill those and you will see what you''re dealing with." Cedric then turned to his squad and said: "This will be a test of endurance. You all have seen improvements in your time with me so you''re way better than before. However, this horde will test that to the extreme. If there''s any time to break your limits, it will be now." "Fight smart, not hard. There''s no honor on this battlefield, only survival matters. Use dirty tactics if you must, so long as it won''t harm your teammates, it''s allowed. If it brings your enemies down, use it." "Also, try your best to stay near the extraction zone, don''t go too far so that HQ can beam you up as soon as they can once the systems are back online." "If you''re feeling scared and uncertain, use Ki Pulse, or any equivalent of that, just in case, the corruption is getting stronger, I can''t have any of going mad and forcing your teammates to put you down. Don''t be a liability." "Most importantly, have faith in yourself and yourrades. Hold on and don''t lose it. We will make it out of here alive. That''s it for me. We''re about to be busy so focus on your task. Godspeed, everybody. #1 over and out." As soon as he''s done saying this, the fight has already started... BOOOOM!!! The signal was fired by theirrades atop the walls, releasing volleys of shells and ammunition towards the horde. Explosions rocked the earth and fires billowed out of nowhere. Once it began, it didn''t stop. This caused the situation to turn chaotic instantly. However, instead ofining. The cadets who were stuck outside the walls saw this as a good thing instead. The live fire and bombardment which seemed like fireworks were seemingly sending a message. A message that says: ''You''re not alone in this fight.'' And that''s the truth, isn''t it? In the face of a Demon Horde, how could the iron-willed soldiers of the men stationed on the walls let these little cadets fight on their own? Where would their pride be after that? Where is the unity they''re very proud of? What happened to their sworn duty to protect, if they let the kids do their job? The cadets don''t know this but every men-in-uniform practicallyunched themselves at the cannons. Each one wore a hardened expressions as they faced the serious threat marching towards them. More importantly, they could hear Cedric''s words thanks to his link with the other Squad Leaders and knew of their predicament. Knowing that the kids might die because of theirck of preparation, how could they stay put? While they might not be able to kill every single demon that would pose a threat to the squads that remained outside, they could at least shave their numbers into a manageable size or even outright force the horde to retreat. Besides, this isn''t the first time the Eastern Wall Army faced a demon horde of this size. This one''s just a little scarier because of the unknown variable lurking at the gates in the form of arge brown cloud with purple lightning. With the signal fired, the fightmenced at full force. All the trapped squads were engaged in battle. Cedric''s orders rang in their ears, giving them the confidence and support to not crumble down in front of the terrifying horde, Multi-colored lights flew and streaked through the air, leaving trails of destruction and explosions. Staves sted magic, swords, and shields shed with bright sparks, and skills and spells were thrown left and right. Humans against Demons - an age-old fight that has never stopped since it began. As Squad #1 continued fighting for their lives, they asionally looked at how their leader was doing and couldn''t help but feel immense awe. Cedric was there, he hadn''t said a single word since the fight started, but his posture was ramrod straight and his presence was like a towering pir - sturdy and eye-catching. With his sword billowing with overwhelming sharpness and bright orange mes that melted any corrupted creatures that came close to it, his pair of golden eyes fearlessly stared at their enemies. Anyone who saw him like this couldn''t help but feel like they were in the presence of a Hero. Chapter 184: Demon Lord -- Garrick brandished his poleaxe as he snarled at the demons. He emitted ferocity no less than they have, cleaving through their numbers like he''s possessed orpletely sumbed to his animalistic side. His killing intent was so thick and heavy that it even intimidated some of the weaker demons around. Despite this, Garrick was as clear-headed as he could be. If this was a couple of days ago, he wouldn''t be because he had no semnce of control of his rage and animosity, but under Cedric''s lead and advice, he gained some semnce of mastery over his rage that no longer clouds his mind. And that is immensely helping him right now. Garrick obviously wasn''t fighting alone. Despite his wild swings that caused the earth to tremble beneath his feet, he was vividly aware of his surroundings and the people around him. Even in the heat of battle, he didn''t forget to look after them like a proper leader, at the very least. Boom!! Garrick dragged his axe towards himself with a grunt, harshly carving a deep scar on the ground which emitted a brilliant light before exploding, sending sharp rubble everywhere. His teammates wisely made themselves scarce around him when they saw him doing this because that''s an indiscriminate attack. Light bathed Garrick''s body afterward, making him feelfortable and energetic. His axe and his body seemed lighter. A few meters behind him was a girl holding a staff, she pointed it at him while her eyes were closed. This girl had a support ss and she just used a skill that increased Garrick''s strength and agility by at least 15%. Because of her improvements, this skill willst for 10 minutes. It falls a bit short but it''s more than enough to help out to their current predicament. She did not just use it for her leader but also the rest of the team as well. Her role didn''t end there. Aside from giving them buffs, she also has skills that weaken demons around her which she also used right away to make the fight easier for the team. She hasbat skills too but they are weakerpared to her buffs and debuffs, but such is the nature of a supporting ss like her. It''s not like Garrick''s teamcked ranged firepower. It''s the opposite actually, they have a peculiar teammate who''s more than enough to fit that role. His only problem was his bad aim, but in a situation like this where they''re surrounded, that didn''t seem like a problem at all. The only real risk was him hurting his teammates, but that had been remedied by Cedric''s drills and training. The entirety of Squad #2 worked beautifully, fighting against demons on equal ground despite being outnumbered. They stayed within the extraction zone just like Cedric told them to, and held their ground. Due to the intense battle, even they weren''t aware of how fast they were growing. This applies to everybody, especially Garrick - who originally thrives in battles like this, to begin with. Neither their Tiers nor Levels were increasing. True Demons like these don''t leave Demon Souls behind. The increase in their strengthes from what they already possess. The skills they learned were being honed through rigorous battle, sharpened by the pressure of the real battle for survival. The improvement they experienced through a few minutes of this already surpassed what they had during their time at the academy. They just don''t realize it yet. It''s the same for all squads who were caught between a rock and a hard ce. Everybody was fighting for their lives and doing their best to transcend their limits. Their faith was restored upon seeing that the army was helping them out in their own way - thinning the number of hordes as they should. It also helped that the demons were somehow drawn to the gates instead of attacking the entirety of the wall. This funneled their numbers into direct bombardment, relieving great pressure from the cadets. This doesn''tpletely apply to Squad #1, though... Their location was pretty close to Eastern Gate. And because the horde was concentrated in that location, the amount of demons trying to kill them was also greater in number. Fortunately, it''s the Squad #1 and not others. Squad #1 has Cedric, other squads don''t, so if there''s any squad that could handle great pressure like this, it would be them. Fwoosh!! Brilliant orange mes billowed from Cedric''s sword, torching his surroundings and reducing demon filth to ash. With each step he took, a group of demons evaporated. He left a trail of fire behind, scorching the earth and the corruption that seeped deeply into it. The heat his mes reached was unbearable for most demons, making him a terrifying enemy for them. It has to be known that Cedric was reaping demons whose strength should be above his. The weakest ones he saw were around Tier 4, which was around his level. In front of his mes and the sharpness of his sword, however, even Tier 7 Demons had to be wary. Since the battle started, Cedric hasn''t stopped killing. Everything that doesn''t resemble a human, he considers as enemies to be killed without an ounce of mercy. Cedric honed his skills, trained like mad, and tempered his will all for this moment. This battle was the real thing. It happens in the real world, not in Purgatory. All the resentment, righteous indignation, bitterness...every negative thing he experienced in his life, was because of these creatures, so they deserve his wrath more than any other. It''s a pity that he couldn''t use his Sunfire here or else, he would truly end their existence once and for all. From time to time, Cedric would pay attention to his teammates and see that they were still rtively fine. Some were injured because of the sheer number of foes they faced but for the most part, they''re fine. What''s really important to note here is that, despite the flood of corruption practically trying to drown them all and turn them to each other, his squad members were fine. Not a trace of hesitation or uncertainty was reflected in their eyes. All of them were mentally sound and oozed an extremely sharp focus that was enough to cut steel. Their willpower burns fiercely and so long as Cedric is around, it will not waver. ''They will be fine.'' Cedric mused to himself as he continued his ughter. He tightened his grip on his sword and made a wide swing that cleaved dozens of demons at once. He''s like awnmower at this point, butwnmowers could only dream of moving as fast as Cedric could. Cedric''s field of senses was unleashed to its maximum output, now is not the time to hold back from using it. The battlefield was too finicky and chaotic, Cedric needed to pay attention at all times, or else, he would doom them all. And his preparedness alwayses in handy, it always has, even right at this very moment because if wasn''t utilizing his field of senses to the maximum, he would''ve beente to notice a blur heading straight to him. Cedric''s pupils hardened as he hurriedly changed locations, pulling away from the team. His members noticed this and were about to ask what he was doing but they were interrupted by the sudden descent of a foul presence. Boom!!! Arge explosion urred, kicking up arge dust cloud. The aftershock sent the weaker demons away by force. When the smoke cleared, Squad #1 realized just what happened. In front of Cedric was a 9-foot-tall demon wearing a bone skull and crown. It has a humanoid torso and hooves for feet. The demon was holding tworge cleavers made out of demon bones, forcing Cedric who waspeting against it evenly in strength. "...a Capra Demon Lord!" #5 was horrified upon realizing what it was. "Don''t mind me, I''ll handle this thing. Focus on yourselves!" Cedric roared to his team as his sword released even hotter mes. To their astonishment, the Capra Demon Lord actually retreated first! A terrifying demon whose sole purpose was to hunt strong prey and make trinkets out of their remains retreated due to Cedric''s mes. The squad couldn''t believe it, but they had to. More importantly, they can''t afford to be distracted here because they''re surrounded, so they could pin their hopes on Cedric. Despite retreating initially, the Capra Demon Lord didn''t stop moving. It twists its body, using its flexibility and agility to turn into a blur of motion. It moved too fast for anybody to see, even Cedric. However, its movements were predictable at the very least. That said, in terms of pure physical power, even with Cedric''s absurd stats, he''s no match for a Capra Demon, especially a Demon Lord variant of it. Thankfully, he didn''t have to... ng!! Their swords shed again. This time, it didn''tst as long as it did earlier because Cedric''s entire body was bathed in orange fire. He then stabbed his sword into the ground and released even more mes around him. He controlled it to form a dome that trapped him and the Capra Demon Lord within, just like what he did to the Broodmother earlier. Brandishing his sword, he went into a stance and coldly red at the Capra Demon Lord. "You and me, Buddy. Let''s dance." Chapter 185: Sword Heart -- ng!! Sparks flew as Cedric''s sword shed with the Capra Demon Lord''s cleavers. He could feel the impact of the sh diffusing on his entire body. It felt ufortable but not the worst, his muscles just pulsed to offload the impact to his surroundings, reducing the pain and preventing him from being injured. Sris Edge - the name of Cedric''s sword, billowed with Cedric''s Sword Intent and bright orange mes. The sharp energy left deep gashes on the cleaver and some shallow wounds on the demon''s body while the mes burned with ferocious intensity. Capra Demon Lords aren''t weak to fire, the Demon Lord version is the same. That said, Cedric''s mes burned too hot to be ignored. Even with the enhancement it received upon ascending as a Demon Lord, the temperature of Cedric''s mes remained a threat to the Capra Demon. Knowing this, the Capra Demon can''t engage in close quarters with Cedric for too long, or else, it will be swallowed up by the mes. Of course, there''s no way that a proud hunter like this Capra Demon could ever ept the fact that it couldn''t match its target. So, it began thinking of different ways to approach this situation with the end goal being the same; kill this human and turn his skull into a trophy. Roar! The more determined the Capra Demon was, the more it disyed its innate talents. It retreated some distance before stomping hard enough to cause webs of cracks to spread all over the domed area. It then plunged both of its swords to the ground and dug up a massive boulder which it thenunched into the air. The Capra Demon Lord followed it and sliced the boulder into pieces. Then, it kicked the smaller boulders toward Cedric, and the rest scattered everywhere. Using its speed, it caught up to the other pieces of rubble, simrlyunching it to Cedric using the same method. Then, the Capra Demon kicked up its speed, essentially disappearing from the naked eye with how fast it was moving. The billowing mes on Cedric''s sword concentrated and turned into a torch, its heat was concentrated and became more destructive through this. With a grunt, Cedric swung his sword widely, leaving a sharp gash around him. Because of the sheer heat and sharpness his sword was releasing, Cedric quite literally sliced space in front of him, causing the surrounding environment to warp and twist. All the rubble heading his way veered in different directions and was swallowed up into nothingness due to the sheer heat that Cedric released. Additionally, the Capra Demon Lord who''s moving at its top speed was forced to slow down to evade the impact of Cedric''s attack. It nearly couldn''t because of the unexpected effect of Cedric''s attack on their environment. The Demon Lord was still alive but it was injured, arge scar was left on its torso, cauterized by the residual heat contained within. The injury was hurt even more because Cedric''s sword intent was mixed with it. His valiant spirit and deep desire to kill demons made this energy extremely harmful to Demonkind, and the Capra Demon wasn''t an exception. Within the Capra Demon''s mind, fear and uncertainty started to sprout. This wasn''t the first time it had hunted a human. However, this was the first time that Human wasn''t scared upon seeing it. This was also the first the that a Human bravely crossed swords with it and also the first time it sustained an injury caused by a Human. What usually happens is a chase; long or short, doesn''t matter. Whenever the Capra Demon shows its face to Humans, thetter will always do something to distract it before running. A foolish decision, really. Capra Demons are terrifying hunters and they never shied away from a chase, in fact, arge number of their kinds love the chase. This Capra Demon Lord only knew about chasing after fleeing humans. This was the first time it encountered a Human that was clearly weaker than itself that, instead of running away, stayed and fought despite being weaker. The Human even trapped both of them in a prison, forcing this confrontation within this zone. Yet not only did this Human still live to this point, he''s even fighting back evenly and winning. Just how was this possible? But despite sustaining injuries, the Capra Demon Lord was a creature of pride. It will not ept the idea of submitting or being killed by weaker prey. ROAR!!! The Capra Demon Lord entered a berserk state. Its muscles bulged and turned dark crimson, pulsing with foul corruption. It reached 10 meters tall and practically doubled its weight. A bloodthirsty aura erupted from the depths of its body, truly and utterly demonic in nature. Spikes grew on its back, tracing its spine and extending all the way to its tail. The bone skull and crown it wore grewrge and looked far more sinister. The transformed Demon Lord snarled at Cedric, seeing nothing but him. Its eyes were consumed with so much rage that whatever was left of its intelligence promptly disappeared. It then disappears from its position. Next, Cedric felt as if a meteor mmed at him from the side. He spat out blood and flew several meters back from the attack. His eyes narrowed as he muttered: ''Faster than light, huh?'' Right, the Capra Demon Lord moved faster than light in its berserk state. If it weren''t for his evolved physique, that attack alone could''ve killed him twice in a row. ''Alright, you. Let''s y this game.'' Cedric stopped attempting to follow the Capra Demon''s movement through his senses because he already knew it was not going to work. He stood still and closed his eyes, he nned to predict its next move, instead. ng!!! This time, he''s ready for that. He''s a bit slower, which was to be expected, but he managed to move fast enough to deflect the blow. Since the Capra Demon Lord''s raw strength doubled in this berserk state, Cedric couldn''t casually receive its blows anymore. The force it generates was too much for his current physique to handle so he could only deflect it. ng! The third time it happened, Cedric parried it perfectly. He already discovered the rhythm and could urately guess when it was happening next. His hand shook greatly after parrying the heavy force but he still did it anyway. ng! ng! ng! The 4th, 5th, 6th...and all of the attacks that happened after that, Cedric parried all the same. The Capra Demon was fast, feral, and obscenely strong, yes. But it has lost all sense of intelligence. Therefore, it became predictable. It was too easy even, Cedric barely even had to try. Even though he couldn''t see his enemy clearly with his senses, he could predict what it''s gonna do next. The more he shed with the demon, the more easier it got for Cedric. Since he couldn''t see it, he ced all of his faith in himself and his sword. He listened to his instincts and allowed his sword to point the way. As their sh continued, a profound change urred within Cedric. Sris Edge thrummed in his hands, releasing an unusual hum that did not escape Cedric''s senses. The sharpness it exudes seemingly turned muted. It didn''t disappear, it just became more...controlled. All of a sudden, Cedric''s eyes shed, and his pupils blew wide open before turning somewhat nk. Something within him blossomed and swayed. It released a pulse that flooded Cedric''s entire body with a profound mysticism. As this energy reached the part where Cedric''s hand met the sword''s handle, it caused a profound transformation that caused a certain phenomenon around Cedric. Within the dome of mes, a flood of sharpness suddenly erupted from Cedric''s body. It was overwhelming and staggering, so much so that even the maddened state of the Capra Demon was disturbed - which should''ve been impossible. That sensation only appeared in an instant before disappearing. That said, it doesn''t mean that it waspletely gone. The Capra Demon Lord paused on its tracks. It released a small whine which was highly uncharacteristic of it, and there''s a good reason for that. Light returned to Cedric''s eyes as if he just returned to reality after daydreaming briefly. An astonished look could be seen on his face as he felt the deeper connection between him and his sword, which also extends to the world around him. The Capra Demon Lord saw that he was distracted so it took that opportunity tond a killing blow. But instead of making Cedric pay for being distracted during their battle by taking a few of his limbs off, the opposite happened instead. Roar!!! It roared in pain and anguish, clutching the stump that used to be its left hand. It red hatefully at Cedric, but more than hate, it was also afraid. Afraid because it didn''t even see Cedric move at all. How was this possible? Unfortunately, Cedric saw no benefit in exining nor prolonging this fight any more than necessary. "Game over, Bud. Thanks for your help, because of you, I have a Sword Heart now. Let me send you on your way." With a casual swing of his sword, a thin line flew past the Capra Demon Lord''s body before it could even react, causing it to freeze on its spot. Cedric walked away and retrieved the mes around them, not even turning around to see the Demon Lord''s body getting split evenly in half and dissolving into nothingness. Chapter 186: When it rains, it pours -- ''Son of a bitch!'' #5 eximed inwardly as he saw their leader dismissing the me dome and walking out calmly. His clothes were dirty and his armor was slightly dented. He also sustained some injuries but nothing grievous, most of them are already healing at this point. ''He took on a Capra Demon Lord on his own and fucking won! What a monster!'' #5 smiled wryly at the face of this ridiculous achievement. It wasn''t just him who was thinking of this. Every member of their squad had the same thought. They could only feel awed at the miraculous strength of their leader. As he returned to his spot, Cedric didn''t say a word. He just silently acknowledged each one before continuing his massacre like before. Yet, even though nothing was visibly different, his members could tell that something had changed. Cedric''s presence was more muted than before but also way sharper. They could also tell the slight changes in his movements, especially in the way how he killed their enemies. He''s killing them with more ease and simplicity than before. It was quite subtle, but it''s there. "...no way! Sword Heart already? Damn!" The exmation of their teammates - who also followed the path of the sword, surprised the rest. They all looked at Cedric with a heated gaze and disbelief in their eyes. His refusal to say a word just made this even worse. "Focus, or I''ll leave you behind here." Cedric deadpanned at them, firmly nting his foot before sending another sh. That pretty much confirms it, though. Cedric wasn''t denying it but this wasn''t the time to be distracted so they could only postpone it forter. Later...yeah, nobody even noticed that. The simple fact that Cedric was with them was enough for them to believe that they would survive this. Not a shred of doubt appeared on their mind as soon as this started. They were nervous at first, yes. Who wouldn''t be? It got worse when Cedric had to solo a Capra Demon Lord. But when he came out of that fight intact and alive, all of the doubts disappearedpletely. Even more so when he indirectly confirmed that he now reached the Sword Heart realm. This was a fortunate incident because this made them forget that only five minutes passed since the start of the fight. Yes, it has only been five minutes. It feels like they''re at it for hours already but they''re just a quarter of the way through the expected extraction time. That''s why Cedric wanted them to focus on the fight. Getting distracted by something will result in apse of judgment, which could be fatal. Counting each second that passed was torture, and they couldn''t fall for that since that would cause their resolve to crumble. As for Cedric himself, he won''t lie and say that he wasn''t pleased. Right now, even as he stood with his team and paid attention to the battlefield, parts of his mind were still immersed in the sensation of his breakthrough. He had most likely broken some records by achieving this. He''s probably the youngest Swordsman who reached the Sword Heart Realm. If this were to be released in public, he''d be an instant celebrity. That said, Cedric truly didn''t feel like bing one. Still, it is mind-blowing just how different the world bes upon reaching this state. It felt like his brain doubled in size. He could perceive things that even his heightened senses had missed before. Insight of how to hone his skills came to him more naturally than before. His Sword Heart was also releasing a specific fluctuation that''s seeminglymunicating with Laws, allowing him toprehend bits and pieces of it. ''Thank god for Multitasking.'' Cedric preached as he killed dozens of demons at once. If it weren''t for the effects of that skill being ingrained into his very being, he''d most likely had to sit down and focus to digest everything he''s receiving. Even with how fast his brain processes information, it''s still too much. This would''ve been disastrous considering where they were and what''s currently happening. All of a sudden, Cedric felt a spike of danger from somewhere, causing him to be rmed. His eyes narrowed. He allowed his instincts to take over and with a twitch of his wrist, he sliced vertically at something on the far left side of their position. Everybody felt his energy spike but nobody was able to react to it. All they saw was a sh of cold steel, followed by a sudden drop in temperature. A wave of dense corruption erupted and dissipated just as quickly. Most of the squad members were confused by #5 and the other swordsman of the team managed to analyze what happened. ''God damn! Is that the strength of someone who reached the Sword Heart Realm?'' #5 eximed inwardly, feeling a chill and thrill running down his spine. ''I''m pretty certain he just sensed a Demon Lord nearby and sliced it to nihility.'' The other swordsman gulped in awe. ''The poor thing hadn''t even been able to utter a grunt of pain before dying. It was killed ruthlessly and with extreme prejudice. And all it took was a single sh from him. How scary!!'' For a reminder, a Demon Lord is the equivalent of a nar Traveller-level Human. Cedric was just a Tier 4 Mortal, he was not even halfway there, yet he was able to kill Demon Lords like they were nothing but mere inconveniences. He probably didn''t even get a closer look at what he just killed. For all they know, he just swung his sword over there because he felt a threating that way. ...and that''s not really far from the truth. Buzz! Buzz!! Cedric''s leader badge emitted a sound that startled them. Cedric tapped it rhythmically and held it. "HQ to Squad Leaders, can you hear me? I repeat, HQ to Squad Leaders, can you hear me?" Cedric tapped his badge to answer; "HQ this is Squad Leader #1. I hear you loud and clear." That was then followed by the rest of the Squad Leaders confirming this as well. "Good, good. As you can tell,ms are repaired. The Transmissions are still down but we''re making progress, don''t worry, we''re on schedule. The expected repair time still hasn''t changed." The operator on the other line announced, much to everybody''s delight and relief. "Your senior officers are thinning out the horde to make it easier for all of you so hold on tight. We''re gonna get you out of there. I''ll conclude this here, focus on the fight and be careful against Demon Lords. HQ, over and out." Click! The line was cut off after that. Even so, nobody was dissatisfied. The fact that thems were repaired already was a good sign. Even more so with the news that the transmission arrays were being repaired on schedule. This gave the cadets all the hope they needed to keep going. And in a timely manner too since the majority of them were getting tired already. Hearing the operator''s voice was like a dose of steroids being injected directly into their veins. "Alright, you all heard it. Don''t get tired on me now." Cedric said to the team as he sent another sh that cleaved through dozens of demons. His squad responded to his words vigorously. There isn''t much to say after that. They already know what they need to do and it hasn''t changed. But you what they say...''when it rains, it pours''. Boom!! They hardly saw a streak of lighting towards them. They only felt an impact akin to aetnding nearby, shaking the earth and kicking up arge dust cloud. The shockwave caused them to be flung back. Not by much though since Cedric was fast enough to react to it. With his deeper understanding of the sword, he sliced the shockwave, shaving off much of its strength to ensure that it wouldn''t outright kill all of them. A wave of fear swept through all members of Squad #1 as they saw what caused this. It was fortunate that Cedric stood in front of them to bear the brunt of this wave. If he hadn''t, even the tempered willpower of the squad would copse if they were toe face to face with...this. A monstrosity seemingly crawled its way out of hell and appeared in front of them. There is a giant mess of limbs and groaning victims attached to a single blob of vacuous ck goo. The sounds of those bodies could make anyone''s skin crawl in fright. The bodies resembled partially digested human flesh stuck in a perpetual state of pain and agony. They reached out to the living, they couldn''t form words ormunicate anymore, much less think for that matter, but they seemed to be begging to be put out of their misery. "All of you, to the extraction circle, now!" Cedric roared to his team, his face marred with focus and solemnity. Cedric then contacted the HQ to say: "HQ, this is Squad Leader #1. We don''t have much time. We''re facing an Undead Phnx and it wouldn''t be the only one." He then took a deep breath and continued: "If this thing is here, then an Arclich wouldn''t be far behind. We''re about to get swarmed. We''ll try to hold on as much as we can but if you could hurry up and get us out of here, that would be much appreciated. #1, over and out." Chapter 187: Archlich -- Undead Phnx... They''re the amalgamations of failed undead experiments an Archlich made in their pursuit of eternal life, more importantly, they''re an attempt at the ultimate sphemy - the creation of God and its envement. Amongst the people trapped outside of the walls, Cedric has the most knowledge about the Undead; he''d been killing literal hordes of them in Purgatory after all. The Undead Phnx are slow but insanely durable creatures, they are resistant to all manner of physical and magical attacks - they are, after all, made by Archliches and were created to be their frontline servants, therefore they will have the highest defense amongst its army. Undead Phnxes can also attack. In fact, its overall strength was equivalent to a Demon Lord on its own, but it''s just really slow. However, their Archlich masters could remedy that by turning them intoets that can be hurled toward the enemies of the encroaching undead army at the cost of the caster''s mana and the creature''s durability. Since they''re of the undead kind, killing them doesn''t end the fightpletely. The Undead Phnx can and will explode with the strength of an atomic bomb andter turn into more hordes of regr undead; still under the control of the Archlich - this is what made them terrifying. Then, there''s the Archlich itself... "If you have skills or spells that will prevent you from dying or strengthen yourselves, I suggest you use them now. When this fight begins, it will only end when we are extracted out of here or when we die." Cedric solemnly stated to his team. "If one of us dies, the Archlich can and will resurrect them, turning that fallen ally into an enemy. I''d hate for us to strike each other down so do your best to stay alive." "Close your heart to their suffering as it will erode your resolve. Harden your will, as this will be the most difficult fight we will face." Saying that Cedric released a strong pulse of his Ki, sweeping through his team and reminding them of their duty. They followed suit and the creeping hold of corruption was stopped at bay. Cedric then felt a strong presence entering his field of senses and his face hardened. He gripped his sword tightly as he muttered: "It''s here." Even though no one else aside from him saw it, they all felt its presence. It was a walking disaster. It registered to their senses as a giant orb of dense but unstable foul mana and corruption, followed by a stench of death and decay. Coldness gripped their hearts as the creature slowly marched towards them, apanied by its army of undead from all shapes and sizes. A literal horde wasing towards them and there was no escaping it. Relying on theirrades was of no use. They can''t fire the cannons this close or it will also injure the cadets. Besides, these are undead creatures, killing them using ordinary means doesn''t work on them. It didn''t take long before they saw the Archlich... Picture it cloaked in tattered, obsidian robes that seem to swallow light itself, emitting an unsettling aura. Its visage is a ghastly sight to behold¡ªa skull-like countenance, devoid of flesh, with empty eye sockets glowing with pure ghastly mes of malevolence that pierces through the very core of your being. But what truly chills the marrow is the crackling energy that dances along its skeletal fingers, emanating an otherworldly power. When it speaks, it''s as if the air itself recoils in horror, carrying whispers of ancient curses and malevolent incantations that haunt the mind long after they''ve faded. The Archlich is a harbinger of darkness, a master of necromantic arts, spreading terror and despair with every step it takes. Bang!! The entire squad was shaken out of their stupor when they heard a gunshot next to them. They all saw a streak of orange flying towards the horde and exploding into a giant wildfire - spreading through the horde immediately. They all looked to the side and saw Cedric holding his standard-issued pistol, smokeing out of its barrel. His eyes were cold and calcting, not an ounce of fear or hesitation could be seen as he measured the horde. His attack did kill a few undead but it was snuffed out shortly by some undead who spat out globs of acid. The mes didn''tst long and the shot itself didn''t do a lot of damage. It did, however, awaken his teammates to the reality and broke them out of their terror over the Archlich and its undead army. Cedric then raised his sword to the sky with both hands. Instantly, a pir of bright orange mes erupted, raising the heat of his surroundings and illuminating the dark and gloomy environment. His Ki, Sword Heart, and Orange mes were released to their limits. His muted presence was reced by an overwhelming image that issued a challenge to the iing horde. The mes he released were like a beacon that was seen everywhere. It climbed to a terrifying height of 150 meters - reaching half of the Great Wall''s height. Its heat spread across the surrounding environment, melting the corruption around while warming his allies. Then, the me pir suddenly disappeared...although, not really. Cedricpressed all of it to the tip of his sword, causing it to glow red like it just came out of the forge. Since everything was concentrated there, the heat reached a terrifying degree that it was almost melting space itself. Cedric was sweating, but he didn''t seem to mind even one bit. With a cold grunt, he performed a mighty vertical swing supported by his back. His teammates only saw a tear in space for a brief moment before an explosion of fire swarmed their vision. BOOM!!! The explosion of mes crashed like a tsunami, swallowing the marching undead horde. It burned everything it touched to crisp, not sparing anything on the way. Its size andmotion could be felt from miles away. The sea of mes steadily advanced until crashed into the marching undead. The Archlich didn''t retreat from this though. Instead, it extended its bony fingers and pointed at it. A pitch-ck bubble emerged within a hundred meters around the Archlich. The bubble itself released a pitched scream as the mes made contact with it. This barrier was formed with undead souls that the Archlich gathered throughout its life. These souls are semi-immortal, and the Archlich turned into a spell that hardened these souls to a certain degree to be used as protection. Since they could be revived, the Archlich now has a semi-immortal shield. However, Cedric''s mes burned too hot. While the undead souls are functionally immortal, they do have limits. Additionally, once the undead soul dies, it truly disappears because it doesn''t have any flesh to use as an anchor. That''s the downside of this spell. It wasn''t just the mes though. What really made this sea of mes really troublesome to deal with was the traces of Sword Law infused into it. There wasn''t much to begin with. After all, Cedric just reached this stage a couple of minutes ago. But even this much was already something that irked the Archlich. Cedric''s Sword Law contains attributes that are harmful to demons like them. Cedric''s distaste and hatred towards demons manifested this way and amplified by the Demon yer ss, and even though it''s still in its infancy, the Sword Law was something that Demon Lords had to be wary of. If his previous attack barely did something, the following one surely did some damage. Cedric alone shaved the undead horde by half. The Archlich couldn''t protect all of its minions with that barrier, so the rest were burned into ash particles by Cedric''s attack. The Archlich could''ve resurrected them but Cedric''s mes burned them to the source - meaning that even the souls of the undead were burnt into nothingness. Cedric will never outright say that he used a little bit of his sunfire in the attack, simply because now is not the time. Still, this attack drained a considerable amount of his energy. And it should''ve, or else everybody will think that he secretly has a way to use an unlimited energy source. That said, this was just the start of the battle. The Archlich, annoyed as it was, remains strong and uninjured. Once the mes subsided a bit, the Archlich dropped the barrier to preserve whatever was left of it. It raised its bone staff up high and chanted ancient soul-shivering words. Ten ritual circles appeared in the air, glowing with a ghastly green light and radiating an intense death energy. These ritual circles then turned into a gaping maw that spots out ckets that surrounded Squad #1. It gave them a sense of deja vu, and rightfully so because the Archlich just summoned its front liners - the Undead Phnxes. There are now a total of 10 surrounding them. Seeing this, Cedric took a deep breath and red his power. He stabbed Sris Edge on the ground and folded one of his legs to kneel. Both of his hands were at the handle of the sword with his eyes closed as his power concentrated. Slowly but surely...a miniature sun appeared on the battlefield. Chapter 188: Sacrifice and Rescue -- It started off small and weak. Before the marching army of the undead and the dark corruption within the surroundings, it wasn''t much. It even gave off the impression that it would be snuffed out soon. However, despite how small and weak it was, the darkness around it flinched in fear. When Archlich saw this, it tried to stop Cedric because its instincts were greatly rmed. It could feel a severe threat upon looking at the growing orb of fire. It pointed its bony fingers to Cedric. Arge, pitch-ck orb ofpressed death energy appeared out of nowhere. The Archlichpressed this energy even more into the size of a tennis ball that hovered before its fingers. Pieces of rubble rose due to the sheer power emanating from the orb. Then, the Archlich fired it as a focused beam of death heading towards Cedric. The target didn''t move an inch from his spot. His eyes remained closed in concentration and his entire being was focused on his task. Some would even say that he didn''t notice the iing attack. Whether that''s true or not, doesn''t matter because Cedric wasn''t fighting alone. Pshew! As the beam streaked through the air and closed in on Cedric, a figure appeared in between with a raised shield. "RAAAAGHHH!!" ng! With a mighty roar and a swing of his shield, this person used his entire strength to deflect the beam away from Cedric, keeping all of them safe. Boom! The beamnded somewhere far away, causing massive destruction. The aftershocks were immediately felt but none of that mattered. As for the person who defended Cedric, his arms shook fiercely due to the sheer weight of the blow. His face paled and his heart thumped fiercely on his chest. For a moment there, when his shield made contact with the beam of death energy, this person felt like he would actually die. However, through sheer grit and resolve, he managed to deflect that attack. That''s the most dangerous attack he ever received, and he lived through it. He didn''t particrly understand why he ced himself in that position. His body just moved on its own. He probably couldn''t do that again soon but right now, he sure as hell feels like he could. After this momentary distraction, this person''s eyes hardened with resolve. Despite having a brief meeting with death, he didn''t move from his spot. He stationed himself in between the praying Cedric and the Archlich. No words were uttered, everyone could tell just what he''s resolved to do. It wasn''t just him either, this goes for the entire squad. They surrounded Cedric, cing themselves between him and the dangers trying to get him. Their safety wasn''t the priority anymore, it was to allow Cedric to do whatever he was doing. While Cedric was focused on his task and didn''t see this with his eyes, he could feel it. Their presence protectively was around him. He couldn''t help but grin a little at the sensation. Cedric''s Ki rolled off in waves, feeding into the glowing orb of fire above him. Within just a minute after its appearance, it already doubled in size and the more time passed, the bigger it got. It truly was akin to a miniature sun. Not only did it providefortable warmth to his teammates, but it also illuminated the surroundings, relieving the darkness that had steeped deeply into this environment. Whatever the heat and light touches, corruption screeched as if meeting its deadly counterpart. This growing ball of fire contained Cedric''s Ki - vigorous, pure, and unyielding. It also contained his insights into Sword Laws and just now...insights into Fire Laws. The ¡ºAspect of Sun¡» slumbering deep within Cedric''s soul was stirred awake. I siphoned some of Cedric''s ki and converted it into Sun and Yang-attribute energy that has been fed to the growing ball of fire. If Cedric was using his ¡ºSage Arts¡» here, this ball of fire would''ve turned into a true golden sun - not asrge as the real one but just as deadly to demons. However, even though they''re facing a crisis, Cedric knows that he can''t use this just yet. Still, what little help his aspect did was more than enough. The Undead Phnxes were practically unable to move. Since they''re on the frontlines, they face the full brunt of Cedric''s sun. Its heat and light were deadly to them, yet it also brought salvation. The thing about the Undead Phnxes is that, even though all of them were undead, a few of them used to be human. They met an unfortunate end out here in the ck Lands and their remains were desecrated by the Archlich and their souls enved. They never wanted to be a part of this. Because of their origins, the light of Cedric''s sun; though still harmful to them since they turned into undead creatures, was also their saving grace. It burned their rotting flesh into nothingness and released them from the Archlich''s envement. It also sent them to the afterlife in peace, where the malevolent grip of the Archlich couldn''t reach. Just from the light and heat alone, a few of the Undead Phnx already copsed. Even after they exploded into groaning and miserable undead, the sun just incinerated them to nothingness. The Archlich snarled in anger seeing this. It tried numerous ways to stop and kill Cedric because that would solve the main problem, but the man was surrounded by fearsome protectors who were willing toy down their lives if it meant Cedric remained safe. Cedric''s sun grew bigger and bigger. It also started rising to the skies. The temperature it released climbed up rapidly and its light burned with more intensity. At this point, it could be seen from a mile away. Even its warmth could be felt from that distance. The sheer intensity of the sun caused the Archlich to recoil in fear. At this point, the Archlich has sent all of its minions in an attempt to stop Cedric but he still remains safe behind his protectors. It was frustrating how helpless the situation seemed. Moreover, the heat and light of the sun had been eroding at the Archlich too. It released multipleyers of protection to keep it at bay. However, the longer this fight went, the stronger the sun got. The Archlich could feel the hear scalding its body despite theyers of protection it raised. This meant that his spells were starting to lose their effect. Soon, they will be melted by the sheer heat of the sun, and at that point, the Archlich will undoubtedly die. When its thoughts reached this point, the Archlich finally showed some semnce of fear. If there''s anything that the Archlich feared the most, it would be the idea of dying. No ''Archlich'' will reach their current state if they want to die. Their ultimate goal was immortality by hook or by crook. They wielded the power of death in hopes of putting it under their heel so that they wouldn''t be affected by it. Seeing as this was a hopeless case and realizing that it might die here, the Archlich immediately started retreating. "Shit! It''s retreating!" One of Cedric''s squadmates eximed. "Don''t let it! It''s gonna call for backup!" "I''m sorry, I can''t! I''m all out of juice!" "Shit, me too! Anyone?" "Sorry, I barely have the energy to stand. I''m just faking it now." Unwilling. Cedric''s squad mates were unwilling to let this son of bitch goes. How was this okay? This thing came here and threatened their lives, it exhausted them to near death and when it couldn''t find any avenue of winning it would just escape? Just like that? How is that okay? Sadly, Cedric''s team were far too exhausted. Even if their wills burned bright their bodies could hardly remain standing. They endured the relentless assault of the Archlich''s undead minions and were severely spent. "Cheers, loves! The cavalry''s ''ere!" That''s when they heard someone cheerfully announcing their presence nearby. They looked over and saw a man with raven ck hair holding a pair of silver daggers. He threw it in the air and weaved a string of hand seals. As soon as the silver daggernded on the ground, a few more people appeared. One of them was a bald guy who was about 7 feet tall. He had a poleaxe and shield, d in heavy silver armor. "Rx, boys and girls. My name is Elric and this is my team. We''re from the Outer World Expedition Team but more importantly, we are also Senior Students of the Starlight Royal Academy." "You all have suffered enough. It''s okay, you can rest now. We''ll take it from here." Elric gently told them. Then, his countenance changed when he peered at the fleeing Archlich. He clenched his jaws and barked: "Francis, Floyd, Darwin, Erica. Deal with that thing. Make it painful." "Yes, Captain!" The four people he called out immediately moved to execute his order. As for Elric, he stationed himself protectively in front of Squad #1, who all copsed in relief after knowing who they were. As for Erica, she released a brilliant white light that cured the squad''s fatigue and healed their injuries. She then fearlessly knelt down in front of Cedric who was still maintaining the sun and whispered: "Hey." She whispered tenderly as she caressed his face, feeling hurt upon seeing the visible exhaustion on Cedric''s face. "It''s okay, we''re here, you can let go now. You did very well, you''re all safe now. Leave it to us, yeah?" Cedric opened his eyes and raised his head. He gave Erica a charming smile and uttered: "Hi." Before fainting due to severe exhaustion. Chapter 189: Holy Son? -- "How is he?" Chrissy inquired after entering the room. Erica was there, sitting on a chair next to a bed where Cedric was resting. They were back at the safety of the walls. The horde has been dealt with and peace was starting to return. Some bigger things happened in between but that''s none of their concern. "He''s fine," Erica replied, sighing in relief for the nth time. "Just severely exhausted, though he''s recovering pretty quick so he should wake up in a few hours." Chrissy sighed and said: "Poor, guy. How they be so unlucky? As if this mission hadn''t already been troublesome, they just had to experience that. You think this is gonna scar him?" "Hell no." Ericaughed while shaking his head. "The others might, but not this one. He''s too good for that." Chrissy and Erica still remembered when they used to be in his position. Well, they weren''t as unlucky as Cedric - facing a Demon Horde of all things during their mission, but the experience was still eye-opening. As much as they disliked the rude awakening, they can''t deny that it has its merits. After all, they wouldn''t be part of the Outer World Expedition Team if they never experienced it. Additionally, this mission serves as a filter for the freshmen. This is where the true geniuses amongst them are defined. It wouldn''t be surprising if some students choose to turn their backs against this and drop out. Especially considering what happened to this batch. Some students dropping out of the academy can be expected. And while that would cause some eyebrows to rise, no one would stop or chastise them for doing so, not even the Headmaster of the Academy herself. The trauma of a near-death experience was no joke. It will leave a scar that willst until the day they die. They are no longer innocent people. They have seen the true horrors of the world, they''ve seen sights that would give criminals nightmares for days. Nobody could truly me them for walking away from all of this because it is simply too much. While that might be true for other people, Cedric was just different. Erica didn''t believe for a second that these events would stop him. If anything, he would bounce back stronger from this. "Still...that...what he did back there, it was something else, huh?" Chrissy chuckled as she struggled to describe what she felt. "If I wasn''t there to see it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn''t believe it either." "Oh, it''s ridiculous, alright." Erica smiled wryly as she nced at the unconscious Cedric. "After all, who would''ve expected that he could mimic a freaking sun with his abilities?" "That thing rose higher than the Great Wall. Pretty much everybody in the army saw it. I could recall their dumbfounded faces when they saw the darkness ebbed and was reced by a resplendent light. It''s hard to believe a Tier 4 like him could do something that like that, but he did and we all saw it." "He pretty much became a legend with that." Chrissy added in a fond tone. "Ooh, didn''t we have some people from the House of Light here? I wonder what they think of this?" "Beats me." Erica shrugged as she chewed on an apple. "My guess? They''re probably scrambling to make contact with him and invite him to join them. I wouldn''t be surprised if they offered him the position of their ''Holy Son''." The ''House of Light'' is an organization that has been established since the dawn of Superhumans. Their original purpose is to give hope to people by mimicking the sun''s presence using their technology. They are the responsible party for the day and night cycle within the civilization. Using the Lighthouse, they could imitate the sunrise and sunset. However, even with their technology being updated with modern technology, none of their current staff knows what the true sunlight feels like. Still, they have an impressive intelligencework - being arge organization and all, it wouldn''t be surprising if their leaders already heard what Cedric did. Somebody probably sent them a video recording of what happened too. Cedric mimicking the sun with his abilities was clearly in line with their goals. And considering how much potential Cedric has, it wouldn''t be surprising if they were moved. "Sadly, they can''t really make any direct moves on him while he''s a student of the Starlight Royal Academy. The Headmistress wouldn''t allow him to be distracted from his studies. The House of Light doesn''t have any power over and within the academy." Chrissy pointed out. "Yep. Also, I heard that the army has taken a liking to him. The House of Light has some realpetition if that''s the case." Erica added. Chrissy walked towards Cedric''s bed and sat beside him. She nced fondly at his sleeping case before gently caressing his face. "How''s his teammates by the way?" She asked. "All fine. A little banged up and just as exhausted as he was, but alive and intact." Erica replied, "Some already woke up and searched for him. It seems that he had really tamed them well. Anyways, they are alright." "Look at you, so impressive already and you''re not even halfway done with the school year." She murmured, "You''re growing a little too fast, no?" "Right, Knight Captain Foxeye...I mean, Silverwing, wants me to inform him once he wakes up. He looked as if he was in a hurry to wake Cedric up. If I wasn''t here, he probably would''ve done something drastic already, I think. Know about that?" Erica asked. "No. But there''s probably a good reason why. Should we ask?" "Lord Commander Banestar and Ex-Commander Hermit are currently fighting for their lives." A voice suddenly sounded within the room. The two looked over and saw Elric, apanied by the rest of the team, entering the room. He nced at the unconscious Cedric before continuing: "They went on a covert mission and discovered a terrifying plot brewing just outside our territory. They managed to put a stop to it, risking their life in the process. They were injured by a Demon King...at least that''s what we''ve gathered so far." "Okay, and need Cedric for what, exactly? Don''t tell they think he''s a traitor!?" Erica asked in an aggressive voice. "No, not a traitor," Elric replied as he sat down. "He discovered the clues which led to the discovery of that plot. He''s the one who saw the Nightmare Worm during the patrol and what it is doing to the Leylines so in a sense, he''s part of this already." Francis sighed and said: "What a troublesome kid." "That still doesn''t exin why they need him urgently," Chrissy stated with a frown. "Even if he was the one who allowed the Lord Commander to discover the plot, that''s as far it goes. Cedric''s ultimately too weak to be relevant to the whole scheme." "Instead of urgently needing him to wake up, they should be allowing him to rest and reward him for his service. After all, if it weren''t for him, this entire camp would''ve been doomed by whatever plot that Demon King has. So, I really don''t see the point." "Well...I believe only the 101st Battalion could give you an exnation. If you could make them, of course." Elric rolled his eyes at them. "I was just telling you what we knew, no need to be angry at me on behalf of your boyfriend." "He''s not our boyfriend." Erica red and pouted at him. "...yet," Chrissy added. "Nothing official just yet. We''re too busy and have a lot of responsibilities. He didn''t want to pressure us so he never asked." "So y''all did the nasty without abel? Ooh, how kinky¡ªow!" Francis winced as Erica threw a whole watermelon at him. "If that''s all you have to say, get out. You''re disturbing him. If his rest was interrupted I swear I will feed you your balls!" The men collectively shivered upon hearing her threat. Elric could only smile wryly at her overprotectiveness but he didn''t say anything. She knew Erica''s temper the best so he just dragged Francis out of there to leave them alone. He already said what he wanted those two to know anyway. Erica huffed in annoyance after chasing the boys out. Chrissy just shook her head, she''s used to Erica''s temper as well. Silence returned within the infirmary, but it was cut short when all of a sudden, a pulse of energy erupted from Cedric''s body. Erica and Chrissy were rmed, the former used her diagnostic spells but the readings weren''t making sense. Next, they see Cedric sitting up from the bed, it seems like his upper body was pulled by an invisible force when it happened. His eyelid opened and what the girls saw caused their breaths to hitch. A brilliant rainbow radiance swarmed their vision for a bit,ing from Cedric''s eyes. Despite releasing a strong fluctuation of power, Cedric''s gaze was nk. Just as they were starting to feel worried, the rainbow radiance dimmed down, and rity returned to Cedric''s eyes. He blinked, winced, and shook his head before opening his eyes once more. He nced at the room and finally saw them. A trace of recognition appeared on his face before it was reced with fondness and warmth. Cedric smiled and greeted: "Hey, girls. What did I miss?" Chapter 190: Meeting -- Something happened during Cedric''s slumber... He found his consciousness arriving at a certain ce. Where? He doesn''t know. He doesn''t know how he got here either, only that he''s ''here'' somehow. At this moment, Cedric barely recognizes what''s happening. It''s as if he''s half-conscious. His eyes were zed, seemingly distracted by something else entirely. Despite this, Cedric still roamed this ce somehow. He found himself in a vast expanse of white. He stood on a non-existent ground and walked as if he knew where he was going. As he did this, his surroundings warped. Scenes of his life yed out in a panoramic view, it''s like he''s marching in the hall of fame. What''s interesting is that, his memories were the ones ying on the expanse on his right side, on the left was someone else''s. The scenes, albeit containing major differences, also had a strong resemnce. If Cedric waspletely awake right now, he would''ve noticed that the memories ying on the left were from the Godking - the entity whose eyes he inherited. His and the Godking''s memories were ying right next to each other as he walked in the middle. All of their struggles so far, their fortune and tribtions... Cedric''s experiences weren''t as rich as the Godking had, which was understandable considering the differences between their age but they pretty much started the same way - as dregs of the society. When it reached the point where Cedric''s recent memories were ying out, the ones that happened right before he lost consciousness, he stopped moving. He stood still as a humongous rune appeared above and below him, seemingly shrouding heaven and earth. Those runes resembled an eye of so far, and they pincers Cedric''s consciousness in between their humongous sizes. A rainbow-colored light scanned Cedric''s ''body'', seemingly inspecting him from head to toe. Once it was done, silence urred for a brief moment before a great upheaval began. The endless expanse of white erupted into all manner of colors. It swallowed absolutely everything, including Cedric''s consciousness. Space warped multiple times, tendrils of reality weaved, forming all manner of shapes in sizes. This continued until it reached a stage where nothing was making sense anymore. Then, with a snap of...something, all activity paused for the briefest of moments before all hell broke loose. When Cedric''s consciousness re-gathered, he found himself standing in a vast expanse of a universe. He stood inside the neb at the very center of it all, seemingly in control of every aspect of this ce.m "W-where am I?" Cedric stammered as he looked around. He felt the strangest thing. First, he''s unusually calm despite the initial shock. But more importantly, he could truly sense everything around him with crystal clear rity. The silverish swirls of stars were his memories, the mixture of purple, violet, and ck that contained them was his soul, and the neb he was at was his Spiritual Origin - the very thing that made him unique. ''Cedric Stormrider, was it?'' He was rmed by a sudden voice echoing in his ears. He swiftly turned around only to see a blurry cascade of light forming a visage of a person. What left a deep impression on Cedric was the ghost''s eyes. Its eyes resembled the very same pair of eyes Cedric inherited - bright gold mixed with purple veins. Cedric''s eyes weren''t exactly this color just yet but he knew that these little differences represented his real mastery and ownership of these eyes. "You are..." ''...merely a ghost of the past, nothing more, nothing less.'' The ghost replied to his inquiry. ''Who I am before is meaningless now. I am but a fragment of my previous self. I do not hold the same reputation or power as I once had when I was still alive.'' ''A remnant... a spiritual fragment or simply, a ghost, is what I am. You need not be afraid.'' Even though the ghost said these words, Cedric couldn''t help but feel nervous still. How can he be so casual in front of this person knowing who he was? Isn''t this the real owner of these eyes? The Godking that wed his way out of the slums and became a true god of billions of lives? Yes, what''s in front of Cedric was just a tiny fragment of the real one but that hardly makes a difference, especially considering that this person was technically Cedric''s master. ''You''ve done well, so far. I am d that it''s you who inherited my eyes.'' Those were a few simple and sincere words. Yet when Cedric heard it, he couldn''t help but feel his heart swell. A flood of relief washed his entire being. It''s as if a burden he didn''t know he was carrying all this time, was lifted, allowing him to breathe more easily. "T-Thank you." Cedric choked on his reply. As weird as this sounds, he feels really emotional right now. He isn''t one to seek validation from people because he''s used to being a disappointment. All of the achievements he had during the past year or so, all stemmed from inheriting this person''s eyes. Simply put, Cedric was merely lucky. If it wasn''t for these eyes, he would probably be dead by now because there was no way that he''d survive his Hell Dives without these eyes. He knew this too, that he was simply lucky. He didn''t believe for a second that he had truly achieved something noteworthy just yet. That''s why he''s extra harsh on himself and mad at other people who are wasting their precious gifts. Cedric had been working hard to at least feel worthy of having these eyes. And to hear that his efforts have been noticed by the one person that mattered really validated his existence and his efforts. That person also said that they''re d that it was he who inherited the eyes, and that means a lot for Cedric. That''s why he couldn''t help but feel emotional. He felt a cold, yet at the same time warm, touchnding on both of his shoulders. He looked up and saw that the same pair of eyes he inherited were now gazing directly at him. ''As much as I wanted to talk to you some more, I''m afraid that we don''t have much time left. I''ve already overstayed my wee here...it''s time for me to move on.'' The ghost calmly stated. Cedric was stunned and felt sad about this. He then felt a gentle pat on his head before hearing: ''What a kind child you are...I''d love to personally see you grow and reach the same heights I''ve reached before...maybe even surpass it, but sadly, it''s impossible.'' ''If I insist on staying here, I will only be detrimental to your growth. Additionally, my existence isn''t appreciated by this world, after all, I am not its native.'' ''We must part ways here. But before I go, I want you to know that I couldn''t have chosen a better inheritor myself. Having you as a new user of my eyes is not just your lucky chance, but mine as well. So stand tall and take pride in that.'' The fragment of the Godking''s soul stated, causing Cedric to feel warm inside. ''My passing hase.'' He said, ''Don''t mourn for me, you know that I''ve lived well. As myst gift to you, I shall help you be the real owner of these eyes.'' On his words, a brilliant radiance erupted from the ghost''s eyes. A huge maelstrom covered both of them, only, little by little, the ghost''s visage was fading. Cedric lost all sense of the present. Bingpletely immersed in the violent yet alsoforting changes that he''s feeling in his eye-sockets. As he faded, the ghost of the Godking smiled one more time and nodded in satisfaction. He gave Cedric onest look filled with pride as he raised his head to the skies a fadedpletely. ...with that, the Godking was truly no more. As for Cedric, an untold amount of time passed in his immersion. Once he opened his eyes, a brilliant gold radiance erupted briefly from them before fading. Taking a closer look at his eyes, they were now bright gold mixed with faint purple veins - the same look as the real appearance of Godking''s eyes. When his consciousness returned, Cedric couldn''t help but feel a sense of omnipotence. All sorts of insights and knowledge appeared on his mind even without his output. His thoughts were already smooth before but they climbed to a whole new level after this. The ease of multi-tasking also became easier for him. Beyond that, there is a feeling ofpleteness within him that he never knew existed, most likely because, before the recent events, he hadn''t been the real owner of these eyes, just merely their inheritor. Cedric didn''t need to look around, he knew that the Godking had truly left and passed on. Only memories of his remained on Cedric''s mind - things that he would never dare to forget. As of this point onwards, Cedric was now the real owner of these eyes. Deciding that he had rested enough, he willed himself to retreat from this ce and return to reality - where he met a pair ofdies who were looking worriedly at him. Wearing a gentle smile on his face, he greeted: "Hey, girls. What did I miss?" Chapter 191: Help -- "...I see, I''ve been asleep for three days, huh?" Cedric muttered after the girls told him what happened when he lost consciousness. He''s surprised, not because he slept that long but because it''s too short. He felt like he slept for a month at least, but he supposes that the time flow within his consciousness, especially with his encounter with the ghost of the Godking, was vastly different from the real world. His Squad''s fight against an Archlich was known by everybody in this camp. They also saw the sun he made so there goes his low profile too. While they''re fighting for survival, the other squads who were stuck in the same situation as them, actually wanted to rush out and help them. However, under strict army orders, they were forced to return to the base and could only hope that Squad #1 made it. Team Elric was actually the one that rmed the Eastern Army Camp of the iing horde. They returned the same day that Cedric and his squad left for patrol. In fact, it''s the horde that dyed their return. "Are my batchmates still here, then? Cause technically, our mandatory service was over." He asked as Erica fed him some fruits. "They''re still here," Chrissy replied. "All are safe thanks to you. I think Intructor Orion was just waiting for you to wake up before taking all of you...well, us, back to the academy." "Are you sure you feel fine?" Erica asked in a worried tone. "Something happened when you woke up which didn''t make sense to us." "I''m okay." Cedric smiled as he squeezed her handfortingly. "You already used your diagnostic spells on me, didn''t you? And you didn''t find any problems, so I''m fine. In fact, I never felt better." "As for what happened earlier, it''s just a breakthrough of a technique." Cedric lied casually, "I''ve been suppressing it since I wasn''t really in a proper ce to have it safely. But I guess being unconscious for three days loosened my suppression, causing it to happen like that. It''s no big deal, really. I''m fine." Both girls seemingly epted his excuse. Cedric could only apologize inwardly for lying to their faces. Even though these girls were really close to him, he was still ufortable at the idea of telling them his secrets just yet, so he could only do this. Maybe in the future, he''d have the courage to tell them, and hopefully, by then, they could forgive him for doing this. Bam!! The door suddenly swung open, surprising the girls. Cedric wasn''t surprised because deep down, he felt thating. That was weird considering that he doesn''t even have his field of senses on like the usual. And yes, it is not on, not even at its minimal state. His eyes are functioning like normal eyes and it''s tripping him out a little bit. "You''re awake." Silverwing stated as he marched towards Cedric. His face was marred with relied and anxiety for some reason. Cedric could feel that from his in waves. "Yes, Captain Silverwing. Do you require my reports now, or is there something else you need me for?" He asked the fox-eyed captain. "Thetter actually." Silverwing replied. "I know this sounds rude and inconsiderate considering how terrible your time here has been but I really need your assistance on something private...urgently, as well." "Sure, let me get dressed for a bit." Cedric readily agreed as he got off the bed. "Cedric! You just woke up a few minutes ago. You shouldn''t even be standing!" Erica scolded heavily, ignoring the Knight Captain within the room. "Rx. I''m fine. See?" Cedric flexed his muscles without any sort of difficulty, "Not a scratch left or anything. Besides, I''ve slept long enough, I need some exercise anyway. I''ll be fine, don''t worry. Besides, Captain Silverwing will be with me. I trust him." Erica and Chrissy didn''t even bother hiding their displeased gazes towards the Knight Captain - who could only smile nervously. However, his anxiety prevailed more than the trepidation he felt from the girls so he could only ignore them. Cedric wore his uniform quickly. He moved as if he had never been hospitalized from overexhaustion, which was admirable but also weird. Once he''s ready, he gives the girls a kiss on the cheeks before nodding towards Silverwing. Chrissy and Erica didn''t want to let him go but the Knight Captain outranked them so they could only feel dissatisfied. They swore that if Cedric returned injured from whatever it was he was taking him, they would raise hell in the camp. They left the room and Silverwing led him towards the winding corridors. They reached a certain spot in the room that was heavily fortified and secure. Silverwing faced Cedric and said: "I will seal your senses for 5 seconds and take you to where we''re supposed to go. This is protocol, after all a cadet like you shouldn''t even be anywhere near this ce. This is just a special asion." "Understood." Cedric nodded before closing his eyes. He then felt several taps on his body. All of his senses were sealed which felt horrible but to his overwhelming surprise, he discovered that the sealing only affected his vision for a split second before getting resisted. Still, Cedric controlled himself and suppressed the urge to look around. He didn''t want to raise any rms, especially on hisst day here. Still, his vision allowed him to passively see glimpses of his surroundings even with his eyes closed. Silverwing carried him like a sack of potatoes. Had all his senses been sealed, he wouldn''t have known any of this. He took them through winding hallways until eventually, they entered a spacious room. The Knight Captain put him down and tapped his body. Cedric shook and felt the rest of his senses returning to him, but he stayed still. "Ah, ah..." Cedric vocalized, testing if he could speak now since that was also sealed earlier. "May I open my eyes now?" "Yes, yes you may." Silverwing confirmed. Cedric opened his eyes to survey the room, but that''s just for keeping up appearances. He already knew that they entered a privateboratory and saw a patient lying at the very center of the room. The patient was an old man. He looked frail at the very moment but if you look closely, there''s sheer valiance and authority radiating from his body even when he''s unconscious. Unfortunately, the several tubes attached to machines that monitored his health really contrasted with the aura he was releasing. Cedric then saw something that caused him to frown. His golden eyes glowed ever so slightly and he was able to take a closer look. "In front of you, is Lord Commander Banestar of the 101st Battalion," Silverwing announced next to him. "There''s another patient who''s suffering just like him, and it''s Ex-Commander Hermit. He''s in the adjacent room." "When you gave me the reports from your first patrol and the secrets you hid on a rune, I was surprised." Silverwing stated, "I was rmed to discover a Nightmare Worm roaming this close to the walls." "Because of that, I sought the Lord Commander out to make ns. And I showed him your rune. Unlike me though, he discovered your real message. He had seen the way you hinted at the leylines and pieced the puzzle together." "Unexpectedly, you allowed us to uncover a nefarious plot brewing right under our noses. A very good job, by the way." "Deciding that it''s worth to be investigated, Lord Commander Banestar set out to a certain location, dragging Ex-Commander Hermit with him for backup. We had no idea what truly transpired over there, but from our educated guess, both of them must''ve likely met a Demon King." "Sloth..." Cedric suddenly interjected, causing Silverwing''s eyes to widen. "They encountered Demon King Sloth, most likely. But not personally, I think because if they, none of them would return intact...an avatar, a clone, or a relic that has Sloth''s spiritual signature...one of those, I think." "How can you tell?" Silverwing sounded urgent. "My senses have always been special." Cedric replied, "Even more so when I became a Sage. I just had a breakthrough when I woke up earlier so my senses are going haywire." "I could feel the Sin of Sloth eroding on the Lord Commander''s willpower and resolve. He''s holding on, but his body''s deeply affected. He''s mentally awake, but his body''s in deep slumber because of this. I''m pretty certain that this also applies to Ex-Commander Hermit." Cedric had no qualms revealing the fact that he was a Sage here because he knew that the Knight Captains and above already knew. It''s not much of a secret anymore. "You want me to cure him?" Cedric asked the forlorn-looking Knight Captain. "If you can, that would be incredibly appreciated. I promise that if you can at least return his consciousness, you''ll be heavily rewarded. Our 101st Battalion doesn''tck resources." Silverwing readily requested and offered. Cedric rolled up his sleeves and said: "I''ll try my best. I don''t know if this will work right away since this is the first time I''d be doing this, but I promise that whatever I''m doing will never hurt the Lord Commander. It will only help. Is that agreeable with you?" "Yes. Yes, just please try. Our battalion couldn''t be without him." Silverwing pleaded. "Okay, do stand back a little bit." Chapter 192: Healing -- Comprehending and reaching the Sword Heart Realm opened Cedric''s mind to the greater expanse of the world''s mysteries. He had seen what Concept Laws could do before. His insights about them weren''t much but he kept them in mind. Still, the feeling of personally encountering the profundity of Laws just feels entirely different. Now, Cedric understood why they couldn''t be recklessly passed down. The ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡» the very sigil that Cedric chose to be his Sagely Totem, was in truth a Runic Law. The sigil itself is theption of the previous Sages'' understanding of the Sunlight and Sunfire Laws. Cedric had no idea if there had been a Sun Sage before him, but he knew that his predecessorsprehended some insights about the said Laws, despite not seeing what a real sun looks like, andpiled it into an inheritance that only future sages coulde in contact with. In this day and age, it was none other than Cedric. And he has benefitted greatly from their work. Still, Cedric''sprehension was still in its infancy so the things he could do weren''t much. However, if it''s only borrowing the might of the sigil to get rid of a curse, then he''s confident of doing it. Cedric was currently standing beside the unconscious Lord Commander. Silverwing was nervously watching him from the side. His eyes were closed as he tapped into his Sagely Totem, rousing it to activity. As he poured his Ki into it, the sigil absorbed it and released a flood of pure Sunlight and Sunfire, coursing through his body and bathing him with golden light. Cedric looked incredibly holy at this moment. His temperament closely resembled that of a deity. He raised his palms and ced them on the Lord Commander''s beating heart. Cedric''s golden eyes narrowed as he looked at the disgusting shroud of energy that had be visible to him thanks to his eyes'' abilities. This dark cloud of wriggling mass and putrefaction was the manifestation of Demon King Sloth''s curse. With his recent breakthrough, the analytical power of his mind increased along with the upgraded power of his sight. He could tell that this curse was meant to erode a person''s will, forcing them to give up and just sumb to inactivity and stagnation. So much so that it even affects their desire to breathe or to live. And he could also tell that this was just a taste of the Sin''s true power, yet it had reduced an expert of this caliber to this state. Such is the might and terror of a True Demon King. Fortunately, it is not toote. Cedric was here and he could help. Since he was too weak, he wasn''t able to do much in reality. The only real help he could give was to pour what little insights he had of Sunfire and Sunlight Laws to weaken the curse and empower the slumbering Lord Commander''s willpower. The rest is up to the patient. Golden mes flickered into existence and coated his hands. They released a gentle warmth and nourishing brilliance that brought the room alive. Silverwing felt awe as he saw those mes. Even with the difference in their strength, he couldn''t help but feel affected by those mes. There''s an instinctual yearning that blossomed in his heart, apanied by hope and glee. Cedric pressed his palms on the Lord Commander''s chest. As soon as he did so, the dark and wriggling mass flinched in terror. Wisps of ck smoke escaped from the Lord Commander''s orifice. Usually, even these wisps would''ve been harmful to the environment. However, Cedric was there, and his Sunfire burned this residue to nothingness. Still, the source of the curse was strong. As he is right now, there''s no way he''d be able to get rid of itpletely by himself. Fortunately, he doesn''t have to. An passing warmth flooded the Lord Commander''s body, bringing back color and vigor to his entire existence. The curse flinched as if it was hurt, even more so when the domineering aura of the slumbering Lord Commander was roused to activity. As time passed, the Lord Commander''s aura became fiercer. It was heavy and iparably majestic. Usually, a Tier 4 like Cedric (even though he''s an anomaly of Tier 4) wouldn''t be able to endure the weight of his aura. But the Lord Commander was mentally awake since the start of the healing process. Banestar''s aura was only hostile towards the curse, and with the Young Sage''s assistance, he was able to recover and put up a stronger fight against it. With their effortsbined, they were beating the curse. More time passed and the curse''s hold on Banestar was reduced greatly. With thest push, Cedric and the Lord Commanderpletely flushed it out of thetter''s body. It escaped through the Lord Commander''s mouth but was immediately burned by the heat of Cedric''s sunfire. Cough! Cough! Cough! The Lord Commander''s body sat up with a violent coughing fit. Silverwing was immediately on his side, supporting his superior as gently as he could. Banestar spat out a glob of ck slime, which he then burned as soon as it hit the ground. After making sure that not even a trace of it was left, he wiped his mouth and released a relieved breath, resting his back on the hospital bed. He closed his eyes and scanned his body. All traces of Sloth''s curse disappeared thanks to his and the Young Sage''sbined effort. Hell, even the hidden injuries on his flesh and joints disappeared because of the young one''s help. Banestar hasn''t felt this good in years, and he had Cedric to thank for that. "Lord Commander, it''s me Silverwing. Are you okay? Do you need something? Shall I call the doctors?" The Knight Captain fussed. "Rx, Silverwing." Banestar groaned, his throat was dry but that wasn''t enough to dampen his mood. "I''m fine. I just need more rest since I technically haven''t slept for days. Aside from that, I''m as strong as a young bull." Silverwing released a deep sigh of relief upon hearing that. He almost lost the strength to stand up due to how relieved he felt. Banestar then peered at their young helper and saw him sitting down to recover his lost energy. With a single nce, he could tell the vigorous flow of his Ki and how astonishing this boy''s physique was. "Kids are really scary nowadays." Banestar chuckled at his words. He could tell Cedric''s uniqueness aside from his identity as a Young Sage. He wouldn''t ask though since everybody was entitled to their secrets. Besides, this youngster isn''t an enemy. He''s an ally...and maybe this world''s hope in the future. Cedric released a deep breath as stood back up. His eyes met the old man''s so he saluted and said: "Cadet #1 greets Lord Commander." "At ease, Young Sage." Banestar replied, "And thank you for helping out an old man like me. I know that you just woke up from an ident too. Please don''t take it against Silverwing, he''s just a bit anxious." "It''s alright, Sir. I''m d to be of help." Cedric replied. "Uh, I also want to help Ex-Commander Hermit if that''s okay." "...Silverwing, go bring him to the old coward''s room. Don''t worry about me, I''m fine now." Banestar ordered. Silverwing could only follow his orders. He brought Cedric to the adjacent room where Hermit was and Cedric began the process once more. In the middle of the healing process, Banestar surprisingly showed up too. Silverwing was about to scold him for getting up but he was silenced by the old man, saying that they shouldn''t interrupt the young sage''s focus. As he watched the golden brilliance being released from Cedric''s body as well as the golden sunfire. Banestar couldn''t help but feel emotional. That warmth...it''s foreign yet also familiar. He felt a strong yearning for it that he couldn''t exin. Banestar recalled a memory from his childhood; it was of his parents describing to him what the sun looked like and how it felt. His mother was carrying him in her womb the day the sun disappeared. It was a horrible memory for her and Banestar knew that. He never understood the loss that the adults back then felt. He was born without the sun. All he ever knew was the fake one and the dark skies of the real world. But now, seeing and feeling it in the first ce, he finally gets it. It''s crazy how he already felt like this just from a weak version of it. The Young Sage has yet to mature, he was at his weakest right now, yet his abilities were already enough to inspire him this much. One could only imagine what kind of effects this could bring to Humanity once this Young Sage reaches maturity and bes the next pir of their race. Momentster, Cedric also managed to help the old hermit to wake up. Just like Banestar, the old man spat out a glob of ck slime which he burned as soon as it hit the ground. "Yo, Old Coward." "Fuck you, Banestar!" "WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Chapter 193: Service Conclusion -- "...thank you. No, seriously. Thank you. You have no idea how much trouble you saved us from." Silverwing patted Cedric''s back as they exited the private area where Banestar and Hermit were resting. Since the two old men were cured, they only needed a few hours of rest and sleep before they could return to their duties. "You''re wee. I just did what I could. In truth, I only assisted with the process. If they didn''t manage to hold on, even I wouldn''t be able to do anything." Cedric replied. And that''s the truth. The reason behind this sess was still due to those old men being stubborn and having strong willpower. All Cedric did was to weaken the curse a bit, they did the rest. "Don''t underestimate yourself. You''ve seen their state before you arrived. Your presence and abilities were of immense help. Our 101st Battalion will never forget this. I''m sure Lord Commander Banestar wouldn''t be stingy. As I said, we have plenty of resources. Is there anything you have in mind though?" "...I''ll leave that up for you to decide. I''ll be fine with anything, really." Cedric scratched his cheek, feeling a bit hesitant about being rewarded. Truthfully, he wasn''t expecting anything. The experience he gathered from participating in this mission was more than enough. Through the challenges he faced here, he was able to elevate hisprehension to a point where he could now study Concept Laws. He reached the Sword Heart Realm at the young age of 21, making him the youngest Sword Master of this era. Additionally, he also received insights about Fire Laws and could nowprehend the Aspect of the Sun. More importantly, he became the true owner of these eyes. These were more than enough for Cedric. He couldn''t ask for more. These will keep him busy for a really good time. "Ah, that reminds me. I have a question to ask." Cedric was suddenly reminded of something. "What is it?" "May I know what that brown cloud with purple lightning was? Or is that ssified?" He asked. Silverwing''s expression turned solemn for a bit. He then said: "Normally, it would be ssified. But you''re a special case so..." "That''s the follow-up attack of Demon King Sloth." Silverwing continued. "We call it the Cloud of Stagnation. It causes everything to slow down to a halt. And by everything, I meant everything...time, space, thoughts...the longer one is exposed to it, the more it affects them." "It was sent for Lord Commander Banestar and Ex-Commander Hermit. Most likely to finish the job. However, we stopped it just outside of the walls." "But..." "I know." Silverwing cut him off, "The cloud could cause everything to stagnate, yes. But don''t underestimate our walls. It might not look impressive at first nce and not as tall as one would expect but it is made of quality materials." "Each brick used to build those walls is soaked in a solution of concentrated Concept Laws. It was made to withstand extreme harassment and punishment from all types of sources. The Great Wall has more secrets too but you''re not qualified just yet to learn about those." Cedric could tell that much, and from a certain standpoint, he should''ve known. After all, his vision was unparalleled now. Still, looks can certainly be deceiving sometimes and he supposes that it also applies to that wall. ...or maybe that''s the point all along? That wouldn''t be far-fetched either. Either way, Cedric was unqualified to know just yet so he stopped asking. Silverwing returned him to Erica and Chrissy before leaving himself. The girls fussed about him but seeing that he was fine, they rxed shortly after. Cedric continued taking it easy after returning. These past few days had been hectic and a little bit of rxing would help. ** Later that day, everybody was gathered at the entrance of the Eastern Military Camp, the very same spot where their busnded on the first day of their arrival. Orion, whose presence had been extremely minimal during these two weeks, stood in front of them nked by the Knight Captains of the 101st Battalion. He stepped forward with a smile and said: "The past two weeks had been a rollercoaster for you all. You arrived here like abandoned and terrified chicks, shivering like a leaf whenever you feel a cold breeze." "Your eyes were forcefully pried open to the real image of the world. You''ve been beaten and battered to obedience and were reminded of your real ce in front of the real world." "Regrettably, from 200 students, half of you fell in the process. The army and the academy willpensate the families of the bereaved family. Know that this loss pains us just as much it pains them." "For those of you who remained, you are no longer the same person as you were before your arrival here. These changes might vary depending on how you handled the events that transpired here but if there''s a change that applies to all of that remained, it''d be the fact that you''re stronger." "...way stronger than the you two weeks ago." Orion continued. "This much is obvious. You''ve bravely faced horrors that not many people would even dare to look in the eye and you survived. For that simple fact alone, you can be proud." It truly felt simple. Compared to the sheer amount of horrors they were forced to face, simply getting stronger in exchange felt unfair. But that''s just how the world works, isn''t it? They have learned a painful lesson and they survived. They lived to tell the tale. Living is the ultimate reward they could get from all of this. It is simply unfair but to these students turned cadets? They couldn''t possibly think of a better reward for all their effort. A Knight Captain stepped forward and said: "You''re suffering isn''t for naught and we of the Eastern Army Camp, and most importantly of the 101st Battalion, aren''t stingy." "All of you will receive the formal rank of Army Cadets. This rank will give you multiple privileges back at the civilization. You will receive a small handbook containing all the information you need to know to enjoy these benefits." The cadets were stunned upon hearing this news, though their discipline kept them mum. Inwardly though, the majority of them wondered just how much privilege they were talking about here. #5 - Ulfric Hawkeye, was astonished upon receiving the news. The Army Cadet rank is equivalent to a Level 4 System Authority, almost as high as his father''s! This isn''t just limited to social status and potential wealth, this title can also bring prosperity to their descendants! "And for the one person who stood at the very forefront of the storm, facing the numerous responsibilities anding through with sheer grit and willpower...Cedric Stormrider, step forward." Silverwing announced. Cedric was stunned, he blinked and stepped forward to receive whatever it was they had in mind. "To you, who braved the fiercest storm that no ordinary cadets would''ve survived, we bestow you the title of a 1st ss Army Officer." Students who came from a military background were stunned to their core after hearing the honors Cedric received. "Regardless of whether you take office or not, you shall enjoy all the privilege this titlees with. And whatever you do, remember that the doors of the Eastern Army Camp will always be open to you." Silverwing pinned the badge to Cedric''s uniform and patted his shoulders with a smile. Cedric felt warm inside, he then stepped backward and shouted: "Cadets, Attention!" "Sir!" It''s still surprising how they instinctually follow his orders before they can even think. Male, Female, or something in between. Under Cedric''s authority, everybody''s the same. "Salute to the Battalion!" Cedric roared. "HOO! HOO! HOO!" The cadets cheered loudly, shaking the entrance to the camp. The Knight Captains watched this with a smile and thought; ''Yeah, these kids will be fine.'' "Thank you for having us." Cedric bowed. "THANK YOU FOR HAVING US!!!" His batchmates followed suit. "You''re wee, Cadets. And at ease." Silverwing smiled and patted Cedric''s shoulders again. "I, Knight Captain Silverwing of the 101st Battalion, dere that your two-week military service concludes here. Good work, Cadets." "Back to the civilization you go, do well in your studies and never becent." "Wooooo!!!!" The cadets finally rxed and dropped their disciplined act. Now, they are just children (adults really but meh, semantics) who are just happy that their suffering is finally over. Cedric who''s watching this just smiled slightly. He took a deep breath and admitted to himself that he did indeed miss home. He panned his attention elsewhere and saw that the Academy''s flying bus finally arrived. It''s only been two weeks but he felt like it has been forever since hest saw that thing. The Knight Captains already left to return to their duties so Orion was the only one left to handle all of them. "Alright, Students! The bus is here! Gather up and get in!" Orion announced, causing the freshmen to buzz in excitement. "Let''s go home." Chapter 194: Status Update -- [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 21 Race: Human III sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Alchemist 50/100 (Sub) Level: Tier 4 Lv.1 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)... System Authority: Lv.8 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T1 Lv.9 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] Actives: Sword Heart Lv.1, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Lightspeed Lv.80, Dispel (M) Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.130, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.50, Sage Arts Lv.95, Marksmanship (M). Sub-ss Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith''s Blessing (M), Repair (M), Essence Distition Lv.50, Vitality Infusion Lv.50 [Laws] : Sword Law (Beginner), Fire Law (Beginner), Sr Law (Beginner) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 6 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 16, Failure Streak - 0 ** ''Okay, damn! That''s a lot.'' Cedric released a turbulent breath as he studied his updated System Profile. They''ve returned home...well, their home at the Academy. Cedric couldn''t return to his actual house just yet but that hardly makes a difference really. Because they''re no longer at risk of bing the next portals for the Demon Race and they''re back at the civilization where Ac''s authority was the strongest, their ess to the System has been restored. The first thing that Cedric did was to, of course, take a look at his progress. And though he was already expecting it, he was still surprised by how much progress he had made during his two weeks at the Eastern Army Camp. And if his guess was correct, this also applies to everybody. First and foremost, there''s the Sword Heart. The level 99 Sword Intent evolved into a level 1 Sword Heart - which opened the [Law] panel on his System Profile and brought him [Sword Laws]. ** [Sword Heart (Lv.1)] : The heart that yearns for the Sword Path. The culmination of a Swordmaster''s intent, desire, andprehension of their Sword Path. : The Sword Heart allows the user tomune with the Sword Laws, allowing them toprehend and validate their chosen path of the sword. : Increasing the level of the Sword Heart also increases the speed of the user''sprehension of Sword Laws. [Sword Law (Beginner)] : The fundamental truth of Sword Path and the pinnacle of Sword Arts. All roads that start from the Sword ends here. Beginner Traits: Controlled Sharpness : Note! The might of Sword Laws is unquantifiable, though its benefits are the real deal. Sword Intents, no matter how good they are, will never be a match to Sword Laws. ** ''So, [Laws] doesn''t follow the level system. It follows the mastery system instead.'' ''I assume that it starts at Beginner, then moves towards Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and finally, Complete Mastery.'' ''Reaching the Beginner Stage of Sword Laws gave it the Trait: Controlled Sharpness - which is the embodiment of my will: ''My sword will cut those I wanted to cut''. Whenever it advanced a stage, it will gain additional traits, but that will ultimately depend on myprehension...which is where the Sword Heartes in.'' ''The more I increase the Sword Heart''s level, the easier it would be for me toprehend the profundities of Sword Laws and the faster I''d advance the might of my Sword Laws.'' Cedric shifted his vision and highlighted the other things that caught his attention. ''Fire Laws essentially work the same, Sr Laws too...I gained both from finally being qualified toprehend the mysteries of my Sagely Totem: ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡».'' ''The Beginner Trait of my Fire Laws was ''Burning Heat'' - it''s the concept that embodies the burning properties of Fire.'' ''From the Book of Laws - which I now own thanks to City Lord Reiner, I''ve read that it would be the same for everybody. Fire Laws is a Basic Elemental Law. Despite being a Law, there are a lot of people who gainedprehension of it. Of course, theirprehension levels aren''t uniform, but the concepts they need toprehend are the same.'' ''Fire Laws start at the Burning Heat Trait, which was gained at the Beginner Stage. It''s then followed by ''True Fire'' at the Elementary Stage, ''Annihtion mes'' at the Intermediate Stage, ''Life me'' at the Advanced Stage, and ''Immortal me'' at the Complete Mastery stage.'' ''The path has been mapped out due to howmon Fire Laws were. But that doesn''t necessarily mean that the experience will be the same for everybody. They still need to rely on what theyprehended themselves because that would be the most suitable for them. And this applies to me as well.'' ''As for the Sr Laws...'' Cedric blinked and released a deep breath. ''It''s a branch of Fire Laws...a more specified one, focusing solely on the attributes of the Sun.'' ''Sr Laws haven''t been explored as much as Fire Laws have because it is too specific and only a handful of people throughout history gained insights into them. Meaning that I''d have to explore it on my own.'' ''That said, at least I have some clues left behind by my predecessors; the Sages. Theypiled the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡» which I now use as my Sagely Totem. Although it''s iplete since none of them have truly specialized in it, it''s still a great help for me.'' The Beginner Trait he received from Sr Law is called: ''Dawn''. Yes, it''s that simple, and also poetic since Dawn signifies a new start, which could also be described as a new beginning, and he received this trait at the Beginner Stage of Sr Laws. ''Dawn'', from what he hadprehended so far, allows him to generate Sr Fire and Sr Light - the rawest forms of Sunfire and Sunlight,ing directly from the source. Sr Fire burns hotter than Sunfire, Sr Light downright bypasses the Spacetime Laws with how fast it travels, and unlike Sunlight, Sr Light is more concentrated. So much so that it is possible to mold it. Both Sr Fire and Sr Light are more challenging to handle due to their raw properties. However, the deeper Cedric''sprehension bes, the easier it will be for him. Past this point though? Cedric had no idea. Even the previous Sages hadn''t seen what''s beyond this point. It would be up to him to explore that since he chose to follow this road. ''So to summarize, Fire Laws aremon, and the path''s essentially the same for everybody. Sr Laws are a branch path of Fire Laws that''s mostly unexplored.'' ''Sword Laws are more personalized, there''s no mon'' path since it depends on the Swordmaster''sprehension and desires. This also meant that the Traits I''d get each time my Sword Laws advanced a stage would be different from others. Again, this is all up to me.'' Cedric sighed and stretched his body. ''My other skills have also progressed, save for the ones I got from my Alchemy Sub-ss.'' ''Overall, the two weeks I spent there had been productive.'' ''And I also received a ''1st ss Army Officer'' Rank, which is nice.'' The 1st ss Army Officer Rank was essentially equivalent to a Level 9 System Authority - that itself was useless to Cedric, but the real benefit of this rank was the Diplomatic Immunity thates with it. Simply put, besides the Army, no political figures could touch Cedric lest they provoke the ire of the entire Eastern Army - more specifically, the 101st Batallion, who gave this title to him. This makes him immune to almost all kinds of political maniption. Should some idiots even try, he could order their immediate execution because he directly outranks them. His status is no less of a King of the Royal Lineage. ...actually, even Kings would have to treat him with utmost respect because one word from him would eradicate their entire bloodline with no questions asked. That''s the kind of power thates his this status. Typically, 1st ss Army Officers like him need to take office. They usually work as Cadet Trainers or Intelligence Operators for the army but Cedric was a student. The Eastern Army led by the High Marshal, being impressed by his abilities, made an exception and bestowed him this title without requiring any output or responsibilities from him. This is the first time they did something like this and it''s also their way of extending an olive branch to him. Truly, Cedric was one lucky son of a gun. "Hey, handsome..." Cedric heard a gentle and seductive whisper behind him, followed by a stimting touch along his shoulders. He looked over and saw Chrissy smiling at him, her hair was a bit messy and her neck was littered with marks, none of these made her less attractive though. "...no wonder I was feeling a bit cold, you left us there. Come back to bed, yeah? I miss your warmth." Cedric grinned and possessively wrapped his arms around her. He stroked her bosom shamelessly and asked: "10 rounds wasn''t enough for you, hm?" "Nope~" Chrissy giggled, "Thisdy needs more...how about 10 more? That should make up for the time we''ve lost." "Fine." Cedric kissed her and carried her back to the bed, "Have it your way, Princess." Yep, lucky son of a gun, indeed. Chapter 195: Schedule Changes -- ''This feels weird...'' Cedric muttered inwardly as he stared outside of his window. He was sitting on afortable chair, drinking a cup of warm tea and staring at the bright skies above. Even indoors, he could feel the warmth of the lighthouses. The two weeks he spent at the military camp got him used to the dark and gloomy skies that this feels weird to him. And if his hunch was correct, he''s not alone in this. With but a simple thought, his perception swept throughout the entire area where the freshmen students lived and pretty much confirmed his guess. His fellow first years were also weirded out by the brightness of the skies above. They too, got used to the gloomy and depressing skies of the Eastern Army Camp. ''It would take us a few days to adjust to this again. Even then, it''ll never be the same.'' Cedric mused to himself. ''The veil of illusion has been lifted in front of our eyes. It''s up to them how they''ll choose to live their lives at this point.'' ''For now. I''m just d that we''re back.'' Cedric drank his tea and rxed on his chair. sses will resume tomorrow. They returned here on a Saturday evening and today''s Sunday. Cedric has no sses on Sundays so he''s free for the rest of the day. "Kyu~!!" "Kyaaa!! Gosh, you are soooo cute!" Cedric smiled as he heard Erica''s voice behind him. She and Chrissy had been smothering Aurelion with cute aggression since this morning after they met him for the first time. Since they''re back in civilization and are in a safe environment, Cedric could allow Aurelion to stretch his legs in the real world. Spending two whole weeks within the Beast Space made the little murder cat feel stuffy, but he did level up a few times just by eating and sleeping consistently. When the girls saw him, there was an instant sparkle in their eyes. They pretty much never left the little guy alone, following him around the house and watching every single move he made, constantly cooing at his cuteness. Even when Aurelion got annoyed and revealed his true size - which was about a meter tall and 9 feet long, the girls weren''t deterred. In fact, that just spurred them on even more. ''Papa! Bullies!'' Cedric chuckled as he heard Aurelionining in his mind. Yes, Aurelion could speak words to him now. Not vocally, but telepathically. And only Cedric could hear it. That said, his aggrieved expression was more than enough to figure out what he felt. Aurelion jumped into hisp and hid on his shirt, curling against his stomach. Chrissy and Erica showed their faces next wearing pouts as they realized that the little guy was hiding from them. "This is so unfair. Since when did you have a cutie like that?" Chrissy sat on the floor and rested her chin on his legs. "Yeah. I mean, we were gone for 2 months but still." Ericained as well. "Forget about that. What''s important is that you two are scaring him with your cute aggression." Cedric rolled his eyes as he felt Aurelion purring at his warmth. "He might be a baby lion but he''s also a cat. You don''t make friends with cats that way." That said, he can''t really me them too much for acting this way. Aurelion was indeed too cute, especially in his tiny form. ** Cedric didn''t train the whole day. He just spent it resting and rxing because he could. He could afford to do this since it''s not gonna change anything anyway. His breakthroughs were very recent, so he can''t expect progress right away. Thus, it''s fine to miss out on a day. He spent time with Chrissy and Erica the entire day. They too didn''t train. They either watched shows online, ate something, or had sex...lots of sex. The girls missed Cedric a lot and he felt the same, they were making up for the lost time and frankly, the sex they were having was phenomenal so they couldn''t get enough. The day ended like that and Monday arrived. Today, they''ll be back to the swing of things. Being Senior Students, Chrissy and Erica''s schedules were more flexible. They only have sses once a week but it takes up a whole day. Of course, they''d be required to go out now and then but that''s to be expected for Seniors like them. Cedric is still a first-year student, and thus his schedule was a little busypared to them. He attended his Elements 101 ss, the one he shared with Isabe. Their time at the Eastern Army Camp changed her. In addition to that, she saw just how far ahead Cedric was in terms of strength and had an idea of how he achieved it. She no longer saw him as apetitor. Instead, he''s a trustworthy ally, to her and for the rest of their batchmates. He had earned his respect with his actions. By the end of the ss, the instructor of this ss - Michael dius, the old man who''s just as old as the Lord Commander, asked Cedric to stay behind for a bit. "Am I in trouble, Sir?" Cedric asked, confused as to why he needed to stay behind. "Why would you think of that? Silly boy." The old man gently tapped his head using his cane whileughing. "I called you here for a different reason." "I actually saw your performance at the military camp." He said, causing Cedric to feel surprised. "Orion wasn''t just there to monitor you guys, he''s also there to judge your progress and bring back proof." "He filmed parts of your batch''s performance. I''ve seen the majestic sun that you created using your fire. It reminded me of the good old days, thanks for that by the way." "Anyways, that''s not why I called you here." Michael said, "Seeing your performance and your skills, I want to tell you that you can apply for an early graduation from ss directly." "Sir?" "Keeping you here is just holding you back." The old man smiled fondly. "Moreover, it''s wasting your precious time. I can sense the fluctuations of Fire Laws and Sword Laws in you. The fact that you''re already at this stage is astonishing, but it also means that this ss is no longer useful to you." "You''ve learned everything you needed from here and there''s nothing more I can teach you. Fire Lawsmonly appear in our ranks but what weprehend from it differs from one person to the next. From here on out, you can only rely on yourself." "Of course, you can also apply for advanced sses about Fire Laws, but those will only be avable to you once you are promoted to a Sophomore Student." The old man then handed him an envelope and said: "This contains the proof that you''ve passed my ss already. It''s been signed by me and the Headmistress personally. Keep it secure because you will need to show that during the verification of your requirements for your promotion. Understood?" "Yes, Sir." Cedric nodded as he graciously epted the documents and kept them in his inventory (he missed this convenient thing, by the way). "Alright. You can leave. Focus your time on more important things. And oh, meet your instructors for your Etiquette and Field Tactics sses today. If my hunch is correct, and most of the time they are, then they should be doing the same as me." "With that, you could focus your attention on your Sword Path sses because you just arrived at the starting line." He was dismissed by the teacher after that. He didn''t even need to do anything at all, his early graduation was passed just like that. And this also applies to his other sses except the Sword Path. Yes, it also included his Smithing ss. The foul-mouthed teacher practically pped him with the documents he needed but not out of anger. The little man was very happy instead. Well, he wasn''t expecting Orion to film things. What''s more surprising is that he never saw him doing that despite scanning his surroundings constantly. Still, this works for him. Actually, he had been thinking of taking the exams himself because he wanted to focus on his Sword Path but it turns out that he wouldn''t have to. This freed up his schedule a lot. But it also cut off his Academic Points supply. He used to get them by performing really well in sses. Graduating from the sses gave him a final reward of 2000 APs each, so that''s cool. If his Aps turned out to be insufficient, he could always just use Demon Souls to buy things, and he had loads of those. Now that he had a single ss to attend for the rest of his academic year, Cedric felt more at ease. He had more freedom to freestyle his training. After settling that, Cedric made his way to the Sword Dojo where Instructor Uruk waited for him. Chapter 196: Sword Path Dojo -- Cedric arrived at the Sword Path Dojo - the ''ssroom'' where the Sword Path ss takes ce. The very moment he arrived, an intense surge of nostalgia hit him, which was a bit weird considering that he had only been away for 2 weeks, yet to him, it felt like it''s been forever since he hadst seen this ce. Another thing that he noticed was the atmosphere. With the Sword Heart, the overall feel of the dojo changed in his perception. He could sense the concentration of Sword Laws here, it''s chaotic, dangerous, and fiercelypetitive. It felt way different than the first time he arrived here. Back then, he only sensed the sea of Sword Intent, now he could sense the Sword Laws instead. As entered the Dojo itself, he felt an intense and vigorous sharpness assaulting him. It pressed down on him, seemingly attempting to paralyze him. However, Cedric''s Sword Heart seems stirred into activity. It bared its fangs against the iing sea of provocative Sword Energy. Establishing it''s boundaries or politely telling it to fuck off. This reaction was instinctive and it happened without Cedric''s consent. "Hoho..." Cedric heard a familiar voice next to him. "Good, good. Young and energetic! That''s what a Sword Heart should be!" "Hello to you too, Senior Brother Thirdy." Cedric greeted. With the improvements in his eyes, he had seen the guy sneaking behind him so he wasn''t surprised. Were it not for his recent breakthrough, he wouldn''t even feel the guy''s presence at all. Still, Cedric was still too slow. "Wee back, Cedric. Also, quit with the Senior Brother thing, I told you to just call me Thirdy." The cheerful guy slung his arm around Cedric as they walked: "But man, you sure are impressive huh? Not even halfway through the academic year and you already condensed a Sword Heart seed. No wonder the academy made an exception for you." "I''m just lucky..." Cedric replied, wholeheartedly admitting this fact. "Luck is also part of your strength. Just take the damnpliment." Thirdy ruffled his hair and continued: "Anyway, Master is expecting you. Go to him first before you immerse yourself in training." "Thank you for informing me. I shall visit him now." Cedric replied before making his way to Uruk''s office. Since the start of the academic year, this will only be the third time he''s entered the Instructor''s office. First was during his enrollment to this ss, next was the fiasco against that delusional guy who thought that he was a cheater, and finally, this time. "Instructor, it''s me Cedric." He said after knocking at the doors of the office. "Enter." Uruk''s deep, strong, and vigorous voice sounded within. Cedric released a breath and entered the office. As soon as he got in, he immediately felt as if he was transported somewhere else. It was weird since visually, nothing was wrong; the office still looked the same as he remembered it. Nothing was out of ce. However, there''s a feeling of istion here. It''s as if this world was located in apletely different ce. It is also steeped in Uruk''s Sword Energy, even the teacup itself was included. "Sit." Uruk ordered. Cedric felt thepulsion behind his words. It was a subconscious force brought by Uruk''s attainment with the Sword and his unity with the Concept of Laws; that his very words also turned into a Law. If Cedric didn''t have the Sword Heart, he would''ve involuntarilyplied. However, once again, his Sword Heart seed resisted this. Though unlike before, it didn''t bear its fangs against Uruk. It just shook off thepulsive force behind his words. Cedric stillplied though. He sat on the avable mat in front of Uruk and calmly waited. The old blind man faced him after a few minutes. His eyes were closed and his expression serene. Before speaking, he took a sip of his tea. He then opened his empty eyes to look at Cedric before saying: "Nicely done." Uruk praised, "The birth of your Sword Heart seed was wless and natural. It has unlimited potential. Nurture it properly and take your time." "Yes, Instructor." "Your progress is too fast. Normally, this would be a bad thing but to you, it''s different." Uruk continued, "I''ve watched how you trained. I know that you could''ve gone faster but you limited your pace because you wanted everything to be perfect." "You''re immensely talented - not just with the sword but with anything you set your mind on. However, things are only going to get more challenging from here on out." "You have made contact with the Concept Laws - things that not even Ac herself could quantify using her miraculous system. Even if it''s brief, you should''ve sensed just how profound it truly was, correct?" "Yes, Sir. It is...a lot." Cedric trailed off a bit there. He uttered no lies. Concept Laws were too profound. Even his many thought chambers had a difficult timeprehending the initial insights he had and that''s with them focusing on one task. And this isn''t even scratching the surface. What he gained so far was just an initial insight. He has yet to make contact with the real depth of Concept Laws, and because of that, he understood that this will certainly take more time. "A lot is correct." Uruk chuckled as he took another sip of his tea. "Moreover, not even I would be able to determine where your path leads you. This is something that you must slowly explore on your own. The best I can do is to provide you with tools that will help you figure out what''s best for you, the same way I did to others before you." Uruk stretched out his hand and took Cedric''s badge. He pinched it with his thumb and index finger, crushing itpletely. Then, he cupped his palms and molded the remains in between. After a few seconds, he opened it and revealed a new badge, much to Cedric''s surprise. There weren''t many changes in the badge, the only difference is that this new badge also had Uruk''s sword energy within. And there''s a good amount too. Uruk then threw the badge at Cedric and said: "With that, you can now use the Sword Communion Hall and the Sword Collesium. Those are ces that could help you gain insights towards your path." "That badge is also a sign that you are now a proper student of my ss. Your monthly allowance is increased to 5000 Aps per month. Since you achieved Sword Heart before you were 30, you''ll receive a bonus of 50,000 Aps for that achievement." "I know that Thirdy told you this before and that you have a good memory, but just to remind you, your allowance could still increase once you are promoted to a Sophomore Student and beyond. You are doing well, just keep up the pace and you''ll get there." "I see. Thank you, Instructor." Cedric calmed his thoughts. Yesterday, he was feeling a bit troubled since his supply of APs was cut off due to his early graduation but it turns out that he didn''t need to worry at all. With the boons he received just now, he wouldn''t need to worry about his monthly expenditure anymore. "Last but not the least...I advise you to be careful." Uruk suddenly sounded solemn. "Your stunt at the military camp was too provocative. I wouldn''t be surprised if you entered the hit list of the Demon Race if you hadn''t already." "I''m not saying that you shouldn''t do those kinds of things. Hell, I actually want you to improve those moves because they are seriously impressive. But I do ask that you keep it as ast resort." "Within the academy, you can be confident. The Demon Race will never be able to touch you while you''re here. I can''t tell you much but even Demon Kings would hesitate to infiltrate this ce, so you should be rest assured of your safety here." "Out there, on the other hand. You''d be more vulnerable so you must always be careful. The moment you leave the gates of the Academy, your guard must always be up at all times. The Demon Race are cunning, they could use means that not even the army are aware of." "I left a considerable amount of my cultivation on your badge. Enough to repel any idents that maye your way. However, it is limited after all, and I would really appreciate it if it''s never triggered at all. Because if it did, then it means that the demons really wanted you dead." Uruk''s words caused a shiver down Cedric''s spine. He took a deep breath and said: "I''ll be more careful from now on." "Yeah, you do that. But not to the extent that your resolve to kill demons starts wavering. Keeping a low profile and cowardice are twopletely different things." "Don''t worry, with your progress, you won''t have to do it forever. Once you reach the nar Traveller Realm, you can be a bit more reckless. You''ll understand what I mean once you get there." "That''s all I have to say, go back to your training." Chapter 197: Sword Communion? Law Communion? -- Cedric stepped out of Uruk''s office and was greeted by Thirdy. He looked at him...more specifically at the badge he was wearing and said: "Now, that''s more like it. At this point, nobody would doubt your position here." "Mn." Cedric nodded. The new badge he''s wearing felt a bit heavy, not literally but figuratively. Ev after condsing the of his Sword Heart, all that did was to put him at the starting line here. He still needs to catch up so he can''t bect. "I assume you''d be visiting the Sword Communion Hall and the Sword Collesium?" Thirdy asked. "I''d like to take a look if I could." Cedric nodded to him, "Instructor said that those are avable for me now, so I''d like to experice them." "Understandable. Come, I''ll take you there." Thirdy th led Cedric to the Sword Communion Hall first. The ce wasn''t that far from the Sword Tempering Cave and Cedric saw many of his ssmates going there. The Sword Communion Hall looked like a massive temple. It has tall cylindrical pirs painted with and gold. A massive insignia of a sword inside a ptagram could be se at the very top, emitting fiercely sharp fluctuations. The floors were made out of jade tiles connected by a web of cracks that seemed to be prest everywhere within the hall. Upon tering, Cedric felt a wave of foreign Sword Laws sweeping across his body. It didn''t carry any ill intt, just purely chaotic. That didn''t stop him though, so he followed Thirdy deeper. "The Sword Communion Hall was one of the first training areas that was built here." Thirdy began exining, "I actually don''t know who created it, Master said that it wasn''t him and he never really exined. But he is guarding it and allows us to train here." "How does it work?" Cedric asked. "This is just like the Sword Tempering Cave actually." Thirdy grinned in reply to his question. "Well, you can train your Sword Heart there too but it''d be more effective here." "This temple is steeped with all manner of Sword Laws profundities. Nobody knows how exactly it works but by during the atmosphere inside, you canmune with your Sword Heart deeper. The deeper your connection to your Sword Heart is, the easier it would be toprehd Sword Laws." "That said, there are risks involved here. The Sword Laws a here ar''t fridly. They will attack you either physically or mtally so you must be constantly alert." "So, that means we can level up our Sword Heart here?" Cedric asked, just to rify. "Kind of, yeah." Thirdy shrugged, "Figuratively, that''s what happs. However, the Sword Heart doesn''t really work that way. If only it was, oh that would be lovely. It would make it easier to track our progress. However, the Sword Heart and Sword Laws ar''t quantifiable by the Ac system so yeah, no. But if it makes you feel better, th yeah sure, you can level up your Sword Heart here also." Cedric blinked after hearing that. He wordlessly summoned his profile to double check and...yup, still the same: ¡ºSword Heart (Lv.)¡». ''This means that it''s unique to me or it''s exceptionally rare. Well, this works for me.'' Cedric shrugged. He didn''t make a big deal out of it since it''s just advantageous to him anyway. Thirdy said it himself that it''d be nice if their progress could be viewed that way. Cedric obviously didn''t share that stimt since he had it. Just like other ces in this academy, the interior of the Sword Communion Hall was bigger than what it looked like outside. "Again, just like the Sword Tempering Cave, there''s an istion function here so that you won''t be disturbed by others. If you go past that door, it would instantly take effect. Once inside, you''ll immediately be bombarded with the chaotic Sword Laws here. How about it? Would you like to give it a try?" "Can I?" Cedric was surprised. "Of course you can, you''re a studt of this ss now!" Thirdy replied, "However, let me give you some advice. Since this is your first time and you Sword Heart''s still young, don''t spd too much time in there." "One hour per day is ough. An hour and a half at most but no more than that. Sword Laws are way too profound, the insights you receive during your sessions might take an tire day to be fullyprehded and you can''t do it there because you''d be in constant danger." "Wh your Sword Laws reach the Elemtary Stage, that''s wh you can stay in there for longer. Don''t worry, you''ll be informed wh you''re going past your expected time limit. The reminder wouldn''t interrupt yourprehsion either so you can rest assured. You can give it a try if you want to, the Sword Collesium can wait, it won''t go anywhere." "Alright, I shall give it a try." "Cool, I''ll wait for you here. Don''t worry about me, I''m free today anyway. Go, have fun." Thirdy shooed him and gestured at the door. Cedric nodded and pushed the doors op. He felt a force pulling him inside which he didn''t seeing and it was toote to do anything about it. Inside, Cedric found himself standing in the middle of a cosmic space. He could see four massive pirs at his cardinal directions connected by massive links of chains. These chains are also connected to a gigantic sword hanging above. It was so huge that Cedric was only able to its tip and some parts of its de. It''s too close too, giving an impression that it''s aimed at him. The tire picture looked like a massive sword was pointed at a gxy, bound by gigantic caves and pirs that prevted it from destroying the cosmos. It was a majestic sight that Cedric certainly wasn''t expecting to see. His eyes unconsciouslynded on the chains. He felt an inexplicable ssation as he looked at them. They made no movemts but for some reason, Cedric had the impression that they were trembling. "Oh...is this...a visitor? How many years has it be?" The very fabric of spacetime shook as that voice thrummed. Cedric''s tire existce quaked as the power behind that voice mmed into him. Blood seeped out of his lips as he looked a in rm. "Crap, sorry that''s my bad. I should''ve controlled myself. Sorry, it''s be a while since I talked to someone." The voice echoed again, this time though it sounded fridlier and no longer archaic. It also didn''t contain the same force as before. "May I know who''s speaking?" Cedric asked, his voice sounded calm but inwardly, he was freaked out. "Well...who do you think?" The voice replied in a yful tone. "Shit! Wait, don''t leave! I was just ying a. Can''t you take a joke? I''m sorry okay! It''s the sword, the massive sword that you''re seeing is me, the one talking to you." Cedric sighed to calm himself down, but he didn''t leave. Instead, he looked up to inspect the gigantic sword once more. "I''m guessing that this isn''t the Sword Communion Hall anymore?" "Child, I am the Law Communion Sword. The Sword Communion Hall that you''re talking about is nothing but a mask to hide my existce from all the nasties outside. I am the real deal." "If you want to trulymune with the Laws, it''s best to do here. What the others are expericing out there is only a fraction of my abilities. Here is where the real experice happs." Cedric could just hear the smugness and absolute confidce in this voice. "Howe I''m here th?" Cedric asked. "I don''t know." Came the immediate answer of the gigantic sword. "My job is to help humansmune withws better. It''s my creator who decides who though. Seeing that you appeared here, that means you qualified. As for what the qualifications are, well...I don''t know that either. I''m just a sword." Cedric blinked before sighing. He had this impression that he was talking to a child. "Say, can I ask you a question?" The gigantic sword asked. "What year is it now, and who''s the currt guardian of the Sword Communion Hall?" "It''s the year 3034, and the currt guardian is Uruk Silverfang." "3034, huh?" The sword''s voice turned a bit downcast as it uttered this. "Ha! Time...what a concept you are. Unknowingly, a hundred years passed since thest time I had a visitor, yet to me it feels like it''s only a few days ago." Cedric could hear the bitterness in the sword''s voice. "And, Uruk you say? That blind bat? Well...he should be old now since a hundred years have passed, but him? I see, he''s not bad. Sadly, he''s a little too obstinate." Th, the sword''s voice suddly turned colder as it asked: "And what of the Demons? I assume that they''re still out there, spreading their AIDS all over the world?" "Pfft-!" Cedric couldn''t help but sputter hisugh after hearing that colorful description. "AIDS...well, yeah. I''ve just returned from the frontlines and from what I''ve se, it has only got worse." "We have time child...the flow of time here is differt from the outside. If it''s okay with you, can you tell me everything that you know about the world now? It''s be forever since I had someone to talk to, and my sses are limited here." "Sure, why not?" Cedric shrugged, "So, for starters..." Chapter 198: Truth of the Solar Laws -- "...yeah, so basically, that''s the state of humans right now." Cedric concluded his exnation right here. "So nothing much has changed, I see." The consciousness of the Law Communion Sword replied. "Well, that can''t be helped, the legacy and the foundations of the Demon Race are way deeper than Humans." Cedric was a bit stunned wh he heard those words. A hundred years passed since thest time that this thing had someone to talk to, yet ev after hearing what he had to say, the sword said that nothing much had changed for Humanity. For creatures that are inexplicably drawn toward progress, this was bad, wasn''t it? 0 years might not be much for this sword''s consciousness but to Cedric as well as other ordinary humans out there, that is a long time. "Thank you for telling me all this. You''re a good child." The sword told him with a gtle voice. "Since you''re able to arrive into this ce, that means you hold a considerable amount of talt too. Master''s rules cannot be defied after all." "Master?" Cedric repeated. "May I know who this Elder is?" "Master is Master." The sword replied, "This is embarrassing to admit but in truth, I actually don''t know his name. All I know is that he created me and this ce." "Master is extremely strong, notbat-wise...I''ve never se him fight after all. But he did create many wonderful things, my siblings! Most of them are way stronger than me, but they all have died in battle. I don''t know if there''s any left of them out there since I''m not allowed to leave this ce." Cedric tried to recall his stock knowledge but surprisingly, he didn''t find any rted to the person the sword was talking about. The closest he could think of was the Lifestyle Guild''s Leader, but that person was the Tech God. The Law Communion Sword shouldn''t considered modern technology so it doesn''t fit. ''Well, not everything is essible to me anyway. Maybe the idtity of this Master is kept secret by the army.'' Cedric concluded. "I see." Cedric muttered out loud, "Anyways, what can I do here? I originally wanted to test out the functions of the Sword Communion Hall, you see." "I know. Why don''t you sit down and let me exin?" The sword replied, seeing Cedric sitting down, it let out a pleased hum before continuing: "The purpose of my creation was to raise impressive warriors." "Back th, the war betwe Humans and Demons was intse and Humans were losing. Humans lost a lot ofnd that previously belonged to them, forcing them to this one contint. Humans survived only due to Ac''s protection." "The Purgatory is a protective dimsion that Ac created to prevt the Demon Race frompletely descding here. However, Purgatory also weaked Humanity''s connection with the Concept Laws but it''s using the power ofws to fuel its existce." "I was created to remedy that." The sword revealed. "I may look like a sword but in truth, I am but a mere medium for Concept Laws. I can channel the profundity of Laws to my body and express is here, allowing anybody who reaches this ce to safelyprehd them in their rawest form." "Close your eyes and spread out your sses. Don''t be shy, it''s only us here. Demons ar''t aware of my or this ce''s existce." Cedric felt that the sword was telling the truth so he unleashed his field of sses to the maximum. The momt he did so, a swarm of chaotic thoughts flooded his mind, stunning him a bit. Thankfully, his mind reacted to it right away and began deciphering the profound information he was receiving. Cedric saw and felt numerous things; burning heat, unparalleled sharpness, blinding radiance, varying intsities of mes...so on. There were too many things to pay atttion to, each one was equally profound as the other. Ev his evolved perception could only barely keep up with it. Still, it filled him with a wondrous feeling. So much so that he was starting to lose himself in it. "Careful, child. Don''t go too deep, you''d be reduced to atoms if you continue that." The Law Communion Sword''s voice echoed in his mind, returning rity to it. Cedric''s eyes snapped wide op in trepidation, cold sweat poured down his back and his face turned pale. "How long was I like that?" He asked after waking up from his immersion. "Five minutes in real-world time equivalt." The sword replied, "That''s actually impressive. I have se others who couldn''t evst a single minute without sumbing to the depths of Concept Laws. You''re mind and willpower are incredibly impressive for someone of your age." The sword''splimts barely reached Cedric''s ears. Right now, his mind was still reeling with the insights received, ev now his mind was working overtime to decipher everything. Wordlessly, he summoned his sword and began practicing. It was too much for Cedric, he needed release. Bright gold mes erupted from his sword, followed by a distinct fluctuation of sharpness. Cedric wt into a stance, his eyes turned dull as he began moving ording to his instincts. ''Hoho...'' the Law Communion Sword was impressed. ''Mmhm, not bad indeed. Simple yet effective.'' That''s what it had to say about Cedric''s sword techniques. Ev though it was created to be a medium for Concept Laws, the Law Communion Sword is still a sword at the d of the day. And there had be times wh it truly felt that it was a sword, but that''s a distant memory now. ''Also...my isn''t that impressive? So he''s the Sage of this geration, huh? No wonder he''s able to arrive here.'' ''...those gold mes...I see, he adopted the Aspect of the Sun as his Sagely Totem. Not bad. Since the Sun was swallowed by that Demon King, the Aspect of the Sun is the closest to the real thing, it was, after all, created in the Sun''s image.'' ''But this child...his luck is incredible.'' The Law Communion Sword praised as he watched Cedric''s performance. ''He achieved something that will make his path extremely viable.'' ''He gained insights to Sr Laws...the rawest form of True Sunlight and Sunfire. It shouldn''t have be possible because of the Sun''s disappearance and the Purgatory''s side-effects, but he did.'' ''And by the looks of it...he''s now lighted about the truth behind the Sr Laws. Ha! What a ridiculous kid!'' Unknowingly, Cedric practiced his sword for more than an hour before his short lightmt ded. As rity returned to his eyes, he released a turbid breath and kept his sword away. ''I see...so that how it is...'' Cedric muttered inwardly. ''Just like the concept of ''Burning Heat'', ''Sr Laws'' is just a ''concept'' of a much wider Concept Law; which is the Astral Laws - the Profundity of the Heavly Bodies.'' ''The ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡» is iplete. It is created through theption of insights from my predecessors. Because Purgatory was using the might of the Concept Laws to fuel its existce, the previous sages didn''t understand Astral Lawspletely.'' ''The Sr Laws Iprehded earlier barely ev scratched the surface. ''Astral Laws'' are the real deal because the Sun is just a burning star. Within the vast cosmos...it is but an obscelyrge fireball, nothing more.'' ''The things Iprehded just now already surpassed what the previous sageprehded about the Sun. It feels wrong to say this but the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡» bes rather useless to me because it is iplete.'' Cedric wore a helpless expression once his thoughts reached this point. ''But I''m rather reluctant to leave like that. After all, I adopted it as my Sagely Totem. Since others couldn''tplete it, I shall do it. After all, I''m treading this path anyway.'' ''Not only would I bepleting it, I would ev improve it. Because if I couldn''t ev do that, th ar''t I just a failure th?'' ''Just as well, I am a Master Scribe. Upgrading this sigil shouldn''t be too difficult for me. But I will need time.'' Cedric released a deep breath as he returned his atttion to the prest. "I think I''ve had ough. The insights I received will keep me busy for a while, I may not show up for a few days...or weeks ev." Cedric said to the sword. "Oh, don''t worry about me child." The sword replied, "Loneliness is an old frid of mine, I''m used to it." "Will I be arriving here each time I ter the Sword Communion Hall?" Cedric asked. "Depds on what you want." The sword stated, "You were pulled in here for the first time for introductions, it wouldn''t be like that for the second time. You will know how to choose the next time you ter. It''s up to you if you want to be down there or here with me. But obviously, I''d rmding here. After all, here is the real deal." "I see, thank you for telling me that. How should I leave?" "Will yourself to exit, Child. It shouldn''t be too hard." "I guess, I''ll seeter th." "Mn, see you. Be careful and work hard." Just like that, Cedric willed himself to exit the realm. Chapter 199: Sword Coliseum -- "How was it? Did you gain anything?" That''s what Thirdy asked as soon as Cedric came out of the Sword Communion Hall. "What could I possibly gain within an hour?" Cedric humorlessly lied, "Sword Laws are too profound, I''ll need more time. Besides, I hav''t digested everything I''ve gained since my breakthrough. I''d need to settle that first before adding more." "That''s reasonable." Thirdy nodded, "Okay, shall we go to the Sword Collesium th?" "Yes, please." Cedric nodded. In the d, he didn''t tell Thirdy about his weird counter with the Law Communion Sword. If there''s anything he could talk to about it, it''d probably be the Instructor only. Ev th, from what he heard about the sword, Uruk didn''t qualify for the true Sword Communion Hall so whatever he could tell about it to Cedric might not be as much as he knows now. ''I''ll deal with itter.'' Cedric mused. Just like the Sword Communion Hall, the Sword Collesium was just nearby, they didn''t have to go that far to arrive there. True to its name, it is a collesium. A fairly sized one. It''srge ough to contain at least 500 people at once. "The Sword Collesium is where we Swordsm fight." Thirdy exined after they tered the ce. Cedric immediately saw a couple of people in the audice, the majority were his ssmates. In the ara, he saw two people facing each other; a man and a woman. "The easiest way to hone our skills is through battle. I''ve told you this before but fights are fairlymon here. Well...sparring is the actual term but meh, semantics. In here, you can either challge your fellow ssmates or challge the Alumni Phantoms to test your skills." "Alumni Phantoms?" Cedric asked, this was the first time he heard those words. "Yes, Alumni Phantoms," Thirdy confirmed. "Each person who graduated from this ss definitely wt here at least once. The Sword Collesium remembers every fight that happed in it. It records everything it knows about us and creates a memory that others could challge in the future." "It could ev stimte your pottial future, creating a version of you from the future for others to test their skills with. Usually, it''s those graduates that you''d see there, but excessively talted studts could leave their phantoms early." "I see." Cedric hummed. "It looks like we came at a great time too. Aurora and Roran are fighting today. Hurry, take a seat, and watch. You''d gain a lot by watching them." Thirdy urged as he too found a seat to take. The dude ev took out some finger food from his invtory to munch on. Wasn''t he being a little toofortable? Aurora Swiftde of the ''Shadowless Razor Sword Heart'' and Roran Bloodsteel of the ''Blood-letting Sword Heart''... Cedric heard these names before, they were respectively the 5th and 4th ranking studts of this currt ss. They are strong, that much was obvious. "I literally could be anywhere else right now, yet you just had to ruin my day." Aurora''s cold voice echoed in the ara as she held her sword. Aurora was a beauty, and the displeased expression on her face didn''t eve close to ruining that. If anything, some would ev prefer being stared at by her with that expression. Cedric could tell that much from the faces of the people a him. Meanwhile, her oppont - Roran Bloodsteel, just wore a rather cocky smile on his face. He''s handsome too, butpared to Cedric, he has a long way to go. "It''s not my fault." Roran replied to her, "If only you were behaving, I wouldn''t have done it. But you just have to do something like that, how could I possibly let you be? You need to be punished." Cedric didn''t miss the way Roran obscely licked his lips as he stared at Aurora, but that''s not the kicker here. It''s Aurora''s reaction to those words that surprised him greatly. She didn''t show it deliberately, but how can it escape Cedric''s absurd sses? Aurora might look cold and disgusted outside but inwardly, Cedric could tell that she was incredibly delighted. Cedric winced because he could literally smell her arousal from where he was seated. That said, who was he to say anything? Whatever kink-y that''s happing here has nothing to do with him. "Hmph! Disgusting. Stop looking at me with those eyes. It''s creeping me out." Aurora admonished, but she''s not being honest at all. "Oh, shut it. I know you love it wh I''m like this." Roran sneered at him, and Cedric could sweat he saw her quivering in delight every so slightly. "...really, in broad daylight? Damn, that''s crazy." Cedric muttered in disbelief. "What is?" Thirdy asked, looking clueless. "Nothing." Cedric replied. Again, this was of his business so he better keep his mouth shut. "If I win..." Roran dered, "...you''reing home with me. If you win, I''ll follow your orders for an tire day. Deal?" Aurora''s eyes shed briefly. She th let out a snort and said: "Deal! Just as well, you''ve be sitting in the 4th ce for far too long. It''s time to have some changes a here." After epting the terms of the bet, a countdown appeared above them. Both contestants summoned their swords and released their fighting spirit. Aurora''s body suddly erupted with invisible force. Upon closer inspection, Cedric discovered that the winds a her turned into apressed vacuum. This vacuum also shrouded her sword, making it invisible. The strgth she''s releasing causes her clothes and her to billow out. On the side, Roran was shrouded in a deep crimson shroud that resembled blood. His eyes turned red and his sword started dripping with acidic blood. His armor became stained with blood and his killing intt skyrocketed. Once the countdown ded, both of them disappeared from their previous positions and met at the cter. Measure for measure, steel against steel...Aurora''s invisible sword shed with Roran''s bloodstained sword, emitting explosive sparks from contact. In terms of raw strgth, Aurora knew that she couldn''tpete with Roran, that''s why she didn''t linger too long in this initial sh. With a twist of her wrist, she swerved the force she received towards the side before twisting her delicate body to deliver a rather nasty strike from a weird angle. Additionally, the vacuum a her moved in ordance with her will. Her stab was apanied by vacuum shesing at all undefded angles. However, this wasn''t the first time that Roran fought against her. He''s aware of her insane flexibility and opportunistic swordy. In response to her attacks, blood coagted and turned into shapes before harding to defd against her attack. Meanwhile, he moved his sword to block her stab,pletely during the force behind him. He''s physically stronger than her but she aims at the squishy parts so he had to be alert. After another sh, Aurora once again swerved and increased her speed. She turned into a blur of motion that was hard for the naked eye to follow. Her presce waspletely masked and she was not making any sound at all. She ranps a Roran, which would normally cause her opponts to panic. But like what was mtioned earlier, this isn''t the first time that he fought against her. ''She just doesn''t learn her lesson. No wonder she could never defeat me. Or maybe she''s doing it on purpose. After all, this whole fiasco is her tire doing. God, she''s lucky I like her.'' Roran groaned inwardly as he brandished his sword. He stabbed it onto the g which was followed by an excessive discharge of bloody substance. Within seconds, a dome of blood-red skies with rivers of blood and mountains of corpses appeared within the ara with Roran at the cter. "There it is, Roran''s Blood Asura Domain!" Thirdy excitedlymted. ''Domain.'' Cedric muttered. A Domain is a forcefield that only those who tered the Intermediate Level of their Concept Laws could use. It is the manifestation of their will and fighting spirit giv form. Theirprehsion of Concept Laws - the very forces that make up all creation, allowed this to happ. Within their Domain, the user was a hegemon. Aside from additional effects, their overall strgth is doubled inside their domain. The only way to counter this is by having a domain of your own or exploiting its ws. Roran''s Domain made Aurora weaker and ufortable. She inevitably slowed down because of the pressure and also the sticky blood that was taking hold of her. She tried fighting it off but she couldn''t. She''s not fast or strong ough to outrun the influce of his domain. Her vacuum was also turned useless here. Slowly but surely, the blood a her crept into her body and immobilized herpletely. That''s wh a fountain of blood erupted behind her, revealing a blood-drched Roran who snaked his arms a her waist and pressed the de of his sword to her neck. He leaned close to her ears and whispered: "Yield." "Ugh, fine! I yield!...stupid gross domain! Hmph!" Aurorained after surrdering. "I''m gonna make you regret those wordster." Roran scoffed next to her before dismissing his domain. He th carried her like a sack of rice and disappeared from the ara, leaving the audice somewhat stunned. Chapter 200: Insights -- ''That wasn''t ev a fight...I''m pretty sure those two were just flirting.'' Cedric''s expression was clouded as he realized this. ''It''s undiable that they''re strong, but the match just now was disgraceful. I''m also pretty sure that it''s the girl''s idea. Oh well, whatever. Everyone has their own thing...I should just focus on mine.'' "What a pity for Aurora." Thirdy who''s sitting beside him stated, he slurped thest of his drink before continuing: "She hasn''t reached the Intermediate Stage of her Sword Laws yet, if she did, th she''d have a Domain too. Maybe she''d be able to put up a more challging fight against Roran." ''Goodness gracious, he''s really clueless.'' Cedric muttered inwardly as he heard Thirdy treating the match seriously. Thirdy th looked at him and asked: "How about it? Would you like to experice this ce as well?" "How would that work exactly? Do I just walk up to someone and challge them into a fight?" Cedric asked in return. "That''s an option...but there are cemt matches that you''d have to go through first." The sior studt replied. "cemt matches?" "Mn." Thirdy nodded, "cemt matches are there to determine your currt rank amongst the studts of this ss. You''d have to fight Alumni Phantoms. Each is adjusted to your strgth before and during the cemt matches." "That means that if the initial judgmt of the coliseum was wrong, either because you were defeated easily or won easily, the intelligce of this ce will adjust the level of your next oppont depding on what you''ve disyed." "...after the cemt matches, I get to challge my ssmates?" Cedric asked. "Yes. Or, they will challge you." Thirdy replied, "See that stone Steele over there?" Cedric followed where he was pointing and nodded at him: "...that''s the Ranking Steele. It disys the currt ranking for studts. You''re not there yet since you hav''t finished your cemt matches just yet." "I told before that this ss works a little differtlypared to other sses, right?" Thirdy asked, to which Cedric nodded, "It applies here too. If you want to acquire more resources to make yourself stronger, you must climb the rankings." "The pair just now; Aurora and Roran...respectively, are earning 5,000 and 30,000 APs monthly just by being in the top 5 of the rankings. And that''s outside of the other achievemts they get. To challge them, you need to make a bet. Winner takes all including the rank they have." "That''s how inctives work here, so staying low-key isn''t advised because that won''t bring anything to you other than anonymity." Cedric nodded at this exnation. The inctives for fighting sound incredibly gerous...and maybe it is, but that''s under the assumption that you win. And winning isn''t that easy, especially against those freaks. They are too expericed and too strong to go down that easily. "I won''t take the cemts matches for now," Cedric said after a brief deliberation. "I still need to digest everything from my rect breakthrough." "...up to you, th. Anyway, since these are the only two ces that have be unlocked for you, my assistance ds here. I''ll go and joy the rest of my day off th, see ya!" After saying that, Thirdy immediately left. Cedric could only smile wryly at this. He too left the Sword Collesium since he didn''t n on taking the cemt matches just yet, but he didn''t leave the ss just yet. Instead, he wt into the Sword Tempering Cave to practice. While it''s true that he won''t befit from this ce anymore because he now has a Sword Heart, it''s notpletely useless to him. Previously, he stopped at the 3500-mile depth of the cave. Upon his return, he rushed all the way to the 5000-mile mark which was halfway through the maximum lgth of the cave. This depth was fine with him, the razor-sharp winds couldn''t hurt him at all because his Sword Heart and the Sword Energies a him were pott ough to stimte his mind. Here, he stopped to sit down and digest the gains he received from the Sword Communion Hall. He oped his profile and nced at the [Law] section. He discovered that the ¡ºSr Laws¡» he previously had changed into ¡ºAstral Laws (Beginner)¡». The Beginner Trait he received from it changed too. Previously, it was called ''Dawn''. Now, it has turned to ''Astral Gesis''. ''Astral Gesis'' allows him to harness the power of the Heavly Bodies. It allows him to absorb Astral Energy - a raw ergy source that''s produced Heavly Bodies. It also allows him to understand how the stars are born and how to mimic that. There is still a lot that he doesn''t know about it. Astral Laws are incredibly profound, especially since it hasn''t be studied by people since the Dawn of Superhumans. Additionally, because of the world''s state, especially with the leylines damaged, this world doesn''t produce ough Astral Ki for Cedric to make any reasonable progress. If he wants to convert all of his Ki to Astral Energy, he needs to do so in the real Sword Communion Hall. There, he''s connected to the gxy and can absorb as much Astral Energy as he wants. The only problem is that once all of Ki had be converted, there was no way for him to recover Astral Energy aside from absorbing it from the world, and that would be extremely slow giv the world''s currt state. ''Focus, Cedric. Don''t think too far ahead. Focus on the prest. Master the first trait first, th think about the rest.'' Cedric took a deep breath and focused his efforts on digesting his gains so far. Because of the stimtion of the vironmt, hisprehsion was slightly boosted. Truthfully, he could''ve done this at home. However, because Cedric wasprehding Concept Laws, it will inevitably affect his surings. Just by sitting there, the space a him was warping. A gtle light appeared on his body yet despite its weakess, it burns hot...hotter than normal mes. Sometimes, a violet shroud would flicker to existce a him. Sometimes, Cedric would promptly disappear. The Astral Gesis trait of the ¡ºAstral Laws¡» represts the beginning concept of saidw. Astral Gesis refers to the birth of Cosmic Bodies; stars,s, sr systems, and the universe...this trait not only gives Cedric the ability to absorb Astral Energies, but it allows him to mimic the very birth of a star provided that he understands how to do it and he has sufficit ergy for the task. Stars,s, sr systems, universes...all of them are a part of the Astral Laws but their creation differs from one another. Astral Laws also contained the essce of the Basic Concept Laws, Gravity Laws, Space, and Time Laws as well; each is considered a profound Concept Law of its own so in a way, Cedric also had to understand those too before he got the whole image. And this is just the beginning. Cedric''s barely scratching the surface here. Ev with his absurdprehsion level, it would take a lot of time to digest all of this. The funny thing is that Cedric came to the Sword Communion Hall to understand Sword Laws better, yet he came out knowing more about Astral Laws than Sword Laws. Well, the Law Communion Sword isn''t biased towards any particrw anyway. But others have no way of knowing that. If he wants to stay in this ss, he also has to pay atttion to his Sword Laws - which will prove just as challging as the Astral Laws since there are no guides avable to him. But Cedric believes that he could do it. The Godking believed in him and deemed him a worthy inheritor of his eyes. If that kind of existce believed in him, th it means that he''s capable. It will take time, yes. But he''s willing to put in the hours to achieve his goals. Cedric digested his gains for three whole days, staying in meditation within the Sword Tempering Cave for that long. Nobody disturbed him since he was safe here. Wh he oped his eyes, instead of rxing, he immediately practiced his stances. The insights heprehded earlier must be integrated into his Swordsmanship. With the Basic Sword Technique as its base; which Cedric practiced and mastered diligtly, he added the things he learned from his rect breakthroughs. As he practiced, Cedric''s swordsmanship slowly transformed. With a gtle swing of his sword, he could leave a gash on the suring space. A sweep of his sword could cut hills and mountains, a sh could bisect rivers and oceans... Every movemt of his sword was gtle yet vigorous. It was an art...a real Sword Art, one that belonged to him and only him. Cedric''s eyes shone brightly as he could feel his Sword Heart releasing pleased hums as he continued his performance. This was just the beginning. He hasn''t ev stepped into the real profundities of thews he learned rectly yet he already transformed this match. He would continue practicing this at home. For now, it''s time to return and spd time with the girls before they go on another mission. Chapter 201: 1st Year end -- - Several Months Later - ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 22 Race: Human IV sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Educator (Sub) Level: Tier 5 Lv.9 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Tamer (+6)... System Authority: Lv.9 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T5 Lv.6 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] Actives: Dispel (M), FTL Movement Lv.10, Meteor sh (Elementary), Sunset Cut (Elementary), Heaven Extinction Sword (Elementary), shing Steel Sovereign (Intermediate), Sr re (Intermediate), Sris Gtine (Intermediate), Passives: CQC Mastery (M), Intermediate Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.150, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.70, Sage Arts (M), Marksmanship (M), Sword Heart Lv.10 Sub-ss Skills: (Omitted...) [Concept Laws] Laws: Sword Law (Elementary), Fire Law (Elementary), Astral Law (Elementary) Concepts: ughter Intent [Law Traits] Sword: Controlled Sharpness, Favored Enemy Fire: Burning Heat, True Fire Astral: Astral Genesis,ary Formation Unique Trait: ¡ºAspect of the Sun (Mastered)¡» [Domain]: None [Equipment] Weapon: Sris Edge (T9 - Legendary/Growth) Armor: Star Sage Set (T9 - Legendary/Growth) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 8 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 36, Failure Streak - 0 ** It has been a year since Cedeic enrolled at the Starlight Royal Academy... Within this short year, he had experienced heaven-defying changes. If he were to face the version of himself beforeing to the academy, he''d win so easily and with a hand behind his back, that''s just how absurdly strong he has gotten. Hell, if he went all out, who''s to say that he wouldn''t be able to put up a decent fight against a nar Traveller? Still, even with this many changes in him, Cedric still flew under the radar...as best as he could at least. He disys enough talent worthy to be the #1 of his batch, but he purposedly started holding back more and more. He gave out the impression that his explosive progress was slowing down, and that''s allowing others to catch up to him. Still, his position remains unshakeable, especially with his previous feats. The only people who knew just how absurdly powerful he had gotten were Uruk and most likely the Headmistress of the Academy - whom he had never seen yet. Ironically, a blind man could tell the truth about Cedric but Uruk isn''t exactly a normal person. Even though Cedric had been learning from the man for nearly a year now, he still couldn''t tell how strong he was. Uruk looked so in that it was almost deceiving. Even when Cedric became the real owner of Godking''s eyes, he still couldn''t see through all of him. Whatever...just be thankful that he''s an ally and don''t pry anymore. His Profile Page has experienced changes along with his growth as well. Because he had mastered a handful of sub-sses now, his sub-ss-rted skill list became longer and it''s cluttering up the page so the system omitted itpletely. They''re not gone, they just won''t be on disy unless Cedric specifically wants them to show up. His race has been upgraded again once again but only when he reached Tier 5, the bonuses increased considerably after the upgrade. His System Authority increased from Lv.8 to Lv.9 - which is the peak avable for a regr citizen like him. Aurelion''s growth still remains impressive. He''s on the same Tier as Cedric in terms of the power chart, but because he''s a unique existence, Aurelion could tussle with a Tier 9 expert easily. Cedric also learned many active skills...well, created, more like. He hadpletely attuned to his talents, especially after making contact with conceptws. With ess to numerous Sword Techniques - due to being a student of Uruk, he had numerous references to make his own techniques. Cedric even managed to unlike Faster Than Light speed, evolve the Lightspeed movement skill to FTL Movement. His Sword Heart was now Lv.10, which allowed him toprehend Sword Laws 10% faster. It''s quite difficult to level up but that''s to be expected. Increasing hisprehension and mastery over his conceptws was just as difficult, but the rewards were worth it. In fact, a huge bulk of the drastic increase in Cedric''s overall strengthes from these. The skills he created utilize the power of conceptws that''s why they''re strong. Unfortunately, he''s still far fromprehending a Domain. After all, none of his conceptws reached the Intermediate Level yet. Reaching the Elementary level of Astral Laws did allow Cedric toplete the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡», while it''s still impossible for him to create an actual sun out of nothing due to the limitations of his strength, he had all the necessary skills and insights to replicate it at the very least. Also, Cedric has fully converted his Ki to Astral Energy. This caused his ''Elementary Sage Physique'' to evolve to ''Intermediate Sage Physique'' - allowing his vessel to essentially ''expand'' and contain more energy. He''s still practicing the [White Lotus Core Technique], the only difference is that he''s using Astral Energy instead of Ki. He also fixed the dilemma of Astral Energy scarcity after heprehended the first trait of Astral Laws; Astral Genesis,pletely. He could now produce his own Astral Energy to replenish his reserve. His profile also now disys his Equipment, this happened after he created his first magnum opus; the [Star Sage Set]. Remember the True Demon Bone he got from the Broodmother during their time in the army? Yeah, he used that to create his armor. Of course, it''s not entirely made out of True Demon Bone, he used all sorts of materials like rare ores, alloys, etc. He even nearly emptied his APs to buy them since they were very expensive. However, the result was worth it. He crafted an armor set that he could nourish and could grow stronger with him. The [Star Sage Set] consists of arge chest piece,bat skirt, arm and leg bracers, as well as an inner chainmail, greaves, and a helmet. The armor set has a faint spirituality like Sris Edge, but not intelligent just yet. Cedric was nourishing it within his body, it was absorbing a bit of his Astral Energy just like his sword to make it stronger day by day. Due to the potency and quantity of Cedric''s Astral Energy, the armor and the sword''s growth exploded, allowing them to reach Tier 9, but it seemed that there was a bottleneck right there because something was missing. Anyway, he''d figure it out eventually. Time''s on his side after all. Besides, there''s an important thing that he had to focus on for this day. ** [Title: Promotion Exams] From: Starlight Royal Academy : Good day, Freshmen! It hase to our attention that a whole year passed since you joined the Academy. We hope that by now, you''ve already adjusted to the life here. : The Teacher''s faculty gathered all of your report cards and deliberated upon your progress. We are d to say that your batch''s results have greatly impressed us and we deemed the majority of you ready to take the Promotion Exams. If you pass this, then you will be a Sophomore Student of our Academy and gain more ess to our facilities! : Because of our unique way of teaching, we don''t mind if you fail your first attempt. You have a total of five attempts to be promoted. Only after exhausting all of those chances will we talk about your future with us. That said, you can also elect to save your chances and make an attempt next year instead. The exams aren''t mandatory, only highly suggested. : If you''re feeling confident about your chances, why not go ahead and take the promotion exam? To pass, the requirements are simple... Must have a passing grade for all enrolled subjects Must reach at least Tier 4 Lv.5 Must reach the 3rd Stage of any 2 Zodiac Trials : No need to register! So long as you see your name amongst the eligible candidates for the Promotion Exams, all you need to do is to gain the requirements. We will know once you have everything and once we do, you are promoted to a Sophomore Student! See? Isn''t it simple? We are looking forward to your performance. Take care and good luck! Ps. The list of Freshman Students eligible for the Promotion Exams is attached to this file. ** "It''s that time huh?" Cedric mused as he rested in his room. He opened the attachment and to nobody''s surprise, he saw his name at the very top. Cedric already cleared the 1st and 2nd requirements. All of his other sses except for the Sword Path have been passed, he already graduated from them several months ago, gaining the highest grades possible. The Sword Path ss is unique since normally, only Sophomore Students can enroll in it, but since Cedric was an anomaly, an exception was made for him. Thirdy told him that this ss wouldn''t count for the promotion exam requirements. And even if it did somehow, Cedric need not worry since he''ll definitely pass. Additionally, he''s a Tier 5 Lv.9 Superhuman now so that settles the 1st and 2nd requirements. "...the Zodiac Trials, eh?" Cedric mused, "Might as well check it out now, I''m free anyway." Chapter 202: Zodiac Trials -- The Zodiac Saints... They''re a group of legendary people who maderge contributions to Humanity''s survival... A few examples would be: the Aquarius Saint discovering a way to cleanse the putrid rivers of Azure Terra, making it safe for humans to consume. The Cancer Saint developing a cure for a Demonic gue that killed millions of civilians and Superhumans. The Capricorn Saint preserves Azure Terra''s nature. And the 1st Leo Saint who broke through the nar Traveller Realm, the first one to do so and inform Humanity about it. And these are just to name a few. Some saints had multiple achievements throughout their lives and each one is just as valuable to Humanity as thest. Cedric never had a direct connection to the Zodiacs before. In fact, he only knew they existed thanks to his System Authority being high, allowing him to gain ess to their biography. Well, there was one time that he had an encounter with one, even then it wasn''t a direct involvement. Back at the ck Thread City, he discovered a cult base, and apparently, members of that particr branch hate the current Leo Saint. This was as far as he knew though. Cedric had other things on his te so he didn''t pay much attention to these people. Now, he kind of has to, especially because he''s about to take the Zodiac Trials - something that the Zodiac Saints left because apparently, they''re alumni students of this academy as well. The Zodiac Trials could be found in the Astral Observatory...a ce that Cedric hasn''t visited before for some reason. During their first day here, Orion gave them a tour and brought them here. However, they didn''t go in, he just brought them to the entrance to show it and then moved on. It''s not like he hadpletely forgotten about it. He just didn''t see any reason toe here since he had other ways to increase his strength and earn academic points - things that the trials provide for their challengers. He heard some people from his batching here to train but Cedric mostly ignored it because, once again, he was too upied with his stuff. The Astral Observatory was arge and stocky building with a domed ceiling. Upon arriving here, Cedric could see a couple of people going in and out of the building, most likely challengers of the Zodiac Trials as well. He also saw a couple of his batchmates here and there, they nodded at him in greeting - which was how it had been since their time at the army, Cedric''s image became well-known to them after all. The guardian asked for his credentials so he showed it, after that he was allowed entrance to the building. Once inside, he immediately saw how this was gonna go. Looking above, he saw several stained ss portraits of Zodiac Symbols. The dome-shaped ceiling was equally divided into 12, each panel depicting a certain Zodiac Sign. The interior of the building was circr as well. Overall, think of a half-capsule shape divided into 12 equal parts. At the very center, there''s a podium and a stand. On top of that stand, there is a stone tablet with words carved on its surface. Cedric was drawn to that so he went there first. The stone tablet contains the rules and regtions of this ce. Nothing surprising, just the usual; no fighting allowed, no cheating in the trials, no littering, etc. The tablet looks old though, probably created during the foundation of this academy, that''s why it''s preserved like this. There were no hints avable for the contents of the Zodiac Trials. Cedric figured that he could probably ask Chrissy and Erica about it, but where is the fun in that? Cedric has been observing his surroundings. Through that, he learned how to enter the trials. But the question is...which one does he pick? ''Hmm, why don''t I give each one a try? There are no rules against that. That should give me an idea of which one to pick.'' This idea sounded good to Cedric so that''s exactly what he did. He walked up to the Leo Sign corner and closed his eyes. The System''s emotionless voice echoed in his mind, asking him if he wanted to enter Leo''s Trial and he responded yes. He then felt himself being transported somewhere else. When he opened his eyes, he discovered that he was standing on a peaceful prairie and there was a phantom standing not too far from him. Above him, the system window appeared. It disyed the contents of the trial, and Leo''s Trial was: [Struggle with Leo: Meet the 1st Leo''s Phantom in a sh of steel and push him back. You have 30 minutes to do so.] After reading that, Cedric''s gazended on the Leo''s Phantom. Even though its features were mostly obscured, Cedric could fill out the rest. This phantom takes after the silhouette of the 1st Leo Saint - a 7-foot-tall man with bulging muscles and, most likely, dark-skinned. His upper body was bare and covered with all sorts of scars. He had long wild hair that nearly reached his buttocks and he was wearing loose pants while holding a poleaxe. Cedric could feel the aggression emanating from this phantom. He isn''t one to stereotype but this one was too obvious. Abat nut, just like Garrick, of course, his trial would be strength-based. Sighing to himself, Cedric took out Sris Edge. He didn''t bother putting on his armor because it wasn''t necessary. He epted the challenge and a countdown started. Once the countdown was over, what followed with a quick exchange. The 1st Leo''s phantom charged towards him with his poleaxe raised. Cedric remained on his spot and received the blow without so much as a flinch. He used a single hand to hold his sword and when their steel shed, sparks flew out. The struggle urred for half a second before Cedric exerted his strength to push the phantom back. He didn''t just push him back though, he made the phantom fly out of his sight, dissipating into nothingness once it hit the ground. This marked his clearance of the 1st stage of Leo''s Trial. To Cedric''s surprise though, he was rewarded with plenty of APs; he received 1000 APs for clearing it, he also received a bonus for killing the phantom, amounting to 500 APs, and finally, for clearing the 1st stage in under a minute, he received another 1000 APs. That''s 2500 APs in total. For regr students, that is a lot! To Cedric though? This much was enough to buy him 10 kilograms of Tier 5 material, which isn''t a lot considering how much he needs. He ain''tining though, APs are APs, and he wouldn''t say no to more. He was asked if he wanted to move to the next stage but Cedric refused. He exited the trial and found himself returning to the Astral Observatory. Next, he moved on to Capricorn''s Trial and it was a mountain hike. The task was to reach a certain distance up the mountain within a time limit and under gravity squared. That was nothing to Cedric so he cleared it in record time. FTL movement ignores gravity since it operates under Astral Laws. Thanks to this, he received another hefty sum of APs. Cedric proceeded just like that, entering the Zodiac Trials one by one to discover what they were all about. And just to name a few: Aries'' Trials was a gauntlet run, and Cancer''s trials were to experience illnesses and survive for a certain amount of time. Libra''s trials was to memorize things. Gemini''s Trials was a ''Spot the Difference'' game...and so on. After an hour, Cedric finished clearing all 1st Stages of the 12 Zodiac Trials, earning him loads of APs, he even received a bonus for clearing all 1st stages as well. Right now, Cedric was taking his pick. The requirements to be promoted state that he only needed to clear the 3rd stage of any 2 of the 12 Zodiac Trials. ''I''ll pick Leo''s and Scorpio''s Trials.'' Cedric mused to himself, ''Leo''s because it''s in and simple, and Scorpio''s because it is fun.'' Scorpio''s Trials was a ''dodgeball'' game. Just change the ''ball'' into poisoned stingers that could cause soul injuries and that''s pretty much it. While some people would be terrified to take this trial, Cedric does not. He had the Eyes of a Godking and could move faster than light at this point. He could see the stingers before they even appear to his naked vision and predict their movements. His speed was way faster than those too so this was just a fun game for Cedric. Since he had made his decision and he had time to spare, he went in directly. Why postpone itter if he could finish it now? He returned to Leo''s Trial and shed with the phantom up until the 3rd Stage. Doing so was effortless on Cedric and he cleared it easily. Following that was Scorpio''s Trial and honestly, he had fun dodging those scary stingers. After another hour, he''s done. He already left a record of clearance so he didn''t stay here. Now, he just needs to wait for the Academy''s e-mail informing him that he''s promoted to a Sophomore Student. Chapter 203: Vacation -- Cedric received the e-mail for his promotion about an hour after he was done with the challenges. It also informed him that he, along with other students who were sessfully promoted, had a month''s worth of vacation. Once it''s over, they''d be returning as sophomore students of the Starlight Royal Academy. Cedric thought about going back to the ck Thread City since he has a home there. It''s been a year since he left that ce, and although he hired some people to clean it every now and then, the house would still deteriorate somehow without him. It would be nice to return, but was it necessary? Not really. For all intents and purposes, life within the Academy wasn''t that bad, he''d even say that it''s way better and it''s absolutely safe here. ck Thread City was too small for Cedric, and although he had people there who helped him out when he was just starting, he already returned their kindness with interest after attaining the 1st Rank during the entrance exam. They''ve received all sorts of benefits due to their rtionship with him so they''re even. He doesn''t owe them anything or vice versa. "Hey...you''re not paying attention!" Ericained as she poked his cheeks. Cedric lowered his gaze and saw her wearing a cute pout on her face. They''re lying on the bed with Erica''s head resting on his bare chest. She was telling him a story but he got a little bit upied by his current thoughts. "Sorry...I was just thinking." Cedric replied before nting a kiss on her head. "About what?" She asked, she lifted her head and rested her chin on his pecs. "How I should spend my vacation?" Cedric answered, "I mean, I could return to the ck Thread City but there''s nothing much for me there aside from the house I owned - which I''m thinking of selling since I don''t need it anymore, or at least renting it out." "Aside from that, I''ve nowhere else to go. The academy has been my home this entire year and I''m okay with that. I don''t feel stuffed either so I don''t think there''s a need for me to go out at all, but at the same, I also like to go out and explore. I don''t know, I''m confused...what exactly do I want to do?" Chrissy and Erica weren''t strangers to what Cedric was feeling. They''ve been there so they could sympathize. In fact, the reason why they joined the Outer World Expedition Team was because of this. "I know what that is like." Erica hummed, "The cities feel too small for us, not to mention, because of your fame, you''d be recognized everywhere. There would be people who would undoubtedly try to manipte you into doing their bidding. They''d drag you into politics and use you to get what they want." "Politics can''t touch me, Babe." Cedric replied off-handedly, "I''m a 1st ss Army Officer remember? I outrank City Lords, Region Governors, and even the Noble Titles. Only the Azure Terra Army could order me around." "...right, I can''t believe I actually forgot about that." Erica groaned as she snuggled deeper into his chest. "Well, if you go out, you''d be chased by that Lighthouse Cult." "Cult...?" Cedric trailed off, feeling a little bit shaken by the term. "Yeah, I mean the House of Light." She replied, "I''ve been out and around, I saw some of them still waiting for a chance to meet up with you. They still haven''t forgotten your deed - the one where you mimicked the sun. They still want to make you a member of their ranks." Cedric looked as if he didn''t even hear the majority of what she said. He just stared at the ceiling nkly as he recalled something. "Cult, huh...yeah, that could work." Cedric muttered to himself. "Eh?" Erica raised her head in surprise, "Really? You n on joining them?" "The House of Light? Well, it depends on their sincerity." Cedric replied. Truthfully, he wasn''t really against the idea. He does have the qualifications to join them. However, there''s no way he''s doing it for free. And it''s not like they''re a bad organization. What they do has some merit, but there are a lot of ways to improve it...Cedric could think of a few. "Well, considering how much of a genius you are, I don''t believe that they would dare to mistreat you." Cedric looked at her before shifting his position. He rolled on top of her and caged her with his body. He inwardly reveled at the way she immediately became flustered, even more so when he pressed his very naked body to her equally naked body as well. "W-what!? Again...I''m stilling down from the hi-yah~!!" She couldn''t finish whatever she wanted to say because his fat and hardening length pressed on her sensitive core, sending a delightful jolt of electricity up her spine. Blush crept up from her neck to her cheeks and ears. She shyly covered her face in embarrassment and attempted to close her parted legs but couldn''t since Cedric''s lower body was there. Chuckling at her adorable reactions, Cedric peppered her covered face with kisses and whispered: "Come on, Babe. Just a few more rounds, please? I missed you." His kisses coaxed her out of her shell. She couldn''t even gather up enough courage to deny him since she missed him too and she also wanted this, maybe even more than he does. In the end, Cedric muffled her whines, moans, and cries of pleasure with his mouth while repeatedly rocking her world. Chrissy was on duty somewhere else so Erica had Cedric all for herself this entire day and night. Obscene noises of their activity and the musky scent of their vigorous love-making filled the room. Erica passed out after the nth time she orgasmed, quivering in delight despite being unconscious due to how much pleasure was delivered and left on her body. Staring at the mess he created, Cedric smiled fondly as he fetched a warm cloth to clean her up. He then took her in his arms before putting on the duvet. Alone with his thoughts, Cedric continued with his thoughts earlier and ns began hatching on his mind. ** In the end, Cedric still decided to leave the Academy for his vacation. He also nned on going back to the ck Thread City to check on his house, but that''s not the main point of his visit. No, he didn''t n on visiting the City Lord, Arishem, nor did he n on going back to the RMC to reminisce on his past. His target was the cult...no, not the House of Light - or as Erica calls it; The Lighthouse Cult. He''s referring to the ''Cult of the Demon Saint''. Cedric''s got unfinished business with these people. He still hasn''t forgotten their transgressions; converting his only best friend - Harold, into a Centaur Demon, infiltrating the civilization and siphoning vitality from the few active leylines of Azure Terra, making people believe that Demons could give salvation, etc. Cedric was too weak to deal with them before so he could only maintain a low profile and leave it up to the authorities to deal with as he enters the academy. Now, he''s confident that he could deal some serious damage to their operations. He had to thank Erica for reminding him of their existence. If she hadn''t, who knows what sort of bad things could do? With his speed, he''s faster than anymercial vehicle so he didn''t even bother getting on one to return to ck Thread City. It only took him 30 minutes and he''s already there. More specifically, at his home. He neutralized the arrays he left and entered the ce. As expected, some parts of the house got all dusty. The cleaners are only allowed to specific rooms after all. Cedric grabbed some of the things that held value he left here. The rest was ready to be discarded. He already made up his mind to sell this house so he made proper arrangements for that. The process only took a couple of minutes thanks to modern technology and the essibility provided by the system. Cedric didn''t even bother taking the furniture with him. He could leave that as donations for the next owners of this ce. He also removed the arrays he left, making every single corner of this house essible to the next owner. He also dismissed the cleaners since they were no longer needed, though he did give them a bonus pay for their diligence. Once all of this was settled, Cedric released a sigh before giving onest look at the house. He hadn''t stayed here for long yet he still had some fond memories of it. Sadly, he had to move on. After silently bidding farewell to his old home, Cedric silently left and appeared at the tallest building within the ck Thread City. He stood at the peak with his arms crossed, scanning the entire city with his senses carefully, making sure that nothing escaped his sight. After a couple of minutes, he released a sigh and muttered: "Well, well...it seems that the cult has been rather busy during the past year." Chapter 204: Acalas Afterlife -- Cedric''s eyes could see through many things, especially now that he haspletely inherited them from the Godking. The dark and putrid stench of corruption might be able to hide from others but certainly not him. In Cedric''s eyes, they''re no different from a beacon of light, attracting his attention. He thought that he had done enough toplete sever the operation of the Demon Saint Cult here, but it turns out that he was wrong. For some reason, they were able to infiltrate this city again and restart their ns. It''s annoying but he should''ve expected it, after all, corruption can never truly stay put in one ce. With his presencepletely concealed, Cedric turned into a streak of light and easily infiltrated the cult''s base in this city. He had no idea what City Lord Reiner was thinking but he hadpletely disregarded the security of the city''s leylines even though this was one of the most important ces he should be protecting. The cult had targeted this ce before and that nearly caused this city to turn into ruins, he should''ve learned his lesson since then but s he had becent. ''That...or he has trusted the wrong guy.'' Cedric mused inwardly. He scanned all of the people around here, and a handful of them werepletely innocent. The interior of the cult''s base was misleading, it looked like a normal office but there was an entrance to the underground cave system that led to the leylines. There is a government official here who''s also a cult member, Cedric could smell the stench of corruption on his body. He looked unassuming and an honest worker, that may be why City Lord Reiner hired him and managed to infiltrate this deep into the city. Slipping into the office undetected was a simple task for Cedric. He also made himself invisible not only to the naked eye but also to any detection skills these people could have. He could be breathing down their necks and standing right in front of their faces and they still wouldn''t be able to see a thing. He stayed put and observed his target. He analyzed his movements and predicted his next moves. Come lunchtime, he had seen the man putting up a ''Do not Disturb'' sign on his door before locking himself inside the room. Then, the man went under his office table, used a cloning technique, and nodded at his clone. The clone then sat on the chair while the original opened a hidden hatch under the office table which led underground. ''Ah, so that''s how he''s fooling them.'' Cedric muttered inwardly as he casually followed the man down to the underground cave. With all of this, one would think; how can he fly under the radar? Shouldn''t Ac be aware of this? Is she just letting these people do as they please? The answer to that is both a yes and no. See, Ac might be the consciousness of this world and the protector of Humanity but that doesn''t make her a sovereign or a ruler. She cannot dictate or force people to do her bidding. She could convince them, but she could never force them. The whole Purgatory and Superhuman thing was done for her self-preservation. She had given humanity a chance to fight back, but this was as far as she could force it. If humans don''t want to fight for their world or for her, then she couldn''t do anything about that. That said, siding with demons is something that Ac could punish. However, the best she could do was to remove them from the system user list. Ac''s too weakened, the things she could do in the present state weren''t much because she needed to preserve her energy and keep the system running. ''I don''t how he managed to pass the screening, but his luck ends here.'' Cedric muttered to himself as he followed behind. He already saw the situation in the cave. There is a brewing corruption storm here, something that could turn the entire city into ruins once it gets out. Thebs they used to siphon energy from the leylines were rebuilt, even the drill that used to damage the leylines has been retrieved somehow and is in use right now. Cedric could see several demon eggs on incubators, receiving a constant supply of energy from the leylines. His eyes darkened as the guy affectionately caressed one of the eggs with gentle fondness in his eyes and barely concealed madness. He could hear the man''s thoughts, he knew why this man was doing this. He''s a grieving parent and husband. He lost his wife and son due to an unfortunate ident. In his grief, the cult reached out to him and told him that they could revive his family. In reality, though, their souls were enved and converted into demons that are now being raised here. Sure, that egg contains the soul of his son but it''s no longer the same one he knew. Cedric knew as much because he could see what''s inside the egg. Even after it hatches, whatever''sing out of that egg wouldn''t recognize him as its father. It would probably even eat him. Desperation and grief. These are natural emotions that humans express in difficult times. It''s also a deadly weapon that the Demon Race could use against humans. Manipting someone''s perspective and taking advantage of their unstable emotions were simple tasks that Demons could do. Sprinkle in a dash of Demonic Corruption here and there, and we have a newly corrupted human. "Soon, my love...very soon. We shall be reunited again, I will once more hold your hand and y with you all day long...no matter what it takes." "...forget about holding its hand and ying, you''d be lucky if that thing doesn''t tear you apart piece by piece and devour you the moment it gets out of the egg. The same goes for your ''wife''." The man was rmed when he suddenly heard Cedric''s voice. Panic and fear dawned on his face as he realized that he was exposed. But after digesting the words he heard, his expression turned into a savage one. He snarled at Cedric, asking: "What do you know about it, huh? You don''t understand! None of you does! This is the only way that I could reunite with my family! They''re all I have!" Cedric sighed and appeared right next to the snarling man. He grabbed him by the head and poured his energy into his brain. The man was stunned when suddenly saw the world changing right before his very eyes. "Go on, take a look." Cedric told him, "Look at the egg that''s supposed to be your son and wife. Look and see if what I said was wrong." Cedric''s voice held a strange power that convinced the man to follow his instructions. That said, he wished he hadn''t followed it after witnessing the truth. What''s inside the egg isn''t his son or his wife. It was a monstrosity. An amalgamation of nightmares birthed by evil. With Cedric''s help, he could also see the suffering souls of his actual son and wife. To his horror, they were being fed to the monstrosity within the egg, not being reborn as he was promised. "W-what...h-how could this be! No...no! This isn''t...this isn''t what they promised me...no! No!" The man copsed in disbelief. His horror intensified after hearing the tortured cries of his family''s souls. "You should''ve known better than to side with demons." Cedric admonished. "They''re never one to fulfill a promise. They will use all sorts of trickery to make you do their bidding. This is elementary knowledge, how can you easily forget it?" "I know that you were grieving and you were desperate, but you should''ve never taken their hand. The souls of the deade to Ac to experience peace. If you really wanted to reunite with your family, you should''ve just killed yourself instead." "Yet you handed them to demons. This...the torture they''re experiencing now, this is your fault. You did this to them. You caused them this much suffering and you deserve to burn for it." "Ahh...ahh!!" The man wailed in grief, not because Cedrid burned him, but because he finally understood what he did. "You turned your back against Ac first." Cedric continued, "The souls of your wife and son would return to her but not yours. There''s an eternal hell waiting for you on the other side. You will never be able to reunite with your family again and you''ve got nobody else to me aside from yourself." Cedric crouched down in front of him and looked him straight in the eye. He then said: "If you have some remorse and dignity left in that pitiful shell of yours, leave a message to the authorities and admit your sins. After doing that, crush this sigil." Cedric handed him a sigil engraved on a piece of paper. "That sigil will burn your body and your soul away." He said to him. "As I said, Ac won''t ept you to her afterlife since you turned your back on her first. You will never be reunited with your family ever again." "If you killed yourself, you''d end up bing a demon ve or worse, a nourishment for their spawns. Using that sigil on the other hand will burn all traces of your existence to nothingness. That way, you''ll never hurt anyone again. Make your choice." That''s all Cedric has to say before leaving the man and going deeper into the cave and sealing the leylines. Chapter 205: Stranger -- Cedric destroyed the drill that the cult used to siphon energy from the leylines. He also incinerated all of the demon eggs including the ones that are feeding on the grieving man''s family. He had sent them away to Ac with a prayer and with the blessing of sr energy to restore their spiritual integrity. Within Ac''s afterlife, no hurt will reach them. The grieving man watched it all and was relieved that Cedric kindly saved his family from a damned fate. And for thest act of humanity in him, he followed Cedric''s advice. He wrote a note that was sent to the City Lord detailing everything that happened before asking Cedric to end his life. ...which Cedric did because he''s the one who offered it in the first ce. The poor man at least had some rity before he died. He knew that he was unworthy to be called a father and a husband for doing that to his family. He died silently, epting the fact that he would no longer be with his family anymore and that there was no one else he could me other than himself. To ensure that something like this won''t happen again, Cedric sealed the leylines using the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡»- the Sagely Totem that he initially took and refined afterprehending Astral Laws. The sigil of the Sagely Totem is filled by Cedric''s very existence and packed with the power of the Sunlight and Sunfire. Even Demon Lords would think twice before carelessly touching it and it will never disappear so long as Cedric is alive. Additionally, it will also restore the integrity and vitality of the leylines over time. Cedric wasn''t sure how long but every little bit helps. The healthier the leyline is, the better this city gets. It will increase longevity in this area, allowing the next generation of humans to be born from this ce to be stronger and more talented. In turn, this also meant increasing the quality of warriors who would join the resistance against the Demon Race. Before leaving the ck Thread Citypletely, Cedric did one final thing. He returned to his house and carved an underground room that only he would know existed. There, he left a formation core he created on the fly using the knowledge he got after mastering his sub-sses. This Formation Core will protect this city, eliminating anyone touched by corruption who attempts to breach the city''s security. His arrangements shouldst for a very long time and the cult shall never be able toy their hands on this city so long as this exists. Once he''s done with that, he left the ck Thread City. He didn''t tell City Lord Reiner of what he did because there''s no need to. Cedric wasn''t keen on making the old man feel indebted to him any more than he already was. Whether the old man connects this whole event to him or not isn''t important to Cedric. He did what he wanted to do, in and simple. No need for formalities whatsoever, he wasn''t looking for any form ofpensation for doing this. He just wanted to, so he did. ** Bam!! "Can somebody tell me what''s going on!!" Within a dark room where the only light sourcees from a few candles lit, a man who''s sitting on a long table ms his fist on it with a twisted expression on his face. He''s wearing a dark hooded robe but his deep crimson eyes glimmering with evil light was visible to everybody, and the aura he''s releasing frightened the rest of the people with him. "14!" He snarled, "14 branches of our cult lost contact in less than three weeks and none of you could investigate what happened!? What kind of bullshit is that!? Have I not given you sufficient resources to do that very simple task? Are you revolting? You must be right. You all are doing this on purpose! Do want me to kill all of you, huh? Is that it?" His anger was palpable and that''s obvious to the rest of the people here. They''ve never seen him this way before but it''s understandable why he''s reacting this way. Within 3 weeks they have received numerous reports of their cult branch going dark. They have attempted to make contact and even sent people to investigate what''s going on but none have returned. They''ve spent many resources to find out what''s going on but even then, they couldn''t figure it out. They have no idea if their men are still alive or not, some even started thinking that this should be a deliberate plot either from the government''s side or their own. "I wouldn''t have been surprised if we only lost one or two because that''s within my expectations. After all, Humans aren''t dumb and they''ve been alerted by our presence within their ranks already." "But 14! 14 branches in less than a month!? Are you fucking with me? However, these branches are the ones that are hidden real deep into civilization and it is also where most of our efforts are concentrated, yet we lost contact with all of them simultaneously?" "I''ve permitted you to mobilize our remaining resources to investigate what''s going on. We have state-of-the-art tools that allow us to move unimpeded and undetected, yet not only did we waste all of it, not even a crumb of intelligence came back!" ?@¦Ò@?*§ä@?-§á%§ä&-§¼*§å-- "If you haven''t realized this by now, then you''re too fucking stupid! Our operations are essentially crippled! All progress we made during the past few years has beenpromised!" "This level of coordination would only be possible if somehow, someone leaked our private intel and deliberately targeted our operations! How do you expect me to not be suspicious of you lot when this information was supposed to be a secret amongst us!?" Nobody spoke, even if some wanted to refute this person''s words, they couldn''t because what he said was the truth. Years worth of nning, efforts, and resources...wasted, all because of this mysterious sabotage that targeted their operations. Flick Flick Flick Due to how silent the room was, even a drop of a needle would be heard, more something like the sound of someone flipping through the pages of documents. Everybody''s head turned towards that person. It''s one of theirrades, obvious by the same dark hood covering his face and body as the rest. They saw him calmly flipping through the pages of the documents as if none of what was happening concerned him. The leader of this cult, the one who''s been raging since the start of this meeting, narrowed his eyes at the member. He looked at the documents he was perusing and saw that those documents contained the history of their operations so far. That sent shivers down the leader''s spine. He hurriedly stood up and took out a weapon - a spear drenched in blood and corruption. He pointed it at the man who was still calmly perusing the documents and demanded: "Speak. Who are you!?" Flick Flick Flick Instead of answering, that person continued reading through the documents as if he didn''t hear anything. Their leader''s act rmed the rest of the cult members so they too took out their weapons and prepared for a fight. The leader''s eyes narrowed. With a snort, he flourished his spear and sent an attack towards the man that''s ignoring him. That attack contains the strength of a half-step nar Traveller Superhuman. It also contained elements that directly injure the target''s soul, making it extremely dangerous. But to their overwhelming surprise, the leader''s attack wasn''t even able to touch the man. It was burnt to nothingness mere inches away from touching him. It even sent harsh feedback to the leader. Sigh... As the leader flinched after dealing with the harsh feedback of his attack failing, they heard the man in question release a deep sigh. They saw him raising a finger and that caused all of the scattered documents on the table to fly towards him. He neatly stacked them all before unceremoniously putting them in the inventory space. "Inventory!" Someone eximed, "He''s an impostor!!" Everybody here does not have ess to the Ac System, therefore they also don''t have ess to the inventory. That''s their punishment for turning their back on humanity and Ac. The fact that this man used a system function means that he''s not theirrade. What''s even more frightening is that had he not purposefully caught their attention or shown them that he could do this, none of them; not even their leader, would know. His presence was muted. As in they couldn''t feel anything from him, it''s like he''s a normal person. He perfectly blended with the surroundings as if he were some background detail, which is scary because that''s also how he managed to be within this room without them noticing at all. "Seven years..." he muttered gently, but due to the tense silence of the room, everybody heard him just fine. "All of you have been doing this for seven years. I''d apud you but sadly, none of your actions were for the betterment of the Human Race." The man then casually removed the hood covering his face, revealing his long scarlet hair and deep crimson eyes that stared at their very soul as if judging them. "You lot deserve what''sing for you..." Whistles! Growl! Chapter 206: End of a Cult, Unexpected Appreance -- A nine-foot-long and 3-meter tall golden lion appeared in the middle of the room following Cedric''s, who''s disguised as Derrek, whistle. The beast has a thick golden coat, shimmering and oozing with power and heat. Its mane was like a fiery shoal of golden fire, dancing mystically as the lion snarled and bared its teeth at the cultists. This was none other than Aurelion - the Radiant Sunlion and Cedric''spanion beast. He had grown up in a terrifying existence much like his master. Although he''s only Tier 6, thinking that he''s weak would be a terrible mistake for his enemies because just like his master, Aurelion was Aurelion, he''s not his Tier. The intimidating presence of Aurelion already frightened some of the cult members, even more so when they felt the scalding heat he was releasing. They could feel the corruption within them reeling in pain and fear as if it met an element that could kill it, and that''s not wrong. Aurelion is a unique beast, a Radiant Sunlion - thest of his kind. He held the potential and the power of a True Sun within him, nurtured by Cedric whoprehended,pleted, and improved the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡». After several seconds of snarling at them, Aurelion turned into a streak of light and blitzed around the room like a pinball. Each time he hit a corner, he would send outsers of concentrated sunlight and sunfire to ricochet across the room. Once there was enough, he returned to his master''s side with his maws wide open to spit out the miniature sun that burned all the darkness away from the room. The cultists scrambled to defend themselves. Some tried to run towards the exit; some failed before reaching it while others managed to get their hands on the door. Unfortunately, it wouldn''t budge. No matter how much strength they used to force it open, the door was sealed shut and refused to open. That''s when they saw a massive rune stered on the door. To their dawning horror, they don''t know what kind of rune was that, but they do know that they don''t have enough time nor strength to rid of it, which means that they''re trapped here. After realizing this, they tried their best. They truly did...however, the enemy was too strong. Aurelion chewed on them like toys, ignoring their attacks like they were nothing. The beast was ying with them. They were outssed even though their numbers were greater than the enemy. Aurelion saved the leader forst since his master wanted to personally deal with that one, the rest was fair game. Aurelion''s ytime ended rather shortly. It didn''t even take him 15 minutes to take out the rest of the cultists. Without these people, the Cult of the Demon Saint was permanently crippled, all that was left was the leader - who looked as if he just lost his soul. The sun lion took him by the cor and threw it towards his master''s feet. Cedric, who was casually rxing on the chair, watching as the carnage ended, leaned forward. He waved a finger and an invisible force lifted the despairing leader of the cultist towards him. "I don''t know who you are, nor do I care..." the leader hollowly stated, "But if you think that eliminating us would end the cult''s existence, then you''re dead wrong." "You...all of you don''t understand. Humans can''t win this war. The only way for us to survive is by joining them and bing a valuable asset within their ranks. You all are a fool to think that we''d be able to get rid of them. They''ve existed for far longer than we have. Their foundations go way deeper than any of you could imagine." "Resistance is futile, this was a losing fight to begin with. You are dooming us all by stopping our operations." It was Cedric who continued his statement for him, much to the astonishment of the leader. "...that''s what you''re gonna say next right? Psh, I''ve heard that before. Do you have anything new?" "Y-you...you don''t get it..." "I''m pretty sure I do." Cedric replied, "The Demon Race is way stronger than us, yes. Their foundations run deeper than what we can imagine, yes. We won''t be able to survive a direct war with them, yes. That''s what you and the rest of your little cult members think, right? So yes, I am pretty sure I do understand what you''re trying to say." "Even so...what of it?" Cedric raised a brow after asking this, causing the leader to be stunned. "So what if they''re stronger? So what if it''s a losing fight? So what if all of this turns out to be a wasted effort? What do those have to do with anything?" "I''m not aplicated person." Cedric stated, "I see you as traitors that''s why I eliminated you, in and simple. I see the Demon Race as my enemies, that''s why I kill them. I fight to survive, if I die amidst the battle, then that''s on me. What does the rest have to do with any of that?" ??§â?#§Ô*?-§Ö$§á?!?-# "Now that you know that, you may disappear knowing that your efforts were entirely useless, enjoy whatever hell greets you on the other side." Cedric grabbed the man''s face and ignited his entire body on fire. The man squirmed and screamed in pain as the mes burned him from inside out. The scalding heat of the mes burned him to his soul, but before hepletely disappeared to the afterlife, a shocking shift urred. Darkness suddenly blossomed in the very depths of the man''s soul. Cedric frowned as he sensed the foul stench of sinful energy oozing out of the soul. He retracted his arm as the sin tried touching him. The darkness then took the form of a ghost. This ghost had pale blue skin and it was cracked like a tree bark. The veins glowed bright orange as hotva flowed in them. The figure has a pair of goat horns on its head, coiling around its skull to form a crown. Its ck eyes with crimson red pupils stared at Cedric with a sneer on its face while its two pairs of arms crossed around its chest. "Well...well..." the phantom''s deep and gritty voice echoed across the room. "Here I was wondering what themotion was all about, it turns out that my little ything has caught himself a Young Sage...how very fortunate. Mind telling me your name, Little Darling?" Cedric scoffed, not even the slightest bit intimidated by the presence or the aura of the ghost. It''s a good thing that he''s wearing a disguise right now or else his true identity would''ve beenpromised. "Isn''t it given that you should introduce yourself first before asking for someone''s name? Or is the Demon Racecking that kind of etiquette? Well...not that it''s surprising if you don''t." He shrugged in reply. The ghost seemed amused before saying: "Right, pardon myck of manners then. My name is Deliora, recently promoted to 132nd Demon Lord of my race." Cedric stared at the phantom, digesting that tidbit of information before replying: "Derrek, an orphan, and this generation''s Sun Sage." "Oh my, a Sun Sage eh? I wasn''t aware that your Humans still have an idea of what that thing even looks like." Deliora replied with a rather amused and sarcastic expression. "Well, what can I say...your race''s Demon King swallowing up our sun left a deep impression on us, and we''re nostalgic creatures in nature so we tend to record history so that our young ones won''t forget. It has great benefits if I do say so myself." "...and you? Howe a recently promoted Demon Lord has this much free time to extend your tendrils all the way to this ce? An impressive feat, by the way, but still confusing. Shouldn''t you be...I don''t, trying to defend your title? As far as I''m aware, thepetition for the title and resources should be rather intense on your side." Deliora visibly flinched in surprise after hearing Cedric casually reveal what he knew. The recently promoted Demon King doesn''t know how to properly control his expression, and Cedric takes advantage of that. "My, it seems that your intelligencework runs pretty deep." "Not really." Cedric casually deflected the usation. "It''s just an educated analysis. Your kind are simple-minded after all. Might make right...that''s how it works on your side, correct?" "Indeed." Deliora sighed, "We''re not that different after all." Cedric inwardly sneered at the poor attempt of the Demon Lord to sway him to their side by weaponizing empathy. This might work on someone else but certainly not him. "Eh, I don''t really think so." Cedric casually shrugged in reply, "Anyways, you still haven''t answered my question though, which I find unfair, to be honest. How did you manage to reach this far? Are we really that undefended?" "Well...kind of." Deliora casually mentions,pletely unaware that he''s already been swept by Cedric''s momentum. "I mean, it''s not really that hard to sneak in, especially when your defenses are busy dealing with a horde or two...even more so with the help of a ck Sky." ''Hook, line, and sinker.'' Chapter 207: Temptation and Demise -- "I see. That''s very clever of you." Cedric replied after hearing the method Deliora used to infiltrate Azure Terra. "Thanks, I try," Deliora replied, seemingly proud of himself. "And why build a cult of all things? If you ask me, you could used a different approach if you wanted to destroy us from within." Deliora''s face turned weird upon hearing this question. "The establishment of the cult wasn''t my idea. It''s the idiot you just killed who did it." He shook his head in helplessness. "I simply wanted to poison your waters to make it easier for us to finally conquer your race and im this world. I didn''t want him worshipping me and I certainly didn''t promise him or them, anything. They were the ones who gave up themselves in exchange for my favors, who am I to say no to that?" "Understandable," Cedric replied with a nd expression. "There are a lot of us who have been driven to a corner, one promise of salvation - even though false, is enough to start an upheaval. I''m not surprised at all." "Though, I am curious about something you just said..." "What is it?" Deliora''s ghost sat down and asked him curiously. "You said ''finally conquering your race and iming this world''. Why is your race so fixated on this tiny? As far as I know, we don''t have anything of value to you. Your race is way too advanced. We''re primitivespared to you. I''m sure you''ve encountered other worlds, realms, or dimensions, that are far more developed and have richer resources than ours, so whye here? Why us? Why this world?" "Ah, that..." Deliora trailed off. He wore a smile on his face and said: "It''s because your world has an Innate Spirituality." Cedric''s eyes shed with understanding. "Ac...you want her." "Yep! Gosh, I like you more than my previous host. That one''s an idiot, you aren''t." Deliora giggled, "But yeah, we''re after her." "See, worlds that have an inherent spirituality are extremely rare." He started, "Like one in a billion rare. You''re correct, we''ve been through numerous worlds, realms, dimensions...even straight-up gxies. But this is the first time in a very long while that we''ve sensed a world that has Innate Spirituality." "You people have no idea how to use it because, like you''ve said, you''re primitives. When we arrived here, your kind was so busy destroying yourselves and the world that we actually debated if we even needed to interfere. Honestly, we could''ve just barricaded your sr system to hide it from otherpetitors out there and just wait until you people are done destroying yourselves. By then, all we need to do is to get in, im the world, revive it, and nurture it until it''s mature enough to return our investments." "With how advanced our civilization is, it wouldn''t take us long to get this world up to the standard. It also wouldn''t take long before we start benefitting from it and these said benefits? It would span across our entire race, allowing us to advance by leaps and bounds." "That''s why there''s no way we''re leaving it alone." Deliora smiled and rested his chin on his palms. "Sadly, waiting out the natural decline and extinction of your race isn''t a viable n. The very same Innate Spirituality of your world would never let you guys go extinct...technically. I''ll admit, that we are anxious, especially whenever we think of how many ways we could benefit from your world''s innate spirituality. We are unable to keep our hands to ourselves, that''s why we decided to go on the offense." "Unfortunately, we are a tad bit toote." Deliora sighed in sadness. "The consciousness of your world was already awake and created countermeasures to slow down our task. I really don''t understand why she''s so fixated on you people but given that you''re the locals of this world, I suppose it''s understandable." He shrugged as he got to this point. "Oh well...'' dying''...that''s all she could do really. I''m not trying to brag here but you people are just too far behind in terms of development. Your progress is fast, we won''t take that away from you, but that''s only because Ac sides with you. Even then, she''s been weakened immensely so this resistance isn''t gonnast for long." "If I were you, I''d seek greener pastures." Deliora kindly implored, "I mean, the world out of this one was far toorge. Other races out there are just as strong, if not stronger than our race. If they were the ones who found your world, this would''ve never happened. You all would''ve ceased to exist at the very moment they saw you." "So really, don''t bind yourself into your flesh and blood. Your innate potential isn''t bad, but it''s not the best. We have tons of ways to make improvements to you. Hell, if you want, we could even let you see just how big the real world truly is!" "You''re one of the best ones this world has to offer, that much is obvious. But none of them truly understand the full extent of your talent and destiny. We, on the other hand? We know. A world of endless glory, seas of stars,s to conquer, sights to see, treasures to gain...out there, it''s endless! And it''s all yours to im." Deliora hovered before Cedric with a sincere smile on his face before extending a hand and saying: "...all you have to do, is to take my hand. I promise, you won''t regret it." Deliora''s words were certainly heart-stirring. It caused Cedric to see scenes of himself doing all the things he promised; going out of this world to see the real sea of stars, fighting against stronger creatures and defeating them to establish himself, iming literal worlds worth of treasures for himself, drowning himself in carnal pleasures, endless feasts and wine... It was tempting, too tempting that Cedric actually raised his hand and sped Deliora''s hand. Deliora''s sincere smile turned wretched, his fangs appeared and mad glee appeared on his face. "Wonderful! Ahahaha! How very wonderful! You''ve certainly made the right choice, Young Man!" He cackled madly, "Now, allow me to¡ª...AAARRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!" He couldn''t even finish whatever he wanted to say before mes ignited from Cedric''s hand and immediately swallowed him whole. Deliora thrashed in pain and tried to pry his hand away from Cedric''s grasp, but the disguised young man held him tightly. "W-what...is the meaning...of this!! Aarrggghhh!!!" Deliora snarled in between due to the scalding heat scorching him. "I hope it''s not toote for me to tell you that lying doesn''t work on me." Cedric calmly said while maintaining a tight grip on Deliora''s hand. "It never works and will never work, period." "Your statement about how you infiltrated this continent, your reason for doing so, the establishment of your cult, Ac and her value, including how huge the universe truly was...those are true." Cedric continued, "As for how advanced your race''s civilization was, the riches, glory, rebirth, treasures...even your promise that I won''t regret it if I extended my hand to you...all of those are lies." "Lies that you spouted to tempt me into joining you and making me your next chess piece. You are wary of me, the Sun Sage. You want to nip me in the bud before I turn into your race''s mortal enemy. That is a very smart n...a valid one at that. Sadly, you''ve severely underestimated me." "Y-you...? Be a mortal enemy of our...race? H-ha! Don''t make me..ugh! Y-you''re un...qualified!" Deliora snarled despite the pain. "Am I?" Cedric smiled in disdain, "When you came to this world and forced your Demon King to swallow our sun, it''s because the sun''s harmful to you. Back then that was an ''ordinary sun'', Superhumans didn''t exist back then, yet even that ordinary sun was already enough to threaten your kind." "I am this generation''s Sage. More importantly, the Sun Sage. If I were to...say, create a new Sun for this world, one that contains all my understanding about it. Do you honestly think that your Demon King could swallow it once more?" "Grrr...kghhh!!" Deliora couldn''t retort. Cedric got him on this part. Actually, Cedric had him right from the very beginning. Deliora never stood a chance. "D-don''t be so...confident, Sun Sage!" Delioran growled angrily at him despite his pain, "D-Do you honestly think that we can''t kill you? Don''t make me..ugh! Y-you''re a hundred years...too early to be...our match." "Is that so?" Cedric asked in an amused tone. "Well, isn''t it just nice that I could live longer than that? By then, I should be old enough to face you right? s, you wouldn''t be there to see it, howmentable." "H-ha! Y-you think...this paltry mes would kill me...? N-naive! This is just a piece of my soul¡ª...!" "Right, you are," Cedric replied with a wide smile on his face. "This is indeed just a piece of your soul. But you can''t deny that it''s a part of you, no? Also, how sure are you that the thing you''re calling ''paltry mes'' is just that?" "...!" Deliora looked downright horrified at the implications. "Oops, I might''ve said too much. That''s no good. Anyway, Ac would for sure enjoy eating you so...goodbye. It''s been nice knowing you." Chapter 208: Vivic Flames and Invitation -- If one would see the scene right now, they''d probably be confused. Deliora''s ghost talked about a me that swallowed him whole but in truth, there are no mes...no visible ones at least, the pain he felt just obscured his senses greatly. There is a distortion, and Deliora''s in the midst of it. Said distortion is simr to the ones that mes cause when burning something. This invisible me is what''s burning Deliora and causing him immense pain. This me is called Vivic mes...though in truth, it''s not a me. It is the manifestation of Cedric''s will and the Prime Earth''s vitalitybined. Cedric''s will act as the Demonic Bane - an attribute that''s extremely harmful to demons. If this elementtches on them, it will not let go until they''repletely consumed. It ignores the false immortality that demons have, and in Deliora''s case, distance as well. Even though only a piece of his soul was here, that was enough for the mes to consume his entire being - despite being nowhere near Cedric, because a piece of him had already fallen to the mes. The Demonic Bane not only consumes the demonic entity, but it also converts their essence into something nourishing for the world. Prime Earth, or Ac''s vitality; the very same one that flows to the Leylines, is there to consume that converted energy. When Cedric said that Ac would for sure enjoy consuming Deliora''s existence, he wasn''t lying. Cedric quite literally fed Deliora to thend. What the piece of his soul was experiencing was also happening to the main body, that''s why Cedric wasn''t afraid of Deliora''s retaliation - because he wouldn''t stay alive for long. ''He''d also leave a bed of flowers on his wake. Not a bad ending for a creature like him.'' Cedric mused to himself as he felt Deliora''s existence disappearingpletely. The Vivic mes is an evolved version of Ki Pulse, something that Cedric extensively researched during the past few months. His expertise in Laws and absurdly highprehension ability allowed him to create this skill. Since the Ki Pulse could keep the corruption at bay, even negating it to some extent, Cedric improved upon that when he was researching. With the Vivic mes, not only would he cleanse the corruption hees across, but he could even feed Demons to Ac to restore her vitality. Since the Demons want to eat her consciousness, why can''t she do the same? Cedric would be her agent to do that for her. If she consumed enough Demons, the world would recover faster and Humanity would have more edge against their enemies. This way, everybody wins! "Ac?" Cedric calls out. [Ac hums in a pleased tone with your recent offering, User Cedric. The System expressed its admiration for creating such a wonderful technique. Would you like to share this knowledge with other Superhumans?] "I''ll make a guideter." Cedric replied, "I want to ask, did you record our conversation like I told you to?" [Yes, User Cedric. Would you like to review the footage?] "No need, I trust you," Cedric muttered as he began walking out of the underground base. "I want you to send this footage to people of importance. Don''t publicize it, though. Show it to only those that ''YOU'' think are trustworthy. Am I clear?" [Loud and clear, User Cedric. The System shall only send the recorded footage to trustworthy people. Is there anything else I could help you with?] "Not for now." [Very well, if you need the System''s assistance, please don''t hesitate to inform us.] The System went quiet after that. Cedric sighed as his thoughts recalled everything that just transpired. Initially, he just wanted to eradicate the cult. Who would''ve thought that he''de across a Demon Lord? It''s uncertain if Cedric could actually defeat Deliora if they were to fight face to face. Cedric was strong but a Demon Lord is a Demon Lord, there''s no denying that. If it weren''t for Deliora''s situation, Cedric might not necessarily have had it this easy. If he fought a Demon Lord here, this city would''ve been destroyed from their sh. Even then, this will rm the authorities so Cedric wouldn''t be the one to face Deliora if that happens. Someone will surely interfere. Fortunately, Deliora was just as prideful and maniptive as any Demon Lords were. Hubris was his downfall. Still, Deliora was a treasure trove of information. The second half of the things he said were lies, but the first half wasn''t. The Demon Race wants Prime Earth solely because it gave birth to Ac. With how desperate they are to get her, it is obvious how valuable she is to them, which is all the more reason to defend her against them. Not only will Prime Earth quite literally die if Ac extracts it, but the Demon Race will certainly do unspeakable things to her and be even stronger. If that happens, there will be no hope left for Humanity. As he left the underground base and reappeared on the surface, Cedric paused in his steps and looked to the east. He then said: "Come out. I know you''re there. If you wanna talk, don''t hide. That contradicts your intent." Swoosh! Cedric saw movement from behind the canopy. A man d in priest robes appeared wearing a friendly yet nervous smile appeared before him. "Greetings, Young Sage. Please pardon my actions, I have no ill intentions." He said. "I know." Cedric replied ndly, "If you did, then your head would''ve rolled off from your shoulders by now. You''ve been following me since I arrived in this city, what do you want from me?" The priest felt cold sweat pouring down his back as he heard Cedric''s words. And here he thought he was being sneaky, it turns out that the Young Sage was already aware of him since he stepped into this city and began following him. It''s not that this priest was bad. Actually, he''s one of the better ones in his department. There aren''t many people who could sense his presence, especially when he''s on a mission. He initially thought that he was safe from the Young Sage''s senses, he even thought that Cedric was still a little green. It turns out that he was the fool all along. "My name is Edward, and Ie here under the orders of Archbishop Gabriel to invite you to our humble abode, the House of Light. We would be grateful if you could spare us a little bit of your time and grace us with your presence." Edward was extremely careful and polite as he talked to Cedric. Initially, it''s because the Acrchbishop who sent him ordered him to treat the Young Sage with utmost respect. His superior even said that in under no circumstance was he allowed to force or coerce the Young Sage from epting the invitation. If Cedric refuses, Edward needs to ept that and return to the organization to report. But after he experienced just a shred of the Young Sage''s power, especially when he tried investigating what he did on that underground passage, Edward realized that the Archbishop warned him for his sake. The Young Sage''s power is not to be trifled with. That''s why he''s extremely polite and respectful when talking to him and making his request. "House of Light, huh?" Cedric mused. Erica and Chrissy warned him about this. Well, that sounds ominous. The House of Light isn''t an enemy. Besides, Cedric did say that he''s willing to hear them out so long as they express some level of sincerity. And Edward showed some so... "...sure, why not? I''m free, anyway. Where are we heading?" "E-eh, uhm..." Edward wasn''t expecting Cedric to just casually ept the invitation, he thought that he would make things difficult for him first. "...o-our Headquarters is located at the Fiore - the Royal Capital. It''s actually very close to the Starlight Royal Academy." "Oh, isn''t that nice?" Cedric replied, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let''s go." "Y-Yes, of course!" Edward panicked. He then summoned his System Interface to send a message, he was calling for someone to pick them up. "Are you asking for someone to pick us up?" Cedric asked. Edward was stunned briefly before replying: "Yes, Sir. We are quite far from the Royal Capital after all." "How long will it take us to arrive there?" "Uh, not long I hope. Maybe within two to three hours?" "Nope. That is too slow. Cancel it." Cedric shook his head. "I''ll take us there, I''m way faster. It shouldn''t take us more than ten minutes." "E-Eh? Uhm..." Edward couldn''t even continue with whatever he was saying because he felt himself being picked up. He blinked as he realized that he was being carried by the Young Sage like a sack of rice. "Close your eyes and cover your ears. This shouldn''t take long." He couldn''t follow the Young Sage''s orders and once he did, he felt his surroundings warping. He could feel the turbulence around him and obediently refused to open his eyes. And just as the Young Sage said, 10 minutester, the wild turbulence stopped and when Edward opened his eyes, he found himself standing at the entrance of the House of Light''s headquarters. Chapter 209: House of Light, Archbishop Edward wasn''t lying when he said that the headquarters of the House of Light wasn''t far from the Starlight Royal Academy. It''s about a 20-minute walk away from it. Cedric never truly paid too much attention to this area before. In truth, if it wasn''t for Edward telling him that the House of Light was near the academy, he wouldn''t have searched this deep. Don''t get him wrong, Cedric knew that this ce was owned by the House of Light, it was obvious by the giant Lighthouse built within the territory. He just didn''t know that this was their headquarters. Edward was still bbergasted by his speed and the fact that they were already here. Still, he forced himself to remain professional and led the Young Sage inside, lest the young man get bored and change his mind. But just as he was about to open the doors to the building to give Cedric a tour, said doors opened before him, revealing an old man with a curved back wearing the same themed priest robes as Edward. The only difference is that this old man wears a sash around his neck, draping to the side of his robes and there''s a huge insignia of the sun on the back of his robes. "Archbishop!" Edward eximed before stepping forward and bowing deep towards the old man. "As per your request, I have located the Young Sage and brought...well, technically it was him who brought me here, but he''s here now." "So I''ve heard." The old man''s gentle voice sounded out. "You did well, Child. I''ll take it from here, you may return to your usual duties." "Understood." Edward bowed once more towards the old man and Cedric before leaving in a sh. The old man wasn''t alone. He was apanied by two people. One ash-blonddy and a raven-haired man. Both politely and respectfully nked him on the side, wearing serene expressions on their faces. "Thank you for gracing our humble abode with your presence, Young Sage." The old man greeted Cedric with a polite tone and a slight bow, though not that obvious because of his curving back. "My name is Gabriel, an Archbishop of the House of Light. With me are my retainers, Annalise, and Richard. Come one, children, say hello to the Young Sage." "Greetings, Young Sage." The Archbishop''s retainers greeted him as well. "I believe I''m not worthy of the respect and politeness you''re showing me...at least not yet, but I appreciate it nheless. I am...Derrek, this generation''s Sage. The Sun Sage to be exact. Shall we take this conversation inside?" Archbishop Gabriel smiled kindly before saying: "Indeed, we shall. Please follow me." Gabriel led Cedric inside followed by Annalise and Richard. The interior of the organization could simply be described as humble. It is made of materials that closely resemble what a normal household would use for their homes. It didn''t look extravagant, it looked simple and homey, which most likely is the goal here, after all, they named the organization; The House of Light. Speaking of which, Cedric could feel the abundance of the fake sunlight here. The interior of the building was illuminated well, but not to the point that it was blinding. They arrived at the Archbishop''s office located pretty deep into the building. Upon entering, Cedric was told to sit down as the Archbishop did so as well, his retainers on the other hand remained alert and standing on his side. "Once again, I thank you for sparing us your time. If you don''t mind, I''ll use something to ensure our privacy, don''t worry, it won''t harm anybody." Gabriel said. "Sure, I don''t mind," Cedric replied. The Archbishop then swept his hand at his table and a pulse of energy was released. It formed an invisible dome that covered the entire room. Cedric''s eyes shed as he immediately analyzed the energy signatures. Gabriel used a hidden formation installed on the table to iste the sound, this is what he meant by ensuring their privacy. Additionally, this formation also acts as a defense mechanism just in case an attack happens; which is very unlikely considering where they are. "Annalise and Richard have sworn duties to us with Ac as a witness, they can be trusted," Gabriel added just so that Cedric wouldn''t misunderstand. "I can see that," Cedric replied, giving them a slight nce. The sigil etched on their heart and brain wouldn''t escape Cedric''s eyes. In fact, that''s the very first thing he noticed as soon as heid eyes on them. "Now that we''re in a more secure space, pray to tell, what does this organization want from me? As far as I''m aware, I haven''t done anything worth mentioning yet." Cedric asked, deciding to go straight to the point. "To put it simply, we want you to join us and be our Holy Son," Gabriel responded with the same energy as before. "I know what you''re thinking, this is indeed very abrupt and confusing but we have reasons for doing it. Would be believe it if I said that our founder knew you even before you were born?" Cedric''s eyes glinted upon hearing those words. On normal days, he wouldn''t be convinced but right now, he decided to keep an open mind about it. "I don''t understand...is this some kind of prophecy or something? Are those even real?" "Prophecy sounds about right..." Gabriel smiled as he rested his aching back on his chair, "Our founder, he is an Oracle. I mean that that''s the ss he got upon Awakening as a Superhuman. Additionally, he''s also included in the first batch of Superhumans that Ac awakened to repel the demons." Gabriel reached out on his desk drawer to pull out a folder. He then ced it on the table and pushed it towards Cedric. "His name is Princeton Silencio, simply called the ''First Oracle'' by the first batch of Superhumans," Gabriel stated. Cedric took the folder and began reading its contents. "Our founder wasn''t famous because he didn''t possess overwhelming strength like the Ancient Heroes. He also didn''t have impactful achievements or inventions like the Zodiac Saints." "He was respected because he was responsible for predicting the dangers that Humanity will face. He was the one who proposed the idea of upying this continent and using it as our final bastion, eventually, this decision led to the creation of Azure Terra. Our founder is also the one who divined the identities of the first generation of the Zodiac Saints." "More importantly, it was also he who predicted that a Demon King would swallow the sun, ridding us of the light and hope for a better tomorrow. He understood the impact of this and thus, led to the creation of the House of Light." Cedric was reading the information as Gabriel spoke of it. One query with Ac confirmed that everything he was saying, including the historical records detailed in this folder, was all correct. Then, he got to the end of Princeton''s biography and saw his final words. "The starry-eyed child who endured seven painful years and bears the sigil of the sun will appear in the future. He is the Holy Son and he will lead Humanity towards our golden age. Until then, Humanity must endure. Keep the Lighthouses burning and hold on. One day, we will be free from the Demon Race''s oppression." Cedric felt shivers down his spine as he read these words. Once again, he asked the system if this was legit and it replied positively. He was never one to believe in prophecy or anything of the like...Cedric was a man of the present and an unknown future, bolstered by his past. He never liked the idea of ''fate'' because it sounded unfair to him - even though the world works just like that. That''s until he got these eyes... The fact that he could predict someone''s next move just by simply looking at them, made him believe that maybe it wasn''t as bad as he made it out to be. It has some merits at least. Additionally, everyone has a role to fulfill in the grand scheme of things. Somehow, it''sforting to know that you have a purpose, even though it''s already pre-destined. ''But isn''t this a little too extreme?'' Cedric mused to himself. The founder of the House of Light was among the very first batch of Superhumans. The things that Gabriel highlighted are only a few of the many things he did for Humanity. Predicting Cedric''s existence sounded so absurd that it''s a little unbelievable. "This should help..." Gabriel shook him out of his thoughts, handing him a palm-sized crystal ball. "...the founder also predicted your behaviors and your hesitance. This is something he left for you, he said that this should help you decide." Cedric blinked as he epted the crystal ball. He could feel a strange heat emanating out of it. As he focused on that, he suddenly felt his Sagely Totem - the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡», reacting to it. He felt his consciousness being swept away by an irresistible force and found himself standing in front of a phantom who wore a small smile as he looked at him. "Hello there, Young Sage...or should I say, Cedric Stormrider? That''s your name, right?" Chapter 210: Ghost of the distant past "Hello there, Young Sage...or should I say, Cedric Stormrider? That''s your name, right?" "Well, I''m fairly confident that this thing willnd in your hands, but in the off-chance that I''m wrong, which is very unlikely by the way, and that you''re not Cedric Stormrider, then this message isn''t for you. Kindly...I don''t know, ignore this. Or like, listen to the whole thing, I don''t particrly mind, this isn''t for you anyway and it''s not like I can stop since I''m long dead by the time you get a hold of this." Cedric felt chills running down his spine as he heard the phantom man''s words. He had never seen this person before. It''s only today that he learned of him and what he did so how can he not be shocked? "I''m aware that this must feel strange...and freaky, to you. Fear not, I don''t mean you any harm. I am doing this because I want to leave you a message. Oh, uh...I actually can''t see or hear you. I''ve seen visions of you but your face has never been clear to me, only your actions and your name did, so if you''re talking to me right now, sorry, I won''t be able to answer you." Cedric figured as much. It''s already impressive that this person managed to leave a recorded message to him this way since technology in his era was extremely limited. "If things went ording to n and my visions indeede true, you should be hearing this message after receiving an invitation to the House of Light. An old man named Gabriel, who''s also an Archbishop of this organization, should be the one handing you this crystal where this message is left." ''Were his predictions always been this urate? That''s scary.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. "I created the House of Light tomemorate the sun." The founder''s voice turned solemn and somewhat dejected upon mentioning this. "By the time I''m recording this, it''s been a decade since the sun was swallowed up by that Demon King. The scene still haunts me to this day." Cedric heard Princeton''s voice trembling slightly. It was clear that he was still shaken from the event even after it had long passed. "The disappearance of the sun had a terrible effect on our world. Nature withered, the clouds disappeared, the sky darkened, and the seas were poisoned. During the past decade, we focused on our efforts securing necessities while waging war against the demons." "Many have died without a grave. Some gave up and some even willingly embraced Demonhood. Our situation is grave, and I can tell that it''s gonna get worse from here on out." MVLeMpYr-content "I''m neither strong nor overly wise. My ss only lets me do one thing, and that is to peer into the future. Nothing more, nothing less. I might be considered as a Superhuman but even with my increased strength and somewhat extended longevity, I''m just as vulnerable as a mortal in front of Demons." "But even so, I want to help. I honed the skills that''s been given to me extensively. As someone who lived when Demons weren''t around, I am extremely unwilling to see the world and our kind fall like this. That''s why even though I could only do a single thing, I''m still here." "I can only do one thing, but I do it very well. I''m not bragging when I say that I am one of the reasons why Humanity still lives to this day, and if my visions are correct, then my actions will have a great impact in the future too." "People of your era might never know who I am and that''s fine. I just want to be useful. All my life, that''s all I yearned for...and I finally am, that''s more than enough for me." The founder''s words resonated deeply into Cedric''s heart. "Anyway, enough about me. Let''s focus on you." The phantom, even though unable to see Cedric, somehow managed to look directly into his eyes. "You''ve received the offer to be the House of Light''s Holy Son, right? Wait, why am I asking? I know you do ''cause I saw the future, pfft!" "To be honest, it doesn''t matter whether you be the Holy Son or not. Like I said, I know what you''re gonna do. I''ve seen it so many times and it has given me great hope for our race''s distant future." "Whether you be the House of Light''s Holy Son or not, your destiny will take you to the frontlines because that''s your stage. Right now, you are still umting and that''s good, continue doing that and you''ll be fine regardless of your decision." "Though I''d still like it if you be the Holy Son." The phantom smiled, "See, my visions of you take up half of the reason why I founded the House of Light in the first ce, apart frommemorating the sun of course." "Your future could branch out to many things, but one thing remains constant among them...it''s the fact that you will neverpletely ally yourself with our enemies. I saw some of your future where you worked with them but they never broke your will. On the majority of those, you ended up destroying them from the inside. On others, you blow up yourself and still damage them nheless." "An overwhelming majority of your branching future sides with us. And on those, no matter how tired you avoid it, you''d always find yourself in the frontlines where you establish yourself and confirm your goals." "I''m gunning for a specific oue, the best one I think there is. Don''t get me wrong, it''s gonna be a very long road, but the result is gonna be worth it." "Going back to the original topic, I want you to be the Holy Son because I want to help you. I know that if you must, you will wager this war alone. But that''s going to be a very long and bitter war. You need allies, both of us know this." "The House of Light is created for that purpose; to help you achieve your goals and to be your allies that will support the good fight you''re waging. They won''t require too much from you, only that you be their spiritual leader. Any further help you can provide is weed but if you can''t, don''t worry, the House of Light can handle itself." "If you worked closely with them, you''d find out that they''re efficient in the work and they''d help youplete the projects you have in mind. You''d even gain ess to their supplies and resources. "Like I said, it''s fine if you don''t answer right away or if you''re not okay with this and decide to not join. None of them should give you any trouble for that. They will continue doing their work as usual since that''s the nature of their creation." The phantom then walked closer to Cedric and said: "Whether you join the House of Light or not, the road ahead of you is still long. Tread with confidence and keep a firm belief in yourself." "I believe in you...not because I''ve seen what you can do, but because I''ve seen your heart. Keep going forward, no matter what happens, I''m sure that you will do great things." The phantom then pushed him back, somehow. Cedric then felt an irresistible force pulling him back. His eyes snapped wide open to reality and saw Archbishop Gabriel and his two retainers still patiently waiting for his response. Cedric remained silent for a bit. He digested everything he heard so far and took his time to decide. He knew he couldn''t rush this, but he had to give it to Princeton, his words were certainly convincing. Not even once did Cedric''s innate lie detection ability ping, which means that Princeton never uttered a lie from start to finish. Cedric wouldn''t be surprised if that guy also knew about this ability of his too. Besides that, Cedric felt overwhelmed by Princeton''s faith in him. Cedric was also stunned when he heard that Princeton saw the branching futures of his life. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he opened his eyes to look at the Archbishop and asked: "Let''s say I ept your offer, what do you expect from me?" "We only ask for you to lead us to a brighter tomorrow, Young Sage," Gabriel replied instantly. "Whatever that might mean to you." "We won''t interfere with your ns, we might express our concerns but we won''t stop you, we will even provide all help necessary for you to achieve your goals. Aside from remembering the Sun and providing some semnce of normalcy to our citizens, the main purpose of our abode''s creation was to be of use to you." He added. Cedric nced at the people with him and asked: "All of you are fine with that? You don''t even know who I am, your founder just told you about me and that''s all the basis you have." "It''s actually because of that same reason that our family is small. But I assure you everyone who took an active position in our organization knows what they''re getting themselves into and we arepletely fine with this." Sigh... Cedric released a long sigh before removing his disguise, much to the surprise of Gabriel and his retainers. "I''ll be in your care, then." Chapter 211: Holy Son, Contribution ''Alright, I guess I am part of the House of Light now...'' In the end, Cedric decided to ept their offer and be the Holy Son of the House of Light. That said, he explicitly told them that this should remain a private matter for now. From Cedric''s point of view, it is way too early to make a ssh. Besides, it contradicts his desire to remain low-profile. Sure, he could''ve used his other persona - Derrek, as a proxy, but he can''t be in two ces at once. His whole con is to confuse demons, besides, Derrek isn''t trying to be a celebrity. Still, he will cooperate with the House of Light. What Princeton and the Archbishop told him was true, with or without him, the House of Light had their own matters to attend to. They have tasks, goals, etc. He isn''t required to take office and manage them directly, they can function on their own. However, he did leave them with a gift that made the Archbishop incredibly emotional... - shback - "Don''t look so surprised, I know that you know about my true identity. I see no reason to keep wearing a disguise in front of you." This is what Cedric said after seeing the surprised faces of the Archbishop and his guards after he removed his disguise. "Well, pardon us, Young Sage. We''re just not expecting you to be so direct." Gabriel cleared his throat and after recovering from his surprise. "Thank you for epting our offer. If you need anything from us, please do not hesitate to say it. We are here to help you, after all." "...are you all serious when you said that all you need from me is to be a ''Leading Figure'' for your organization? You expect nothing aside from that? Please, be honest." Cedric asked and requested because he seriously couldn''t believe it. "Yes, Your Holiness." Cedric prevented himself from physically reeling upon hearing how the Archbishop changed how he addressed him. "That''s all we require from you. The edict left by our founder was clear on that, and we all joined knowing what was in store for us. We will be your allies, you only need to say the word and we will do our best to fulfill your orders." Cedric felt a bit pressured, which was ironic because these people weren''t even requiring him to do anything. He felt like they were gaslighting him, and if that was true, then he hated that it was working. "Okay, uh...first of all, the whole ''Your Holiness'' thing is too...formal? Yeah, it''s too formal. I...don''t deserve to be addressed as such, for now at least. Just call me by my name or Young Sage, either of those works." "As you wish." Gabriel readily agreed with a smile on his face. "Also, if we can keep this matter private for now, that would be great." Cedric stated, "Not that I don''t want my name to be entangled with you guys, I wouldn''t have joined if that was the case." "I''m ying a con, you see..." A wry smile appeared in Cedric''s ce. "Demons have eyes everywhere. I just finished eradicating a cult when your agent located me so I can''t drop my guard down just yet." "Cedric and Derrek, they''re two different people from Demon''s eyes. And I think it should stay that way for a bit. Unfortunately, I can''t be in two ces at once so I can''t be certain if I could be physically here in case you need me. So, just to be safe, I think we should wait until I settle that problem down." "Worry not, Young Sage. I understand...we understand. I know that you have burdens to carry and ns toy down and we won''t interfere with it. Our home will do as we have always done all along. We''re just here to assist you in any way possible." Gabriel replied. "I get that, I really do." Cedric nodded, then his face got a bit solemn before continuing: "But I''d feel bad if I just took advantage of you even though you''re endorsing the idea to me. That''s not how I do things so..." Cedric took a deep breath and opened his palms up. Under the astonished and nearly-worshipping gaze of Gabriel and his guards, a sigil appeared on top of Cedric''s palms. The sigil was formed with golden intersecting lines. Each stroke contains profound mystery and charm, making those who look at it unable to peel their gaze away from it. More importantly, though, these three felt a strange yet familiar warmth emanating out of the sigil. It was undeniably superior to the warmth and brilliance that the fake sunlight of their Lighthouses could ever emit. They physically shivered as they felt the warmth. It was kind, gentle, and nourishing. Its golden brilliance was extremely beautiful, it was unlike anything they''d ever seen or felt before. "I-Is that...?" Gabriel trailed off, unable to continue due to his raging emotions. "My Sagely Totem the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡»," Cedric confirmed. "Well, apleted and improved version of it." "It was created and improved by the Sages before me. However, it was unfinished because none of them truly understood what the sun looked like, and neither did I since I was born at an age where the sunlight I knowes from your Lighthouses." "I didn''t know it was iplete until recently. Still, I never regretted adopting it and making it the focus of my Sagely Powers. It has benefitted me a lot, it''s just a pity that I can''t disy its real power just yet because the time is not yet ripe." "Still, I was able toplete it and even improve it due to fortunate encounters. Since then, I''ve mastered it. I am now creating a new legacy for my Sagehood, but it doesn''t mean I am abandoning it. I know the value of this sigil to our kind and I n on making full use of it." Cedric then looked at Gabriel and said: "We will start with small things for now." He then took out about 100 yellow array discs from his Inventory and began engraving them with the Aspect of the Sun. Due to his expertise in Symbols, this was but a simple task for him. He finished in less than a minute and then handed the stack of array discs to Gabriel. Cedric wasn''t done though... Next, he took out arge stone boulder...which was far from ordinary. The stone boulder had an ancient air to it and gave off an impression of stability and solidness. He then took a deep breath and released the full might of his Sagely Powers. With a hammer and chisel, he physically carved the sigil into the center of the stone. He converted his Astral Energy into Sr Power to ensure that the sigil would never fade. He also included his insights with Concept Laws as he carved the sigil and he included his Sage Arts within. By the time he was done, the room was scaldingly hot and illuminated by a golden light. Still, neither Gabriel nor his guardsined about it. They even relished in it. The Aspect of the Sun which contained everything that Cedric knew about Sage Arts and the Sr Concept Law, was firmly carved into the stone. The entire stone was visibly changing before their eyes, but it''s gonna take time before these changes finish and be permanent. Cedric then turned to Gabriel and said: "The array discs can serve as a recement for the core of the Lighthouses. I''ve learned everything to know about them so those should work. Just give them a constant supply of energy and they will be capable of releasing True Sunlight and Sunfire." see-more-MVLeMpYr "Once you installed them, the feeling of the real sun will finally be felt by everybody again." Gabriel''s lips trembled as he heard these words. He''s even close to crying at this point. His guards were no better. Cedric pointedly ignored this, not because he didn''t care but because he felt ufortable seeing them act this way. To him, this was just the bare minimum. In his opinion, he hasn''t done anything that would warrant a reaction like this just yet. But he also understands what they''re feeling at some level. ''Tomemorate the Sun and provide light to the civilization''. This has always been the main goal of this organization, after all. "As for this stone..." Cedric continued, "It contains theplete inheritance. The Sage Arts I''ve learned, techniques that may or may not allow you to gain inspiration or harness the real power of the sun...all I know is in there. It ain''t much but it should help." "I''ll leave this to you to decide how to use it. This is all I can offer right at this very moment. In the future, I''ll think of a way to bring back the Sun, the Moon, and the expansive starry skies above our people and world. It''s gonna take me some time but...well, I''m confident I can do it." On that day, Cedric''s cult started, and his gospel was formed by the first three people who personally witnessed the miracle he created. Chapter 212: Sophomore Year It''s been days since he became the House of Light''s Holy Son. MVLeMpYr-hosted His vacation already ended and the 2nd school year for their batch was about to start. From this day onwards, Cedric was now a Sophomore Student of the Starlight Royal Academy. The rules haven''t changed, he still needs to enroll in ss using his Academic Units. The Sword Path ss remained in his enrolled subjects because it''s a special case. As a sophomore student, they were given a total of 30 Academic Units which they could freely use to enroll into subjects that they fancy. They may use all or not, the students will decide this. The Sword Path ss costs 10 Academic Units which were already deducted from his total, so he has 20 AUs left. Cedric didn''t go ballistic in his choices. He scanned his choices and picked subjects that he already had a good foundation on. Demonology for 10 AUs, and Outer World History for another 10 AUs, a total of 30 Academic Units. Both of these subjects are considered advanced sses. Demonology is something that Cedric already has a good foundation on thanks to his 2nd Job ss - Demon yer. If he''s really pressed for time, he could probably afford to take the advanced graduation from this subject to free up his schedule. As for the Outer World History, well...he technically knows nothing about it but it''s one of his great interests, so he enrolled in it. That settles his subjects for the entirety of his sophomore year. In addition to this, Cedric also gained ess to other ces within the Academy as a Sophomore Student. There were training areas that could mimic a specific environment to increase the efficiency of one''s training, challenge rooms that allowed the students to refine their weaknesses, clubs they could join to meet like-minded people, and so on. Cedric wasn''t attracted to any of this since he already had everything that he needed. His focus is to improve the skill set he already has, he already has a lot so he''s not nning to add more. Additionally, he needs to put greater emphasis on his Concept of Laws. Even with absurdly highprehension ability, learning Concept Laws was challenging. Of course, he can''t expect his Sophomore Year to be smooth sailing. Just because he already adjusted to life within the academy doesn''t mean that it''d be easier from here on out. If anything, he should expect the Academy to ask more from them since that''s how it should be. ** "...another mission? Isn''t that like, the 3rd time in a row now? You guys barely get enough rest. Is there something going on?" Cedric asked the girls in a concerned tone. Chrissy and Erica just told him that their team had been summoned again for another mission. It would be another world expedition but they won''t go that far. Obviously, they can''t tell him the specifics since that''s not allowed but they could give him an idea and he could fill out the rest with his imagination. "Well, that''s work ''ya..." Chrissy sighed as she stuffed her things into her military-issued backpack. "...we chose this line of work and we are needed, bound by duty and all that." "Yeah. I''d like to get some vacation too but s, we''re a bit unlucky." Erica sighed as she too arranged her things. "Nobody knows what''s going on but the Demons have be somewhat active recently. Even more so during the past week from what I''ve heard." ''Is this my fault?'' Cedric gloomily muttered to himself. He still hasn''t forgotten his encounter with Demon Lord Deliora. He fed the obnoxious thing to Ac which might''ve been the reason why the Demon Race has be so active this past week or so. After all, the disappearance of a Demon Lord should be enough to rm them. Well, it''s not certain if this was truly the case. He had no way of receiving direct intel from the demons, after all. Even so, he should at least do something to ensure that his girls would return to him. Walking behind Erica, he swept her long hair to the side to put on a ne he created much to her curiosity. "Oh, what''s this? Is today a special day?" She asked. This of course gathered Chrissy''s attention as well. "No, not really," Cedric replied as he secured the ne. "It''s a little something I made for the two of you." After putting on the ne for Erica, he moved to Chrissy to do the same. "Thank you, it''s really pretty," Chrissy replied as she inspected the ne. The ne had a thin silver chain which almost blended with the girls'' skin tone, making it look almost invisible or at least, unnoticeable, an amulet was attached to it around the size of a marble. It''s t and cold to the touch. It had a pretty design that the girls had never seen before. "Never take these off, okay?" He told them both. "It contains a little something that should save you in case of emergency. I''d prefer it more if it''s never triggered, though." After doing this for the girls, he helped them pack their stuff and sent them away with a gaze. Once they were gone, Cedric''s worry returned. He''s feeling antsy. He obviously can''t help but feel worried about the safety of his girlfriends. This isn''t to say that he doesn''t trust their teammates to protect them, they are highly capable people and they''ve been a team for years now. They''ve been through thick and thin together and that forged a strong bond and mutual trust despite their constant bickering. What Cedric was worried about was the idea that he might''ve caused this entire string of events that caused his girlfriends to be implicated. The Vivic mes he created is a true Demon ying technique... See, True Demons won''t truly die even if they''re killed. Sure, they will leave a corpse behind and maybe some of their bones, but as long as their souls are intact, they will be revived within a few years. Their souls will return to the fleet, attached to a new ball of flesh, and be incubated until they''re ready to kill once more. So long as a piece of their soul remains, they can be resurrected, and the injuries that their soul suffered from will recover thanks to the advanced tools the Demon Race has. This was one of the ways they were collecting intel on Humanity. It''s also why Humans have been losing the protracted way against them because Demons just refuse to fucking die. Death by Sunlight, Sunfire, and Vivic mes negates this false immortality of theirs because these elements seep into their souls and cause theirplete demise. Vivic mes, the one that Cedric invented recently, is probably something that''s the most effective against them. It''s a tool that not only permanently kills Demons, it also converts their existence into a nourishing sacrifice to Ac. Any Demon killed by the Vivic mes will be fed to Ac, allowing her to restore her energy and permanently kill one of the pesky things. The demise of Deliora probably rattled the Demon Race badly, that''s why they''re so active right now. They''re probably searching for the killer or at least, busy pointing fingers at everybody. Either way, they rmed the army and in extension, also rmed the Outer World Expedition Teams, which Chrissy and Erica were part of. ''Rx, Cedric...'' he told himself, ''they''ll be fine. They''ve been in this gig for longer than you''ve been a student of this academy. They will be fine, believe in them, they''re not weak and helpless.'' ''You''ve given them the ne. It''s powerful enough to severely hurt a Demon Lord. The chances of the OWET meeting a Demon Lord are very low, they''d be fine. They will return to you.'' Cedric took a deep breath and slumped on his chair. He worries too much, but nobody could me him. The girls have wormed their way into his heart and they''re all he has now. He vowed to protect them the best he could. Eventually, he will join them in their missions, and when that happens, he''d be there to protect them better than he could right now. As of the moment, he can''t do that just yet. So, he could only settle for the next best thing...to protect them from afar. ''Okay, my girls are busy. I should do something too. I can''t waste the free time I have and the gifts that have been given to me.'' Cedric stood up and stretched his body for a bit. He was about to go to theb when all of a sudden, he felt something shifting around him. He unleashed his senses and scanned his surroundings carefully. It took him a couple of seconds before a smile appeared on his face. Opening the windows of his room, he looked up and saw the faint golden radiance roaming above. Not all people could see this but he could. It was followed by a very familiar warmth which only meant one thing... ''The House of Light finally reced the light source.'' Chapter 213: New Light Cedric wasn''t the only one who felt the changes around him. People around him, Superhuman or not, could tell that something was different today. The warmth of the sun felt more real. It''s warmer, they could feel it prating their bodies, but it''s not ufortable. If anything, it seemed to light up everybody''s mood ever so slightly, it also gave them more energy to face the day ahead. As for the Superhumans that are more attuned to their senses, the difference was like night and day. This...whatever the House of Light, was excellent, it''s inexplicably incredible. Something shifted in the air and it wasn''t just limited to the appearance of Sunlight. Something far more important...more valuable than this...it''s miniscule for now but everybody couldn''t help but look forward to what it was. Those who are privy to intel within Ac''s database were aware of what was happening. A few days ago, the House of Light reported that they''ve made a discovery and asked for permission to rece their Lightsource. Technically, they don''t need to do this since this was under their jurisdiction anyway. Still, they asked for permission from the army to inform them ahead of time. Even the army stationed at the walls could feel the changes. Normally, they would since the array of discs that Cedric gave to the House of Light was incredible. The Aspect of the Sun was epassing, and the brilliance of the sun would no longer just be limited to civilization. Well, what the House of Light has couldn''t possibly cover ever corner of the continent, but in the future, who knows? For now, it''s sufficient that people knew that the House of Light remained true to their mission. The changes within the civilization roused the emotions of the really old people. They couldn''t help but reminisce upon experiencing the light of the sun. Some of them only heard stories of what it''s like but there were a handful of people who could remember it vividly. These people were relics of the past, fossils - if you''re being rude about it. They were born during the dawn of Superhumans and lived to this very day by relying on some stuff. Feeling the new sunlight brought them back to the past. The sensation roused the distant past that they''d long since forgotten. Compared to the warmth and brilliance of a real sun, what they have right now is very miniscule. All things considered, it is still fake, but this is the closest they could get to the real one. The previous sun that the lighthouse had couldn''tpare at all. Still, it''s already mighty impressive that they managed toe this far. Cedric who standing on the balcony, immersing himself in the feeling of sunlight blessing their civilization, wore a smile on his face. He couldn''t help but say: "Yeah, this is how it should be. But this is just the beginning." And it''s true. Cedric was only starting. This sunlight was good and all but it could be better. Cedric only gave a total of 100 array discs to Archbishop Gabriel, which was enough to change the sources for 100 Lighthouses. He could also tell that the old man used at least five of them for the Royal Capital Alone. There are, after all, five lighthouses here and this is the capital city. The rest, Cedric assumed, was scattered across the civilization. "I should make more of those array discs." Cedric mused to himself. "There are at least 5,000 cities around the continent, each one has a Lighthouse at least. Depending on the size of the city, it might even have two." "The current goal is to rece all the light sources there are," Cedric mumbled softly as he returned inside his room. "Once that''s done, I''ll also rece the night skies by hanging the stars and moon above once more. I can''t afford to waste time." Ping! Cedric received an e-message from a foreign source. He opened it and saw: ** Good morning, Young Sage. This is Archbishop Gabriel. I''m sure that you''re already aware of it, but just in case you aren''t, we installed the array discs you gave to us and they''re working perfectly. I''d like to express my sincerest gratitude for allowing us to experience the warmth of true sunlight once more. Although we''ve honored your wish to keep your identity private for now, there are still people who would discover the connection between us. My apologies, Holy Son. But do not worry, we shall cover you as much as we can. We will handle the curious people and do our best to not let them disturb you too much. If you receive e-messages and e-mails from unknown sources, please ignore them. If they''re being too much, please don''t hesitate to tell us and we will handle it for you. Once again, thank you for all of your hard work. - Archbishop Gabriel, House of Light. ** Cedric dismissed the message after reading it. He checked his inbox and surprisingly, he hasn''t received too many messages or e-mails just yet. The ones he had were old ones that he didn''t even bother opening since they were either spam or product endorsements. "I think he forgot that I have a Lv.9 System Authority." Cedric mused to himself. A Lv.9 System Authority wasn''t something to trifle with. In a sense, his identity was just as important, if not more, important than a King or an Emperor. In addition, Cedric was a 1st ss Army Officer - not only did this grant him a certain level of diplomatic immunity, no politicians will ever dare to slight him because he directly outranked them. One order from him and he could execute anybody who isn''t supported by the army. Each move he makes, if he does it properly, will cause a stir in their civilization. Ac herself was protecting him because of his value. Therefore, the old man was worrying for nothing. Still, he decided to reply to his message: ** Cedric here. Don''t worry about me, Archbishop. I possess Lv.9 System Authority and I''m also a 1st ss Army Officer with special privileges from the Eastern Army Camp. Forget about trying to discover my connections with you, even if they somehow could, my authority shall be enough to make them forget about any schemes they have, so I''ll be fine. I''m only worried about potential spies, that''s why I''m keeping a low profile. your-MVLeMpYr-source My 2nd Year at the Academy already started, I''ll be a bit busy in the future and may not have enough time to get in touch. However, I n on making all the Lightsource recements before my schedule bes too hectic. I''ll send them to you via System Delivery once I''m done with them. ** After sending his reply, Cedric made his way to hisb and started producing more array of discs engraved with the Aspect of the Sun. Thanks to the convenience of the System Delivery, he brought and received all the tools he will need to make as much as necessary. The materials were costly, but not enough to make a noticeable dent on Cedric''s wallet. He had way too many Demon Souls to spend that it could literallyst for lifetimes. Cedric was creating multiple array discs at the same time thanks to his ability to multitask. And since he''s familiar with the process and his attention to detail was at an insane level, he didn''t make even the slightest mistake while creating them. Still, he would need to create a lot and this will take him some time. Fortunately, he didn''t require too much sleep. Cedric wanted to finish this soon because the sooner all the light sources were reced, the better. The higher the concentration of Sunlight within the civilization was, the earlier it could get rid of any demonic influence there were around that he missed. Because while Cedric was confident that he had already decimated the cult, he wouldn''t put it past the demons to have contingency ns. Cedric''s not omnipotent, despite the blessings he had, he could still be blindsided. He''s hoping that the sunlight will be enough to get rid of the remaining corruption within the society. He''s also hoping that it will protect others from falling to the temptation of demons and nourish thend somehow. As he expected, even after creating array discs non-stop for hours, even forgoing sleep entirely, he only finished a thousand. He''s not even halfway through it. Still, he didn''t berate himself too much about it. His progress was already extremely quick. He had created this many and these were enough to keep the House of Light busy for a while. He sent the new batch of array discs to Gabriel via System Delivery before taking a short nap. A few hourster, he woke up refreshed. He ate something, showered, and went to the training area. There, he stretched and warmed up his body before changing into a fresh set of clothes while wearing a cloth armor underneath. He nced at the time and sighed. He took out Sris Edge and changed its appearance to disguise it. After doing that, he released a mentalmand and he promptly disappeared from his previous location. ncing around himself, he knew that he arrived at the Purgatory. Taking a deep breath, he said: "Alright, let''s do this." Chapter 214: Hell Dive ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 22 Race: Human IV sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Educator (Sub) Level: Tier 6 Lv.1 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Tamer (+6)... System Authority: Lv.9 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T5 Lv.6 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] Actives: Dispel (M), FTL Movement Lv.15, Meteor sh (Elementary), Sunset Cut (Elementary), Heaven Extinction Sword (Elementary), shing Steel Sovereign (Intermediate), Sr re (Intermediate), Sris Gtine (Intermediate), Passives: CQC Mastery (M), Intermediate Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.150, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.70, Sage Arts (M), Marksmanship (M), Sword Heart Lv.15 Sub-ss Skills: (Omitted...) [Concept Laws] Laws: Sword Law (Elementary), Fire Law (Elementary), Astral Law (Elementary) Concepts: ughter Intent [Law Traits] Sword: Controlled Sharpness, Favored Enemy Fire: Burning Heat, True Fire Astral: Astral Genesis,ary Formation Unique Trait: ¡ºAspect of the Sun (Mastered)¡» [Domain]: None [Equipment] Weapon: Sris Edge (T9 - Legendary/Growth) Armor: Star Sage Set (T9 - Legendary/Growth) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 8 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 37, Failure Streak - 0 ** Under the dark and depressing skies of Purgatory, Cedric - disguised as Derrek, the Sun Sage, stood tall and bathed in golden light. He gripped the true form of Sris Edge with his right hand, and a mane/cape of golden mes billowed behind him as he stood uphill waiting for the assault of the Endless Undead Horde. This was the second time he''s doing his Hell Dive this month, this time as Derrek. In this persona, Cedric openly announces his status as this generation''s Sage...more specifically, the Sun Sage. He does this to get more attention as Derrek so that the Demon Race wouldn''t pay attention to his real identity. As soon as the countdown began, a swarm of dark masses erupted like a volcano all around him. The putrid scent of corruption and the foul smell of corpses assaulted his nose, nothing that he was not used to at this point. Rotting flesh and dark amalgamations of Undead Creatures appeared in hordes around him. Their numbers were terrifying, one could easily count thousands of them, and this was just the first minute of the whole eight hours. The weakest undead creature around was Tier 5 at the very least. What''s more terrifying is the thought that every ten minutes, the horde growsrger in numbers and grows stronger as well. Zombies, Ghouls, Corpse Raisers, Necromancers, Liches, Vengeful Spirits...this was just to name a few that could be seen within the horde. Each one could easily rip a human into shreds, all of them are marching towards Cedric with a mixture of hatred and fear. Cedric nced at the horde marching towards him with a rxed andzy gaze. He smirked and said: "Okay, let''s get this party started!" He then promptly disappeared from his location and appeared right in front of the marching horde. The undead creatures couldn''t even follow his movements, before they could do anything to him, Cedric already swung Sris Edge down and dismantled the horde. Only a handful amongst the thousands were left, and the ones who remained weren''t in good shape either. Cedric then felt another wave of horde appearing nearby. Without any further ado, he shed at the rising horde, sending a thick wave of golden projectile containing concentrated sunfire. The wave sliced through the horde like a hot knife through butter. They dissipated into nothingness as soon as the Sunfire touched them. What these undead creatures don''t know is that Cedric was using another me source aside from Sunfire. He''s distracting them with it but in truth, that''s not what''s killing them, it''s the Vivic mes. This was an experiment on Cedric''s part. He wanted to see if Vivic mes were just as effective in Purgatory Demon as much as it were for True Demons. He could tell that the Vivic mes were taking effect, but he couldn''t feel the resonance with Ac. Usually, victims of the Vivic mes would whet her appetite, but Cedric has yet to feel Ac''s presence so something''s not working here. ''Well, burning them like this doesn''t give me Demon Souls, so I guess I should use Sunfire instead. It does the same job anyway.'' Cedric mused to himself as he stopped his experiment. Ten minutes have passed since the start of this task and the horde already evolved. Thousands of undead creatures appeared at once, meaning that these numbers increased at this point. In response to this, Cedric raised Sris Edge and shot pure sunfire and sunlight to the gloomy skies above. This energypressed and turned into arge golden orb that shone brilliantly amidst the depressing battlefield. It was a miniature sun, the true version of the one that Cedric formed during his time at the frontlines. After honing his skills incessantly, he had cut the time he needed to create this thing and it became deadlier. The harsh re of the miniature sun burned the corruption of the undead creatures, weakening them severely. Some even died as soon as the light touched them. Cedric stood underneath this sun, holding his sword by the handle with two hands while its tip embedded into the ground. No, this move did not immobilize him, Cedric just didn''t feel like moving too much for now since it was still very early into the task. He had to y undead creatures for eight hours straight. He might be a Superhuman, but moving constantly throughout the entirety of his task would certainly tire him out. This was one of the ways he could save his energy since all he had to do was to maintain this miniature sun, and he''d be untouchable for the next two hours or so. Said two hours passed by quickly, and it was at this point that the first boss would appear. Before it showed up, Cedric snorted and mobilized his Astral Energy. Huge chunks ofnd were ripped out of the ground. They instantly melted intova and magma that rose to the sky and fused with the miniature sun that Cedric was maintaining. The sun looked and felt more real because of this, the mystical power emanated from it came from Cedric''sprehension of Astral Laws. The temperature rose severely, and any undead creatures that still remained were unable to endure the heat and the light, they died as soon as it was finished. This was around time when a massive undead appeared out of nowhere apanied by a dark, swirling mass of corruption. Cedric sneered. He raised his sword and pointed it at the giant undead. "Sr re!" Pshe!!!! The sun behind Cedric shot a pir of concentrated sunfire and sunlight toward the boss, melting it into nothingness before it could even do anything. Cedric received an alert that the first boss was in. He dismissed this alert and stabbed his sword on the ground once more. He then closed his eyes and released more of Astral Energy. read-more-on-MVLeMpYr Above him, the miniature sun experienced some changes. On its surface, a profound and mystical intersection of lines appeared. Each stroke contained a charm that causes one to be drawn towards it...granted that they''re not demons because if they were, their eyes would immediately be burned into ashes upon gazing at it. Arge symbol appeared on the surface of the sun. It was none other than Cedric''s Sagely Totem - the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡». The already dangerously scalding sunburned even hotter whenbined with the aspect. The same sigil also appeared beneath Cedric''s foot, stretching up to a kilometer with him in the middle. Cedric''s disguised long red hair billowed with intensity. He felt the appearance of more and stronger undead around him but he didn''t care. With a sneer of contempt, he uttered: "Cruel Sun!" At his deration, the Sun above him began spewing arching shots of pure sunfire everywhere. Some caused a volcanic reaction upon making contact with the ground, some leftrge puddles of burning sunfire, some flew at the speed of light...etc. ''Cruel Sun'' is an all-out bombardment skill he developed after perfecting the Aspect of the Sun. A volley of indiscriminate burning massacre. It didn''t matter what manner of undead creature appeared, none were able to do much in the face of Cedric''s sun. So long as the sun remains above him, it will release a volley of burning destruction every 2 and a half minutes. Sufficed to say, every corner of the Purgatory was bathed in sunfire by now. It was such a sight to see - Purgatory, a dark and repulsive ce where Humans were sent to face their punishment, became a rather active warzone because of Cedric''s skills. Despite the indiscriminate bombardment, if one looked closely, the Purgatory doesn''t look bad at all. As Cedric''s sun hovered above, it illuminated the surroundings clearly, driving away the dark and depressing atmosphere of the Purgatory. And this was just the beginning. Cedric has lofty goals but that''s for the future. Right now, he should focus on maintaining this sun through the remaining hours of this task. Chapter 215: Graduates? The Demonology and Outer World History sses are scheduled during weekends for two hours each in the afternoon. This leaves Cedric plenty of time to do the things he wants to do and also train as he likes. Since he has reached Tier 6, he now stands at the peak of the strength requirement for his Sophomore Year - at least if what Chrissy and Erica told him were to be true. The minimum requirement to pass the freshman year was to reach Tier 4, and in the sophomore year, it''s Tier 6. Tier 8 for the Junior Year and 1st Change nar Traveller is the minimum requirement to graduate from the Academy. This is what the girls told him before, and Cedric was inclined to believe that. Of course, there are special cases to this. The academy''s rules aren''t that rigid. There are certain instances where they can be bent to acamodateeniuses with high potential, much like Cedric himself - who was allowed to enroll in the Sword Path ss despite being a freshman back then, that''s just one example of that. MVLeMpYr-chapter Speaking of the Sword Path ss, Cedric was currently at the dojo. More specifically, he''s challenging the Alumni Phantoms of the Sword Coliseum. [Would like to challenge an Alumni Phantom? Y/N?] Cedric pressed yes and he immediately felt the world changing around him. He arrived at a semi-virtual reality, more specifically, at a vast yet barren battlefield. He took a breath and felt a presence appearing nearby. He turned around and saw a man standing there. He had short ck hair, he was tall and quite ordinary-looking. He''s wearing a te of silver armor, and holding a longsword. The man put his helmet on and went into a stance. He then released an aggressive pulse of Sword Energy which signaled the start of the fight. The enemy crossed the distance within a second. Fortunately, Cedric was ready for it. ng! ''Every single one of them is so eager...'' Cedric groaned inwardly as he pushed the phantom back. He didn''t talk to the phantom since there''s no use to it, these things are just memories of previous challengers, they''re not conscious at all. All they could do was fight as soon as they appeared, that''s why Cedric called them eager. The unique thing about the Sword Coliseum is that anything unrted to the sword was useless here. Cedric''s Fire and Astral Laws? Can''t be used in here. The Aspect of the Sun? Same thing? Inscriptions, runes, symbols? All the same. Even Astral Energy disappears as soon as he arrives here. This is a harsh restriction, but it will help the challengers hone their Sword Skills sharply. Cedric''s Sword Heart reached Lv.11 - which increased the likelihood of him understanding Sword Laws. As for the Sword Laws itself, he reached the Beginner Stage, giving him two traits; Controlled Sharpness, and Favored Enemy. Controlled Sharpness was his first Sword Law Trait, it manifested from the purity of his Sword Intent. ''I shall only cut what I want to cut'', that''s the virtue of this trait. As for the Favored Enemy Trait, it is also a manifestation of Cedric''s will. It''s born from his overwhelming desire to eradicate the Demon Race. This trait allows him to choose a ''Favored Enemy''; Demons in this case. Once he had chosen, he couldn''t change it for the next 10 years. Upon taking effect, his Sword would be sharper and deadlier against his favored enemy. Do note that this isn''t the final form of these Traits. Cedric''sprehension and attainments in Laws might be deep and profound but in reality, he''s only scratching the surface right now. Each day he meditated on hisws, he''d understood nuances that would drastically change how he understood the traits he received so far. He''s extremely far from mastering any of these traits, but he''ll eventually get there. Going back to the fight... ng! Cedric''s and the Phantom''s swords met in between, causing sparks to fly due to their sh. To anybody who''s spectating the fight, it would look like they''re evenly matched, but in truth, Cedric was still not giving it his all. He observed his opponents, not recognizing who this one was. That said, he could tell the attributes of his Sword Laws... ''Metal and Sharpness, huh? Practical, useful...I like it.'' He could tell that whoever this was, he was a pretty simple person. Yes, the nature of the Swordsman reflects on their heart and sword, so he''s pretty sure he''s right. The metal attribute felt a little weird. Since it was included in the enemy''s Sword Heart Traits, it bypassed the restriction of this ce. Due to the inherent element, Cedric could feel the weight and sharpness of the steel each time he shed with his opponent. If it weren''t for Sris Edge being a Legendary Tier weapon, his enemy might''ve already disarmed him. The enemy''s sword technique was cool too. He was aggressive but there''s rhythm behind it. It''s an approaching storm that only gets progressively worse. ''Wait...is this Instructor Uruk?'' Cedric inwardly guessed. He tried taking a close look at his enemy but then he saw that this one had eyes. Cedric had no when Uruk became blind or if it was an innate thing, but he still decided to look for other signs. ''Hmm...I don''t think so.'' Cedric concluded after a brief inspection. ''Yeah, I don''t think he is Instructor Uruk, a student of his from the past, maybe?'' Cedric was only mildly curious of course. Whether he''s right or wrong doesn''t matter here. At this very moment, this phantom was an enemy he needed to defeat. They''ve shed numerous times at this point and Cedric already discovered a way to defeat this one. Using the aggression of his enemy, Cedric anticipated another attack, then the enemy swung his sword, Cedric met it in the middle before swerving the edge of his sword and bending his body to the side. He then spun with the sword and beheaded the enemy with a clean strike. Blood spurted out of the stump and some drenched himpletely, but Cedric wasn''t impressed. He knew that this was fake. This was proven when a few secondster, the environment around him changed and returned to its original appearance, even the blood stains disappeared. Cedric adjusted his breath for a bit before starting another challenge. As for those who were spectating his fights, their reactions were mixed. Most of them had been attending these sses for longer than Cedric had yet he already moved past them. His progress was truly fast and his potential was monstrous. They were envious of it but also expectant of his future. Cedric was technically the youngest here in this ss. They envied his incredible talent, especially because the academy bent its rules for him, which was only normal since he was just that good. He grew exceedingly fast, they hardly obstacles on his path, and that left a bitter taste in their mouth. However, they were also impressed. Some here practiced for years, enduring all manner of bitterness and challenges just to form a Sword Heart Seed, yet it didn''t take Cedric that long. Mere months after he joined, he condensed a Sword Heart Seed and just turned even more monstrous since then. That kind of talent is something they could only dream of. Eventually, feeling envious of him felt useless, and they started rooting for him. See, Cedric was steadily climbing. Right now, he''s in the middle of the overall rankings of the dojo. In due time, he will eventually reach the upper ranks. By then, he will face the real monsters of this dojo. He was a wildcard that would change the rankings, and they''re looking forward to it. Aware of their thoughts, Cedric remained steadfast and unmoved. Sadly, he just doesn''t have the time to befriend people and socialize. He''s on a bit of a time crunch because things have been getting hectic recently. DONG!! Cedric was expelled from the Sword Coliseum out of nowhere after a resounding gong echoed within the dojo. He unleashed his senses and saw that it was Thirdy who was making that sound. A trace of recognition appeared on Cedric''s face as he along with all other students went towards the za. Upon arriving there, he saw five people standing in front of the Instructor''s Office. These people were the current top 5 of the Sword Path Dojo: Aurora Swiftde at the 5th ce. 4th ce; Roran Bloodsteel. Darius meheart, 3rd ce. In 2nd ce is Lyra Moonsteel. And finally, in the first ce, we have Cassius Nightfall. Cedric only had brief interactions with these people and it is very strange for all five of them to be here at the same time. "Students!" Thirdy announced after he was done sounding the gong. "Raise your swords and give these people a round of apuse for their hard work because today is the day all five of them graduate from his ss!" The students gasp in shock before raising their swords and apuding the Top 5, congratting them for their sessful graduation. Amidst of this all, Cedric could be seen frowningly deeply as he thought: ''All five are graduating at the same time? How can that be? None of them have perfected their Sword Hearts yet! What''s going on here?'' Chapter 216: Sudden Development Cedric did not believe, even for a second, that these five could graduate this ss just like that. Uruk said it to him once; that the only way they pass this ss is if their Sword Laws reached the Intermediate Stage, at the very least. If someone reached the Advanced Stage of the Sword Laws, they could directly apply for graduation since, at this point, this ss barely has anything to offer them if they choose to stay here. Amongst the top 5 only the 1st ce; Cassius Nightfall, and the 2nd ce; Lyra Moonsteel, reached the Intermediate Stage of Sword Laws - which was the bare minimum requirement to pass this ss. ording to what Cedric heard, those two have been informed of the other requirements but are taking their timepleting them since they weren''t in a hurry. Then, all of a sudden, not just those two but all five of them are graduating? How does that make any sense? Looking at their expressions, Cedric could sense the helplessness and uncertainty. They might look undeterred or indifferent, but Cedric could see right through it. Their bodynguage also screams nervousness and trepidation. It''s as if they are facing enormous pressure that nobody else can see or feel. All of this made Cedric think that there''s a story here, and he''d admit that he''s very curious about it. ** After the entire ss expressed their salutations to the graduating students, they were dismissed and asked to return to their usual work. Some people didn''t think much about it and just shrugged it out. Others gossiped about it since they could do so. Cedric waited, he sat on the bench and immersed himself in the silence for a bit. Then, he felt a presence sitting next to him. He didn''t need to look to know who it was. "Curious?" Thirdy asked after sitting down next to him. "Yeah." Cedric replied, "Things just don''t add up, I guess. I''m both confused and curious." "Yet you patiently waited until I approached you to ask." Thirdy chuckled next to him. "Curious, but not curious enough to outright ask. Good for you." "..." Cedric chose to remain silent, he patiently waited until Thirdy was ready to tell him about it...only if he wanted to or if he was allowed to. Cedric won''t force him if he can''t. "Well...where should I start, hmm..." Thirdy hummed, "Ah, I don''t know if you''ve heard of it, but recently Demons have be really active out of nowhere." Cedric felt chills running down his spine as he heard him say this. "When was it...like, about a week or two ago? I''m not so sure since I personally don''t pay attention either, but since I''m with Master most of the time, I am privy to some information on the frontlines." "This isn''t just some ''Oh, look! The Demons are migrating over this ce, isn''t that weird?'' type of thing. No, when I say active, I meant that for their entire race." "The ones roaming the outer world as well as those who are stationed outside...the entire Demon Race as a whole just be active all of a sudden." Thirdy grimly stated, "Thest time that happened, it caused us to go to war." enjoy-on-NovelFire Cedric felt his stomach sinking deeper as he heard the scale of the movement. His mind reeled for a bit and his thoughts turned slightly chaotic. "There had been three breach attempts to the Purgatory Realm." Thirdy supplied, "All of which happened within a single week. That hasn''t happened since the past decade or so." "The True Demons roaming on the Outer World became really active. A lot of the predators came out of their nests to start hunting; both humans and their kind, for sport. Many hordes are forming and migrating everywhere. The Corruption levels at some ces in the Outer World were increasing at an rming rate." "This level of activity rmed a lot of people. In response to it, our nar Travellers and Star Travellers also made their preparations; Headmistress Lysandra and Master Uruk included. Tensions are rising and it''s not looking good. Nothing concrete happened yet, but given our rtionship with demons, it''s bound to happen sooner orter. It''s just a matter of who''s gonna make a move first." Cedric took a deep breath to calm himself down. Yeah, this all sounds terrible. "...are those five being called to the frontlines?" Cedric asked. "That''s right. Man, this is why I like talking to you. You''re quick at the uptake!" Thirdy grinned, but that expression didn''tst though because the situation was really serious. "Master Uruk tried to stop it. He told them that these five weren''t ready yet. He tried to reason that, although they may be strong, in front of the real horrors on the frontlines, they''re still too weak. He didn''t want them to go there until they passed his ss on their own ord first. Cassius was very close and if he pushed it, within a week, he''d be able to graduate nheless." "Cassius, I understand. But what about Lyra? She just recently got promoted as a Junior Student, wasn''t she? Howe she''s included in the draft?" Cedric asked. "She''s the daughter of a Marshal," Thirdy replied with a helpless smile. "While some parents would do everything in their power to shield their children from harm, not all are like that." "Lyra''s father; High Marshal of the Western Army Camp - Leon Moonsteel, is a rather peculiar man. He uses ''tough love'' to raise his children. To him, this might be a disaster but it''s also an opportunity to make his children stronger. He''s the one who endorsed the idea, and because of his position, nobody could stop him." Cedric winced upon hearing those. In the times that he had attended this ss, he had a few interactions with Lyra. He''s aware of her rigidness and coldness, he thought that she was just like that towards strangers but s, it seems that she was conditioned to act that way. "...I assume that they''re not the only ones then?" Cedric tentatively asked. "Oh yeah, there''s more." Thirdy responded, "Like five hundred more people, mostly Senior Students." "...that''s too little." Cedric frowned. "Yeah, it is. Given the scale of what this might turn out? Yeah, that''s nowhere near enough. There are a lot of people in the army, but because many people are ignorant about the real status of the world, most people don''t see the appeal of joining the army, that''s why even though we have a lot of soldiers, out situation is still bad because we can''t easily replenish our numbers like Demons could." "But this is all we can offer." Thirdy sighed, "Ultimately, a lot of you aren''t ready yet. But best believe that when pushes to shove, even the Academy won''t be able to protect you. That''s why you must spend your time wisely here while you still can." Thirdy patted Cedric back and continued: "I know that you have a lot of burdens to carry. Sadly, time doesn''t wait for anybody, and fate''s a bitch. Even I might not be able to escape this so...good luck to us. Work hard and no matter what happens, prioritizes your safety. You being alive is worth more than you being dead." After saying his piece, Thirdy got up and left Cedric to simmer in his thoughts. ''Is this a coincidence...?'' Cedric muttered inwardly. He couldn''t help but think that all of this was rted to him somehow. The time frame just fits a little too perfectly. And if it does have something to do with him...Cedric suddenly felt horrible, his stomach churned at all the possible deaths that might happen because of his recklessness. Still, he can''t focus on that too much right now. Tensions are rising and students are being drafted for a potential war. Could Humanity even survive another war? Cedric thinks that Humanity is doing good, but was it enough to win? This...he had no idea. It is also highly possible that if the war really happened, even he wouldn''t be able to escape it. Cedric wasn''t all too concerned with that. He can fight, he could even match nar Travellers in raw strength. Besides, he thrives on a battlefield, the founder of the House of Light even said that that''s his real stage. It might be a little too early for this, but he wouldn''t shy away from responsibilities like this. But of course, that''s under the assumption that shit truly hits the fan. For now, there''s only a very small chance of that happening and he''s still safe. Taking a deep breath, Cedric summoned his system interface and began creating a list of things he needed to do before he got drafted. Sure, he might be overreaching here since nothing''s certain yet, but if there''s something he knew, it''s that; ''if things can go wrong, it will go wrong.'' He can''t be caught unprepared, especially in a dangerous event of this scale. Looking at the list he made, he felt that he put too many things he wanted to do with what seemingly little time he had, but he made no changes to it. He just sighed and said: "I''m about to get really busy..." Chapter 217: More Developments Days turned to weeks and Cedric remained immersed in his busy schedule. He wanted to do a lot of things due to the rising tension between Humans and Demons. Amongst all things, Cedric didn''t like the idea of being unprepared. Cedric knew that now is not the time to be stingy. He used all of the resources he had to ensure that his projects were done ordingly. He also worked closely with the House of Light because he needed their manpower. One of the few projects he wanted toplete soon was the very first project he started even before bing a student of the Academy - it''s the Demon Soul Purification project. Even before he became a Sage, Cedric was already researching a way to get rid of the remaining impurities within a Demon Soul. He started small and had minimal sess, however, that was hardly enough for his requirements. After bing a Sage, Cedric discovered that using Sunfire and Sunlight to kill Purgatory Demons causes their residual souls to be purified, turning into Essence Souls that were safe for consumption and more effective than ordinary Demon Souls. He never stopped researching this. It was for this very reason that he studied Symbols, Smithing, and Alchemy. He had long since mastered the skills, he just needed to finalize the idea and he could start mass-producing the equipment needed for the purification. Oh, and by the way, he had already patented this invention of his, and he already received Ac''s recognition. The only thing that''s left to do is to introduce this to the public soon. The House of Light was already informed about this project and they had been testing it for a couple of days now. In the end, the invention was called: the Demon Soul Purification Altar. Currently, it can purify Demon Souls up to the nar Traveller Stage, anything beyond that would be difficult. Cedric still needs time to research that. He also decided to give the House of Light the authority to use these altars on his behalf. What this means is that, on the surface, it would seem that the House of Light was the one who invented this. Technically, this isn''t wrong since he''s their Holy Son, though the truth is that Cedric created this all by himself. The n was to create as many altars as the House of Light''s branches, that way each branch would have one and people could go to the nearest one to them to purify their demon souls. Aside from this, Cedric also finished all the array discs needed to rece the light source of all the Lighthouses within the civilization. It''s been a couple of days since that happened and the concentration of sunlight during daytime increased massively. All residual corruption has been flushed from the civilization. Even the ones hiding in the shadows have been purgedpletely at this point. NovelFire-original-content Sunlight energy isn''t static. Even if an area hasn''t been illuminated by sunlight won''t escape its reach due to the permeating heat it''s apanied with. So if there are any traces of corruption left before this, they''d be gone now. But once again, Cedric felt that this was nowhere near enough to satisfy the needs of people, especially with the rising tensions around it. That''s why he added another project to his list, one that he had been thinking of for quite some time now. The Sun Disc project... This is undoubtedly arge-scale project. One that might take months, if not years, to create. Just the materials needed to fund this project would cause anyone''s skin to crawl, but if there''s anybody who could shoulder the cost of something like this, it would be Cedric. He proposed the idea to Ac, and to say that she''s supportive of it would be an understatement. She even asked if Cedric wanted to spread the word to people to make this a priority project, but Cedric refused. That will cause too much activity, something that can''t happen right now since the current status quo is sensitive. This has to be a secret for now and while that might cause the project to be dyed even further, it''s better that way instead of this bing the spark that started the war. Aside from these projects, Cedric also created some contingencies just in case something bad happened. Beyond those, he threw himself into his training. All of his side projects would be meaningless if he didn''t have sufficient strength to use and maintain them. Right now, he''s no longer rushing through the levels. He advances steadily without damaging his foundations. While he could technically rush towards Tier 9, he didn''t do it since that would cause his foundation to be unstable. If he did that, he would encounter a bottleneck that would make it extremely challenging for him to advance to the nar Traveller Realm. Even if did manage to reach that stage, his future prospects would be limited. Cedric obviously has lofty goals so there''s no way he''d be fine with that. Cedric spent the majority of his free time at the real Sword Communion Hall. Through the help of the Law Communion Sword, he immersed himself in the Concept Laws he knew, deepening his understanding of them and advancing steadily. From Tier 6 and above, one''s Concept Lawprehension must be their priority. They can''t ck off since if this aspect of their strength fell behind, they would be in serious trouble. Cedric''s goal was to reach the Intermediate Stage for any of his Concept Laws; Sword, Fire, and Astral Laws, and gain a 3rd Trait from them. This will massively increase his strength and give him more edge in case of emergency. Right, there''s also this ''ughter Intent'' of his. ''ughter Intent'' isn''t considered a mon'' Concept Law, but it does contain profound aspects simr to one. Heprehended this amidst his Hell Dive. He was in a particrly bad mood at that time and he wanted nothing more than to bash a couple of skulls in, preferably the Demon kind. Using nothing but his raw strength and pure sword skills, he unleashed a terrifying massacre that caused demon blood to form rivers and corpses to turn into mountains. By the time he recovered from this state, only he was left on the battlefield surrounded by a dark crimson cloud of his killing intent whichter then transformed into a flower petal. Cedric still has much to learn about it but currently, his ughter Intent increased his attack by 30%. The more he understands it, the more benefits he will unlock. Amidst his training, Cedric never forgot to check on Chrissy and Erica''s status. He gave both of them a ne that would protect them in case of emergency. Each locket contained a concentrated mass of both Sunlight and Vivic mes. If they''re in danger, these lockets would explode and engulf everything within a 5-kilometer radius in a sea of gold and unwhite mes, but that''s not all it does. He also left a function that would allow him to see their current health states. The locket is connected to a device that could receive signals indicating their status, kind of simr to how the Monitoring Chips worked. From what he got so far, the girls were fine. They weren''t hurt or injured yet. Cedric had no idea what exactly they were doing because he couldn''t add that kind of function yet but it was already enough for him to know that they were okay. ** A couple more days passed and one morning, Cedric woke up to a rather disturbing news... "What the hell...?" Cedric muttered in surprise. Reading the news article online, he learned that apparently, all the ''criminals'' of the Risk Management Centers were currently being transferred to the Army Camps. Cedric read that again and again just to confirm it. It clearly states that ''all Risks'' were to be transferred to the army camps. Meaning that there would be thousands, if not more, of people going there. ''Risks'' are people who constantly fail their Hell Dives. They are called ''Risks'' because if they fail their Hell Dives three times in a row once their Monitoring Chips turn red, they would turn into a ''Node'' that Demons could use to infiltrate Prime Earth. Cedric was once like them, and it was only through sheer luck that he managed to turn his life around. Despite suffering 7 years of torture and solitude in the RMC, he sympathized with the ''criminals'' because if he hadn''t inherited the Eyes of a Godking, he would''ve remained a ''criminal'' still. Yet now, all ''Risks'' are being transferred to the army camps. This isn''t just a handful of people. There are at least a hundred people in each Risk Management Center, and there is at least one Risk Management Center in a city. If they''re transferring everybody to the army camps, we''re looking at tens of thousands of people at least. Each one was desperate and crazed from the istion and psychological torture they suffered within the RMC. "What the hell are they gonna do with all these people?" Chapter 218: Risks and Return Cedric kept in touch with the news even as he busied himself with training. Eventually, the army and the government released their statements about their sudden decision to transfer all the ''Risk'' to the frontlines, but this information was only revealed to people with at least Lv.5 System Authority and above. They said that they did this for additional security. Since ''Risks'' could turn into ''Node'', keeping them near the civilization was far too risky. It would only take one mistake and a city would be in grave danger. So, to increase the security of all cities, they decided to transfer the inmates near the frontlines so they could be monitored closely. In case of emergency, the army could instantly respond and take care of the problem. This statement might fool others but certainly not Cedric...this reeks of bullshit and the people who made this statement knows that too. If they''re truly concerned about the people''s safety, why build the RMCs near the cities in the first ce? Besides, the ''Risks'' are monitored 24/7, and aside from unexpected situations, nobody can fool their security measures. Those who are close to turning into a Node are always dealt with ordingly. The security within the RMCs is impressive too, anyone who''s admitted inside would find it extremely difficult, even almost impossible, to escape their clutches. ...Cedric would know, he was once a ''Risk'' himself, after all. He spent 7 years in there and was nearly driven mad. Still, the statement wasn''t entirely false. It would most definitely be more appropriate for the Risks to be transferred near the frontlines. In case of any unexpected emergencies, the army would be able to instantly respond to any threats to human society. The army was strong so there was no way that the plots of the prisoners would pass without them knowing. That said, it wasn''t theplete truth. Since the army and government weren''tpletely honest, Cedric decided to piece together the information himself. Well,mon sense tells him that the prisoners were transferred near the frontlines to be cannon fodders. It only makes sense since tensions are rising. Besides, with the increased activity of the Demon Race, the leaders of Humanity wouldn''t put it past them to use underhanded tactics and target the desperate ones. There''s no way that Demons would forget about the Risks since it was one of the more viable ways to infiltrate Prime Earth. By having the prisoners near the walls, the army could respond better and faster if the Demons decided to extend their reach to the prisoners. Additionally, the army could tempt these people with resources to help them increase their strength. If they could be stronger, their chances of turning their life around would increase. Of course, it wouldn''t be too surprising if the army ''hires'' them to increase their manpower. If the prisoners were to perform well and could follow orders, they might even receive military merit. They could use that to gain freedom andpletely turn their life around. Well, these are just his spections. Cedric didn''t have any real insider information, he''s just going withmon sense. ** "We''re home!" Cedric released a sigh of relief as he heard two familiar voices echoing within his dorm (penthouse). He stood up and walked out to meet Chrissy and Erica. Disregarding their haggard and exhausted looks, he unhesitatingly wrapped them in a tight hug, once again sighing in relief since they''d returned safely. "Wee back." He whispered in their ears before letting them go. "How''s work?" "Exhausting," Erica whined and pouted. "Can''t say much but things are crazy out there." "Yeah, it''s...a bit overwhelming, not gonna lie. We''re under too much pressure." Chrissy added solemnly. Both girls seem to almost pass out from exhaustion. Cedric doubts that they''re even conscious enough to continue this conversation. He kept his questions within and instead picked both of them up before taking them to his bed. As soon as the girls felt the softness of his bed, they both sighed infort and fell unconscious. Cedric''s eyes twinkled with a rainbow-colored sh for a bit before he muttered: "Their energy levels are extremely low." He then continued scanning their bodies to diagnose them. "Their muscles have been overworked, especially their lower bodies. Their faces are pale and they''re dirty. I bet they didn''t even get much rest in the middle of their mission." Cedric had no idea just what kind of mission these two had but it must be really challenging if it drained them this much. Making as little noise as possible, Cedric took a clean towel and drenched it with lukewarm water to clean them up. The girls were too deep in their slumber that they didn''t wake up to this. On normal days, they would''ve since they''re light sleepers, but today isn''t one of those days. Aside from being dirty, the girls are still in theirbat gear. Cedric stripped them off of it and reced them with silk pajamas. He also lit upvender-scented candles to help them sleep better and deeper. Once he was done, he scanned them once more just to be sure that nothing from outside hitched a ride with them all the way here. Fortunately, there was none. Still, just to be extra, extra careful, he still swept them with his sunlight energy to cleanse them of any hidden substances that might''ve been able to escape his senses. NovelFire-article Since there was no reaction, it meant that they were okay. Cedric then smiled and left them alone. He went downstairs to prepare a feast for them since he knew that the girls were famished on top of being exhausted. He bets that they haven''t had any warm food during the entire month that they''re out so it only makes sense that they would want some after they wake up. A few hourster, he sensed movement around. The girls woke up so he immediately stood up and prepared food on the table. "Mmm~! Smells good!" Chrissy''s delicate voice sounded out, followed by a pair of footsteps. Once they arrived at the dining area, Cedric smiled at them and said: "Eat up, you two. I know you''re hungry." "Wouldn''t say no to that, thanks handsome!" Chrissy kissed his cheeks before sitting down at the table. Erica did the same. He joined them but he didn''t eat much. He wasn''t hungry anyway. He''s just here in case the girls need something. A little bitter, Erica released a sigh, not out offort but worry. This of course didn''t escape Cedric''s senses so he asked: "What''s wrong? Do you not like the food?" "No, no!" Erica shook her head. "It''s the best, you know that. I''m just...worried, yeah. Just worried." Chrissy rolled her eyes and snickered: "Understatement of the century. The Demons are going on the offensive. War''s close and I don''t think we, and yes I''m including you, Cedric, we won''t be able to evade it." Erica looked at her in surprise and asked: "Should we really be telling him that? Isn''t that ssified?" "Psh, rx Girl," Chrissy responded while casually buttering her bread. "He''s no ordinary person. He has Lv.9 System Authority and is a 1st ss Army Officer with special privileges. It''s only ssified to certain people and he''s not one of them." "...fair." Erica conceded with a shrug. Cedric blinked. He could still remember them saying that they couldn''t tell him much but here they were revealing ssified information. Well, they indeed have a point. He would learn about this sooner orter anyway. "We have...a few months of rtive peace remaining...I think." Chrissy sounded uncertain here. "The Demons are closing in on the walls, the army''s throwing cannon fodders at them and it''s working, for now. Can''t say how long that willst though." "The Outposts are also under duress," Ericained. "Expedition Teams like us are expected to go out more to send them supplies and examine the situation to anticipate where they''reing from. The worst part is that thend remation projects we''ve been working on for years would suffer an immense setback after this." Outposts are army camps stationed deeper on the ck Lands. They function as a lookout and checkpoints for the army and the expedition teams. As for the Land Remation Projects, it''s n to cleanse and retrieve pieces of the ck Lands, making them habitable once more. With demonic activity on the rise, it is understandable that these things would suffer immensely. This meant more stress on the expedition teams and wasted effort. This also means that girls might not be able to stay as long as he hoped. Since Cedric had been anticipating it already, he wasn''t surprised when they told him that war wasing. However, that doesn''t mean that he liked the idea. If anything, he dreaded it greatly. The Humans are responding to the movements but are they truly ready for another fight? Can Humans endure this uing war? Cedric had no idea, he felt too small right now but he didn''t dare show it on his face. "Well, let''s make the most out of what little peace we have then. Let''s not talk about this for now." Chapter 219: Progress "Annalise, how''s our ongoing projects?" "Starting with the Demon Soul Purification Altar project, we are approaching the final stages. The altars have been tested and are working in perfect condition. We just need to install the altars to all branches and we''re good to go." "Are we properly staffed for this?" Gabriel asked. "Yes, Sir. In fact, that''s the first problem we solved." Annalise replied politely. "Great. What about the Sun Disc Project?" "I''m afraid that will take time, Sir." Annalised reported with a solemn expression. "Even with the provided materials and enough manpower, the project is tooplicated for us toplete quickly. However, we are making steady progress. So far, the foundations for the Sun Disc are 50% done." "That''s fine." Gabriel responded, "Our Holy Son expected as much. Still, it would be best if we finish the Sun Dics as soon as we can. The situation on the frontlines isn''t looking too good after all." Within the House of Light''s headquarters, Archbishop Gabriel and his two guards discussed their ongoing projects. Since Cedric joined them as their Holy Son, he brought nothing but surprises that brought the organization closer and closer to the ultimate goal. They''re still astonished at how much progress they made towards their goal just because Cedric appeared out of nowhere. Who would''ve ever thought that he already possessed most of the things they needed? The new light source was already more than what they were expecting. The feeling of Sunlight returning to their civilization was more than enough for the entire organization to dedicate themselves to him. Yet he didn''t just do that. Roughly a month ago, Cedric came to them and revealed two massive projects; he gave the schematics for the Demon Soul Purification Altar and the Sun Disc. Gabriel could still remember how he reacted when he realized just what their Holy Son intended to do. He couldn''t keep his mouth shut after seeing the schematics. The Demon Soul Purification Altar was already a huge thing. The fact that Cedric devised a way to use Sunlight as a tool to filter the remaining corruption on Demon Souls, turning them into pure Essence Souls that are not only safe to consume, but also at least 20% more effective than ordinary Demon Souls. He even showed them how it works since he brought a working model with him. They personally saw how the purification process worked and also got Ac''s guarantee. To say that this was huge would be an understatement. How many Superhumans were there? How many of them craved to be stronger? How many Demon Souls have been circting around the market? How many people had to endure the foul effects of using Demon Souls during their breakthrough? NovelFire-original Amongst many things, Demon Souls are also used as a currency for goods. With this altar, massive changes are afoot and none were negative for Humanity''s overall well-being. And that Sun Disc...dear god that Sun Disc... That project is the one that Gabriel was really looking forward topleting, because once that thing was built and in operation, even Demon Emperors would hesitate to get close to Azure Terra...hell, they might even im the rest of the continent, greatly expanding Humanity''s range of operation. For now, though, they need patience. The Sun Disc must be kept a private matter for now since it''s definitely a huge deal. If Demons were to find out what it could do, they wouldn''t hesitate to use all means necessary to prevent the Sun Disc from being constructed. Everybody who''s working on the Sun Disc Project signed an NDA issued by the Ac System herself. Upon signing this NDA, they will be unable to physically, mentally, and spiritually tell anybody about the contents of the project. Not even dying and having their souls searched would defy this restriction. Outside of that, the contract was harmless. This might be an overkill but Gabriel had no qualms going his far, especially with how important this project was for Humanity''s sake. "Have the Bishops and Priests been informed about the announcement soon?" Gabriel asked. "Yes, they have, Sir," Richard replied. "All of them have been preparing themselves. They''re just waiting for the arrival of the altars and they will be ready to receive people and supervise the conversion of Demon Soul to Essence Souls." "Wonderful. We will be using System Delivery for security. Remind them to increase their vignce too, some corrupt people might target our operations this time. While they won''t be able to do anything to us physically, they might viinize us to the public eye and that will hinder our mission." Gabriel warned. "Sir...the Holy Son, wouldn''t he be able to take care of this? He''s a 1st ss Army Officer, no?" Richard asked. "He could, he definitely could." Gabriel agreed wearing a solemn face. "But if we let that happen, what use does he have for us then? Aren''t we just hired muscle then? No, of course not. We might technically be his followers but we have some form of independence too. We can function with or without him, this is something that our founder rified to us again and again." "Besides, this might very well be a test for us." Gabriel added, "Somehow, I have this impression that we''re still underestimating what our Holy Son could truly do. These projects might be what we have been striving for as a whole, yet he achieved them with a fraction of the time it took us." "Him letting us supervise these projects is a test to see if we truly have some worth...at least that''s what I think. It might very well be different from what our Holy Son thinks but it hardly makes a difference." "We''re here to support him and provide his needs. So long as we can do that, our Holy Son will prop up the heavens and give us, Humans, a better chance at this war." "Right now, our Holy Son is still young. He might be wiser than his peers because of his experience and he might be stronger than most, but he still needs time to grow. Unfortunately, things will be more hectic from now on because of the tensions between our races, but that''s even more reason for us to ensure that we can rise to the asion." "With us here, he should be at ease knowing that we can hold down the for until he''s ready to take his rightful ce. That''s why I won''t tolerate failure from our side, is that understood?" "Yes, Sir." ** Cedric had no idea what Gabriel and his guards were thinking or doing right now. Even if he did, he wouldn''t have said anything since he would only benefit from the misunderstanding. Right now, his focus is on increasing his strength. More specifically, he''s more focused on increasing hisprehension of Concept Laws. That''s why he''s currently at the real Sword Communion Hall. The Law Communion Sword hung above him as he sat down in the middle of the gctic neb with his eyes dazed, immersed inpleteprehension of Laws. Around him, manifestations of heavenly bodies appeared; stars, suns, moons,s, constetions, cosmic formations, etc. He''s also surrounded by sharp threads of Sword Energying from his Sword Heartseed. You would also see small creatures made of fire dancing around him. These were the manifestations of his Concept Laws. Cedric did not deliberately create them, they just appeared due to his resonance with Concept Laws. This isn''t something that people could just do. Only those with a frightening degree ofprehension and highpatibility with their Concept Laws could achieve this state. This phenomenon is a sign that a person resonates deeply with the Concept of Laws, further increasing the speech at which theyprehend it. Time within the real Sword Communion Hall was slowed down to a near halt, which was a good thing since Cedric had been spending months in a single sitting here, justpletely immersed inprehending the Laws of Fire, Astral, and Sword. That said, he couldn''t possibly remain here forever. Even with his frighteningprehension level, his physical state is still limited. There are only so many ideas he canprehend within a certain time and once he reaches his full capacity, he needs to validate the ideas by practicing them. Cedric could do it here, but because of the concentration of Law Energy here, it''s far too chaotic to validate hisprehension. Therefore, Cedric needs to go out and try them out in the real world. This process takes time and Cedric won''t return here unless hepletely validates everything from hisst session. And just like now, Cedric meditated for an unknown length of time before feeling stuffy. It''s a sign that he has reached his limit. rity returned to his eyes, followed by a turbid breath. He stood up and looked up at the Law Communion Sword, saying: "You feel it too, don''t you?" "Of course. It''s been a while, really. But I''ll admit, I don''t miss this feeling at all. It would''ve been better if this didn''t happen at all because every time it does, many people die." The Law Communion Sword replied with a heavy sigh. "We can''t escape this." Cedric mirthlessly smiled, "Anyway, I''m afraid you won''t see me for a while. I don''t n on dying but...just in case, please consider my proposal earlier." "...I''ll think about it." "Good enough for me." Cedric shrugged. "Anyway, see youter." Just like that, Cedric left the hall, leaving the Law Communion Sword simmering on its own thoughts. Chapter 220: Headmistress Days passed by and tensions continued to rise... At this point, even the regr civilians could tell that something was wrong, some couldn''t put a finger on it but the feeling was unmistakable. Even the animals were behaving strangely because of it. Cedric kept paying attention to any information he could ess while progressing steadily with his training. As time passed, more and more people were being called to the frontlines. Cedric still had no idea what exactly was happening out there, he just knew that Demons were active and that the army was pushing them back somehow. Just as expected, Chrissy and Erica couldn''t stay for long. They had 2 weeks of rest at most before they were called back to duty. With the tensions steadily increasing, Cedric knew that the pressure on Expedition Teams would rise as well, and there was nothing they could do about that. As usual, Cedric could only do his best to keep himself upied without his girlfriends. He focused on increasing his strength andprehending Concept Laws. He wants to reach the Intermediate Stage for at least one of his Concept Laws but he also doesn''t want to neglect the traits he already has. He polished his skills constantly, seeking nothing but perfection and turning those skills into a work of art...a deadly art when used against his foes. As he observed the situation, he noticed that more and more Senior Students, including a handful of special students, were being sent to missions. These ''missions'' were a veiled attempt to conceal the fact that Humanity was preparing for war. In truth, these students were being sent to frontlines. The Academy didn''t want the students or the public to panic, that''s why they''re masking the truth behind these missions. Now, Cedric doesn''t know if doing that was wise or not, but it doesn''t really change the reality they''re on. On a brighter note, the House of Light already announced thepletion of the Demon Soul Purification Project. They made the public announcement a couple of days ago and introduced the Demon Soul Purification Altar to the public. To say that they surprised the masses with this reveal would be an understatement. Right now, everybody''s eyes were on them, which was Cedric''s goal to begin with. Of course, some people tried to find fault in this. These people are either those who have been researching this project since forever and were met with nothing but failure, feeling peeved that somebody beat them to the punch, or delusional people who wanted to get their hands on these things to use them for their personal gain. Cedric was prepared to move against these people since it seemed that they didn''t understand the overall situation of humanity, but it turns out that he didn''t need to, the House of Light was sufficiently prepared for this. The announcement of the Demon Soul Purification Altars was backed by Ac herself. The product received her seal of guarantee, eliminating all doubts the public had in mind. As for those corrupt people who are trying to control the House of Light, well...they''re unable to do so. That''s because the House of Light was a bigger beast than they originally imagined. Cedric had no idea what the Archbishop did but within three days, all of the scheming people practically stopped their attempts. In fact, they stayed away from the House of Light as much as they could, seemingly scared by them. Since then, many people could be seen going to the nearest House of Light Branch to convert Demon Souls into Essence Souls. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from users, saying that after using Essence Souls for breakthroughs or increasing their skill levels, there''s no way they''ll use Demon Souls again unless they don''t have other options. The altars also got the army''s attention. Gabriel told Cedric that at least two High Marshals visited the headquarters to ask for a sample of the product and that on his behalf, the Archbishop cooperated with them. Cedric gave his blessings to do so of course since that was the n all along. With the army''s guarantee, more and more people would use the altars, and the corruption within Humans brought by their use of Demon Souls would progressively disappear. In conjunction with the Sunlight''s effects, Humanity will no longer be at risk of being manipted by Demons, this will also weaken the corruption''s effect on Humans, and so long as they remain within the civilization, they never have to be afraid of Demonic Corruption. Still, this was far from enough... Cedric still has more in store. The Sun Disc Project is still in progress, he still has other ns that need polishing. He''s just pressed with time but that''s okay, so long as he''s around, things will look up. Since the House of Light seemed to have this covered without exposing his identity, Cedric could focus on his personal things. He wasn''t expecting them to be that reliable but he was relieved that they were. ...especially since he will be upied very soon and won''t be able to pay too much attention to other things. ** "Ulfric Hawkeye, Melissa Anderson, Isabe Frostwind, Garrick Stoneheart, and finally, Cedric Stormrider...I''m d that all of you were able to arrive on short notice." Within avish and expansive room, the five people who upied the Top 5 ranks of their batch listened to the speaker with rapt attention. They never expected to be in a room like this. They could see all sorts of magical and technological equipment around as well as numerous bookshelves, trophies, and other paraphernalia. This room was also dense with all sorts of energy; Law Energy being the greatest. The one who called them here wasn''t just any individual. It''s a maturedy who''s wearing a silk crimson robe that hugs the figure of her curvaceous body. Her skin was pale and smooth, almost glistening with how healthy it was. She''s wearing modest heels, smells incredibly good, and has a face that could bewitch any man or woman, she meets. Beyond that, she also releases a strange energy that just draws people to her, she also exudes authority and demands attention whenever she moves. This woman was none other than the Headmistress Lissandra - Starlight Royal Academy''s Dean and Founder. From a single look at her, no one would believe that she''s beyond 100 years old, nobody would dare to point that out either. "This is the first time that we are meeting despite you all being a student in my academy for more than a year how. I''d love to know more about you but I''m afraid that we have more pressing matters to attend to." She spoke elegantly and formally. She then released a sigh and said: "I believe some of you have been noticing the...strange vibe all around us recently." "I won''t hide it from you. The situation on the frontlines isn''t looking too good." She solemnly revealed. "Demonic Activity has been at the highest since...since thest war between our races." After saying that, the atmosphere within the room turned cold all of a sudden. Cedric wasn''t surprised, and so was Ulfric - or #5, as Cedric fondly remembers it. The same couldn''t be said for the other three though, and Cedric could recognize the look of realization on their faces. "Nothing''s for certain yet. We are, after all, only responding to the increased demonic activity so far." Lissandra took a deep breath and then said: "But I''m no spring chicken. I''ve been alive even before your parents ever thought of conceiving you." "I''ve been an adult since thest war that happened, and I know the signs when I see one, that''s why I can tell when it''sing." Lissandra had an odd look on her face. It seems to be a mixture of helplessness and fondness at the same time. Cedric had no idea why she felt this way and he wasn''t really interested to know. "Believe me, I tried to buy time for you. After all, you five are too young to experience a horrible thing like this." She took another deep breath before continuing, "Unfortunately, our numbers arecking. Even after so many years since thest war, we Humans are stillckingpared to Demons." "This might sound unfair to you, but your presence is needed...required, to help our war efforts. Simply put, you five are being drafted." The top 5 remained silent, seemingly simmering in their thoughts. "Don''t worry, the army knows not to expect too much from you. You''re young, after all. Our future lies with you so they will be a little more considerate towards you. None of us wanted this to happen, but it couldn''t be helped." Lissandra then handed them a stack of documents before saying: "These are the list of Army Branches you can choose to join. Inform me of your decision by the end of the week so that I can help you make arrangements." "Also, try your best to not reveal any information about the war. We''re trying to prevent people from panicking too much. Our situation is a bit sensitive, after all." "That''s all I wanted to inform you. The rest of you are dismissed, Cedric you stay." Chapter 221: Aspect of the Stars -- Cedric was puzzled as to why he was asked to stay behind but he didn''t show it, he didn''t say a word either. The four people who came with him excused themselves and left him and the Headmistress to talk in private. Not long after they left, Lissandra turned her attention to him and said: "Well met, Young Sage. I am pleased to know that someone of your caliber is attending my humble institute." Cedric was briefly surprised but he quickly recovered. Understandably, this woman knows of his real identity, she owns this ce after all. "Thank you for letting me stay, Headmistress. Excuse me for not introducing myself right away as I am being careful with my moves." Cedric replied. "Oh please, don''t be burdened. The gates of my institute will always be open to you. I of course know how sensitive your status is, and I also understand the need for secrecy. You don''t need to apologize for protecting yourself since if I was in your position, I would''ve done the same." "If there''s someone who should apologize, it would be me. I tried my best to spare you from being drafted to the frontlines but the army needs us." Lissandra had an apologetic smile as she told him this. "It''s alright, Headmistress. I understand and I don''t resent your decision. I actually think that it''s a logical move. Besides, I never thought about escaping this. I''m willing to offer any help I could." Cedric replied. "Oh, you''re already doing way more than you''re expected to," Lissandra stated with a proud face. "Your act of joining the House of Light and bestowing them a new light source - one that is identical to the real sunlight, and the Demon Soul Purification Altars...these will have asting effect on our civilization. In terms of achievements alone, you already surpassed the current Zodiac Saints." Once again, Cedric wasn''t surprised that she knew about these too. Even with his authority, there are some people who still directly outrank him and can view information about him. She must be one of those people, and if she was, that isn''t surprising either. "I asked you to stay behind because of a single thing." Lissandra suddenly stated, "And I believe that this will be of great assistance to you." Cedric focused after hearing that. Then, he saw her waving her hand in front of her before a silvery light started converging above her palms. The silver light flowed like mercury, drawing arcs and milky streaks in the air. It then formed intersecting likes that left a deep impression on Cedric. After a few seconds, Cedric realized what was going on. "...an Aspect Sigil? A Sage''s Totem...you''re a Sage too?" He muttered in astonishment. He then looked at Lissandra in surprise, but what really shocked him was her next words... "Yes, this is an Aspect Sigil. No, I am not a Sage." Lissandra replied with a wry smile. "I wanted to be but sadly, my talents arecking to be one." "Then...why...how did you...?" "This Sage''s Totem isn''t mine. You''d know this since you''re a Sage, but Aspect Sigils are in fact, the inheritance of Sages, passed down from one generation to the next. The Sage of a particr era will nurture the sigils, and add their ownprehension to it, enriching the inheritance even more. Some Sages would even create a new Aspect Sigil of their own, thereby increasing the options for future Sages." Lissandra exined. "My teacher was the Sage." She stated while looking nostalgic. "The Star Sage to the be exact. She originally hoped for me to inherit the mantle and perfect this Aspect Sigil. She believed that the future of Humanity was amongst the vast and starry skies." "Unfortunately, my talent and skills are insufficient to qualify for the Sage''s title. Therefore, I can''t fulfill her final wish." "As you know, there can only be one Sage in each generation. She hoped that it would be me but I couldn''t be one. I tried my best, doing a ss Change Quest every time I increased my Tier however, I failed." "Upon reaching the nar Traveller Realm, the ss Change Quest will no longer be avable. Which means that you''d be stuck with what you have. I epted my fate and moved on nheless. Even though I wasn''t sage, I''m strong enough to make changes anyway and nothing''s stopping me from doing that." "Still, my teacher wanted me to follow in her footsteps and be a Sage. In anticipation of that, she left the ¡ºAspect of the Stars¡» to me. This was her life''s work, her magnum opus." "Even though I didn''t be a Sage, I still studied this extensively and it has be the basis of my skills, ss, and also the inspiration for the creation of this institute." "This has been with me for a very long time, yet even then, I am unable to unravel all the secrets my teacher left behind here." Lissandra sounded depressed upon admitting this. "I''ve gained as much as I could from this and it won''t make sense for me to hold on to it when there''s clearly a better option." Lissandra then pushed the sigil towards Cedric, much to the Young Sage''s hesitation. "Are you sure about this?" He asked. "I am." She nodded, "Have been for the past decade or so. I was just waiting for the next Sage to appear. Since I never became a Sage, this has never been mine. It''s technically yours. I just borrowed it and only returning it now." "Besides, I have an idea of what you''re trying to do." She added, "I believe that learning what this sigil could offer would be of immense help to you." Cedric stayed silent for a bit before epting the sigil. The moment it touched him, the sigil began emitting a more fearsome glow, one that was more epassing and seemingly boundless, like the endless nket of stars above. Seeing this gave Lissandra a strong nostalgia. This reaction felt the same as the aura of her long-deceased teacher. It momentarily caused her to be distracted and zone out, remembering moments of her past she deeply cherished. Deep down, she still felt regret. It couldn''t be helped, she wanted to be a Sage but couldn''t. It was thest request of her teacher before she left the world for good. If she had be one, this sigil would''ve reacted the same way to her as it did with Cedric. And it''s this very same reaction that told Lissandra that she was indeed unqualified to hold on to this inheritance since it was never meant for her. That left a bitter taste in her mouth but if there was a saving grace for her, it would be Cedric. This young man won''t desecrate her teacher''s inheritance so it''s in good hands. As for Cedric, he was immersed in his thoughts. The ¡ºAspect of the Stars¡» was truly and immensely helpful. Just by receiving it, it flooded his mind with all sorts of inspirations that he couldn''t wait to validate. Cedric fought the urge to test things out right now since this wasn''t the time nor the ce to do so. But he''s still immensely grateful for this gift. "Thank you for entrusting this to me. I''ll use it well." Cedric said after keeping the sigil away. "I know you will," Lissandea replied with a small chuckle. "Anyway, now that I have returned to you your rightful inheritance, have you decided on which part of the army you want to join?" "About that..." ** Cedric left the Headmistress'' office as soon as he was done with his business there. He was briefly surprised when he saw that the other four people who hade with him earlier stayed behind. "Yo!" Garrick greeted him with a cheeky smile. "Took you long enough. Did you already make your choice?" Cedric tilted his head and instead of answering, he asked: "Were you waiting for me to ask that?" "Yeah!" Ulfric, or #5, nodded eagerly. "I wanna work with you again, Boss." Cedric then looked at Isabe and Melissa, they didn''t say anything but it seemed that they too had the same idea. "Don''t," Cedric stressed out. "I can''t bring you with me. This isn''t a project or some random mission we have to do to be promoted. We''re being drafted to a war. Please be serious." "See, I told you he''d say something like that." Melissa, the 4th ce in their batch, said this to Ulfric and Garrick. "Oh well, at least we tried," Ulfric replied with a shrug. "I guess I''ll just return to my post as a Cadet. That''s the best option for me anyway." Cedric thought that they''d push the idea a bit more. Fortunately, it seems that they were expecting him to deny the request from the very beginning. Melissa then said that she''d join the Medical Team while the other two were still undecided for now. That''s when Ulfric turned to him and asked: "How about you, Boss? Have you chosen yet?" "I have," Cedric replied as he started walking away. "I''ll be joining the Expedition Team." Chapter 222: Head Manager Fiona So far, only the top five of them have been drafted on their batch. Through Lissandra''s behest, they didn''t inform others about this except their families of course. Well, Cedric didn''t have those anymore so he didn''t need to worry about this. Though he did inform the House of Light about it. They''d know it sooner orter anyway. Cedric thought that it''d be better if it came from him. Gabriel expressed his support for his endeavors, as expected, and told him that if he needed anything, the House of Light would do its best to amodate him. Well, Cedric doesn''t really require anything right now, but he did keep this in mind, just in case. Anyway, the week passed just like that, and before he knew it, he was off to meet the Expedition Team he was joining. This time though, Cedric wasn''t required to go to any of the army camps. The Outer World Expedition Teams are loose on their rules within the civilization. ording to what he heard, they already had enough of seeing the gloomy and depressing sight of the Outer World, it was a constant sight to them so why build their headquarters there? To that end, they decided to have several bases scattered across the civilization. Some were owned by a specific team while others could be used by anybody who''s part of the overall group. Right, the Outer World Expedition Team is considered a branch of the army. Their task is to, obviously, explore the Outer World. They are the scouts of the army, to say the least. Included in their duty were to; investigate locations beyond the walls, secure a site to build Outposts, inspect developments and report them to the army, locate any signs of hordes, spike in demonic activity, andst but not least, see if a specific ce is eligible to be reimed by Humanity. From what Cedric heard from his girlfriends, there were a total of 10 Outer World Expedition Teams currently in rotation. There used to be more but a fairly recent incident shaved their numbers greatly. Theck of personnel was the reason why expedition teams hardly caught a break. Even when they do, it''s not for long. The pressure on them increased even more with the rising tensions. They don''t have enough hands on deck that''s why their responsibilities have increased massively. Discover secrets at m-vl-emp _yr. This was one of the reasons why Cedric decided to join them. Of course, the main reason was to be with his girlfriends...if that''s allowed of course. Cedric made his way to the main base of the expedition teams, which was within the capital. He already filed his paperwork and had Lissandra''s help. If things were in his favor, then his team should be the same one that he had met a couple of times already. Upon arriving there, he was stopped by the guards. He showed them his paperwork and they checked their systems if they were expecting someone. After confirming it, he was allowed entry and was told to wait in the lobby. The interior of the base was neat. It wasn''t extravagant or pompous like other organizations he had visited before. It was humble and had a homey feel to it, making him feelfortable. After waiting in the lobby for around 10 minutes, he was summoned to the office. Upon entering, he was met by a woman who instantly made Cedric wary but only very briefly. ''She''s strong.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. He didn''t show any signs of intimidation though, mostly because this woman didn''t mean him any harm. "Wee! Cedric, right? Please a seat, I''ll be with you shortly, just have to get this batch of paperwork signed. Make yourselffortable." The woman said with her head buried in a stack of paperwork on her desk. Cedric nodded, which he knew the woman saw even though she was not looking at him, before taking a seat on the couch nearby. Looking around the office, he noticed a bunch of things that made it personalized. He saw a couple of picture frames, mounted trophies from past expeditions, certifications, a couple of books that are about the history of the Outer World, and so on. Cedric also noticed an entrance to a secret passage just beneath the woman''s desk leading underground. There''s also a hidden passage on the left wall which was connected to a specific book on the shelf right next to it. He tried extending his senses to see what was beyond those passages but he discovered that something was blocking his senses from moving forward. He could bypass them but he''d likely trigger the rms so he backed off. Around 10 minutester, Cedric heard the woman m her hand on the desk and released a long and loud groan. She threw her head back and said: "Damn, I wanna quit." She snarled, "Why the fuck is paperwork needed when we haveputers and the System? Argh!!" Cedric blinked, he stared at the woman and refused to say a word. The woman then looked down and remembered that they had a visitor. A look of mortification appeared on her face very briefly before saying: "Oops, sorry you had to see that. I don''t mean it by the way, I''m just annoyed at the paperwork." "Right, uh...my name is Fiona, I''m the Head Manager of the Outer World Expedition Teams." After introducing herself with a polite smile, she rummaged through the stacks of documents and found Cedric''s file. "Okay so...oh...oh damn, uh..." Fiona wore a strange look on her face after reading through Cedric''s file. "Darn, here I thought we had a new recruit, it turns out that this young man''s being drafted. Shit, what has the worlde to?" She whispered thest part, but because there were only the two of them in this office and it was quiet, Cedric heard it loud and clear. Cedric then saw her collecting herself before looking at him again. "Right, so...damn, I don''t know what to say." Fiona wore an apologetic smile on her face before continuing. "Sorry that it had to be this way. Trust me, on normal asions, we will never allow something like this, even if we''re severelycking personnel. But we''re at tough times right now and we''re also under a legal obligation to participate in war efforts." "I don''t mind. I''m here because I want to be here. You don''t have to feel bad for me, I know what I''m getting myself into." "Yes, that''s what everybody says until the expedition dayes." Fiona quipped in a helpless tone. "Oh, well...thank you for choosing us, nheless." Cedric could tell that thisdy wasn''t expecting much from him, and that was quite alright. Cedric has nothing to prove yet so he didn''t mind this. Also, the way she acts and talks really causes people to lower their guard towards her. Nobody would expect that this clumsy and nerdy woman was a genuine nar Traveller Superhuman with the way she behaves. "Here." Fiona took out a badge from her desk drawer and pushed it towards him. "This is your identification badge. Smear your blood in it and it will be keyed to you. The badge has a small recording device that will activate once you''re on a mission so don''t lose it. If it gets damaged or lost, contact your immediate supervisor and inform them, otherwise, you''ll be punished, is that clear?" "Yes." Cedric nodded before taking the badge. He smeared his blood on it and immediately felt its connection with him. "Am I required to keep this on at all times?" "Not really." Fiona replied, "Only during expeditions or official missions. Oh yeah, you''ll be considered as a ''Reserve Member'' and will be under probation period. That means that you need to follow orders from your Team Captain since they will be the judge if you''re suited for the job or not...not that we''d refuse another member...especially on times like this." Once again, she whispered thest part but Cedric heard her loud and clear. "Right, am I safe to assume that you''d want to be ced on the same team as your peers in the Academy?" Fiona asked. "If you''re talking about the team led by Elric, then yes, please. However, I''d also understand if you have other arrangements for me." Cedric replied. "Oh, push!" Fiona waved her hand in dismissal. "Nothing of that sort. Frankly, none of us were expecting anybody to join us, even the ones that are forcibly drafted." "Team Elric has been one of our top performers since they were formed, because of their performance and the tensions on the frontlines, their responsibilities have increased massively and they need more help right now. I was nning on having them join another team but well...you came, so strap in kid, this is gonna be a wild ride for you." Fiona then stood up and said: "Come, I''ll take you to where they are." That made Cedric frown and ask: "Aren''t they in the ck Lands right now?" "Yes, they are." Fiona casually replied with a shrug. "I''m taking you there since they need urgent assistance." Fiona then walked towards the shelf and pulled a book out of it. Then, the wall next to it opened, revealing a tunnel that led somewhere. Before going inside, Fiona looked at Cedric and said: "Do you see a tunnel here?" Cedric blinked before replying: "A tunnel? Isn''t that a wall?" "Good answer." Fiona smiled at him. She then tilted her head and said: "Come, follow me." Chapter 223: Shortcut and Arrival Cedric followed Fiona into the tunnel... It was dark inside and the entrance behind them closed once they passed through. The darkness of his surroundings didn''t really bother Cedric, and it seems that it doesn''t bother Fiona either. They continued walking in silence until they arrived at a fairly lit area of the tunnels. There, Cedric saw a massive formation blocking the way. His brain immediately went into analytical mode as he dissected that formation. It was fairlyplicated but it does one major thing, and that is to block the way of any unauthorized people, preventing them from going any further. "Stand beside me," Fiona ordered, which Cedric followed. They then walked up to the formation and all of a sudden, Cedric heard: "Please stand still for identity verification." It was a mechanical female voice, most likelying from the opposite side of the formation. It didn''t sound like Ac so it shouldn''t be connected to the system. Then, a beam of red light scanned them from top to bottom. Others in Cedric''s ce might miss this but he didn''t; when the light scanned them, it paused briefly to the badge he was wearing, the same goes with Fiona. ''Must be a ruse, then.'' Cedric mentallymented. ''It''s deliberately done to fool others. Well, it didn''t work on me but I''m weird so it''s not counted, I suppose.'' His eyes then shed as he looked at the rock formations around them as well as the ceiling of the tunnels. In his vision, he could see the hidden traps and weapons all around this area. It would only take a single signal from the scanner and all of these would appear and mercilessly kill whoever trespasses this ce. "Scanplete. Wee, Head Manager Fiona and guest." After hearing that, therge runic wall parted and revealed a pair of massive walls that opened to grant them entry. "Let''s go," Fiona told him before continuing on her way. Cedric followed her immediately, and once they passed by the gates, it closed behind them and the same formation appeared on the other side. "Oh, Fiona! How nice of you to visit us! Hmm? Oh, who''s this?" It hadn''t even been a minute since they arrived on the other side of the wall and they already met someone. It was a man who wore the same badge as they did. He looked strange though, but Cedric kept his mouth shut about this. "His name''s Cedric, he''s from the Starlight Royal Academy, and uh...he''s drafted and decided to join us temporarily." Fiona replied. "Oh...oh I see." The man then looked at Cedric, wearing a strange expression before saying: "Well, d to have ''ya, Kid. I feel that we''ll see each other very often from now on. Don''t hesitate to ask me for help if you need one, ''ya hear?" "Thank you, I''ll keep that in mind, Sir." Cedric replied. "Oh, we have a polite one." The man snickered and looked at Fiona with mirth on his face. "Ya don''t see those very often. Anyways, I''m off, gots to take care of some pests ''round ''ere. Later!" The man then literally sank to the ground like it was quicksand. It rmed Cedric, whose senses were still primed, and he saw him swimming underground like it was water. Fiona continued walking with Cedric trailing behind her. The man has already left his scanning range, and quite quickly too. "His name''s Alvin," Fiona suddenly said, catching his attention. "He''s the keeper of these tunnels. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that this is his turf and we''re just renting it. He''s a nice guy, just don''t get in between him and his work, otherwise, he can get pretty nasty." "His work is?" "His one sided-war against underground demonic creatures." Fiona replied, "He''s been like that ever since, extremely intent on eradicating everything that doesn''t look remotely human that got close to his tunnels. Those are the ''pests'' he''s referring to. And he calls his work ''pest-control'', or something like that." "Is that the reason behind his physical mutations?" Cedric asked. He asked because Alvin doesn''t look like any regr human. His arms are longer and hairier, and he has long nails that almost seem like they''re ws instead. His face is also longer and he has dark circles around his eyes. He''s like a badger mole, and he even stands like one. "No, it''s not," Fiona replied. "I don''t know the full story, frankly because I never asked, but from what I''ve learned so far, he''s been like that even before his vendetta against the critters began." "Don''t be mistaken though. Alvin might look strange but he''s human still, Ac herself confirmed that. The physical mutations he had might be the side effects of his ss, but I''m not sure. Anyway, his appearance isn''t ttering to others so he lives in istion." "He''s the one who created these tunnels, and he did it alone. The army discovered it and hired him because his skills were useful. In terms of tenure, he''s senior to everyone who''s part of the expedition teams. Just give him some respect and stay out of his way, he''ll stay out of yours." "Anyways, enough about Alvin. We''re here." Fiona dered. They stopped in their tracks and Cedric saw a very familiar sight. There is a field of metal tforms, arching gateways, and thick wires in front of them. Cedric felt the pulsing energy around this ce, the elements of space were rich here. Cedric saw runic symbols attached to pretty much every single corner of this ce. Not even a millimeter was spared. The arrays were intricate and tight-knit. "A Transmission Zone?" "Yes. How else do you expect us to arrive at our marked locations and keep it discrete?" Fiona raised a brow in question. Cedric had nothing to say to that. But he did summon his system and saw that it was still working in perfect order. "We''re still within the civilization, then. I haven''t received a warning from the System." "Yes, we are. But your connection will automatically be terminated once you leave her range." Fiona stated, "Since we''re going via transmission, Ac won''t have enough time to warn you." "I see." Cedric initially thought that Fiona will do something to terminate his connection with the System, but it turns out that they didn''t have to do anything since his connection would be severed automatically anyway. In the army camps, they had to have their systems manually disconnected since, while the army camps are stationed pretty far from the civilization, it''s still within range. They didn''t want idents to happen, especially with new recruits, so they manually disconnected it. Here, there''s no need for that since he''d be sent straight out of the civilization it seems. "See the tform with a fancy letter ''E'' on it?" Fiona asked. Cedric looked briefly and nodded when he saw it. "That ''E'' stands for ''Elric'', Team Elric. That one''s created specifically for them. We do that for each team to avoid mishaps in the transmission process since traveling like this is already a risk on its own." "Go there, I''ll activate the transmission and join you shortly," Fiona ordered. Cedric nodded and stood at Team Elric''s transmission zone. Fiona went to the machine and fiddled with it for a bit. After she was done, she jumped next to him and light started converging around them. He was momentarily dazed since at the movement of spatial elements around them. He felt attracted to the profundity of Space Laws all of a sudden but he kept his immersion at a minimum. As much as he''d love to learn more about this, now is neither the time nor the ce to do so. After a couple of seconds, Cedric felt a strong pull around him. He felt the space twisting and turning around. He felt a momentary sensory overload; feeling as if he was everywhere and nowhere at once. Before he knew it, they arrived at their destination. Cedric felt a pang of dizziness but only for a brief moment. Once that passed, it was reced by a thick stench of corruption he was all too familiar with, causing him to visibly wear a displeased expression. He grunted and stomped his feet, releasing a pulse of silvery light from his body that pushed all the corruption away. The thickness of corruption within the surroundings was high, he could even almost see it manifesting in reality. Fortunately, his Ki Pulse remains effective against it. "Fiona, you''re here! And...huh? Wait...huh!!!??" Cedric didn''t need to see who that was since that voice was already familiar to him. After grounding himself, Cedric opened his eyes and gazed at the raven-haired man who was also staring at him with an incredulous expression. "It''s...it''s you! Heck! What''re you doing here? Fiona, what...?" It was Francis, the self-proimed clown of Team Elric. He looked between Fiona and Cedric, wearing a strange expression on his face. "Hey, Dipshit! What are you being all loud for...huh?" And then she came, seeing not only Fiona but also her boyfriend whom she had been missing for about a month now. "Cedric! Oh my god! What are you doing here!?" Erica''s body moved through sheer instinct, jumping onto Cedric''s embrace while still reeling at his sudden appearance. Chapter 224: Bleak Campsite To her overwhelming surprise, Erica momentarily forgot the protocol, her body went on autopilot as she ran to Cedric''s embrace without even confirming if it was really him. Fiona who was watching this, was surprised. She looked at Francis who also watching with a fond smile on his face. Sensing her gaze, Francis looked at her and signaled something she could understand. The signal meant ''in a rtionship'', upon receiving the message, Fiona nodded in understanding. Still, it''s very surprising to see Erica, of all people, fawning over a man. Cedric could see what they were doing but he ignored it. What''s more important to him was that Erica was fine, and he''d assume that Chrissy was too. He could tell that she was under a lot of pressure. If this was any other ce, she''d have broken down already because there''s just too much she''s keeping. However, they''re pretty deep in enemy territory right now and she can''t afford to show too much weakness, or else the corruption will take hold of her. "It''s alright, I''m here now. Remember where we are, though. You need to follow protocol." Cedric whispered in her ears. Erica suddenly jolted in surprise and jumped back from his embrace. She then wore a serious expression before looking at Fiona and discretely using hand signals to confirm their identity. Fiona chuckled fondly as she replied using the same set of hand signals to confirm their identity. After confirming that it was indeed them, Erica sighed in relief before looking back at Cedric and asking: "Howe you''re here?" She then looked at Fiona and asked: "Why is he with you? Why bring him here? It''s dangerous out here." "I didn''t want to bring him here either, none of us do," Fiona replied with a helpless shrug. "Things have escted and the army needed more people. He was included in the drafted list, and he came to me to join us...well, join your team, more specifically, that''s why we''re here." Erica and Francis wore solemn looks as they heard this, followed by a defeated and exhausted sigh. "I guess it can''t be helped then," Francis spoke after a bit. He then looked at Cedric and said: "If anything, I''m d it''s you. If it''s others I might have some misgivings since we don''t really have time to look after anyone right now." "I''ll try to not hold you guys back, I promise." Cedric replied. "Good enough for me." Francis smiled at his words. chapter source m vl _emp-y,r "Well, I''ve already brought you here, what''s next is up to them. Remember that you''re under probation, listen to your captain and follow orders. I must return soon, my paperwork isn''t going to finish itself." Fiona told them before turning around and going back to the transmission zone. "I''ll beam you up, then." Francis told Fiona, he then looked at Erica and said, "Erica, bring him to the camp. I''m sure Captain would like to know this." "Right, follow me." Erica said as she turned around and walked towards the camp with Cedric next to her. Cedric used this time to survey his surroundings. They seem to be in the middle of a desert...one that''s polluted with dense demonic corruption. Even the tiniest grain of sand was pitch ck due to it. It felt as if he was walking on quicksand and if he wasn''t careful with his steps, thend would swallow him whole. Cedric could also hear distant moans and groans of creatures roaming around these ces. His field of senses was extended to its utmost limit but it''s heavily restricted here, he could only cover a 10,000-mile radius; which was still insane, but it wasn''t muchpared to his actual range of 70,000 miles. The distance his eyes and senses could cover might sound ridiculous and unbelievable, especially considering that he''s only a Tier 7 Superhuman, but these eyes aren''t just any normal eyes. He inherited them from a Godking - an entity that could not only observe multiple gxies at once but also observe the past, present, and future of anything he sees. That''s why this kind of distance isn''t an exaggeration at all. If anything, he''d say that he''scking, even. He already found the camp as soon as he unleashed his field of senses. Erica didn''t need to lead the way anymore but he still followed her nheless. Cedric understood the need for secrecy here. He can''t reveal all of his cards at once because he can''t always tell if they''re being watched or not. He''s deep in the enemy territory, anything that could be considered as his trump card to ensure hees back alive is worth keeping. "I don''t like this..." Cedric heard Erica suddenly say. She wore this clouded expression on her face as she marched towards the location of the camp. She''s gripping her staff tightly too. "What is it?" Cedric replied, even though he already had a good idea of what she was referring to. "...you being here," Erica stated after a brief pause. "Us going to war, people being drafted unwillingly...I don''t like any of this. It''s too early. I don''t even know if we stand a chance." "Sadly, the Demon Race doesn''t care about what we feel. They won''t stop just because we don''t think we''re ready for another war." Cedric firmly replied. "Don''t worry too much about me, I know what I''m getting myself into. We''ve been together for more than a year now, so you should already know what I''m like." "Yeah, I know." Erica sighed. She could give him a piece of her mind; try to convince him that it''s not worth it and that there are better choices out there instead ofing here but...this is Cedric. He doesn''t do things halfway. She knows that he already deliberated on this decision enough times before going in, and since he''s already here, nothing could change his mind. Once Cedric does something, he does it properly and ensures that he won''t regret his decisions. That''s one thing Erica and Chrissy learned about him through the length of their rtionship. "We''re here," Erica announced. They stood on top of a sand mound, overlooking the small encampment beneath them. The camp was around 500 meters long, surrounded by wooden fences carved with runes. Cedric could see several tents scattered across the camp, a few watchtowers, ballistae, and catapults too. Cedric could also feel the tension and gloominess nketing the camp. It''s a depressing sight, truly. Cedric could also feel the bone-deep exhaustion oozing from the people within the camp. They are in a horrible state, that much was obvious. Beside him, Erica whistled a tune while staying in position. Cedric knew that this was one of the signals they used for security. Momentster, he heard anothering from the camp. "Alright, they''re already informed. We can go now." She said before walking towards the camp. Once they reached a certain distance to the camp, he felt eyes on him which felt slightly hostile but only for a brief moment. It was then reced by surprise. ''So Floyd''s on watchtower duty, huh?'' Cedric mused inwardly. Floyd was a member of Team Elric who was in charge of long-range damage. He used a bow and had fairly sharp senses. It was he who scanned Cedric and Erica earlier. The gates of the wooden camp opened before them as soon as they got close, and when they did, they were weed by two people; Elric and Chrissy. "Gosh, you''re actually here! I can''t believe this!" Chrissy eximed as she ran to Cedric''s embrace. Cedric smiled as he hugged her briefly. He then looked at Elric and said: "Pardon my intrusion. Recruit Cedric Stormrider, reporting for duty, Sir. Please, take care of me." "Wee, Kid. And loosen up, I''m not that strict. Just call me captain and follow instructions, that''s all I require from you. Anyways,e in you two. We can''t have the gates opened for too long." They then walked inside the camp and the gates closed behind them. Cedric felt the runic arrays activating once the gates were closed. He immediately saw a bubble covering the area of the camp extending and isting the ce. He also felt the density of corruption easing up within the camp. It''s still bad but not as bad as outside the camp. Cedric also saw the rest of the members of Team Elric as well as a few other people around. "We''ll have your briefing after 6 hours since I still have something to do. For now, build a tent you can use or just share it with your girlfriends if they''re okay with it. I''d offer more but as you can see, our resources are limited here." Elric replied with a wry smile. "It''s alright, Captain. I''ll be fine." Cedric replied. "Good, I''ll talk to youter. Chrissy, Erica, get him up to speed as much as you can. We''ll be out soon again so I''d appreciate it if he could at least learn how to work with the team." Elric ordered. "Yes, Sir." The girls replied, Chrissy then took Cedric by the arm and said: "Come, let''s go to my tent. We have a lot to talk about." Chapter 225: Role Suggestion -- About 200,000 miles northeast of civilization and pretty deep into the ck Lands, that''s where Cedric and Team Elric were right now. The nearest outpost is about 50,000 miles south of this camp; aside from that, everything else was demonic territory. The expedition team can''t expect any rescue or reinforcements here because they operated secretly. That''s why they have to be careful about each move they make. The interior of Chrissy''s tent wasn''t so bad, considering their current location andck of supplies. It''s functional and works pretty well as a shelter. In there, Chrissy and Erica asked him if he truly wanted toe here, and Cedric confirmed that to them. In the end, they can only ept their decision despite their unwillingness, since once Cedric does something, he doesn''t stop until it''s done. The girls briefed him about everything he needed to know: how the team operates, the call signs, the protocols, formations, things to look out for, mission directives, etc. They made sure that he knew his stuff so that, when the need arose, Cedric wouldn''t fumble. Beyond this, Cedric could tell that the girls were really worried about the overall situation. The fact that the army was drafting people to join the war effort just added more pressure on them. He could tell that not only the girls but the entire team, even those whom he did not recognize, were deeply exhausted. Cedric could say that all of them hadn''t had a good rest for days, either because this ce was just not good enough or because they were too busy. Cedric''s heart ached for the girls. He doesn''t like seeing them like this, but this was included in their responsibilities. They knew what they were signing up for, and they epted it nheless. Fortunately, it seems that his presence put them at ease; they actually fell asleep shortly after briefing him, and they shared the same sleeping bag that Chrissy brought with her. Cedric stayed quiet and allowed them to slumber away. Mentally, he was reviewing the information he got from them as he kept watch. mvle|mp-yr chapter The girls told him that they''d be on the moveter. Their task was to investigate the demonic activity nearby. The task was to only observe, not to engage. It sounds like a simple task, but the girls already warned him not to underestimate this. If this were any other day, sure, this would be a simple task. However, due to the tensions around, the alertness of the Demons was dialed up to 11. Even a simple mission like this could end in a fierce fight against demons. After making the report, it will be up to the HQ if their team will be called to return or not. Usually, they wouldn''t, since there are a lot of things that need to be done here. A few hourster, Cedric went out of the tent and met with Elric, who was about to check in on them. "Oh, good. I was about to call you." Elric then peeked at the tent and asked, "Are they sleeping?" "Yeah. Do they need to be awake right now?" "No, no." Elric shook his head. "Actually, it''s good that they''re asleep. They haven''t slept for a week now due to stress. We''ve been trying to force them, but it''s not working. I assume that your presence helped them feel at ease." "I wish." Cedric smiled fondly before asking, "The girls already briefed me about the possible scenarios and the information I need to know once we''re out in the field. I''m just wondering what exactly my responsibilities are as a new member of the team." "Well, as I said earlier, I''m not that strict on my team. We can''t be too rigid in a ce like this because anything goes out here," Elric replied as he began walking. Cedric followed him, of course. "Personally, I''d like to know what you''re capable of before giving you suggestions." Cedric knew that Elric was taking this conversation somewhere else, so he deliberately waited until they entered another tent before replying. "Well, my abilities are pretty well-rounded," Cedric replied after they both entered the tent. "I''m a swordsman, and I''ve reached the elementary stage of my swordws and firews. I''m obviously geared towards meleebat, but I have pretty decent ranged skills too. And, I''m pretty sure that you guys already know this, but my senses are fairly sharp. I can also work as a secondary scout if it''s needed." "It''s really difficult to believe that you''re only in your sophomore year." Elric smiled wryly after hearing him. "At least half of my batchmates couldn''t even achieve half of what you did with more time. It''s also hard to believe that it''s barely been a year since you''vee in contact with Concept Laws, but you already came this far." "I''m just fortunate, that''s all," Cedric humbly replied. "Ah, I also dabbled in a few sub-sses, just to let you know." "Oh!?" Elric seemed to be pleasantly surprised by that. "You say a few? What are they?" "I''m a Scribe, Smith, Alchemist, Tamer, Engineer, and currently, an educator," Cedric replied. "I''ve mastered all except thest one." Elric gaped at him. He searched for any traces of a lie on Cedric''s face but found none, which means that he waspletely serious about his ims. But that just made this even more ridiculous. If this were true, then Elric stands to be corrected; none of the senior students in his batch could do half of the things that Cedric has done. "Are you shitting me?" Elric asked, still unable to believe the ridiculous ims. Instead of replying with words, Cedric just took out the Master Badges that the Lifestyle Guild only bestows on those who pass their examination. These were more than enough proof that Cedric was, in fact, not lying. "Damn!" Elric swore after inspecting the badges, finding them legit. "Holy crap, you are insane. How did you even have enough time to handle all of this without slowing down your progress?" "Uh, I learn very fast," Cedric replied hesitantly. He really didn''t want to lie too much, but he also couldn''t tell him everything. That''s why he thought that it would be better to give Elric some vague replies for now. Besides, his reply wasn''t aplete lie or vague; it''s the truth, and he does learn very fast. "Okay, now I''m starting to understand why everyone''s calling you an anomaly; no offense, by the way." Elric sighed and smiled weakly. "None taken." Elric then went quiet for a bit. Cedric knew that the captain was now deliberating what role to give him for the duration of their mission here. "To be honest, your lifestyle skills could really help us right now." Elric stated, "As you can see, the situation on our base is pretty bad. It is a temporary one, but considering that we don''t know how long we''re going to stay here, we''re going to need more than, well, this." "For that matter, I''d like to put you in charge of making improvements on our base. If you have any ideas, do run them by me. Of course, I''d understand that this might be challenging for you since this is your first time here and there isn''t really much to work with here. I''d appreciate any ideas you may have, but please consult me first before doing anything." "Also, I''ll take you on the offer of bing a secondary Scout. God knows we need more of those. How does that sound to you?" "If that''s what the team needs, I''m up for it. Do I begin now?" Cedric readily replied and asked. "Begin with what? Scouting or base improvements?" "Thetter first," Cedric replied as he sat down. He took out a pen and paper from his knapsack and began writing a series of symbols before Elric''s watchful gaze. The captain was astonished because he couldn''t recognize the rune Cedric created. He dabbled in symbols a bit in the past so he could recognize theponents of the rune, but as for the rune itself, he had no idea what it was. "It isn''t anything special, but this rune should be pretty useful," Cedric stated before introducing the rune. "I call this the ''Latern Rune''; it''s a small light and heat source that doesn''t require energy or materials to work. Instead, it uses raw Demonic Corruption to supply itself. This is the first one I suggested since it''s cold and dark out here. I figured that the base could really use something like this." Elric was stunned. He stared long and hard at the rune, his mind reeling at how useful this could be if Cedric could truly create something like this. But beyond that, he couldn''t believe that he had never heard of this before, and Elric has been in this gig for years now. Which could only mean that this isn''t something that''s readily avable; this must be something that Cedric invented himself! "Would you like to see how it works?" Cedric asked. "Yes, absolutely! What do you need to make this?" "It''s fine, I have all the materials needed. Just give me a minute," Cedric said as he began taking out the necessary materials to build the rune. Chapter 226: Stalkers and Action Ordinary elements are unable to manifest in the Outer World. Due to this, it''s given that light or heat of the ordinary variety couldn''t possibly appear here as well. Because of this, it''s fairlymon for Outposts and Outer World Camp Sites to be cold and deste, humans can only adjust to their environment if they can''t change it, after all. If they want a simple light or heat source, they would need something beyond the ordinary. There are a few options offered by the Lifestyle Guild and they work just fine. However, due to the harsh environment of the Outer World and its unpredictable nature, these options are either unreliable at times or downright expensive formon expedition teams to afford. There is an option to rent these items, but there is a crap ton of rules that need to be followed so it''s almost not worth it. Even as they are, Team Elric couldn''t afford to buy or rent these items, mostly because they use up merit points just as fast as they''re earning them. That''s why when Cedric said that he had an alternative, Elric was instantly exhrated. And now, he''s staring in wonder at the tinyntern in front of him. It didn''t release any strong brilliance, just enough to illuminate all corners of the tent. The heat it provides isn''t that special either, just enough to keep the chilling and malignant atmosphere of the Outer World at bay. "Amazing!" Nevertheless, Elric was all about it. True,pared to the light and heat source avable in the civilization, this ain''t much. But out here? It might as well be a blessing from the heavens itself. Aside from the skill required to craft this thing, which Cedric said he''s willing to impart to the team, there are no other downsides to this. Compared to other avable equipment out there, this one was cheaper to make. Additionally, so long as one is skilled enough, they can make as many as they need because the materials they use are fairlymon. You just need a few scraps of metal to create a vessel for the rune, turn it into antern, engrave the rune inside, and there you have it. It can''t get any simpler than that. What really makes this special is that it''s resource-friendly, in Human terms at least. "It''s really using corruption as a fuel to provide heat and light, this is awesome!" Elric raved about his observations. That''s right. The Lantern Rune doesn''t need anything else aside from demonic corruption as its fuel source. So long as there''s corruption around where it is and the rune is activated, it will continue providing light and heat to its user. "I can modify this rune to either increase its heat or light output. The heat could go high enough to be used to cook food or boil water. It can also be turned into a shlight as well. Sadly, the modified rune wouldn''t be able to handle both functions at the same time. A choice must be made before activating the rune. I can make some if the team needs it, along with the regr Lantern Runes of course." Cedric added, breaking Elric out of his immersion. Join us at NovelFiremp _yr now. "If you can, then please do so. Lord knows we''re in dire need of warm food." Elric''s expression was almost begging. Yeah, it''s the simple pleasures of life that you''d miss once you''re exposed to an extremely hostile environment like this. Even warm meals are a luxury out here. "Actually, I''d like to start with a few base improvements first. But before I could do that, we need to get rid of the stalkers outside." Elric''s face turned serious upon hearing this. "Stalkers?" He replied, urging Cedric to rify what he said. "Three-eyed Demon Hyenas, more specifically. They''re working with Dark Sand Alligators and have been stalking the camp. They fled when Miss Fiona and I arrived, which is probably why neither Francis, Erica, or Floyd sensed them. But they didn''t go that far, I guess you''d sense them about 5 kilometers southwest of the camp." Cedric exined. "Ah, I see. I''ll tell the team, don''t worry. Thanks for the heads up." "Be careful though," Cedric warned. "I was able to briefly see them, and I don''t know if what I saw was real, but I think those creatures are ves." "..." "There''s a ve scar around their necks...I think. I didn''t see clearly since they were already retreating when I wanted to take a closer look, but it definitely looked like one." Bang! Elric mmed his hand on the desk with a dark expression. He snarled and swore: "Shit! Motherfucker! That son of a bitch dares, huh!! Well, fuck him. If he wants to die, then so be it." The tall and bald team captain snorted and furiously walked out of the tent with Cedric following him behind. He then marched towards a nearby watchtower and smacked the rms which red through the entire camp. Within five seconds, everybody in the camp gathered around them. Even the slumberingdies woke up at the first ring of the rm and hurriedly huddled with the team. Despite the team''s exhaustion, their ferocious killing intent remained strong and heavy. Just by this, you can tell that they''re no ordinary people. Every single one of them is ready to ughter their way out of this ce if the situation calls for it. "What''s up? Are we under attack? But I didn''t see any. Oh, Cedric! Hey, man." Darwin, the magic user of the team greeted him as soon as they were gathered. Cedric nodded at him in reply but refused to say a word. It''s here that Elric said: "No, we''re currently not under attack, but in a few hours, we will be. That is if we don''t attack first." "Okay, I need context here, Cap. Why and how are we attacking first?" Francis asked while cleaning his daggers. All traces of yfulness were gone on his face. Instead of replying directly to him, Elric looked at Cedric and said: "Tell them what you told me just now." Cedric nodded and proceeded to repeat the things he told Elric a few moments ago. As he exined, he saw the dawning realization on the rest of the team''s face, which was then reced with anger and killing intent. Francis gripped his dagger tightly after hearing Cedric''s exnation, and with a low voice, he said: "I see. Thanks for letting us know." He then turned to Elric and asked: "How do you want us to do this and when are we going?" Elric then began briefing the team with an attack n. Cedric listened of course. He still needed context as to why the team reacted this way, but he figured that now was not the time for questions. However, he did notice that the other people in the camp, the ones who were not part of Team Elric, lowered their heads and oozed with guilt. They didn''t dare to say a word or even look at any members of the team. "...we move in an hour, that''s all," Elric concluded after making battle ns. He then looked at the rest who were not part of his team and said: "You will be held ountable for what he has done. If you don''t want us to unleash our anger upon you, you will go to the holding chambers willingly and stay there until we''re called back. Refuse to participate and we will dere you traitors. What''s it gonna be?" The collective killing intent of the team, minus Cedric, pressed down on the strangers, making it hard for them to breathe. One of them replied: "We willply. Thank you for showing us mercy, Captain Elric. And we sincerely apologize for what our members have done. His intentions are solely for his own and does not represent us." "Hmph, your reasons are meaningless to me. Tell that to the judge instead. As far as I''m aware, I''ve already been merciful to let you all enter our camp and share our resources with you. The fact that your teammate dares to sell us out should be enough for me to execute all of you. Be grateful that I could understand your plight, but do understand that this will be thest time. All of you will be under strict surveince from now on. Show as much as a wrong twitch and you''re dead. Are we clear?" "Yes, yes! Thank you for sparing us." The same guy replied with a lowered head. "Floyd, Darwin, take them to the holding chambers and lock them up," Elric ordered, to which the two immediately followed. As Floyd and Darwin rounded up the strangers and took them to the holding chambers, Elric released an exhausted sigh and looked at Cedric: "Thanks for letting us know. We''d be in serious trouble if you didn''t warn us. I''d take you with us but your skills are needed here so you''ll be staying along with the girls. This shouldn''t take us long." "While we''re away, work on base improvements. I''m giving you a green signal for any developments you could think of, just give me a run down after we return, alright?" "Yes, Sir." "Good. Now, go and make yourself busy." Chapter 227: Improving the Base Elric, Darwin, Floyd, and Fancis did not waste too much time preparing. They left as soon as they had everything ready for the raid. Meanwhile, Cedric and his girlfriends were left to guard the base and their ''prisoners''. Cedric took this time to get context about the situation from the girls. "Can you tell me what''s that about? Captain didn''t tell me anything," he asked. "Well, you''ve seen those people, yeah?" Erica asked, to which Cedric nodded. "They''re from the nearby outpost that has gone MIA; they were our initial targets when we left around a month ago." "As it turns out, the Outpost they were stationed at was destroyed. They''ve been scraping by since then, and we found them and saved them from certain death. We were then tasked with cooperating with them and gathering all the intel they manage to preserve, sending it to the HQ for decryption. Because of the distance, we kept on getting dyed. Add to that the fact that the demons are so active, and we''re essentially told to stay here until further notice." Chrissy continued from here: "We helped them out, gave them shelter, shared our limited resources with them, protected them from the siege of demons...all because we sympathize with what happened to them. However, one of them was particrly demanding. The captain put him on his ce because he directly outranks him, but the fool had too much pride." "A few days ago, we were attacked and that guy was captured. That''s what we thought, but we then discovered that he actually willingly went with them; we confirmed this two days ago because we saw him working with them. He was promised a better life and security; I guess corruption got to him." "We tried to eliminate him, but he was rescued by a pack of Demon Hyenas, probably the same ones you saw. We originally thought that he wouldn''tst long because Demons are Demons. We still don''t know if that person is still alive, but whether he is or not, it doesn''t matter anymore." "If he''s already dead, good. That''s what he deserves for selling us out," Erica spat. "If he''s not, even better. At least Captain gets to personally kill him for betraying his kind." "I see." Cedric hummed as he got busy. This kind of situation wasn''t really umon. After all, humanity was under too much pressure; there were bound to be some people who would try to search for an easy way out, and demons, the ever-opportunistic race that they are, wouldtch into that without a second thought. It''s in their nature, after all. "That means that the base is in dire need of an upgrade then," Cedric muttered as he looked around. "Don''t worry too much." Chrissytched herself on his arms and smiled at him. "Our captain is strong, as are the boys. They could handle whatever''s waiting for them out there. If they couldn''t, they could always retreat." "I know..." Cedric replied. Even before arriving at this camp, Cedric already felt the muted fluctuations of Elric''s aura. Despite hiding it, Cedric was aware that the bald captain had already reached the 1st Change nar Traveler Stage. In fact, he''s a smidge stronger than other people of the same strength level as him. Darwin and Floyd are halfway there; they''re justcking thest push they need to make their breakthrough. As for Francis, he''s also Tier 9 like the girls, but in terms of speed, he''s unmatched within the team, minus Cedric, of course. The ve scars seen on the Demon Hyenas and Sand Alligators mean that they''re being raised by someone. Cedric could only think of a demon lord being capable of doing that. It''s probably this same entity that promised that traitor a new andfortable life. There''s no need to be worried, though; Elric and the boys should be able to handle this on their own. They''re more experienced in this fieldpared to Cedric, after all. "But just in case the unexpected happens, I better start doing something. Our situation is quite sensitive after all," Cedric muttered as he took out a Runic Quill from his knapsack. He then began writing runes out of thin air, supplying them with astral energy and making them look like starry constetions. "Oh wow..." Erica muttered in amazement as she watched her boyfriend work. The way he skillfully drew and connected the symbols was nothing short of a work of art. It was as mesmerizing as it was masterful. Both girls knew that Cedric was skilled in many things, but it still astonished them just how good he actually is when he''s serious about his work. Cedric''s hands turned into a blur of motion as he drew symbols in the air, stringing them together to form arrays and,ter, a formation that superseded the one that the camp already has. As soon as it was deployed, the girls immediately noticed a difference. The traces of corruption lightened up almost instantly. The depressing and gloomy atmosphere within the camp was dissipating at a rapid pace. They also saw an almost invisible mist spreading outside the camp. They don''t know what that''s for, and they can''t ask just yet because Cedric was still working. Speaking of which, Cedric also sent a bunch of runes to the holding chambers where the captives were. This time, Erica recognizes the symbols he made. Cedric put them there to fortify the holding chambers. Unless a member of Team Elric was the one to open those chambers, there''s no way it will open from either side, even if the captives were to use everything they have in an attempt to break it. Cedric also scattered a bunch of runes on the ground, almost covering the entirety of the camp''s territory with them. The girls saw those runes melting to the ground like they were being absorbed. Next thing they knew, Cedric lifted a bunch of rocks, strange nts and trees, underground ores, etc. All of which are steeped in corruption and are deemed unusable to humans¡ªnot Cedric, though. He pped each one with a rune that engulfed it with bright orange mes. A couple of minutester, much to the girls'' shock, they saw those materials return to their original appearance. All traces of corruption in them were expelled. Granted, not all of them survived the cleansing intact. Some were damaged beyond use because that''s just what corruption does. Still, Cedric didn''t seem upset by this. Before they knew it, Cedric had already created a campfire with the materials. They had no idea where he got a huge ass cauldron from, and they don''t feel like asking. What''s more important, though, is that they could smell something good in that cauldron. Join the adventure on m,vlemp _y,r. Cedric was cooking food. Just the thought of this caused their stomachs to rumble and their hearts to constrict in anticipation. The Lord knows how much they missed warm meals. Moreover, it''s Cedric who''s cooking; whatever he makes is bound to be a 5-star meal. The girls would know because they''ve eaten his food before. While the soup was boiling, Cedric was off doing something else. He''s working on another formation; he''s even creating a separate tent that would contain it. The girls could only watch as Cedric did the workload of at least 10 people, and not just any people¡ª10 master-level experts¡ªall by himself, and they couldn''t even interfere because things were happening way too fast. They were struck dumb to the point that they even missed the boys'' return. And simrly, the boys could only gape at the storm that Cedric was causing. "Hey, Ced. Got a minute?" Francis, back to his usual tone, called out. The girls hissed at him, but he ignored it. "Yeah, how''s the mission, by the way?" Cedric replied without tearing his gaze away from his work. "Handled, those stalkers won''t bother us anymore," Francis replied. "But, uh, what you got right there? It''s huge." "Bathroom," Cedric replied with a shrug. "Should be usable in...well, now." Cedric then stepped away from it, and the building shed briefly with a faint light. He then looked at them and said, "It''s separated by genders; there''s toilets and warm and cold showers too. Don''t worry about the consumption or the waste; I''ve already made something to deal with that. Use it as much as you want." "Ah right, if you have any equipment that''s in dire need of repairs, leave them next to the forge over there. I''m a Master Smith; I can repair it for you. Knock yourselves out; I''m going to improve the tents." After telling them this, Cedric made his way to the tents with the materials floating behind him. Elric and the boys could only watch him in awe. They were only disrupted by the pitched squeals of the girls. "Oh my god! Shampoos, conditioners, soaps, clean towels!" Chrissy held them all while vibrating in excitement. "Shit! It''s real! Clean and hot water! Oh my god! This is amazing! Lord, have mercy on any demons who interrupt my bath time because I wouldn''t!" The boys could only look at each other as the doors of the women''s bathroom closed. "Ah, whatever! I''ll ask questionster. I''m taking a bath too. I freaking deserve it!" Francis dered as he chucked his equipment next to the forge and marched towards the men''s bathroom. The rest of the boys just shrugged and followed suit. They''d be damned if they didn''t take advantage of a luxury like this. Chapter 228: Base Improvements and Repairs -- Refreshed and feeling way better than they had since starting this mission, Team Elric is now gathered at the campfire that Cedric built around an hour ago. "Gee, this is going to make me cry." Francis feigned sniffles as he clutched the warm bowl of soup passed down to him. Others didn''t even have anything to say about that since, truthfully, they too feel the same. The heavenly smell of the soup had been whetting their appetites even while they were cleaning themselves in the bathroom. When they felt the warmth of the fire and held the bowl of soup, they felt unprecedented peace andfort. It almost feels wrong to feel like this, especially considering where they are and what their current situation is, but that feeling of uncertainty disappeared once they drank the soup. Sighs... A collective sigh of relief andfort was heard around the campfire; it was followed by a peaceful silence, only interrupted by the constant noise from Cedric''s forge. "Cedric, can you talk while doing that?" Elric asked as he looked at their newest member, who was already contributing so much to the team. reading here on NovelFire _l _e _mpy _r "Yes, ask away; I''m paying attention," Cedric replied without tearing his gaze away from the forge. "Can you give us a rundown on the base improvements you''ve made so far?" Elric asked, feeling much better now. "Sure," Cedric replied before picking up his hammer and repairing the equipment of the team. "First of all, I improved the protective formation on the base. No offense to whoever made that, but it''s barely functional; even a demon of a Tier 7 equivalent would see through it without so much of a fuss." "I improved the obscurement function. Now, unless a Demon Lord ising here, nobody except us would see, or even sense, this base. The old formation already scans our badge; I just added that effect to make it more secure." "What about the mist? What''s that for?" Darwin asked curiously. He''s talking about that almost invisible mist being released by the formation around the base. It''s barely visible, and it''s gone as soon as it''s sighted. "That''s the obscurement I''m talking about," Cedric replied while hammering away. "That mist is the product of a runic array that converts corruption into neutral energy; then another array is creating that mist." "That mist then melts away at the surrounding space. All it does is warp the enemy''s perception of space¡ªtheir sense of direction, to be exact. So long as that mist is around, they won''t be able to arrive at the gates of the base. Of course, we''re an exception to that." "Even if they knew that the base is within this general area, so long as they don''t have anything to counter that mist, they''d just pass through this ce. It''s a misdirection mist, if you will." "..." "Ah, additionally, the mist also functions as a scanner. Look at the tablet over there; it''s connected to the formation. Everything the mist touches is reflected on it. You can use it to monitor the surrounding area, but it''s limited to a 10-kilometer distance. It''s the best I can do for now since I didn''t bring much with me." The team was bbergasted. The boys have no idea if Cedric was boasting or being humble with his implications, but either way, what he did was undoubtedly very impressive; there''s just no denying that. "Did you also do something for underground security? I can sense a few runes beneath us," Floyd asked while casually scanning the underground. "A few, he says..." Chrissy chuckled as shefortably snuggled on the thick nket that Cedric gave her. "There''s probably like...hundreds of runes beneath us," Erica stated. "We saw him throwing them around earlier when you boys were away." "It''s nothing special. I just extended the effects of the formation to the underground too," Cedric shrugged. "I made it so that the formation is like an actual sphere, not just a dome. The effects of the formation above ground apply underground as well." "Ah, right. The tents should be ready now. I''ve installed the Lantern Runes within, and I also improved the durability of the tents, which should be morefortable than before. Feel free to use it anytime you want. As for these..." Cedric gestured at the equipment piled right next to the forge, "Give me...three hours, at most. And they''ll be ready forbat again." "This is crazy," Darwin muttered next to Elric. "It hasn''t even been a full day since he arrived here, yet he already improved our living conditions by...like, 200%; it''s like he''s been doing this since he was born. Where the hell did this kide from?" "And it doesn''t look like he''s done. I think he''s nning on doing more." Floyd smiled wryly as he finished his bowl of soup. The girls just smiled to themselves, thinking that Floyd wasn''t exactly wrong. They don''t know how much, but they''re aware that Cedric is still holding back a lot. "Should we change our rotation?" Francis suggested. "I feel like we should. I mean, the new formation and that monitoring tablet make it easier for us to keep watch. Truthfully, do we even need to do anything aside from waiting for additional orders from HQ? I think we could just rx like this for now." "I''m tempted, actually," Elric admitted with a wry smile. "I''ve never felt sofortable and secure out here in the ck Lands." "Those are words I never thought I''d hear from you or anyone. I also would''ve never thought that they could be used in a single sentence, but yeah, same." Darwin shrugged. "We''re clean, fed, watered, safe, warm, and freaking alive. Gee, it''s like we''re back home; that''s crazy," Floyd stated as he released afortable sigh. "Uh, Floyd, Darwin, I have a question for you two." Cedric suddenly called out, causing the two to perk up. "Shoot," Darwin replied. "You two are halfway to a breakthrough, right?" Darwin and Floyd blinked in surprise; thetter then said, "It''s impressive that you''re able to sense that, but yes, we are. Why?" The two of them had been hiding the real fluctuations of their strength because they wanted to be underestimated by their foes. It''s only fair since they''re in a hostile environment. Cedric being able to see through it was indeed impressive since not even their peers are aware of it. "Do you need to return to civilization to have your breakthrough, or are you able to do it here?" Cedric asked, still hammering away at the equipment. Floyd and Darwin looked at each other before looking at Elric, who nodded at them, signaling that it was fine to tell him. Darwin then said: "Technically, we don''t have to; we just prefer to have it there. This is a hostile environment, and anything could happen here, especially given the current situation. Additionally, we would be using obscene amounts of Demon Souls to facilitate the process, and in a ce like this where corruption is everywhere, anybody would think that this isn''t a good idea. And we haven''t even talked about themotion it will cause. We''re in Demonic Territory, after all." "Transitioning from the Mortal Realm to the nar Traveler Realm is a huge jump. Aside from the steep requirements, our willpower will be tested as well." Floyd added, "The process can and will take time, and within that time frame, anything could happen. Don''t think that the Demons nearby would just allow humans to be stronger within their territory; that''s like...the best provocation we can do towards them." "So...what I''m getting is that you have everything ready, but you''re in the wrong ce to have your breakthrough, is that correct?" Cedric asked. "...more or less, yes." Darwin shrugged, and so did Floyd. "Hmm...say, if I built something that would essentially hide the fluctuations of your breakthrough so that you two won''t have to think about implicating the team, and I offered something that makes the process smoother, are you confident of transitioning to the nar Traveller here?" This time, Cedric stopped his repairs to look at the two of them. When Floyd and Darwin saw that, they immediately realized that he was asking them a serious question. The rest of the team went quiet and waited for the two to answer Cedric''s question, since they too felt the severity of this atmosphere. "Yes. I''ve umted for so long already. I just need a ce to do it," Floyd replied after a brief pause. "Me too. That''s why I''ve been dying to return home." Darwin responded as well. "Awesome." Cedric grinned. "Then I''ll help you with that. Girls, here." Cedric then took out a rune tablet from his knapsack and passed it to his girlfriends. The boys were confused as to what it was, but the girls certainly weren''t. "Holy, you made it! Holy crap, this is awesome!" Erica squealed in excitement. "Oh, this is great! Finally, no more mental demons!" Chrissy yelled in excitement too. They grabbed the tablet and showed it to the confused boys. "You two, your breakthroughs are pretty much guaranteed with this thing," Chrissy stated as she began arranging the tablet to be used. "Well, what is it?" Elric curiously asked. Erica smiled and said, "Cedric calls this the ''Demon Soul Purification Altar. Well, it''s a tablet right now, but meh. Same thing." Chapter 229: Essence Soul Value "The Demon Soul Purification Altar?" Elric frowned as he heard it. "I''ve never heard of that before." "That''s because it''s a fairly recent invention. Well, technically, it''s not. I''ve heard that it has been in development for a very long time. Being introduced to the public was the recent thing," Chrissy stated as she continued making an altar for the tablet. "How recent are we talking about here?" Francis asked. "We''ve only been away for a month or so." "Like two to three weeks recent." It was Cedric who replied this time. "It''s made by the House of Light. They have had an altar at every branch since I left, and many people have been going there to use it." "And...does it do what it says? If so, how exactly does it work?" Darwin asked. "Wait a bit; we''re still arranging it," Erica replied. Cedric, on the other hand, momentarily paused his equipment repairs to prioritize something else. He slipped from their attention and proceeded to cleanse a bunch of corrupted materials like stone, wood, metal ores, etc. Typically, these would be unusable since they''re steeped in demonic corruption, but Cedric had a way to purify them and return them to their previous state, somewhat. He wouldn''t be able to preserve its entire structure, but a little is better than nothing at all, especially considering how sparse their resources are out here. Meanwhile, under the boys'' gaze, the girls finished building the purification altar. It shone with a gentle white light for a short moment, signifying that it was ready for use. "As the name suggests, this altar purifies demon souls. It eliminates all remaining traces of demon corruption in them, turning them into pure souls, which we call ''Essence Souls''," Erica exined. "Essence Souls are at least 20% more effective than Demon Souls, and it applies to all Tiers of Demon Souls, as in a Tier 6 Essence Soul, for example, is 20% more effective than a Tier 6 Demon Soul," Chrissy continued. "Moreover, since it''s been purified, you don''t have to worry about mental demons when consuming them. I think it has Ac''s guarantee too, but I''m not sure since, like you all, I''ve been out of civilization since it was released to the public." "This thing could purify up to Tier 9 Demon Souls; that''s what Cedric told us before. As for Demon Lord Souls, I don''t think the altars are ready for those just yet." Erica stated, "But still, considering that the two of you only needed Tier 9 Demon Souls, this is more than enough to assist you and make the process smoother. With the distraction of the Mental Demons, you can wholeheartedly focus on channeling Soul Power into your body to achieve your breakthrough." "Damn! That''s..." Floyd was wide-eyed, and so was Darwin. If what they said was true, then this was a huge game-changer. How many times has it been since they were forced to split their attention to guard against the mental demons and facilitate the process of their breakthrough? Hell, they even tasted failed breakthroughs before because of how difficult it was. And if the two of them, who are considered geniuses of the Starlight Royal Academy, have experienced failed breakthroughs before, what can be said about themon superhumans out there? The fact that there is an invention that not only cleanses Demon Souls of their demonic remains, turning them into pure Soul Power, which is not only safe to use but also 20% more effective than Demons, while also removing the mental Demon problems that would certainly increase a Superhuman''s chances of seeding in their breakthrough, was obviously a huge thing. Join the adventure on m,vlemp _y,r. "And in case you''re not convinced yet, let me demonstrate how to use it." Chrissy happily pped her hands before stepping up to the altar. She summoned a bunch of Demon Souls from her personal stash; no, she didn''t get them from her inventory because she couldn''t use them out here. She has a unique pouch that could hold sensitive materials, like Demon Souls, and keep them secure. Under everyone''s watch, she ced six Tier 8 demon souls at the center of the altar. Then, she ced her hands at the edges of the altar and poured her energy into it. The altar then released a faint and gentle white light that swallowed the demon soul. They then heard a sizzling sound and very faint wails of what sounded like a demon. Itsted for a brief moment before nothing was heard from it again. Then, after a minute, the altar stopped releasing light, and what was left were six crystalized orbs with a smooth surface. It looked like a medicinal pill. Erica picked it up and inspected it for a bit. She smiled and nodded in satisfaction before muttering, "Yep, it works alright." She then turned around and gave some to the boys and said, "Here, try and see if it''s real or not." The boys did not hesitate at all. They''ve been working together as a team for years now and have trusted each other ever since. Even at the beginning, they did not doubt the girls when they exined the functions of the altar. That said, it won''t hurt to confirm it. Momentster, after absorbing the essence souls, the boys opened their eyes and had varying expressions. Floyd and Darwin were excited, Francis was dumbstruck, and Elric was smiling bitterly. Despite their varying expressions, one thing is for sure: it was exactly as the girls said. Essence souls are indeed way better than demon souls. "Damn! Damn! Damn!" Floyd cursed repeatedly in excitement. "Holy sh*t, that felt good. The absorption never felt so smooth and pleasurable. What the hell!?" "All it took was minimal input from me. The Soul Power did the rest, that''s...hoooh! This isn''t good; I gotta chill. But this is way too exciting." "I bet we can consume this in the middle of a battle and replenish our energy without needing to pause. Isn''t that convenient? So long as we have Essence Souls, we can continue fighting. Gah, you two hurry up! Convert all the Demon Souls you need for your breakthrough; I want to get some too," Francis urged. "Hey, Cap," Erica called out. "What''s with the face? You don''t like it?" "No, no. I love it, actually. It''s just..." Elric then released a sigh and admitted, "Aw, man. I just thought that this wouldn''t have been nice to have back then. Lord knows how much I had to endure during my breakthrough. If I had this, I would''ve enjoyed my breakthrough more instead of worrying if I was contaminated by corruption." Contamination was a fairlymon urrence amongst those who just broke through the nar Traveler Realm. The Demon Race was ruthless; they just wouldn''tallow any humans to be stronger and threaten their advances. It is rumored that demons could always tell whenever a human was evolving to a higher realm. Rumors also said that demons would obstruct them as much as they could, and since humans are harnessing the power of demon souls, they are able to influence this process. Mental demons are the residual demon will in demon souls. A single soul has a very miniscule amount left, but since humans will consumerge amounts of demon souls during their breakthrough, the collective residuebines and induces psychosis in humans, and in the middle of a breakthrough, where superhumans are in their most vulnerable state, this is dangerous. With how sinister the Demon Race was, it is difficult toe out unscathed in a mental battle with them, especially after a breakthrough. Those who failed to guard their mindspletely from their influence might be contaminated by corruption, and if that contamination was left unchecked, Demons would soon have another Demon Lord on their side. That''s why each nar traveler must report to the army and undergo a lot of inspections to check for contamination. Elric experienced this too, since he wasn''t too confident if he did a great job. Well, it turns out that he did, but it was a bitter experience. Knowing that Floyd and Darwin wouldn''t have to experience this thanks to Essence Souls makes him feel both happy and jealous. And from the looks of it, he''d have to be jealous for a while since the altar can''t handle Demon Lord Souls just yet. "What are you two waiting for?" Francis'' voice returned Elric to the present. "Go on, start purifying your demon souls. Cedric''s nearly done with your chambers." "Eh?" That caused Darwin and Floyd to look over where Cedric was to see what he''s doing. And they saw him making two separate wooden huts in the middle of the camp. "When did he even...?" "He started as soon as the girls began exining the altar''s use," Francis stated. As the scout of the team, of course he''s observant. He''s been watching Cedric all this time, actually. "I''m betting my left kidney that those huts are for the two of you. He''s been pelting it with runes and symbols for thest five minutes. He''s going all out to make sure you''re sessful. Don''t embarrass the team and give the same energy, will you?" Chapter 230: More Improvements "Good luck." That''s all Cedric told them before they entered the chambers he made. Floyd and Darwin wore solemn faces. They looked at each other onest time and nodded before they entered, sealing the chambers behind them. These chambers are pelted with all sorts of enchantments. Even if disaster descends within the camp, these chambers won''t be affected. Additionally, these will contain the fluctuations of Floyd and Darwin''s aura; not even a trace of them will leak out. The demons should never sense what''s happening around here with this. Sess or failure will depend on the boys, though. Cedric already assisted them as much as he could; the rest is up to them. Of course, it''d be fantastic if they seeded, but failure is fine too. So long as they''re alive, there''s always going to be a next time. "I wonder how long they''ll take." Erica muttered her question. "That depends," Elric answered. "My breakthrough took an entire week to happen, but it might be shorter because they''re using Essence Souls instead of Demon Souls." "Mental demons really hamper the process, aren''t they?" Francismented. "They really do." Elric smiled wryly. "Oh well, they should be fine. Francis, can you keep watch this time? It should''ve been Darwin''s turn, but as you can see..." "No prob." Francis waved his hand in dismissal. "I''ll do it. Besides, Cedric made guarding way easier with the base improvements he made." "Speaking of which..." Elric turned his head and looked at the newbie who''s expertly repairing the team''s equipment once more. "He''s certainly energetic, isn''t he?" "He certainly is," Francis replied with a chuckle. "With how he functions around us, you''d think that he''s been doing this all his life. Oh yeah, that reminds me, you''re not asking him where he got that purification altar of his?" Francis had his guesses. The House of Light was mentioned in the conversation earlier, but he kept quiet since Elric didn''t say a thing. "It doesn''t matter. And don''t investigate any further. He''s entitled to his secrets. Besides, he''s not harming us with these. If anything, revealing this tidbit of information to us poses more risks to him than us, yet he still did it because he wanted to help. As the team''s captain, how can I fault him for that?" "And don''t forget, he''s actually not supposed to be here." Elric solemnly stated, "If it weren''t for the tensions between our races, it wouldn''t be his turn to be here just yet. As talented as he might be, there is still much for him to learn at the academy. He should be spending his days training and learning there instead of risking his life out here." "Sadly, life''s just unfair." Francis responded to the sentiment with his own sigh ofment. "Alright, whatever. I didn''t raise this matter because I''m suspicious of him, anyway. I did it out of habit. You can''t me me; we just returned from purging a traitor, after all. But yeah, I think Cedric''s a good guy. A damn good guy. I don''t see him betraying us or the race for that matter." After saying this, Francis walked towards the monitoring tablet and sat down in the chair next to it while whistling a tune. Sometimes, Elric envies how Francis could easily go into his carefree mode. s, they were raised in different environments. Since Francis had already stationed himself, Elric decided to return to his ''office'', which was his tent, of course. But upon entering it, he was momentarily dazed. He actually forgot that Cedric had already upgraded their tents. The previously shabby and semi-functional tent was no more after Cedric was done with it. What greeted him was a spacious, warm, fragrant, and neat interior. The space within the tent was big enough for him to stand up and even do cartwheels inside, and Elric''s a tall guy. His sleeping bag has been cleaned and improved as well. There was a small table where all of his documents were neatly ced in a pile, a small pillow he could use to sit on, and the floor was lined with a carpet that certainly wasn''t there before. "How the hell...?" Elric muttered as he roamed his eyes within the tent in disbelief. Cedric wasn''t carrying much with him. He had an ordinary military-issued knapsack with him. Certainly, he couldn''t have carried that many resources with him since the space inside that thing wasn''t much, and the system''s inventory isn''t essible out here. That''s when Elric remembered the scene where Cedric was picking up corrupted materials from their surroundings... ''Ah...wait! ''Elric''s eyes widened all of a sudden. ''How could I have missed this? He has a way to purify natural resources, even though they''re steeped in corruption!! I don''t think he couldpletely return them to their original state, but he could still gather some after the process! '' ''And with how essible they are out here, he''s practically swimming in supplies!! And with how many side-professions be mastered...damn!! I see. No wonder he''s so energetic! '' ''But more importantly, howe nobody thought of this before?'' Elric thought to himself as she sat down on the floor. ''If they had just figured out a way to purify the materials avable around here, so much could''ve been done to change the ck Lands!'' "But maybe that''s just the thing..." Elric sighed,ughing at his own optimism. "...cleansing corruption and purifying resources to their original state might sound simple, but I bet that there''s a lot of work behind it. Maybe Cedric''s just unique like that." . "Now herees the problem. Should I report this or not?" ** "You two...you should be taking advantage of this time to get some rest instead of watching me." Cedric scolded the girls without tearing his gaze away from his repair work; he didn''t need to look at them to make a conversation after all. "We already slept earlier," Erica stated. "That wasn''t sleep. A shut-eyesting for 30 minutes is considered a nap, not sleep. Go to sleep,e on. I''ll be done soon, and I''ll join you," Cedric replied as he hammered away. "But we''re not sleeping at all," Chrissy replied. "So you''re just going to state that to me until I''m done here?" "...that doesn''t sound bad." Chrissy chuckled. "I mean, you''re eye candy and all. It''d be better if you were naked, actually." "Perv." Erica snorted on the side. "Oh, you. I''m just being vocal about my wishes. For all we know, you too would like that," Chrissy teased. Cedric shook his head in fondness. He''s already used to the girls'' attitude; he''s been with them for a while now, after all. Typically, repairing armor and weapons shouldn''t have taken him this long; he, after all, works fast. However, the condition of the team''s equipment was worse than he initially expected. Most of it can be med on this damn corruption. With how potent it was around this ce and how much the team had been using their equipment, the erosion these items had to endure was immense. It''s actually a damn miracle that these things still maintained their shape after going through this. Cedric wasn''t just ''repairing'' them per se. He also enchanted them as he repaired them. He''s leaving runes and symbols on the equipment that will allow them to strongly resist corruption and increase their durability. It wasn''t much, all things considered, but out here, this might as well be considered a lifesaver. His smithing skills are great; he''s a master smith, after all. Repairing the team''s equipment, even though this was the first time he had seen and touched some, was a simple matter to him. Even without the Ac System, the knowledge he learned from his professions remained in his head, and the skills he practiced remained sharp. He just needed to perform them manually this time, but again, that''s a simple matter for Cedric, who could multi-task. Speaking of multi-tasking, as he did his work within the camp, Cedric was also paying attention to their surroundings. Even with Francis keeping watch, Cedric still had his field of senses spread out as much as he could. He didn''t feel too much burden since he''s used to it by now, and he''s doing it just in case they''re in enemy territory, after all. ''There are a lot of demons roaming around. It should be higher than normal since we''re on the cusp of war, and a lot of them are pretty close to the camp.'' ''Fortunately, the formation has been improved.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. ''If I didn''t prioritize that, we would''ve been swarmed by now.'' Cedric sawrge clusters of demons roaming around the area. Some got lost in the mist that the base''s formation has been releasing, but none have gotten close to the base at all thanks to the misdirection, which meant that the formation was working as intended. Amidst his thoughts, Cedric suddenly shivered. His eyes widened, and his entire body froze for a bit. He then ced his hammer down, took a deep breath, and looked up. Within his perception, he saw Francis looking in the same direction while wearing a solemn face. This was then followed by Elric bursting out of his tent with a clouded expression on his face. "Damn it! What now!?" Chapter 231: Errand The ground beneath them shook, and the surroundings turned even darker than before. Despite the darkness, the origin of the aftershocks and fierce evil fluctuations was visible to the team, albeit barely. It would be harder to not see it due to its size. It''s a giant standing a couple of tens of feet tall. It''s difficult to see its actual features due to the darkness around them, but the giant''s deep crimson eyes stood out the most, looking like a pair of blood moons in the sky. Unlike others, though, Cedric''s senses could see the creature clearly. "It''s a Titan Demon," Cedric whispered, his voice barely heard by his teammates. Titan demons are creatures that boast immense size and durability. Their skins can only be damaged by specialized equipment, or at least, it would take a nar Traveler Realm expert to do so. A creature of that size could obviously explode with sufficient strength to tten cities in mere moments. These demons are a rare sight, despite their size. Their numbers aren''t many, and they can''t reproduce that easily. Still, they are strong demons, and it is a pain to deal with them, purely because it would take a lot to bring them down. "What''s that thing doing all the way here?" Elric grumbled as he craned his neck to look up at the creature. "This is probably the first time I see one, by the way." "That goes for all of us," Francis replied while doing the same. He then looked at Cedric and asked, "How''d you recognize it?" "I took Demonology for my 2nd year course and did some advance reading," Cedric casually answered. "There aren''t a lot of demons who could grow thatrge. What gave it away was theck of horns." Looking at the creature once more, the rest discovered that indeed, the Titan Demoncked horns. Demons are horned creatures, and they''re rather proud of it. It''s one of their defining traits as a race, but that doesn''t mean that every demon out there has one. Some Demonsck horns to show for it but are still considered Demons due to the simple fact that they could utilize demonic corruption. Titan Demons are the same, and amongst the demonic creatures who could grow thatrge, only their kind are hornless. "It won''t see us, right?" Erica asked. "Don''t get me wrong, I''m down to fight it. But Floyd and Darwin are at a very critical period at the moment. Plus, themotion of the fight is bound to attract more demons towards us." "If it did see us, it would''ve stared, throwing city-sized boulders towards us by now," Cedric replied. "As you can see, it isn''t doing that just yet, so no, it doesn''t see us. It probably won''t either because we''re too small. Unless we''re barring its way, I don''t think it''ll ever see us." "I suppose that it''s true that they''re narrow-sighted, then?" Elric responded. "Should be... can''t confirm that since we aren''t fighting it. Additionally, despite itsrge size, it''s only a Tier 9 equivalent. I said before that unless a Demon Lordes, this base is practically invisible. Even if the base was on its way, I doubt that thing would be able to see us," Cedric answered. Yes, despite the size of that thing, it''s only as powerful as a Tier 9 superhuman. Of course, Cedric didn''t say this to provoke the team into eliminating that titan. Because even though it is ''technically'' weak, its physical defenses are extremely perverted. Cedric could imagine all of them spending days on end trying to put that thing down, only to barely make it happen. The team doesn''t have the time, energy, or resources to do such a thing. Simply put, it''s just not worth it. "But still...a Titan Demon, this close to us..." Chrissy muttered loud enough for everybody to hear. "This isn''t a good development." "And we''re only able to see it because it''s not trying to hide." Elric added, "Well, with that size, it''s not like it could in the first ce. But this just proves that things are escting." "I think you should tell Madam Fiona about this," Francis advised on the side. "I think the army would very much appreciate knowing this from us. If things are truly escting, as you say, then any intel about the enemy forces will be appreciated." "I was nning on doing that already," Elric grumbled. "But first, I''m going to need you to check if the transmission site is still intact. The Titan Demon passed through its location, and although the site is protected by a formation, a thing of that size could still tten it. It would be useless to make a report if the site''s destroyed in the first ce." "Okay." Francis readily agreed. He''s about to leave when suddenly Cedric calls out to him. "You''re leaving without your equipment?" Francis paused on his steps, blinked, and smacked his face for making a rookie mistake. He then turned around and showed an embarrassed expression while striding towards Cedric. The girls just snickered at his clumsiness. Cedric just smiled at him and handed him his repaired equipment. As soon as Francis received them, he could immediately tell the difference. "Well, damn!" He eximed as he ran his fingers through his things. "It feels like the first time I bought them. Thanks!" Francis then wore the chain vest and topped it with cloth armor, followed by his greaves and bracers, and then his ck cloak, which allows him to blend into the shadows. He then ced all five daggers on his belt where they''re easily essible, and he''s ready to go. "I don''t know what you did to them, but thanks a lot. I can tell that they''re way better than before." "You''re wee," Cedric replied. "Ah, can I also send you on a mini-errand? It''d be on the way, don''t worry." "What do you need?" Francis asked. "Before that, here, take this first." Cedric then handed him a small caged box. He then said, "This is a mini-capturing device. To use it, just point it to the target and say ''Capture''; it will then open up, shoot out a tentacle, and capture your target. It''s that simple to use. You can use it on both living creatures and inanimate objects. Try it first." Francis nodded and used it on the nearby rock. Once he said ''Capture'', the box did its thing and collected the rock inside. "Okay, that''s neat." Francis'' eyes were sparkling after using it. So were the rest of the team. "It is, but do remember that it has limited space inside. It can only store a total of 25 things inside, no more, no less. Don''t use it beyond that, or else everything inside will burst out and the box itself will self-destruct." "Noted. What do you need this for, though?" "I''ve sensed some Dreaming Silkworms, Demon Hares, and Hens when I got here. I''m pretty sure I''ve seen some Stag, Doe, and Elks around, but I wasn''t too sure. If you encounter some on the way, capture them. I''ll see if I can do something with them," Cedric replied. "Wait, you n on experimenting to see if you can cleanse them of corruption so that we can eat them?" Erica eximed in surprise. "Well, yeah." Cedric shrugged. "I mean, if we can secure a food source that way, then why not?" "I approve of this," Elric suddenly said, making everybody look at him. "Though, why Dreaming Silkworms? I understand the rest, but why that?" "I''m after the silk they produce," Cedric replied. "I make clothes, nkets, rugs, towels, etc. with those. They''re also excellent materials for other things." "I see." Elric nodded. "Are these included in the lessons you learned from your side professions? If so, why aren''t they publicized yet? They sound extremely useful." "Well, they''re not," Cedric replied in a t tone. "I think I''m the only one making these kinds of experiments and discoveries so far. As for how I learned them, well, I spent a lot of time in Purgatory. They work there, so I''m trying to see if I could replicate them in the real world." This goes for most of the things that Cedric has disyed so far: the formations, cleansing corruption, returning materials from the original states, etc. All of it, Cedric tried on Purgatory to admit his battle against the Undead. He did most of it when he''s certain that he wasn''t being spied on by the Demons (because he already developed a good sense whenever that happened), and again, most of them did work, so now he''s just trying to see if it also works in the real world. And so far, he hasn''t failed yet. "Meat...chicken, venison, hare...meat," Francis mumbled, seemingly enchanted. "I''ve also seen some pork and beef around. I''ll try to capture some. Alright, I''m going!" "Hey, don''t be distracted by the meat! Don''t forget about the transmission site!" Elric warned in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. But...meat!! Bye~~!" Just like that, Francis blended with his surroundings and left the base. Elric could only sigh at his antics. But deep down? Elric truly couldn''t me him. Because if Cedric could truly cleanse those animals of corruption and make them edible, which he sincerely hoped that he could, then the team would no longer have to endure nd-tasting and cold MREs supplied by the army. Chapter 232: Sucessful Experiments A few hourster, Francis returned bearing good news. The transmission site survived, but it was close. The footprint of the Titan Demon was only a few meters away from it, which means that it was nearly destroyed. Fortunately, it wasn''t, and everything was still functional. Additionally, he also returned with a full haul. Using the box Cedric gave him, he captured 5 Dreaming Silkworms, 5 of each: Demon Hogs, Hens, Hares, and Bisons. He captured enough test subjects for Cedric to perform his experiments. Knowing that Francis left eagerly to fetch the errand, Cedric prepared a holding cell for his experiments. He didn''t want to risk the safety of the team for the sake of securing more food; that''s why he did it. This brings us to the present, where Cedric is staying inside the holding cells and busy with his work. Elric and Francis left him to do his work; the former was making reports to send to HQ, while thetter returned to the monitoring tablet to keep watch. As for the girls, Cedric convinced them to go to sleep, which isn''t hard since deep down, they''re exhausted. Right now, Cedric was ndly staring at one of the silkworms he took out of the box that''s now hissing at him hatefully. It''s spewing thick threads of sticky silk emanating with toxins that could cause hallucinations. Dreaming silkworms are the pre-evolved versions of nightmare worms. The former was obviously much weaker and more vulnerablepared to thetter, but even the weakest Dreaming Silkworms reach Tier 5 Superhuman in strength equivalent. More importantly, you''d never see them alone. A single Dreaming Silkworm could easily spew enough silk to trap at least ten people into full-sized cocoons, which would harden within minutes. And at a minimum, Dreaming Silkworms could be found in groups of five, so one could only imagine the dangers they pose. That said, dreaming silkworms are slow, and their senses are rather dull. Anyone who''s skilled at stealth techniques could easily capture them before they could react. More over, Dreaming Silkworms usually respond ferociously to threats by releasing all the threads they have in one go. They won''t stop until they''repletely empty, and it usually takes at least 72 hours before they regenerate all the threads they have. Within that timeframe, they''re at their weakest. It took five minutes for the silkworm in front of Cedric to run out of juice. The worst part is that none of its threads even came close to touching him. The silkworm visible deted once it was out andid there weakly. It couldn''t even hiss anymore. Cedric drew a rune in the air and cleansed the silk of its toxins and corruption. Now, he has enough Tier 5 silk, which he could use to make a lot of things, and there''s still four more in the capture box waiting to be harvested. As for the Dreaming Silkworm, it became Cedric''s first test subject in his experimentation. "Okay, let''s see if this works," Cedric muttered to himself, inwardly hoping that his theory would have a positive oue. He drew numerous runes in the air: the Great Rune of Reversion, the Steadfast Origin Rune, the Anti-Corruption Rune, the Demonic Bane Rune, and the Grand Cleansing Rune. Each rune was something that Cedric created on his own and tested in Purgatory. Cedric then adjusted the ratio of the runes to form an array, which he then pped at the weakened body of the silkworm. Screech!! The Dreaming Silkworm released a pitched screech that was contained within the walls of the holding cell. It writhed on the floor as its entire body erupted with bright orange mes. Wisps of ck smoke were exorcised out of its body, fading into nothingness upon making contact with the mes. Shortly after, the silkworm experienced several changes in its physical form. Its size was reduced, the sharp protrusions from its body disappeared, including its horns, and its pitch-ck skin cracked and revealed a plump and snow-white flesh underneath. The creatures felt less and less demonic in Cedric''s sensory feedback. Unfortunately, it''s body was weakened a lot. Cedric reckoned that this thing only has a few hours left to live before it dies. "Well, at least it dies as an ordinary silkworm and not a demon," Cedric muttered as he picked up the weakened thing. He then closed his eyes and scanned the creature deeper. Cedric already saw every physical change that happened to the silkworm; his target right now was its soul. "...only a speck of it was left, huh? No wonder why it only has a few hours left to live. Well, it''s already impressive that some of its soul was still intact given how long it lived as a demon." Sensing the souls of creatures was one of the few improvements that happened as he became better at using the god''s eyes. It''s not perfect yet, but it''s sufficiently useful at times like this. Since the silkworm practically lived its entire life as a demon, it''s already impressive that a speck of its soul is still intact. Usually, demon corruption feeds into that, and once it is fully consumed, it is very difficult to return the creature to its original state. Their corpses could still be converted, but their souls, the origin of their existence, would no longer have a chance. Cedric has seen this happen a lot during his experiments in the Purgatory. The number of times he''s able to return a zombie to their original state could only be counted on one hand. Undeads are soulless creatures, after all. And even amongst the very few that suceeded, they only existed for a minute or two before they crumbled into dust. Still, these experiments helped him a lot. He was able to tally a lot of information and narrow down the most effective tools to use in his future experiments. And seeing that it worked in his first attempt at the real world, the data he collected proved correct. "Sadly, runes that could heal soul injuries are extremely finicky. Even with my extensive research, I barely produced any progress." Cedric sighed as he caressed the little silkworm. "Sorry, little guy. I''d love to heal you and return you tocivilization, but I''m afraid that you won''t live long enough to see it." The silkworm didn''t respond. Even if it could, it wouldn''t be able to since it''s near death''s door. Cedric sighed once more and ced it back in the box. It''s probably going to die inside that space, but, oh well, there''s nothing he could do about that. "Okay, let''s see if this streak continues then." ** A couple more hours passed by. Currently, the base is quiet and peaceful, something that''s exceptionally rare considering where they are and what''s happening around them. The girls were still sleeping soundly, and so was Elric as well as Francis, who''s supposed to be keeping watch. It was fine, though, since Cedric was still wide awake and busy. What was he doing? Oh, nothing much. I''m just preparing a feast for the team. Yes, his experiments were a resounding sess. 25 of the creatures Francis brought to him have been returned to their original state. Cedric had enough silk to make cloth armor for everybody and for other uses. But more importantly, they have enough food tost for an entire month. He created things to prevent their food from spoiling; he''s even drying some and turning them into jerkies. As for the water source, Cedric already has that covered; he did, after all, make a fully functional bathroom for the team. Right now, he''s making a beef stew. He uses ingredients on the MREs to add more vor to the dish, and it has been simmering for hours. Cedric already had the table prepared; he also made tes, bowls, and utensils from the resources readily avable within his surroundings. The feast was ready, and the only thing missing was the people to eat it. But instead of going over to their tents and waking them up one by one, Cedric used a different method. He removed the lid of the cauldron and allowed the heavenly scent of the food to spread through the entire base. A smirk appeared on his face momentster because his desired effect urred. The girls flinched awake and sniffed the air, followed by their stomachs rumbling. They then scrambled out of the tent and saw Cedric stirring the contents of the cauldron. Elric pretty much did the same; Cedric even saw him salivating a bit. However, he maintained his dignity as the captain of the team and pretended to casually go out of his tent to inspect what was going on. As for Francis, he shamelessly ran, seemingly teleporting himself to the table, holding his utensils, and giving Cedric the puppy eyes. But instead of paying attention to him, Cedric looked at the holding chambers, which then opened momentster, revealing Floyd and Darwin, who''s busy sniffing the air while releasing fluctuations belonging to that of nar Travelers. "Congrattions, guys. Come, I prepared something good for all of us." Chapter 233: Planar Traveller Changes -- Phew... A collective sigh of contentment was heard from the team. Comfort coursed through their bodies as they huddled near the campfire and basked in the peaceful silence. They just finished a very hearty meal prepared by Cedric, and this might sound like an exaggeration, but it was better than any meal they had even back home, and it might also just be because of where they are. Still, having a warm and delicious meal was a blessing they thought they''d never experience out here, given how hostile the environment was. "I take it that food will no longer be an issue from now on?" Darwin asked, breaking the peaceful silence. "Yeah. So long as we can capture demons that bear resemnce to edible food we had back in civilization, I might be able to somehow revert them to their previous state and make them safe for consumption," Cedric replied. "Is that every single animal we can think of?" Elric asked. "Yes and no." Cedric sighed. "I said''might'' because the sess isn''t 100%. It all boils down to how deeply the creature is affected by demon corruption." "The corruption of their flesh is something that I can deal with, but the erosion of their soul due to corruption proves to be more challenging. And if a creature''s soul, the very origin of their existence, waspletely corrupted and reced by a demonic seed, I''m afraid it''s toote for me to do anything." "I can try researching a way to reverse that oue too, but, well, we''re talking about the soul here; anything less than Concept Laws wouldn''t suffice for something like that, and I don''t think I need to reiterate just how challenging that would be." "The fact that you could already do this much is more than enough. You don''t have to go that far." Floyd shook his head. "Seriously, I wouldn''t even dare to think about trying to reverse the corruption of animals; just thinking about it gives me a massive headache. Yet here you are, doing just that and even seeding with it." "I agree." Francismented on the side, "I''ve seen many Master Scribes, worked with a lot of them even, yet not a single one could do half of the things you can do. Before, I would''ve never even thought that the old formation around this base could be improved. I thought it''s already the best it could be and we just have to deal with the rest, but you proved that wrong as soon as you waltzed in. Seriously, you''re already doing extremely well. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself." Cedric smiled as he listened to the praises of the team. He wants to say that this is far from enough since he''s expecting more from himself, but there''s no reason to tell them that. He then looked at Floyd and Darwin before asking, "How are you two, by the way? Anyplications on your breakthrough?" "None." Both of them replied at the same time, wearing relieved smiles. "I personally don''t think I could ever go back to using Demon Souls ever again. I never had such a peaceful and serene time breakthrough, ever. The process was so smooth that I became doubtful of it. If it weren''t for me remembering that I''m using Essence Souls and not Demon Souls, I would''ve stopped it," Floydmented, visibly exhrated. "Same goes for me," Darwin added. "It felt weird to not have mental demons whispering or screaming right next to your ears while breaking through, but damn, that felt good. Not only do we not have to worry about being contaminated, we even had a feast right after the breakthrough. I''m afraid it can''t get any better than that." "It could," Cedricmented. "It definitely could. But you''re going to have to wait since the House of Light is still researching a way to purify Demon Lord Souls. They only need to crack one and the rest would follow, I think." "That would be nice," Elric mumbled on the side, feeling jealous. "Hopefully they discover it before I reach the second change so that I can experience a peaceful breakthrough too." The second change he''s referring to are the stages of the nar Traveler Realm. Upon transitioning to this realm, levels and tiers no longer apply to them. They instead experience ''Changes''. Body, energy, and soul. These are the three things that will experience changes at the nar Traveler Realm, and in that order too. Each entity will go through three ''Changes'', making it a total of three changes each. The first to third changes will be experienced by the body. The 4th to 6th changes are for the energy, and the 7th to 9th changes are for the soul. Uponpleting these changes, a person''s experience would be elevated to apletely different ne and be ready to go beyond the ne. Of course, the resource consumption for nar travelers is steeperpared to that of superhumans. At minimum, they would need Demon Lord Souls for absorption. This is something that Cedric can''t handle just yet because he hasn''t even touched one. But he could imagine just how much more potent the residual will was on them, and he assumed that he would need more tools to purify them. ''Or maybe I can think of an alternative instead; essence souls are malleable anyway. But I have to get my hands on a Demon Lord Soul first to get some perspective.'' The team''s conversation flowed in as they spent time in rxation. In the past, this would''ve been impossible since they had to be alert at all times, but because of the recent improvement on the base, they didn''t have to worry as much, so they could afford to lower their guards just a bit. Eventually, the watch cycle resumed, and it was Darwin''s turn. He was fine with it since he''s way too energetic to sleep or rest anyway, as was Floyd. It was truly a stark contrastpared to Elric''s breakthrough because, in his turn, he was too exhausted and slept like a log for three days straight. Cedric made a carpet for his tent and a few nkets from the silk he harvested from the silkworms. Of course, he wasn''t alone in his tent; his girlfriends are with him, and if the boys outside saw them entering his tent, they wouldn''t say a thing. Just from the heated and longing looks the girls were giving him, he could already tell what they wanted, and who was he to deny them? It''s been more than a month after all, and he won''t lie, he missed it too. That''s why, as soon as Chrissy began stripping herself, Cedric immediately pped runes on the tent, making it so that the noises inside wouldn''t escape and their activities wouldn''t be known by their teammates. Erica felt embarrassed at first, but even she couldn''t resist the temptation, not when Cedric was looking at her like that. What followed were whimpers, screams, obsessive pping sounds, sweat, lustful heat, musky scents, and fluids¡ªlots of bodily fluids. Cedric wasn''t shy about showing how much he missed his girlfriends, and they couldn''t do anything other than take, take, and take everything he could give. And Cedric had given them a lot more than they were expecting. So much so that they fainted from fullness while wearing blissful expressions as their bodies quivered in stimtion. Sweaty from their vigorous activities, Cedric smiled fondly as he cleaned them and himself. He covered them with a nket as they snuggled to sleep. Cedric eliminated all the musky smell inside and reced it with avender scent they loved, which lulled them deeper into sleep. As for himself, he sat down in meditation. Even with his numerous activities during the past couple of hours, Cedric was far from drained. He''s even more energized after their activities. Because of how much his body has improved, Cedric doesn''t need much sleep anymore. At this point, he could go on for an entire month without needing a blink of sleep, and he couldst a total of five days of nonstop fighting. That''s how much endurance and energy his physique had, both thanks to the Sage''s physique and astral energy. But, of course, Cedric would reveal this easily to anyone. This was his trump card. After all, nobody''s expecting a Tier 7 fellow like him to have this much energy. It''s better to be underestimated here than overestimated. Cedric meditated to calm down his thoughts, but he''s still monitoring their surroundings. He wasn''t doubtful of Darwin''s capabilities, but two pairs of eyes are better than one. Besides, his range was muchrgerpared to Darwin''s, and in a sense, this could be considered training too. ''...are there enough resources around to create defensive weapons for the base? '' Cedric thought to himself as he meditated. He scanned his surroundings and saw that there were avable resources around. The majority are corrupt, of course, but that''s hardly an issue. His musings were interrupted when, all of a sudden, Darwin started making his way towards Elric''s tent with a strange expression on his face. ''Did something happen?'' Cedric asked to himself as he left his tent, leaving the girls to sleep some more. Chapter 234: Surprise Visit -- ''Fiona''sing...'' That''s what Cedric heard Darwin tell Elric. Cedric initially thought that there was a threat he had missed because Darwin sported a strange expression; he even ended his meditation because he noticed this, but it turns out that Darwin only has this to say to their captain. ''They must have something that allows them to tell when she''sing. They also probably forgot to tell me.'' Cedric mused to himself. He thought of this because he didn''t sense Fiona''s presence anywhere near his field of senses. But since there weren''t any threats he missed, then it''s fine. He came out of the tent for nothing, but that''s fine too. And since he''s not feeling drowsy to begin with, he might as well spend his time productively. Drawing several runes in the air, he gathered and purified materials to make base defenses. ''Ordinary defenses won''t cut it.'' He mused to himself. ''Fortunately, even though the corruption eroded the resources around us, in a way, it also elevated their quality.'' Resources like stones, ores, metals, woods, etc. had varying levels of innate resistance to corruption. Most of them might have been contaminated, but it definitely takes time topletely corrupt them to the point of no return. Even simr materials had different levels of resistance against corruption, and most of it boils down to the quality of said materials. Take metal ores, for example. Ores that contain a higher density and quality of metal would have a higher resistance to corruption. Even as persistent as corruption was, it would take time before they were corruptedpletely to the core, making them unusable. Some resources also react differently to corruption. The process is quite simr to aging meat; as the exterior gets contaminated, the remaining good parts get concentrated in the center of the material, forcing its quality to increase. It''s this process that made it possible to discover surprising amounts of high-quality materials around. And for someone who had Cedric''s skill level and vast knowledge of how to handle all types of materials, creating something good was within the realms of possibility, provided that they had the means to purify corruption from the materials, of course. ''Ballistas, catapults, traps¡ªperhaps I can even make an underground chamber for this base¡ªand puppets¡ªyeah, I can make puppets. Puppets that are at least Tier 5 Superhuman level could serve as cannon fodder in times of need.'' Cedric was so immersed in his ideas and work that he zoned out. Resources were plucked, purified, and handled around him consistently as he moved. He worked in a far corner of the base to not disturb the people who were resting. He vaguely sensed the presence of new people entering the base; they were humans and someone whom he was vaguely familiar with. Most importantly, they weren''t a threat, so he ignored them and remained focused on his task. "Hmm..." Cedric hummed as he inspected his recent creation. It was a giant ballista that was about 9 feet tall. He could''ve made something better if he had materials of higher quality, but he had to make do with what he had around. This ballista didn''t need physical arrows. It instead uses energy to form arrows to shoot at enemies. He installed an array formation for that. Then, he pulled back the string, which was from the silk he harvested from the Dreaming Silkworms, and activated the array formation on the ballista. Woosh!! A swirl of energy funneled into the ballista, forming a 9-foot-long ethereal arrow glistening with blue light. Cedric then controlled the ballista and adjusted its angle. He already had a target in mind, so he calcted and predicted the target''s movement before firing the thing. Tang!!! Cedric watched as the arrow flew, seamlessly bypassing the formation without making any ripples or damage to it. The speed of the projectile was almost approaching the speed of sound. It then hit the target, reducing it to a puddle of goo, which sizzled and dissipated to the wind. The target couldn''t even emit a dying wail before it disappeared entirely from this world. "Ah, darn. The impact of theunch damaged the ballista." Cedric pursed his lips as he thought of how to fix this. Cedric remained vaguely aware of the stares he was getting from the audience. As far as he knows, they''re not stopping him, so why should he? Meanwhile, the said audience¡ªDarwin, Floyd, Francis, Elric, and the newly arrived Fiona¡ªapanied, surprisingly, Archbishop Gabriel and Headmistress Lissandra¡ªlooked incredulously at what Cedric just did. "Elric, what the hell was that!?" Fiona quietly eximed as he grabbed Elric by the cor and shook him a bit. The bald man weakly smiled and replied, "I believe that was a ballista he just created." "Yeah, one that could apparently make energy projectiles that could not only seamlessly bypass this ridiculous formation I''ve never seen before but also reduce a Tier 8 Demon into a bloody mist before it could even react, right, I know. But that''s not what I mean!" "Madam, I don''t know what you want from me. You sent me that kid, and I allowed him to go nuts because his weirdness is extremely helpful to the team. As for his secrets, I believe I''m not in a position to ask; he''s entitled to those. All I know is that he''s a damn good ally to us. Heck, he even helped Floyd and Darwin''s breakthrough to nar Traveller Realm!" "But..." Fiona wanted toin some more but could only ultimately sigh in the end. Next to her was Headmistress Fiona, who only chuckled and said, "Fiona, dear, let the child go. Besides, if you thoroughly read the file we sent you, this shouldn''t havee as a surprise." Fiona has nothing to say about that because she knows it''s true. It was her fault for not being thorough with the background check. That said, she can''t me herself entirely for missing this because she was in her ''God, make it end'' phase when Cedric arrived at her office due to how swamped she was with paperwork. "This array formation...these runes...genius! I assume this was all his doing?" Archbishop Gabriel asked. "Indeed, sir," Floyd replied. "Every improvement we now enjoy at this base was his doing. It''s nothing short of amazing." Inwardly, Gabriel was thrilled. If it weren''t for the fact that he''s keeping up an act right now, he would''ve expressed his wholehearted admiration for Cedric''s skills and incredible innovation. He already knew that their Holy Son had been holding back, but this was just insane. Every innovation he created here, if made public, could turn the tides of the war in their favor. But that''s only if the Holy Son was willing to impart his knowledge, of course. "The corruption level of this base was almost non-existent. It''s almost the same back at the civilization," Lissandramented. "Just this alone makes a huge difference to the exploration of the ck Lands. If he could extend this formation to cover arger area, thend remation projects would be faster." "Unfortunately, that has to be postponed for now." Fiona finally calmed down. "We''re not in a position to even consider vying fornd currently. Anyways, we need to talk to him. Elric, if you could, please." Elric nodded and walked towards Cedric''s side. He then softly called, "Hey, Cedric. Some people want to talk to you." That made Cedric tear his attention away from his mini-project and finally pay closer attention to his surroundings. He looked at his captain and nodded. He then walked towards the three people who had just arrived. Before saying anything, he bowed first and then asked, "Hello, how can I help you?" "Hi, Cedric. If you don''t mind, we kind of need to talk to you in private," Fiona replied. "You can use my tent," Elric offered. "Thanks. But you''reing with us; I believe your presence is required. Do you mind, Cedric?" Fiona asked. "No, no." "Great." The five of them then went to Elric''s tent and held their meeting there. Before anybody could say anything, though, Cedric drew a rune in the air and pped it to the nearby surface of the tent. It rippled, and the people inside felt the istion of the sound. "It''s a privacy seal that ensures any sound doesn''t escape outside," Cedric exined. "I hope you don''t mind." "No, not at all." Fiona and the other two elders shook their heads. "If not for you, we would''ve done something simr." Elric sat on the corner and minimized his presence. Although he''s Cedric''s captain, he felt that his presence was unnecessary here. These three were here for Cedric, and in a way, he was the reason for it. After all, he made a brief report of what Cedric has done so far. They''re most likely here for Cedric''s innovative seals, so frankly, Elric had no business being here. "First things first, I apologize for my neglect," Fiona suddenly said, which greatly surprised Elric. "I didn''t know that I slighted this generation''s Sage; please pardon my offense." ''Sage!? '' Elric eximed inwardly as he looked incredulously at Cedric''s calm expression. The fact that he didn''t make any effort to deny this made it more shocking to Elric. Chapter 235: Wisdom of the Young Sage -- Cedric wasn''t surprised that Fiona knew about him being this generation''s Sage. If anything, he thought that it should be normal for her to know. What he didn''t expect was her not knowing this before she sent him out here. Even more, here she was now, personally apologizing for unintentionally slighting his status, which was kept private for a reason. Of course, he''s also aware of the incredulous stare that Elric was giving him, but he pointedly ignored that for now. "It''s okay, I don''t mind," Cedric replied to Fiona. "It''s not like I go around parading my status, anyway. It''s kept private for a reason. I''m not saying that I have a problem with you knowing about it, which goes the same for everybody in this tent, or this base for that matter. I''m just not ready to reveal my status to the public yet, so, really, it''s fine. I think it''s better that way for now." Fiona released a sigh of relief after hearing his reply. She initially expected for him to make things difficult for her to teach her a lesson despite the obvious seniority here, and she was prepared to take it because, even with her status, offending a Sage was something she couldn''t afford to do. His reply went against her expectations, though. Cedric remained humble and polite. She could hear the respect in his voice, and that made her look at him in a more favorable light. "See, like I said, you''re worried for nothing." Lissandra nudged Fiona, using her shoulders. "Our young Sage is easy to talk to, so rx, will you?" Cedric blinked at that. Was Fiona expecting him to make things difficult for her? Well, even if he wanted to do that, Cedric wouldn''t dare. Fiona''s absurdly strong; she must be at least in thete stages of the nar Traveler Realm. She could just p him to nihility if he dares to be arrogant, so why would he do that? "Anyways, shall we move on to the real reason why we''re here?" Lissandra stated to diffuse the awkwardness. This made Cedric attentive since he too was curious as to why they''re here. "See, you''re Captain over here," Lissandra gestured to Elric, who''s wearing a guilty expression. "I have sent reports about your shocking activities ever since arriving here." "Modifying the base''s formation, making a functional bathroom with consistent water supply and waste management functions, purifying corrupted resources, applying this to demons as well to secure food supply too, in addition to not only flushing the dense corruption within the base but also using that same element to create a heat and light source as well as a mist that could misdirect low-tier demons, just to name a few," Fiona continued. Cedric nodded his head, confirming the things they''d said that way. "Do take it easy on your captain, son," Archbishop Gabriel kindly stated on the side. "It''s his sworn duty to report these things to us. I hope you don''t me him for doing this." "Oh, no. Of course, not!" Cedric eximed. He then rified himself by saying: "I know that he will do that even before I take action. Like I told Madam Fiona over here before I was assigned to this team, I know what I''m getting myself into. I''m aware that my activities will be reported to our superiors; this isn''t something that I n to hide since I know that it might prove useful for our army, especially with how things are going currently." Elric looked relieved upon hearing him say that. Truthfully, he was at a loss for what to do first since he doesn''t have a good grasp of Cedric''s temperament, which was normal since it hasn''t even been a week since he joined the team. He could''ve asked, but Cedric was always busy doing something productive, and Elric felt like interrupting him would be a mistake. That''s why he''s hesitant to do it. That said, Elric was bound by duty. His credibility as a team captain was on the line here, and honestly, the things that Cedric could do would immensely help the war efforts. So, in the end, he made a firm decision to be honest with his reports, even if it meant offending Cedric somehow. Fortunately, Cedric didn''t mind. "...''might prove useful'' he says." Fiona wryly smiled as she said this. "The army would be hounding us by now if they knew about this. Seriously, don''t underestimate their need for the things you''ve created out here." "Which directs us to the real point of our visit," Lissandra interjected. "We''re here to discuss if you could somehow permit us to learn your methods so that we can contribute to our war efforts. If you have any demands, please don''t hesitate to tell us. We will do our best to give you a satisfying deal." ''...as expected.'' Cedric muttered to himself. He already guessed that this was the point of their visit, even before this meeting began. It was only an educated guess, though, and he could be wrong, so he still listened anyway. But in the end, he was right. "I can work with that. As for thepensation, let me talk to the team first before deciding. Shall we begin now?" Cedric asked. "If it''s alright with you," Lissandra replied. Cedric nodded and began exining how his runic arrays and formations worked. Elric excused himself in the middle of the discussion because, frankly, he couldn''t keep up. He felt his head throbbing from all the calctions those four were doing. He initially thought that he had a good grasp of how symbols worked, but being exposed to the discussion of real experts humbled him real quick. So, instead of staying there to listen to something he couldn''t understand, he might as well make wise use of his time and inform the team of what''s going on. Cedric wouldn''t mind that since he already sees himself as part of the team anyway. Meanwhile, Fiona, Lissandra, and Gabriel couldn''t help but be awed at the sheer ingenuity of Cedric''s mastery of his professions. They were made aware of the mahy licenses he had and initially thought that he''s an achievement hoarder, but the truth couldn''t be any further than that. They will wholeheartedly admit that they''re inferior when ites to professional masterypared to Cedric. Because not only was Cedric able to invent useful things, his vision was so broad that he paid attention to the little things that most people neglected. And it''s these little things that led to his discovery of these things. Lissandra thought to herself, ''Oh, Tech God, you''d be so damn jealous of me right now. Even you might have to bow your head toward this boy in terms of ingenuity.'' "Incredible." Gabriel, as usual, didn''t shy away from expressing his admiration for their Holy Son. "...to think that it could be simplified like this and none of us even thought about it." "You''re like, 22 years old? How did you have enough time to discover all these?" Fiona asked, feeling slightly light-headed with all of the surprise she received. "I had a lot of practice in Purgatory," Cedric answered. "Well, I actually had to fool the stalkers for a bit before I could start, but I managed in the end." "Fool the stalkers? What do you mean?" Gabriel asked. "I heard it''s normal for demons to spy on humanity''s genuises, and if they could, they would assassinate them to prevent them from bing problems in the future," Cedric replied, causing the three Elders'' expressions to turn solemn. "It has happened before and will continue happening, I think, and I''ll admit I got a little scared when I learned of it since I wasn''t ready to die just yet." "Since Ac''s constantly raising the challenge to keep us sharp, my task had to be done sessfully twice in a row to clear my monthly service," Cedric stated. "Demon doesn''t know that, so I used it to my advantage." Cedric''s face then shifted, exposing his alter ego, Derrek, who openly disyed his skills as a Sage. "When I''m using this face, I''m called Derrek." Even his voice changed. "Derrek is the Sun Sage, and he serves to pull their attention away from Cedric, who''s purposefully pretending to be weaker and weaker as time goes on until he can barelyplete his task. That''s the long con I nned." Dispelling the disguise, he continued: "Since I was being spied a lot, I''ve developed a fair sense of when, where, and how it''s happening. Derrek was always being watched while Cedric faded into obscurity in the enemy''s eyes." "That gave me a lot of time to perform experiments in the Purgatory, and since the Purgatory was a mimicry of the Outer World, I figured that the things I managed to do there should also apply to the real world. Things just developed since then." "I also know that I''d be sent on the frontlines, one way or another. I never nned on hiding behind the walls. Being this generation''s Sage, I have responsibilities, and I''m not running away from them. I just feel like my preparations aren''t sufficient enough to expose myself just yet; that''s why I''m keeping a low profile for now." The Elders were stunned upon hearing how far ahead the Young Sage nned for the future. Chapter 236: Elders Discussion The Elders were silent as they made their way back to civilization using the transmission site. They already got what they wanted and some more. Cedric was generous enough to teach them what he knew so that they could spread it to the public. This is, of course, under his behest that his contribution be minimized since he''s staying away from the spotlight for now. As for whether he still has more in store, well, the Elders wouldn''t be surprised if that''s the case. The Young Sage held many secrets that were only meant to benefit humanity in the long run, so they wouldn''t pry. "Ai, he''s too young to carry so much burden." Gabriel broke the silence, muttering his words softly. "Indeed. And due to his past experiences, he grew up not relying on anybody other than himself. If he wants something to be done, he has to do it himself since nobody would willingly give him a helping hand without any ulterior motives. He doesn''t fully trust anybody other than himself, and we can''t me him," Lissandramented. Her analysis of Cedric''s character came from the perspective of an educator. As the headmistress of the Starlight Royal Academy, she interacted with many geniuses and learned how to analyze their behaviors at a nce. "The prophecy of your founder also didn''t help with that." Fiona pursed her lips as she said this to Gabriel. "Oh, don''t be mistaken, Madam." Gabriel replied, "He came to us like that. It hasn''t even been two months since he became our Holy Son. Additionally, the prophecy of our Founder only gave him an option. We never intended to force him into anything that he didn''t n on doing himself. Our Founder was very clear when he told us to only stand by his side. Our Holy Son has full autonomy on his actions." "Haaah...yeah, my bad. I just don''t like the idea that someone so young had to carry an immense burden like that. As adults, we should be the ones propping up the skies to give them afortable life. Children should never be afraid to simply exist and show their colors under our shade. That child has to meticulously n every action he makes just so that he won''t get assassinated, all because he thinks that he''s more useful to the race alive than dead. My god...what has our racee to?" Fiona''s expression turned ugly, as did the other two. As much as they hated this, their hands are simrly tied. The Demon Race was simply too strong; humans are extremely outnumbered. It''s easy to forget that the ones roaming their world aren''t all of them¡ªthat there are more outside of the, waiting, bidding their time until their nefarious ns bore fruit and captured their world in one fell swoop. Fiona, Lissandra, and Gabriel are among the people to whom Ac gave ess to Cedric''s conversation with the Demon Lord, who has infiltrated their civilization and started the cult. From this recording, they learned that the demons wanted to capture Ac simply because she''s a rare resource in their eyes. To humans, though, Ac was their world. If she''s taken away from them, what will happen to this world or their race? They shudder to think about the implications of that. And now, they''re on the cusp of another great war. Humanity is under a lot of pressure. Even children had to be drafted simply because there weren''t enough people in the army to defend the race. Truly, what a sad state of affairs... "Let''s look on the bright side here." Lissandra dismissed the disheartening atmosphere and stated, "In a way, this counts as him trusting us, adults, for once. He didn''t hesitate to impart his knowledge with us because he had an idea how useful they were. It''s an improvement." "It would''ve been greater if he didn''t get drafted and stayed at your school instead. That would''ve mellowed out the effects of his past experiences," Fionamented. "That''s as mellow as it can get, Fiona." Lissandra sighed. "Finishing his academic years or even extended therapy hardly makes a difference past that point. You and I know that." "..." "Being useful fills him with purpose, something that has been lost to him since the death of his family. It''s also something he grappled with during his time at the RMC. The idea of contributing for the greater good makes him fulfilled and happy. That''s his crutch¡ªhis remaining hold to his sanity," Lissandra added. "It doesn''t sound healthy, and it isn''t. But it works for him, and fate is rewarding him. As awful as it sounds, he''s getting better this way. Plus, there are his girlfriends who genuinely care about his well-being. The longer it stays that way, the better his mental state would be and aplete recovery would be possible," she continued. "We''re on the cusp of a great war, Liss," Fiona sighed. "He''s bound to witness things that might negatively affect his mental state." "He''s jaded, Fiona." It was Gabriel who interjected this time. "The trauma of being branded as a criminal for 7 years and personally putting down someone whom you thought was your best friend does that to people. You''ve also seen how easily he adjusted to life on the frontlines. Anything he sees out there might momentarily surprise him, but none would cause any fluctuation in his mental state." "Gabby''s, right," Lissandra replied, causing the archbishop to cough in surprise at the nickname. "Have some faith in our Young Sage. He''s tougher than he looks. As sad as this might sound, we arecking the means to protect him. Additionally, the Outer World would, sooner orter, be his yground. Whether the Great War happens or not, we can''t keep him caged." "Argh, fine," Fiona grumbled. "Let''s move on from this. The more we talk about how unfair his life was, the more pissed I am. How should we reveal this discovery to the public?" "It doesn''t have to be made public just yet," Lissandra replied. "Come with me to the Army HQ and let''s have a private meeting with the High Marshals and the Lord Commanders. The army needs to know this first before the public does." "I''m thinking of the same thing." Gabriel supported the idea. "Besides, our people are still distracted by the discovery of Essence Souls, and that wouldst for a while. We can dy this and give the army priority since they need it more than the public." "Sounds good. Alright, I''lle with you." ** After the Elders left, the serene andfortable atmosphere returned to base. Currently, Elric is talking to Cedric in private. "Yeah, man. Sorry, I didn''t know that you were this generation''s Sage. I should''ve guessed since that exins how you''re able to achieve this much so quickly." "Oh, please. Don''t worry about it." Cedric waved his hand casually in dismissal. "Like I said, it''s private for a reason. I''m not ready to be under the spotlight just yet. Besides, it truly doesn''t change much. I''m still me." "Yes, you are." Elric chuckled. "Wait, do the girls know?" "I never told them." Cedric shook his head. "I think they have some clues, but even then, they never asked. I guess they also knew that knowing that doesn''t make a huge difference. Our rtionship isn''t built on the fact that I am a Sage, after all, and I kind of prefer it that way. It makes me feel more at ease." "True." Elric nodded in agreement. "I didn''t tell anybody either. I think that it''s best that this newses from you instead of me. It''s your status after all." "I appreciate it." Cedric grinned. "Anyways, I think I better start working now. I have to make a lot of equipment, after all." Elric''s eyes brightened upon the mention of this. "I''m surprised that they''re actually willing to part with that many True Demon Bones." That''s right. Thepensation that Cedric asked of the Elders, after discussing it with the team, was enough True Demon Bones to outfit everybody. He initially thought that they''d feel the pinch, or at least ask the HQ for permission first, but Lissandra and Fiona just unceremoniously unloaded loads of them in front of Cedric. It didn''t look like they were bothered either. Cedric didn''t ask for thispensation to indirectly tell the team that their equipment stinks. But truthfully, what they currently have is insufficient for the dangers of their task, especially in sensitive times like this. That''s why Cedric took this opportunity to increase the team''s capabilities while giving them equipment that grows with them. Cedric was already familiar with the material; he had made aplete set of armor from the True Demon Bones he got for himself, after all. However, forging everybody''s equipment was bound to take time, and in this ce, nobody could tell how much free time they still had. That''s why he thought to start right away to take advantage of the current peace they have. Leaving Elric''s tent, Cedric made his way to his forge and began designing new equipment for the team. He already had their measurements from the equipment he repaired earlier. Just like that, Cedric was once again unable to be disturbed. Chapter 237: The Young Sages Contribution -- It has been five human days since Cedric joined Team Elric and arrived at the temporary base in the ck Lands. Within those days, Cedric kept his focus on making new equipment for the team using True Demon Bones. The rest of the team were either idling or practicing their skills just to make sure they kept them sharp. The entire team had no idea how the Army HQ was seemingly turned upside down during these past days, all because of the recent discovery. Lissandra, Fiona, and Gabriel had their meeting with the High Marshals and Lord Commanders, showing them Cedric''s creations and practically turning everything upside down. Not even Cedric would''ve guessed just how much effect his inventions had on the army. The Demon Soul Purification Altars already caused argemotion in the army once they were discovered. Lord knows how greatly mental demons troubled superhumans. As such, the discovery of something that could get rid of it would surely get the army''s attention. Just when they thought this would be ''THE'' discovery and that they''d have to wait for a couple more years for another genius to invent another useful thing to help the race, Fiona, Lissandra, and Gabriel appeared, and with them were inventions that would seriously greatly affect humanity''s operations for years toe. That rune that could convert demon corruption into an energy source was genius. No High Marshal or Lord Commander¡ªnot even the Tech God himself¡ªmanaged to create something close to that. The best or worst part about that was that the idea was already right in front of their faces all this time; it''s just that none of them bothered with it. The way that rune was created followed the basic rules of inscription symbols, something that Novice Scribes learned first and foremost. Everything leading to the final creation of the rune could be done by pretty much anybody who had a firm foundation in the fundamental rules of inscriptions. As for the final process that would give birth to the rune, some initially thought that it''d beplicated, but it turns out that it''s simpler than expected. The creator (Cedric) used the ''Filtering'' rune to tie it all together. The ''Filtering'' rune was one of the simplest symbols amongst the hundreds out there. It''s one of the runes that didn''t find a lot of uses because there are other runes that are better than it, and practically, it''s outdated. Some even considered removing it from the list. Yet, to everybody''s surprise, it''s this rune that tied it all together¡ªthe final gear that made the whole thing work in perfect condition. This discovery put many Scribes into shame since, again, the answer was right in front of their faces all along; they just never bothered looking at it. As for how useful this rune was, it doesn''t need to be exined. If it could convert democratic corruption, something that''s inherently harmful to humans, into an energy source safe for humans to use, then it could also be used to do many things. An inventor''s mouth would be frothing at the sheer abundance of uses they coulde up with for this thing. Yet it doesn''t end there, since they''ve been given an example. Lissandra showed them how the rune converted corruption into a light and heat source. She also disyed how it could be used to produce water that''s safe for consumption and use. She also showed the formation that Cedric made using this rune as the core¡ªthe same one that the base had. She even showed the blueprint of the ballista that Cedric created when they arrived, the same one that uses corruption and converts it into a tangible energy source that could be used for energy weapons. All of this astounded those who attended the meeting. Lissandra, Fiona, and Gabriel had to endure their heated and impatient gazes. They knew that they wanted to get their hands on this thing as soon as possible, but they weren''t done yet. This rune was already a work of art in their eyes; what followed it, though, was just divine. Fiona revealed the runic array that Cedric uses to convert resources to their pre-corrupted state. And to say that the meeting rune almost exploded would be an understatement. Three out of five High Marshals lost control over their emotions and subconsciously red their aura, causing the meeting room to nearly crumble due to theirbined power. One has to know that High Marshals, at minimum, are Star Travelers¡ªthe realm above nar Travelers. It''s already a miracle that the meeting room survived the re of their auras. Nobody could me them, though. The revtion of that runic formation simply subverted their worldview. None of them ever thought about making use of corrupted resources before. Sure, they made use of Demon Bones and enved Demons themselves to aid on their task, but they never put too much attention on inventing a way to revert the resources of the Outer World into their pre-corrupted state. Which was a damn shame since now that theyid eyes on this runic formation, they realized just how much they''re missing out on. And to prove that it was possible, Fiona demonstrated its use right in front of their faces. She reverted a corrupted stone boulder to its pre-corrupted state. Only about 75% of the stone boulder was reverted to its original form; the rest were corrupted beyond saving and turned into harmless dust particles after the conversion. Still, the results were simply astounding. Everybody who attended the meeting inspected the reverted resource closely and couldn''t find any faults in it. The corrupted stone boulder actually turned into an ordinary stone boulder. And the surprise didn''t end there. Fiona also used the runic array to revert a Demon Hound into an ordinary husky, which greatly surprised everyone. She also captured some other demons on their way back: Cockatrice Demons, Demon Bulls, Elks, Silkworms, etc. It had to be known that even though some of the test subjects survived the conversion alive, they wouldn''t be living for long. Fiona exined the effects of long-term corruption on living beings'' souls, word for word, as Cedric exined it to them. But even with that, just for the simple fact that they could secure a safe and stable food source even at the depths of the enemy territory, it was enough to make the High Marshals make this a priority. Sustainability has always been one of the main reasons why humanity hasn''t moved a single inch since the establishment of their civilization here in Azure Terra. Thend remation projects and missions always fail or barely seed because they just can''t afford to maintain them. But with this, they see hope. This changes a lot of things. Humans have always been resourceful creatures; they were just limited for a long time since they''re missing something, and that something might just be this runic array right here. With this runic array, they could send out teams to build more outposts and not be afraid of them dying from starvation. They could send more spies to monitor the movement of the demon race. They could make more hidden bases all over the ck Lands to expand theirwork of activities. And more importantly, there''s hope of reiming this continent. It had to be known that humanity only upies around 30% of Azure Terra. The rest of the continent was considered part of the ck Lands because it had been steeped in corruption for decades. They tried expanding, but every attempt has failed so far. First, the Essence Souls, and now, these... The Army has been given so many surprises in quick session that some of them actually feel overwhelmed. It''s a pleasant surprise, though, and they wouldn''t mind having more in the future. Due to the sheer possibilities these new things brought to the table, the entire army was mobilized. Professionals had been called and were tasked with producing as many of these rune and runic arrays as possible. Oh, was it mentioned that the materials needed to create these things were extremely cheap too? Well, now it has. The only thing that mightplicate the creation of these things would be the skill level of the professionals. But like what was mentioned earlier, so long as someone has a fair grasp of the fundamental skills of a scribe, creating these runes shouldn''t be difficult at all. Due to the value of these inventions, Cedric''s name became widely known to the High Marshals and Lord Commanders. Lissandra, Fiona, and Gabriel didn''t have to sing praises of his name. They let his creations speak for his skills. When asked, the three said why Cedric didn''te with them to present his creation. Everybody wholeheartedly epts the reason. In fact, some even proposed pulling him out of the frontlines to protect him. The High Marhsals refused, though. They too knew that the young Sage needed to grow up and that the outer world was his stage. As much as they value his ingenuity, humans need the Young Sage to be stronger. Much, much stronger than he currently is. And the Young Sage can''t grow in their greenhouse of a civilization. But this doesn''t mean that they''d just let the Demon Race snuff his life at the first chance they get. The High Marshals knew better than everyone else just how much value a sage holds. Sages are era definers, after all. Chapter 238: New Equipment and Mission "I''m not a Smith, but even I can tell the difference," Francis muttered as he inspected himself wearing the new armor that Cedric made for him. He doesn''t know how Cedric managed to turn True Demon Bones into a set of flexible armor that felt just like his old cloth armor, and frankly, he doesn''t care. What''s more important to him was the connection he felt with it. If Cedric put this on him and didn''t tell him anything, he wouldn''t have known that he''s wearing it; that''s how light it was and how perfectly it fits him. Currently, this armor offers less protection than his previous armor set, but that''s just because he hasn''t started nurturing this new armor of his. The difference between true demon bone equipment and regr ones was that the owners could feel souls and/or energy in the former, effectively nurturing it and increasing its quality. In addition to their rarity, this is what makes them more expensive. Given that Francis only got this today, of course this new armor would be weaker than the previous one. "This is awesome," Darwinmented as he inspected his new armor as well. As the team''s ranged magic user, Darwin was one of the more vulnerable members of the group. Even with high-tiered equipment, his physique was inherently weaker, evenpared to that of Francis, who''s their designated scout. Low-tiered demons might be dumb, but there are a handful who have impressive instincts and intellect. There were a few asions when Darwin was ced in a rather tight spot since he kept being targeted. That''s why he always had to pay attention to his surroundings and his distance from the enemy. For magic users like him, armor and defensive spells are their lifeline just as much as their offensive capabilities were. Even if Darwin already became a nar Traveler lifeform, he could still be killed. He was already thinking about saving up for a True Demon Bone armor set. He initially thought that he''d have to save years worth of merit points before getting his hands on one, just like Elric, but the unexpected blessing surprised him. Now, he could save up for other things instead. It wasn''t just the two of them who were impressed. Everybody was. "If you have enough Demon Souls with you, I suggest raising the quality of the armors up to Tier 9 right away. You can use Essence Souls using the altar; by the way, it''d be just as effective," Cedric told them. "A Tier 9 True Demon Bone Armor set...that could defend against the attacks of Demon Lords, one that is around the level of a 2nd Change nar Traveller Realm expert," Floydmented. "Hey, that''s not bad," Erica eximed. "That''s already much better than our old equipment." "That''s to be expected. This is a True Demon Bone Armor set, after all. Technically, we''re not even worthy to have this yet. It''s only thanks to Cedric that we do." Elricmented, then looked at Cedric and said, "Thanks, by the way. But, is it safe to assume that Tier 9 is the highest it could go?" "You''re wee, and no. You can raise it higher." Cedric replied, "You''ll need an energy source that''s no less than a Demon Lord Soul to get it to the nar Traveler Tier. If you use a Demon Lord Soul, you should look out for any possible contamination. It''s best if I''m nearby when you ascend it to that level so that in case there''s anyplication, I can help out." "Essence souls aren''t up to par just yet," Cedric sighed. "Which is rather unfortunate since if it were, then it would''ve been a better alternative." "Well, we can''t have it all," Chrissy stated next to him. "And that''s fine. We''ll make do with what we have. Besides, I think the alternative you''re talking about would be avable soon. We just have to be patient." That brought a smile to Cedric''s face. This was her indirectly telling him that she has faith in his skills because he knew that she and Erica knew, and they''re keeping it a secret for him, which he greatly appreciates. "I hope so too," Cedric muttered. After finishing the fit-test for the equipment, which ended on a perfect note, the team began converting Demon Souls to Essence Souls to raise the quality of the armors to Tier 9. It seems that everybody brought a decent amount of their fortunes with them. As for Cedric, he returned to creating more base defenses: ballistas, catapults, traps, etc. He wants to ensure that this camp is well protected because nobody knows how long they''ll stay here. And even if it turns out that they''ll be leaving soon, the next group that would be stationed here could use the things he leaves behind. He even thought about leaving detailed instructions for the next team, just in case. ** "Okay, team! Gather up; I have an announcement." Elric eximed loudly to the team, catching their attention. The team gathered around the campfire and listened to whatever he had to say. "We have a new mission," Elric started. "I was informed that Madam Fiona, Headmistress Lissandra, and Archbishop Gabriel had already introduced Cedric''s invention to the army." Nobody was surprised. Cedric already informed the team that they should expect this since he told them the purpose of the elders'' visit a few days ago. Of course, he kept the more sensitive information about himself and only told them what they needed to know. "Now, the army''s mass producing Cedric''s Conversion Rune and his Origin Reversion Runic Array. They intend to make full use of it, especially in these sensitive times." "And since the creator of those things is our team member..." Elric nced at Cedric as he said this, "whose identity and contribution are purposefully being suppressed for his protection, and due to the nature of our team''s creation, we are now tasked with paying a visit to other bases and improving them to the same quality as the one we have right now." "...all of them?" Francis asked after a brief silence. "Yes," Elric confirmed. "All 13 bases in the ck Lands that we own have. We''re already done with one, so there''s only 12 more." "Like that makes it better," Darwin smiled wryly. "Those other 12 bases are scattered across the entire continent; even with the help of the Transmission Network, that''s going to take us a while." "Not to mention, the state of affairs is pretty sensitive nowadays." Floyd added solemnly, "We''re on the cusp of war. All Demons are on the move, and that includes Demon Lords. Cedric mentioned that the formation hides us from low-tiered demons. How could we even be sure that, once we left, the bases would remain intact?" "Nice of you to mention that. It just so happens that I was informed that Demon Lords and Demon Kings are upied for some reason, making them less likely to be seen." Elric stated, "Why? I''m not sure; that wasn''t included in the briefing I received. But since the HQ decided to make this move, it should be expected that they did so after taking that into consideration." He then looked at Cedric and asked, "You should be able to modify the base pretty quickly, right? How swiftly can you do it?" "Three hours at minimum," Cedric responded. "If there are nuisances around, it might take up to five, but definitely not more than that." "I believe that if we keep a tight schedule, we can finish this mission within a month and a half," Elric estimated before telling his team. "It''s long, but I believe we can make it. Besides, thanks to Cedric''s invention, we wouldn''tck any resources, be it materials or food supply." "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot about that." Francis chuckled mirthlessly. "I was treating this mission like our old ones; I even began rationing my remaining supplies for the mission in my mind. I forgot that we don''t have to worry too much about that anymore." "Yeah, we can''t treat our future missions using the previous standards since our situations have changed now," Darwin stated. "Don''t rx too much, boys. Even though we can secure resources more easily thanks to Cedric, do remember that we will still be roaming the ck Lands," Chrissy reminded them. "She''s right," Elric said. "We can''t be too confident about this. We must remain vignt still and follow protocol. We can have rest afterwards though, because HQ said that as soon as we are done escorting Cedric to modify all the avable bases in the ck Lands, we can return to civilization and have a vacation." Everyone''s eyes brightened upon hearing that. Well, all except Cedric. He didn''t share their enthusiasm since he had been here for so long. "What are we waiting for then? Let''s go!" Francis excitedly stood up, armed and ready to leave right away. "Oh, rx, will you?" Erica rolled her eyes at him. "Not everybody has their things ready like you do." "Hurry it up, then!" Francis eximed at her. "The sooner we finish this mission, the sooner we can return home, and the sooner I can dispel my horniness. Not everybody is like you three; you must be really freakin'' nice!" "Must you be so fucking crass!?" Erica snarled before throwing rocks at him. Chapter 239: Environment Hazard -- Team Elric reluctantly left thefort of the base and made their way to the other one near it. Before leaving, they made sure to keep the base secured as much as possible. Even when there''s no one inside to guard it, the base will continue to function as it is due to Cedric''s preparations. The improved formation will continue producing that misdirected mist and providing an energy source for the other runic arrays within the base so long as there''s corruption around. The base''s defenses are also active, just in case enemies manage to get too close to it. Currently, the team is making their way to the next base Cedric has to modify. It''s about 1000 miles away from the previous base, which isn''t that far given how fast the team was moving. Initially, they thought they had to slow down to make sure that Cedric could keep up, but they seemingly forgot that he was initially known for his absurd speed. Not only could he keep up, he could evenpete against the top speed of the nar Travelers if he wanted to. Therefore, they didn''t need to worry about identally leaving him behind. And to make their travels more peaceful and silent, Francis taught him a trick to lessen the noise he''s making and make it difficult for demons to sense his movements. Cedric learned this trick very quickly and was already applying it on the field. ''This ce is really gloomy.'' Cedric mused to himself as he unfolded his sensespletely. The dark and depressing skies above and the putrid stench of corruption were things he just couldn''t get used to. Things out here are barely visible; if it weren''t for his absurdly sharp senses, he wouldn''t have been able to see anything clearly. This is the ck Land, and they''re pretty deep in it. Any reinforcements from the army are too far to reach them, except the High Marshals, of course, but those people have better things to do than pay attention to them. Out here, one wrong move, and they''re done for. They would face an endless siege of demons from all sides, and no matter how tough they were, they would eventually be exhausted and killed. This is the enemy''s territory as far as they''re concerned, so they have to be careful. This is one of the dangers Outer World Expedition Teams like them have to go through for the sake of contributing to the race. It''s why their numbers are extremely limited, and only the best make it out. Swoosh! A silent gesture apanied by a breeze of wind made the team pause in their tracks. They looked at Francis, who was in front, alerting them with a raised hand. ''A herd at 2:00, 200 meters away.'' Francis gestured to the team using hand signs. The team then looked at Cedric, so he motioned, ''Nothing underground.'' They then looked at Elric, and he gestured to Francis: ''Type? '' ''Hyenas and Imps. Engage? ''Francis asked in return. Elric shook his head and gestured, ''Evade. We can''t make too much noise; we''re close to the jungle.'' Francis nodded and motioned for the team to follow him as he moved on. He then saw the scout purposefully changing their route to avoid confrontation. ''Good call.'' Cedric mused to himself, prasing Elric''s decision-making. This was how theymunicated while on the move. Unless it''spletely necessary, they won''t talk out loud. At most, they''d talk using voice transmission or telepathy, but even that is risky because some demons are extremely sensitive to energy fluctuations. Therefore, theymonly used hand signs to ry orders. Cedric''s praise wouldn''t have too much weight if he gave it just because he ''thinks'' that Elric made a sound decision. Cedric ''knew'' that Elric made the best decision for the team because he saw the jungle he was talking about. The jungle was something that the team would skirt around on their way to the next base. It''s about 10 kilometers away from where they''re currently, which means that it''s well within Cedric''s sensory range. And the things he saw inside made his skin crawl. The freaking jungle is crawling with insect demons. He saw about a thousand of them roaming the surface, and there are definitely more hiding inside the nests or underground. With how absurdly fast Insect Demons repopte and how much time they''ve upied that jungle, Cedric wouldn''t be surprised if their numbers reach at least 20,000. Insect demons are extremely sensitive to dangers, and most of the insect types Cedric saw inside that jungle were territorial ones. Anybody who isn''t an insect demon will be treated as a threat and will be dealt with ordingly. This is why Cedric knew that Elric made the best decision to evade the confrontation. Because even if their team had three nar Travelers with them, it''s debatable if they''d be able to take full advantage of that jungle''s might. Cedric could also tell that Floyd and Darwin were itching for a fight. They''ve been wanting to test out their might ever since their breakthrough. However, none of them insisted on showing off or defying Elric''s orders, not because they found themselves weaker or because their authority in the team was lower than Elric''s. It''s because they trusted him. "Tch." The sound that came out of Cedric''s mouth caused the team to freeze in their tracks once more. None of them dared to move a muscle or even breathe out loud. Then, a sh of light erupted from Cedric''s palms, and numerous runes lit up on everyone''s bodies. They then felt their presence almost disappearingpletely, concealed by a barely visible veil of mist being produced by the runes. Bang! The ground shook fiercely, and to everybody''s horror, a giant beast suddenly appeared out of nowhere. But despite their terror, everybody remained unmoving, more afraid of making the mistake of dispelling the misdirection veil Cedric ced on them. A few kilometers away from them, a creature who''s almost as big as a hill stomped at the earth repeatedly. It snorted so loudly that it sounded like thunder. Roar!! The creature emitted a long and furious roar towards the dark skies above, shaking everything within a 5-mile radius. ''It''s a Raging Mountain Bull Demon.'' Cedric muttered solemnly to himself. In terms of raw power, only a few could go toe-to-toe with this thing. Don''t be fooled by its size; despite that, this thing could move extremely fast. And with its mass and inherent strength, even the Great Wall that separates humanity''s civilization from the ck Lands might not be enough to stop its charge. Despite this, though, This demon bull isn''t a demon lord yet. But it''s as strong, if not stronger than one. That said, this isn''t the real reason why Cedric rmed the team. Booom!!! Remember that jungle? Remember when it was mentioned that there are a fuck-ton of territorial insects in there? Was the Raging Mountain Bull Demon an insect? No. Did its furious roar and raging aura provoke the peaceful insects that were minding their business? Oh, Absolutely. Boom!! Another explosion sounded not far from where the team was. And despite the low visibility, all of them saw the wave of insectsing out of their home. Some were flying, some were hopping, some were slithering, others dove underground and swam like water. All were aiming for one thing and one thing only. The Raging Mountain Bull Demon saw this and waved and stood up using its hind legs. It then drove its massive body forward and released a stomp that caused an intense earthquake and shockwave towards the iing insect horde. But, to its overwhelming surprise, it barely affected the wave. Not before long, the wave of insects and the demon bull met. The giant demon bull turned into a streak of lightning, stomping, snorting, and roaring. It''s using everything in its power to kill as many insects as it can. It managed to kill a lot, but it barely dented the sheer number of insects gnawing at its flesh. The team watched, unmoving, as the once tall, mighty, and ferocious demon bull was eaten from the inside out¡ªand it happened within minutes too. Their skins crawled at the thought of narrowly avoiding that disaster. Had they decided to confront the herd earlier, they would have shivered at the implications of that. This solidified their belief in Elric''s decision-making and Cedric''s sensitivity towards danger. That hill-sized demon bull was now reduced to a mere skeleton. Not even a piece of its flesh remained. Its once-raging aura waspletely gone; maybe even its soul was devoured by those insects. Speaking of insects, they''re returning to their home. Since the thing that disturbed their silence was gone, their rage was also gone. It wasn''t until the team was absolutely sure that they''d be safe that they moved. Cedric smiled helplessly as they saw their pale faces. It would seem that even with their tenure, this was the first time they saw something like that. And even if it wasn''t, it couldn''t be helped. The scene was horrifying, after all. ''...I wonder...could I convince Captain to let me get that skeleton?'' Chapter 240: Next Base, Sigil Analysis -- "Ah, damn! Finally made it!" "I need a break!" "I''m tired, wanna sleep." The team released their umted tension byining as soon as they arrived at the nearest base. Their tripsted roughly eight hours from start to finish, and because of the shocking incident a few hours earlier, the team was tensed and a little bit shaken as they continued the rest of the way. It wasn''t until they arrived here that they could finally rx and let the tension leave their bodies. The scene of that Raging Mountain Bull Demon being reduced to a mere skeleton by the tide of insects remained fresh in their memories. It will probably give them nightmares for the next following days and there''s nothing they could do about that. "...almost three years in this gig, yet I''m still surprised by the horrors of the ck Lands." Elric smiled helplessly as he sat on the ground, not minding that its corrupted. "Thank god you told us to not engage the herd. Otherwise, we would''ve shared the same fate as that bull demon." Floyd replied, sounding shaken still. "I hate bugs. I hate bugs. I hate bugs." Erica chanted lile a prayer, looking a bit traumatized too. "I''ll admit. I was feeling a little confident back then." Darwin smiled wryly. "I couldn''t help it, we''ve got three nar Travellers on our team, I thought we''d have a much easier time with this mission because of that but it was humbled real quick. Damn, this world is scary." The rest didn''t have anything to say to that but they all silently agreed. Even after years of being in this job, they are still sometimes surprised with how hostile the world has be against humans. Such scenes really grind at their resolve to continue on this career. "Still, it''s nice to see that there''s at least one of us who''s not affected by it." Elric grinned as he looked at Cedric who''s already making himself busy. Cedric stood in the middle of the base, his expression was serious as several runes emerged all around him before turning into streaks of light that fused with the formation around this base, improving its quality to an entirely different level. Not even fifteen minutester, the team could already feel the density of corruption lessening, causing them to involuntarily release a sigh of relief. Additionally, Cedric was multi-tasking. As he was making the modifications to the base, he''s also improving the tents and preparing food for the team. None of them even had to do anything since Cedric basically covered everything. Besides, none of them could evene close to Cedric''s skills. Erica and Chrissy had been learning from him, but they still have a long way to go before they could do the things that Cedric could do. That said, in case of emergency, they could cover for Cedric and do the modifications instead if he wasn''t avable. "...the bathroom''s ready, guys." Cedric told the team, "If there''s any problem with it, tell me right away." "Nice." Francis whooped before unceremoniously removing his bone armor and making his way to the new bathroom. The girls said nothing but they did the same. The scene of those bugs crawling and devouring the bull demon whole was still fresh in their mind, they even felt as if a few of those bugs were crawling on their skin. They wanted nothing more than to soak in a warm bath and scrub the disgusting sensation away. It''s a pity that they can''t use any strong fragrances to drown the stench of corruption because that''s a risk here. Demons have sharp senses, any strong scent they put on their bodies could be used to track them down and cause the demise of the team. But oh well, they''d just make do with what they have, no big deal. Once the team freshened up and was visibly rxed, they changed into a new set of clothes made by Cedric from the silk he harvested. By the time they were done changing, Cedric was almost done with the modifications on the base. The formation was already modified and was now releasing the misdirection mists, the monitoring tablet was also assembled and was now working. The tents have been upgraded and could now provide warmth for humans who''d use it in the future. Now, Cedric just had to make the base defenses and he''d be done with everything he''s tasked with. "...ah,fort." Francis muttered as he clutched the empty bowl of food he just downed. "I wish everyday''s like this." "One hell of a wish you''ve got right there, friend." Floyd replied as he leaned on the chair while patting his stomach. "Must you put my hopeful optimism down?" Francisined. "Nah, he''s just telling you to be more realistic." Darwinmented as he sighed infort too. "Stop arguing and rest." Elric ordered. "I''ll keep watch this time. We leave after eight hours." The majority of the team groaned but still followed the order nheless. There''s really nothing they could do about this. They''re on a tight schedule. If they want to have that vacation they so deeply desire, they''d have to be on the move most of the time to finish this mission as soon as they can. As they went on their respective tents, Cedric looked at his girls and said: "Sorry, girls. I''ve got something to do this time, can''t pamper you two for the time being." The girls just looked at him for a bit. Chrissy then sighed and said: "At the very least, get some sleep, yeah? Don''t overwork yourself." "I won''t, I promise." Cedric smiled as he gave them both a kiss before going to his tent. Once he''s inside, he ced several runes that isted him and all the possiblemotions that will happen inside, making sure that not even a trace of it will seep out of the tent. After he''s done securing the space. He sat cross-legged and summoned a sigil from the depths of his body. This sigil looked mystical. It shone with a bright silver light and was seemingly the reflection of the heavenly bodies that has been hidden from humanity since the dawn of Superhumans. It''s none other than the ¡ºAspect of the Stars¡», the same one that Headmistress Lissandra gave to him. Cedric set aside a few of his thought chambers to serve as a reminder that he only has limited time to study this. The rest were all used to focus on learning all he could from the sigil. See, Cedric didn''t have enough time to sit down and analyze this inheritance. It was given to him on the same day that he was forcibly enlisted. Things had been hectic since and it was only now that he had some time to actually take a look at it. It was mesmerizing to say the least. Truly a work of art. There''s so much knowledge, discipline, and profundity contained in this sigil. As expected of a Sage, Cedric supposes. This sigil was created from decades of hard work and ceaseless research. There''s a boat-load of inspirations he received just from scratching the surface. It didn''t take long before Cedric fell into a trance. Several runes gleamed around him, releasing a flickering silver radiance that illuminated the space within the tent. This was the product of his harmony with the sigil, meaning that it recognized him as the new Sage and showing him all the secrets locked within. This method of inheritance was something that the Demon Race could never hope to replicate. This kind of knowledge is something that''s out of their reach. Sure, they could try to destroy it or cut off this path, but so long as Humans exists, someone who has the aptitude to understand the profundity of symbols and runes will eventually appear to revive it. A couple of hours passed before Cedric gently extricated himself from his immersion. He kept the sigil away and sealed it to his soul, making sure that its secured and won''t be sensed by Demons. Unlike the ¡ºAspect of the Sun¡» which he already mastered and even perfected. The ¡ºAspect of the Stars¡» was new to him. Although it recognized him as this era''s Sage, it has yet topletely submit to him. He has to uncover everything it has first. Once he learned all of its secrets and applied to his duty as a Sage will only be when the sigil submits to him and be a part of him. At that point, he doesn''t need to keep it safe anymore since it''d be a part of him forever. Still, with Cedric''s absurd aptitude, even a few hours of studying yielded him immense results. This much was obvious with how his Astral Energy churned within him. Using the virtue of the sigil along with his knowledge of Astral Laws, his control over his Astral Energy improved to the next level. He even learned a few tricks to refine it and increase its purity even more, allowing him to expand his reserves even further. There''s more for him to learn. Unfortunately, he had to pace himself because they''re in the middle of a mission. Chapter 241: Changes and Unknown Threat It has been two weeks since Cedric''s invention was introduced to the army. Whether it''s the Eastern, Western, Southern, or Northern Military Camps, all have experienced massive changes during the past two weeks. An almost imperceptible mist shrouds the walls, almost overflowing from the other side. This mist was produced by a massive formation installed on each camp, yetpared to the main formation, the ones on the camps could only be considered as an array. With thebined analytical power of master-ranked professionals of the Lifestyle Guild and under the close guidance of their guild master, the Tech God, The guild was able to deduce a way to expand the range of the formation to epass the entire civilization of humanity. Yes, the Misdirection Array that Cedric invented is now being used to protect the race. The mist produced by converting corruption into energy has taken effect and reduced the burden on those stationed on the frontlines. The continuous bombardment on each gate sealing humanity''s civilization has stopped thanks to the effect of the mist since it''s able to deceive low-tiered demons'' senses. Since it has taken effect, demons can no longer tell where humanity''s civilization is and can only roam aimlessly, unaware of where they''re supposed to go. This didn''t just decrease the burden on the army; it also allowed them to save up ammunition and resources. Since the formation converts corruption into a safe energy source, the effects of corruption within the army camps have dropped at an rming rate. It hasn''t even been long since the formation became active, yet the soldiers could already see and feel its effects. It''s still going to take some time until thest bits of corruption within the army camps disappear, but everyone''s fine with that. The sheer fact that the density of corruption decreased was already a miracle, in their opinion. Since the formation has been scaled to cover the entirety of humanity''s civilization, this means that, in the demons'' perception, humanity has disappeared from the face of the earth. Of course, the Demon Lords and above could still see them. Additionally, while humanity was protected by the formation, their location remains the same. If demons had a way to lock on to their current location and send a bombardment of some sort, the misdirection capabilities of the formation would be powerless to stop it. That said, the formation was still incredibly helpful to humans, and they''ve got the Young Sage to thank for that. It might sound surprising that this change happened within a span of two weeks. And that would be correct because it didn''t. Technically, the change happened within 24 hours after the formation was activated. The two weeks mentioned earlier were spent researching a way to expand the array effectively. The army already had all the necessary materials to make the array again and again if they needed to. Installing the array was a task that was personally managed by two High Marshals. With them supervising the entire operation, of course any problems would be minimized. They were the ones who deployed the formation to see if it was effective, and it was. And the Young Sage''s contribution didn''t end there... In addition to the formation, there''s also the runic array that allowed them to revert materials to their pre-corrupted state. The runic array had been studied and re-produced within this time frame. It has been tested by Knight Captains, who led a handful of their men to secure resources outside the walls. And just as expected, this too worked like a charm, which greatly exhrated the army. Even though sometimes they can''t convert the entirety of a chosen resource into its pre-corrupted state, it''s still massively helpful to the army. The fact that they could gather more resources from the environment opened up a whole new world of possibilities for humanity. This runic array alone solved humanity''sck of resources to operate on arger scale. Many teams were then sent on a mission to gather resources within the vicinity of the walls. So long as it looked remotely useful, they converted it and brought it back. Within a week of operation, the resource treasury essentially doubled in size. This caused a chain reaction: more resources were avable, upgrades and enhancements were proposed and approved, this meant more work for soldiers and more chances to earn merit points, and if these upgrades took effect, humanity''s chances of survival increased even further. The Demon Soul Purification Altar, the Conversion Rune, and the Origin Reversion Runic Array¡ªit''s only these three that the Young Sage invented to help humanity. In terms of quantity, it wascking. In terms of quality, though, hardly anything could match even a single one of his contributions. The fact that Sage was still young and a bit inexperienced still just makes this even more absurd. If he could do this at this age, one could only wonder what kind of things he could achieve once he''s given time to grow. Sages are Era Definers, and even with Cedric''s minimal contributions, his influence was already spreading quietly to his fellow men. As it turns out, professionals justcked the inspiration to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that inspiration was Cedric''s symbol mastery. Those who listened to the lessons of Cedric''s runic arrays and formation were greatly inspired by his ingenuity. Making use of a foul and harmful substance? Turning it into a neutral energy source that''s not only harmless but also extremely flexible for humans to use? That sounds very bold andplicated. Yet when they learned how it was created and discovered, even professionals with long tenure could only bow in awe. To Cedric''s behest, his name wasn''t revealed, and his identity was protected closely. But his influence has already spread far and wide among the professionals. They were inspired by his work, and this inspiration caused a spark of creativity that set the professionals aze. This was the beginning of Cedric''s legend. His name is yet to be known, but his contribution to the race is already changing the era for the better, and he''s not even trying yet. ** Woosh!! At the extreme depths of the ck Lands, a dark and wriggling chasm could be seen. The environment was already dark due to the absence of the sun and the density of corruption, yet this chasm just seemed to devour all manner of light, leaving only pitch-ck darkness and defeaning silence to exist. Despite this, a few creatures could be seen here. And if logic were to be followed, then any creature who could live in a ce like this was bound to be extremely dangerous. "It disappeared, you say? Hmm, interesting..." Amidst the pitch-ck darkness, a pair of crimson-red eyes opened, apanied by a deep and gritty voice. This voice contained immense power. Anyone who could hear it can''t deny that. Even the fabrics of space thrummed at the sound of this voice. That alone was proof that the owner of this voice was absurdly powerful. A whine sounded out; it seemed pitiful, scared, and submissive. It came from a quadrupedal demon beast prostrating before the entity shrouded by the light-devouring darkness. "Hmph!" A space-distorting snort followed. The entity sounded disdainful and arrogant. "A bunch of ants trying to stop a cart." The entity''s voice sounded out again. "Let them be. That''s most likely a result of their persistent measures to stop us from eradicating thempletely." "Nothing those apes do matters in the end anyway. Their desperation is useless in the face of absolute strength. They''re a dying breed, pitiful, and oh so weak. Let them think that they''re safe for the time being." "It''d be a better sight to see their faces when they realized that nothing they did mattered in the end. Ah, I can''t wait to see it." The smaller creature, who propelled towards the mysterious entity, shivered in fright despite trying not to. It couldn''t be helped; the entity was way stronger, and such things were only natural for their kind. "And what of the Sage? Has anybody deduced his real identity just yet?" The entity asked. The little creature whined in response and prostrated even further. "Even after a year, he still can''t figure it out? Hmph! As expected, he''s a sham." The dark chasm wriggled dangerously. The temper of the entity was clearly vtile, and the environment could do nothing but bow down to his might. The sheer power this entity holds is so destructive that even nature has to be wary of it. "Summon that scum here. I''ll deal with him. I''ll show him the reason why I''m a Demon King. If he dares to resist, call me. I''ll allow you to do it once. Understand?" The little creature whined and yipped. It still didn''t dare to lift its head and continued prostrating in front of the Demon King. "Alright, you''re dismissed. Make sure you don''t fail my expectations, or else you''ll know what will happen to you." The little creature yipped and hurriedly fled from the entity. "Hmph. It seems that this generation''s Sage was far smarter than thest one. Good for him. But you don''t win fights by being smart. You win them with strength." "If you daree before me, I''ll show you how pathetic you humans truly are." After saying this, the shrouded entity retreated to the depths of the light-devouring darkness. Chapter 242: Ruined Base -- "Alright, team. We''re at the final stretch of this mission," Elric announced as the team gathered around him. "There are only three bases left to go through, and it just so happens that those final three bases are near each other. Once we''re done with this, we can return home and rx for a bit, so cheer up and don''t let your guard down. Understand?" "Yes, Captain!" Despite being at a constant pace, Team Elric remained fairly energetic. If this was before Cedric joined them, they''d probably be on the verge of a mental breakdown at this point because roaming the ck Lands generally does that to people. However, with Cedric, it''s different. Since he could modify bases into what could be considered ''luxury hotels'' in a ce like this, the team was able to release their tension and rest properly, allowing them to continue in this mission at their peak state. Cedric''s skills allowed them to have a good rest, eat good food, and keep their alertness sharp and ready for the challenges on the way. Currently, they''re about to exit the transmission site. They passed through the tunnels and would appear somewhat close to the western walls of civilization. It was tempting to just use the transmission site to go back home for a bit; theseworks of tunnels were connected, after all, and with the transmission sites, they could do it. Doing so would be considered abandoning their mission, though. And considering that they''re on the cusp of a great war, that would be considered treason punishable by death, so they resisted the urge. This mission brought them pretty much all over the continent. This somehow allowed Cedric to have a rough map of the ck Lands¡ªnotpletely, of course. But like Elric said, they''re at the final stretch of this mission. Cedric will admit that he misses home too. Even though his workload wasn''t really much out here, especially considering how many things he could actually do if he was serious, But even so, the ck Lands were just too depressing and unhabitable, even with his methods of making a difference. ''Thankfully, joining this team exempts me from Hell Dives,'' Cedric thought to himself. Yes, this was one of the benefits of risking his life out here. Although, in truth, Cedric wouldn''t have minded even if there wasn''t an exemption, he''s confident in his skills after all. Still, knowing that he didn''t have to worry about it was nice. With Francis and Elric at the lead, the transmission site lit up, and the light swallowed the team. Cedric felt the space warping around them, which was a sign that they were being transported. Cedric has gotten used to this. And because the method of transmission out here was raw and unaided by Ac, the sensation of being teleported felt more natural and wild for Cedric, who had unparalleled insight. It''s just a pity that the teleportation was too short. Cedric just doesn''t have enough time to enjoy the raw sensation and the deep profundities of space; otherwise, he would''ve gained sufficient insights into it by now to build a solid foundation for deep research into spacews. The true Sword Communion Hall doesn''t allow him to learn things he doesn''t have insights on; it could only provide him with more insights onws he has already encountered and learned before. Otherwise, Cedric would''ve found a way to resist the enlistment and just seclude himself in there to deepen his knowledge about all sorts ofws, onlying out when he''s a paragon of creation, or something. Still, even if it''s short, Cedric tries his best to gather as many insights into spacews as he can. So long as he gains a rough understanding of it and solidifies that, he''ll be able to learn more about it once he returns to the Law Communion Sword. Swoosh! Cedric took a deep breath and adjusted his posture. His thousands of thought chambers analyzed and fleshed out the sensation he felt upon being teleported. He delegated this task to his subconscious since he had to focus on the present. The team appeared on the other end of the transmission zone in this area. Each team member was covered with a cloak that muted their presence. Unlike rookie teams, everyone on this team was experienced. As such, there''s no need for anybody to perform a ''Ki Pulse'' to prevent corruption from affecting their mentality. As soon as the team appeared, they began moving. They couldn''t afford to stay at the transmission site for long, lest they expose its location. The transmission sites, especially the ones located deeper into the ck Lands, are their way of going around the continent. There are measures in ce to prevent demons from sensing their location, but they deactivate once people use them. As such, it was protocol for anybody who uses them to not stay there for long to reduce the risk of demons discovering them. Just like before, nobody spoke or even breathed out loud. Even their footsteps were minimized to prevent them from alerting their enemies. If someone wants tomunicate, they''d use hand signals to inform the team. Team Elric maintained a brisk pace as they traveled; this too was to minimize the noise they''re making. And despite the gloomy darkness of the ck Lands, Francis led the team towards the next site with certainty because he knew and memorized the location of each base by heart. Elric''s the same. ''Oh, no.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. As usual, since they''re deep into enemy territory, Cedric unleashed his field of senses to its limits. And despite being supressed out here, he could still see very far. It''s due to this that he''s able to locate where the next base was even before they arrived there. And what he saw wasn''t good. He remained silent for now, though, since he''s keeping this a secret from the team. That said, it didn''t take long before the team arrived close enough to the nearest base. It''s at this point that Francis suddenly raised his hand to signal the team to pause in their tracks. Cedric could see Francis'' expression turning gloomy as he saw the state of the base. Francis looked at Elric and gestured: ''The base ispletely wrecked, reduced to ruins. What do we do? '' Elric, as well as the rest of the team, minus Cedric, were shocked. They knew that Francis wouldn''t dare to lie to them, and that just made it even worse. That''s right, the base waspletely ruined. Nothing in there remains intact. Even the remains of the base were spared and corrupted. Cedric already saw this way ahead of everybody. Elric massaged his temples for a bit and closed his eyes to think. He then looked at Cedric and signed, ''Can you repair it? '' ''Yes,'' Cedric replied straightforwardly. ''Great. How much time do you need? And would it make a lot of noise?'' Elric asked again. ''Same as before, three hours. And yes, it might make a lot of noise; I''ll try to minimize it as much as I can.'' Cedric answered. ''Okay, we''ll guard you.'' Elric signed to him before looking at the rest. ''We need to rebuild that base since it''s at a strategic location. We''ll guard Cedric as he does his thing. Francis, scout the location and see if there''s anyone around. You know what to do. As for the rest, we remain here until hees back.'' ''Yes, Captain.'' The team replied in unison, using hand signs. As soon as the order was ryed, Francis blended with the darkness and disappeared. Cedric remained with the team and stayed still, but he''s also watching as Francis does his thing. Francis was seemingly swimming with the wind as he moved. He''s barely disturbing his surroundings as he does so, while his eyes scan his environment. If it weren''t for Cedric inheriting the godking''s eyes, he probably wouldn''t even sense him at all; that''s just how good he was. ''He acts like a clown most of the time, making it so easy to forget that he''s just as much of a genius as the rest of the team are.'' Cedric inwardly shook his head at this. Cedric then saw Francis evading something that popped out of the ground. He wasn''t worried, though, since Francis was too elusive to be touched by that thing. He didn''t really trigger that attack; it''s just a mere coincidence. But it did expose the hidden threats within the ruined base. Francis took some more time analyzing the ce before making his way back to the team. He popped out of the shadows with a grim look on his face as he signed: ''There''s a young sapling of Crimson Thorn Tree in there. I also sensed a puppeteer somewhere, but I couldn''t see it.'' This news caused Elric to feel another headache. Even the rest of the team, except Cedric, looked solemn as well. They initially thought that they just had to wallop a couple of stray demons around so that they could rebuild the base in peace. They didn''t expect to meet troublesome fellows instead. This could be a huge problem if they''re not careful. Chapter 243: Dealing with the threats -- The Crimson Thorn Tree is a demonized nt. It stands about 10 meters tall and has a wide trunk covered in sharp spikes dripping with toxic crimson fluid. This tree has the sentience of a child and is a predator; it feeds on any living thing thates near it, not even its fellow demons. It could control sharp vines that could easily prate Tier 8 metals, and its toxic excretion contains a strong paralytic enzyme and makes its targets contagious. For this thing to be in the middle of a ruined base wasn''t good news for the team, obviously. And then there''s the puppeteer... It would be a mistake to underestimate this one. In Ac''s Demon Database, it''s officially called ''Mind ying Puppeteer''. By itself, it''s weak. Those who are at the same strength level could easily kill the puppeteer once it''s exposed. But that''s only if they could expose its whereabouts. Mind-ying puppeteers y to their strengths. They have excellent stealth capabilities and are able to hide from the senses of those who are way stronger than them. What makes them deadly is the way they could hijack the brains of their target. The puppeteers didn''t need to kill their target. They only need to be close enough to form a mental connection, and hijacking wouldmence. If the target''s mental acquity was lower than that of the demon, they would be forcibly enved by the puppeteer,pletely conscious of their actions. This is what made them terrifying. Cedric read many stories of soldiers being forced to kill theirrades because they fell under the control of the mind-ying puppeteers. It has traumatized many people; thus, puppeteers have gained a notorious reputation among humans. Whistle!! Boom!! The quiet ruins that''s now upied by the Crimson Thorn Tree were suddenly disturbed by a sharp whistle, followed by arge explosion. Numerous thick vines erupted from the ground, forming a shield to protect the main body. It''s a bitte for that since the attack came out of nowhere, but it did manage to lessen the damage dealt. Before the tree could tell what was going on, another attack came. A pir of bright mes erupted underneath itself. The scalding heat swiftly evaporated the crimson toxins on the tree and burned its sharp protrusions; even the vines were burned as well. However, this state onlysted a few seconds. The tree recovered at a pace visible to the naked eye. This was due to the spare nourishment from the fresh corpses it stored, which was originally forter consumption. It was forced to consume its backup supply, which caused the tree to be extremely angry. The Crimson Thorn Tree unleashed its fury by extending its vines as far as it could reach. The vines slithered like underground pythons seeking prey. Along the way, it''s using siesmic sense to figure out the location of the enemy. The radar caught something, but it was fleeting. However, that''s enough for the tree to use all it has to hunt that elusive thing. Unfortunately, hunting the target like this was a fatal mistake for the tree. Pshew!! A blinding streak of light zed with momentary glory, leaving a trail of verdant sparkle. The shot pierced the tree, punching a massive hole in its trunk. At the end of its life, the projectile also exploded, causing greater damage to the tree. The Crimson Thorn Tree withered visibly and wasn''t able to restore itself. The damage done to it was too much, and it has no more food source to consume for recovery. Because of this, it was unable to defend against the final attack that imed its life. The attack came from therge magical circle that appeared beneath it, erupting with a white and yellow spring of light that consumed its entire existence. The Crimson Thorn Tree was no more. It was reduced to dust particles, and its soul left the ne, returning to its origin. Its death left a gaping hole amidst the ruins of the dpidated base. Momentster, several people wearing dark cloaks appeared. ''Do your thing, Cedric. The rest of you, keep your eyes peeled for the puppets and the puppeteer. Since we exposed ourselves, the puppeteer will undoubtedly try to get us.'' Elric signaled to the team as soon as they arrived at the ruined base. Yes, the ones that attacked and killed the Crimson Tree Demon were Team Elric. The first attack was sent by Floyd, who used an explosive shot. The pir of mes came from Darwin, who used the volcanic eruption spell. The blur that the tree sensed was Francis acting as bait, and the verdant explosive shot came from Floyd again. The final attack was from Erica; it''s called Holy Light Spring. It''s effects were simr to those of Sunfire but much, much weaker. The target has to be on itsst leg for it to take effect; otherwise, demons would just brush off the attack, or they''d feel mildly inconvenienced by it at most. It might''ve looked easy, but that''s only because it was a nned assault. The team spent 30 minutes strategizing for this simply because they couldn''t afford to be careless. They had to get rid of the tree first since it was an immediate roadblock to their goals. And while the creature was deadly, Team Elric has three nar travelers, so they''re not afraid of a single tree. What they''re wary of is the mind-ying puppeteer and its minions, in addition to the possible attention they get because they''re making a lot of noise here. This means that this battle is not over just yet. Groan Elric and the rest of the team were rmed by the sudden sound. Before they knew it, they were already surrounded. There were at least 20 demons around them. Each one had varying expressions, yet all were controlled by a single mind-ying puppeteer who expertly hid itself. Chrissy stepped forward and belched a thick purple fog that seamlessly blended with the surroundings. The marching group of demons suddenly paused in their steps, their bodies twitching weirdly. This was due to the powerful paralysis contained within Chrissy''s fog. This also made a mess of her targets'' nerve condition, so even if they''re resistant to the paralysis, they wouldn''t be able to move properly. Simply put, she hacked the target''s nerves, which are in charge of their mobility. "I can''t trace it," Chrissy muttered loud enough for herrades to hear. "It''s really hidden itself deeply." In addition to the paralysis and nerve rewiring, Chrissy could also use the toxins to locate her targets by following the path of contingency. She was hoping that, as the controller of these things, the toxins would spread to the puppeteer as well. Unfortunately, the main target was too far from the toxin''s reach. Elric, Floyd, and Darwin didn''t mind. They attacked and eliminated the paralyzed targets within a minute. It would''ve been good if the puppeteer was also infected, but since it has hidden itself far away, they''d just continue guarding Cedric. However, it would seem that they''re a little too optimistic in their fantasies... Roar!! "Oh, for fuck''s sake," Elric softly groaned as he saw more demons appearing. One in particr was arge one. And judging by its looks, it''s also controlled by the puppeteer. It was also apanied by at least 30 more demons. The weakest is Tier 7 in human equivalent. "Fuck it. Balls to the walls, then," Francis muttered. "We need to shave off as many as we can. Being swarmed by demons isn''t within my bucket list." "Agreed." Elric sighed as a strong pressure erupted from his body. The strenth of a nar traveler exploded from him. He then flew like aet and met the giant demon head-on. Boom!! The giant demon was a mammoth. Its truck shed with Elric''s shield, and their sh caused arge explosion that sent strong aftershocks around them. Francis blended with the shadows, swimming along the current like a fish and appearing behind a demon to disembowel it with a single strike. Floyd pulled back his bowstring and condensed a ming blue arrow. Strings of incantations buzzed from Darwin and Erica''s lips while Chrissy threw handfuls of vials all over the ce, leaving behind toxic puddles. Erica''s incantations finished earlier. A rainbow-colored light erupted from her body. When this light touched her teammates, they felt light and energized all of sudden. Floyd released the arrow he''s holding, and as soon as it flew, it multiplied into shards of heat-seeking projectiles that punched fist-sized holes in his targets. Darwin''s incantations were finished. He mmed the butt of his staff on the ground, and all of a sudden, the ground beneath them turned into a muddy swamp that started swallowing the marching demons. This slowed them down greatly. In addition, the puddles of poison Chrissy left behind mixed with the swamp, making it harmful to the demons who are out to get them. As for Elric, once he saw that the weight of the mammoth turned against it, causing it to descend faster to the swamp, he immediately climbed to its back and began hammering away at its spine. All of this was happening while Cedric continued rebuilding the base. Chapter 244: Bait -- With a disc-shaped yet featureless head with a pair of antennas and a body way smaller than the size of its head, the Mind ying Puppeteer hid by burying its body, not including its huge head, to the ground steeped in corruption. Its frisbee-shaped head changed color and blended with the soil; it also released a thin veil of mystical energy that shrouded its entire existence, making its presence even more muted than it already was. This is the reason why it''s difficult to sense it. The pair of antennas on its head seemingly sway with the foul wind. But in truth, the movement of these things is what''s making its ves move as well. The antennas are, of course, invisible to the naked eye and senses, along with the rest of its body. Despite its small size, the Mind ying Puppeteer was one of the more sinister demons out here in the ck Lands. Since the moment it discovered the group of humans, it has already developed an obsession. It wanted these humans to be its new toys. And if it weren''t for the fact that it was trying to remain hidden, it would''ve already emitted sharp squeals of excitement. For this one in particr, it was the first time it saw humans, and it really wanted them. It wanted to know how their minds worked, how their power coursed through their veins, what made them tick, and, more importantly, how much pain and suffering they could endure before theypletely broke. It''s for this reason that this mind-ying puppeteer didn''t mind sacrificing all of its remaining toys just to get its hands on these humans. The puppeteer was obviously intelligent. It has been observed all this time. The humans it found were tough and strong. They were tearing into its toys with great ardor. They used different kinds of attacks to deal with their foes, and it fascinated the puppeteer immensely. But more than that, it''s getting impatient. The itch¡ªthe desire to explore everything that humans could offer¡ªwas too tempting. It truly wanted to get them as soon as it could, but the attacks these humans used were strong. The puppeteer knows its weakness. It knew that if a stray skill or spellnded in the general area where it was hiding, it would hurt a lot. And that''s why it couldn''t rush. It''s such a dilemma. Fortunately, though, the puppeteer was not out of options. There''s that one human in the back. He''s doing something weird, something that the puppeteer could not understand. It could see the ck rocks changing colors with a single touch of that guy. The demon also saw him making things of weird shapes and sizes. It''s not as fascinating as the skills and spells that his fellow humans were using, but the saving grace is that the other humans seem to be protecting this one. And it just so happened that this one guy in particr was hanging out on the back. The other humans are busy dealing with the toys of the puppeteer and cannot spare attention to him. Isn''t this just the perfect opportunity, then? The demon then decided to take this guy first. Therefore, it began inching closer and closer to him, being careful not to expose itself identally or be in ces where the skills of other humans could hurt it. Slowly but surely, the Mind ying Puppeteer came closer and closer until it''s near enough to hijack the mind of this isted guy. The others were still dealing with the demons'' other toys and couldn''t afford to pay attention to this one, so it was perfect! However, just as soon as it was nning to attack, The human suddenly made a swift drawing motion. Bang!! The puppeteer was frightened by the sudden sound, which was then followed by a blur of consciousness before it drew its final breath in this world. It died, just like that. And it didn''t even know what happened. Snort Cedric rolled his eyes as he holstered his military-issued Energy Pistol, not minding that its muzzle was still smoking from the previous shot. The unfortunate thing tried targeting him, which was the worst decision it could''ve made. Others may not see that, but not him. How can a mere demon like this escape the vision granted by the god''s eyes? Cedric already saw the mind-ying puppeteer even before this whole operation began. He saw it before it saw them. Cedric not only knew where it was and what it looked like; he also knew how many ''toys'' it had, how it hid itself, and the conflicting thoughts it had. Everything he did, thought, and felt was all reflected in his senses. As Cedric continued his work, the rest of the team suddenly found themselves idle. With the death of the puppeteer, its ''toys'' ran out of battery. While mind-ying puppeteers could hijack minds and keep their victims alive, this particr one was more sinister than the others. All of its toys were brain-dead. Thus, without their connection to their mastermind, they dropped dead and dissipated into ashes within seconds. A minuteter, all traces of them were gone. "The trap worked." Elric sighed in relief; the others did the same. Yes, this was all intentional. In fact, Cedric himself was the one who suggested this. While it might''ve seemed that the team wasn''t paying attention to him, in truth, they were. Even though Cedric just joined their team recently, he was already an integral member of this team. Additionally, many people valued him for his insights and skills, so it''s a given that they would prioritize his safety. The idea of isting him just a bit to make it look natural was Cedric''s suggestion. By doing this, they could bait the puppeteer to target him, and once he was close enough, they could deal with it. It worked beautifully. One shot to the head and it''s dead; it can''t get easier than that. With the death of the puppeteer, nothing was slowing down his work anymore. The team kept guarding him just in case. Fortunately, no attacks happened after that, even though they made a lot of noise. After an hour since their arrival at this site, Cedric finished rebuilding the walls of the base. 15 minutester, the formation was installed, and it started working right away. Five minutes after it was activated, the misdirection mist had already obscured their location. Another fifteen minutes passed, and the monitoring tablets, tents, bathrooms, holding chambers, istion rooms, etc. Were made. Cedric started cooking while the rest of the team rested while cleaning themselves. Cedric ate with the team and took a momentary rest. An hourter, he began making weapons that could defend the base even while they''re away. He also built a program that would allow only humans into the base. He also made the manuals that would instruct the next users on how to use the facilities at the base to prevent them from identally breaking things. He spent the next 30 minutes making sure that everything was in ce and in working order. And once he''s satisfied with it, he goes to his tent and istes himself to once again analyze the aspect of the stars. Meanwhile, the team was having it easy. Even those who were delegated to keep watch were rxed. This kind of behavior and atmosphere were only possible since Cedric was around. If he wasn''t here, they wouldn''t be this carefree. Of course, the team knew that Cedric''s skills weren''t omnipotent. It won''t protect them from everything. This formation only works with stray demons and low-tiered demons. Any demon lord could easily locate them if they tried hard enough. It''s only fortunate that the Demon Lords are seemingly upied by something and couldn''t roam free for some reason¡ªthat''s if the instructions of the HQ were to be believed. But that''s enough of a guarantee, isn''t it? The formation of the base doesn''t have to be hidden from Demon Lords either, at least for now, since humanity''s operations within the ck Lands are yet to improve. Besides, demon lords are arrogant. Their presence could be felt from miles away, even by those with dull senses. Their arrogance will prevent them from resorting to petty tricks and stealth to deal with their enemies. They will march around thesends like it''s their backyard, because in their eyes, this is their backyard, and they wouldn''t think it was necessary for them to minimize their presence in their territory. Since it was said that the Demon Lords wouldn''t be roaming for quite some time, what''s there to worry about? Besides, the team only needs to escort Cedric to thest two bases, and they''ll be done with this mission. Once they''re back home, this isn''t one of their concerns anymore, technically. It''s debatable if they''d really have a ''vacation'' once they return, but it''s definitely way better than being out here. The team spent enough time at this base to rest and recover their energy. Once they''re refreshed, they leave after Cedric seals the entrance to the base. Two more bases to go, and they''d be done here. Chapter 245: Home, Pillars of Humanity -- "Oh, wow..." "This is...?" "For real?" "Is this really happening?" Team Elric couldn''t hide their surprise as soon as they returned home. They had already cleared their mission and were rewarded for itspletion. After that, they were ordered to return to civilization and wait for future missions, which is just an official way to say that they''re getting a vacation. However, upon returning to society, they were surprised to see great changes in civilization. Common people might not easily sense it, but they could. They escorted Cedric, who modified the bases of the expedition teams on the ck Lands after all. They could recognize that Misdirecting Mist at a single nce at this point. "They deployed an up-scaled version of your formation?" Erica muttered next to Cedric. "I sure do hope you''re getting royalties from that." "Well, that would be nice but unnecessary," he replied softly as he inspected the formation. "Does this mean that our home is practically hidden from the eyes of stray and low-tiered demons?" Floyd wondered. "Should be," Cedric replied. "But this doesn''t guarantee its safety. We might''ve turned invisible, but that doesn''t mean our location changed. If they have something that could urately strike us based on our rough location, we could still be in danger." "That''s what everybody thought too, but in the mean time, this isn''t bad, no?" The team turned around and saw Fiona. "Wee back, guys. Good work on those modifications. Those will see great uses soon. More importantly, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, Young¡ªCedric. Don''t worry, you''ll get your share. This is, after all, your intellectual property." "d to be of assistance," Cedric replied. "You should take advantage of your free time," Fiona advised. "Nobody knows when we''ll need you again. At the very least, I''ll try to give you guys a month of vacation. Anymore than that would be challenging." "That''s quite fine, Madam Fiona," Elric replied. "We''re already grateful for the opportunity." "Awesome, you''re all dismissed for now. Oh, Cedric, can you stay behind for a bit? There''s something I need to tell you in private." The team looked at each other. Elric shrugged before leading the others outside. Cedric nodded to his girlfriends, and they too left along with the rest of the team to give him and Fiona some privacy. Once they''re gone, Fiona gestures to the couch and says, "Make yourselffortable, please." Cedric nodded and took a seat. Fiona then sat in front of him and ced a small chip on the table ced on top of a piece of paper. "Once again, on behalf of the Human Army, we thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Your inventions have been incredibly helpful towards our war efforts. With them, we''re able to increase our security and fetch more resources that will massively increase our chances of survival. You have no idea how great of a timely assistance these were." "Oh, uh, you''re wee. Like I said, I''m just d that I could help." Cedric humbly replied, "I''m also d to see that my fellow professionals gleamed inspiration from my work; I feel honored." "Oh, it did more than just inspire them." Fiona chuckled. "Your work practically caused a creative eruption, and the Lifestyle Guild has been put in the eye of the storm. If you visit that ce right now, you''ll see a sea of sleepless nerds making experiments left and right." "With our coffers practically tripling in size, thanks to your Origin Reversion Rune, they could perform tests after tests. Much like the army, the guild has been held back by theck of resources as well." Cedric could see it, literally. His vision could extend as far as the nearest guild branch, and, just like Fiona said, the sleepless nerds were going at it. He had lost count of how many times something exploded in thebs, and the rest have gotten used to it by now, it seems. "Moving on, please take this." Fiona pushed the chip and the papers on the table. "This chip is something made by Charles Makarov, also known as the Lifestyle Guild''s Tech God." "It''s a system plug-in chip?" Cedric asked after briefly inspecting it. "Yes." She nodded. "More specifically, it is something that would connect you to people who could help you in case of emergency or if you have any immediate concerns. This chip would also alert them if something bad happens to you, even when you''re out there at the ck Lands. It''s range is limited to this continent only. If you''re taken away farther, we''d have no way of reaching you." "That''s why if you feel threatened, try to trigger the signal as early as you can because it will also take time for us to discover the SOS and even more time getting to you. This is the best we could offer with our limited technology right now," Fiona concluded. "I see. Thank you for this. I''ll remember your words." Cedric took the chip and ced it on his monitoring chip while Fiona watched. His monitoring chip scanned it and released a light that dissolved the new chip and took its essence. A sh of light passed by his sight, and several notifications from the system appeared in his vision. "It''s downloading. It says that it''d take at least three days before it bes active," Cedric muttered as he dismissed the message windows. "That''s quite normal," Fiona said. "The contents of the plug-in are massive, especially considering that it needs to work on the ck Lands too." "Right." Cedric nodded. He then picked up the paper and asked, "And this is?" "It''s a document that states our oath to keep your identity as a secret until you''re ready to reveal it yourself." Fiona replied, "It''s my idea to ensure your privacy. I made this with Ac''s guidance to minimize any loopholes, and I also made a lot of people sign it; you can see who those people are at the bottom of the document." Cedric saw it. There are at least 20 people listed here. He didn''t know who the majority of them were, but he could assume that they were integral members of humanity''s leadership. Fiona wouldn''t have asked them to sign the NDA if they didn''t know who Cedric was to begin with, and only a handful of people could ess information about him¡ªthe real him. Starlight Royal Academy''s Headmastress, Lissandra Mardeux, was one of them. Aside from her, there''s the Lifestyle Guild''s Tech God, Charles Makarov. The Wandering Swordmaster, Old Man Jin. Sorcerer Supreme: Hayden Clover. The Mountain and Sea Princess, Fiona Dragonov. As well as several people from the army. Cedric noticed that most of them were star travelers, at least, while the rest were nar travelers. "Wow, these are some names," Cedricmented, feeling a bit pressured. "I-I''m honored." He knew that once he disyed his skills, he''d be valued by a few people. However, he''s not expecting that there are so many people who are willing to take an oath to protect him until he''s ready. "This is something we must do, Young Sage." Fiona smiled at him. "Even though you already dealt with the cult, we still can''t outrule the chances of spies within our ranks. We know that you''re doing your best, so please take your time. Us old people can still prop up the sky for you youngsters." Cedric nodded solemnly. He felt warm about the idea of being valued. "Alright, I''ve kept you long enough. Enjoy your vacation." Fiona stood up, but before she left, she turned to him and said, "Keep going, Young Sage. We are right behind you." Right after saying that, she left. Cedric was stunned for a moment before smiling. Her words could be interpreted in many ways, but he didn''t mind. He knew what she meant deep in his heart. Standing up, he kept the document in his inventory and walked out of the office. There, he found Chrissy and Erica waiting for him. The girls looked concerned, but after seeing the calmness on his face, they were relieved. "Let''s go home," he told them. The girls nodded, and they left the office and returned to the academy. Back at his penthouse, Cedric felt all the tension that had umted in his body dissipate as soon as heid down on his bed. He finally knew what the girls felt like whenever they returned from a long mission at this moment. Just like they said, ''There''s no ce like home.'' He and the girls didn''t speak. He cuddled them on the bed and basked in the peaceful and serene silence of their home. And even though they weren''t as tired and spent as before because they were able to rest properly in between sites thanks to Cedric''s skills, they still felt drowsy shortly after returning home. The girls were unable to fight it, especially when Cedric began humming a soft tune while gently caressing their heads. Within minutes, the girls were softly snoring and snuggling deep into his embrace. Cedric wore a smile as he too allowed himself to drift to sleep for the first time in weeks. Chapter 246: Profile, Sword Skills, Space -- ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 22 Race: Human IV sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Educator (Sub) Level: Tier 8 Lv.1 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Tamer (+6)... System Authority: Lv. 9 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T7 Lv.9 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] Actives: Dispel (M), FTL Movement Lv.20, Meteor sh (Elementary), Sunset Cut (Elementary), Heaven Extinction Sword (Elementary), shing Steel Sovereign (Intermediate), Sr re (Intermediate), Sris Gtine (Intermediate) Passives: CQC Mastery (M), Intermediate Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv. 150, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv. 75, Sage Arts (M), Marksmanship (M), Sword Heart Lv. 20 Sub-ss Skills: (Omitted) [Concept Laws] Laws: Sword Law (Elementary), Fire Law (Elementary), Astral Law (Elementary) Concepts: ughter Intent [Law Traits] Sword: Controlled Sharpness, Favored Enemy Fire: Burning Heat, True Fire Astral: Astral Genesis,ary Formation Unique Trait: ¡ºAspect of the Sun (Mastered)¡»¡ºAspect of the Stars (Intermediate)¡» [Domain]: None [Equipment] Weapon: Sris Edge (T9: Legendary/Growth) Armor: Star Sage Set (T9: Legendary/Growth) [Mandatory Task:] Hell Dive: Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 8 hours twice. Rewards: 100% Demon Soul Gain; Clearance Streak: 1 Punishment for Failure: Failure Streak +1. Record: Clear Streak: 38; Failure Streak: 0 ** Within the hidden space of True Sword Communion Hall, Cedric stood in the void with his eyes closed. Sris Edge, his sword, gleamed with sharpness as he firmly grasped it in his hand. The space around him seems to distort slightly, even without him doing anything. His eyes then snapped wide open, releasing a faint golden brilliance. With a flourish of his sword, he performed a sh that seemingly separated the distant horizon. This move seems to twist the very fabric of space, which was then followed by a sinking golden orb that detonated a few secondster, causing immense devastation that could be felt from miles away. This was the Sunset Cut. Following this, Cedric raised his sword, and the sharpness of his sword reached an all-time high. He performed a mighty cleave with a heavy grunt that seemingly brought the sky down, seemingly mimicking the end of the world. This move was the Heaven Extinction Sword. Following this, Cedric disappeared from his spot. Employing the FTL Movement at the highest level he could unleash, he transcended, shattered¡ªthe speed cap of someone on his strength level. His movement left sharp cuts everywhere, but since he''s moving too quickly, they all umted in a specific area. Then he reappeared in the same exact spot as before. With a final flourish of his sword, the silver trails he left behind erupted, causing an intense and chaotic storm. This move was the shing Steel Sovereign. Next, with a stomp of his feet, a giant golden orb appeared several hundred meters above him, staining everything within miles with golden radiance. The temperature rose at an rming rate, too. With a stern expression, Cedric pointed at a location using his sword, and at the same moment, the radiance of the golden sun above him intensified by at least three times. At the location he pointed at, a massive golden pir of mes erupted. If one looked closely, even space seemed to be melting away due to the intense heat. This one was the skill Sr re. And finally, Cedric once again raised Sris Edge above him. He paused and concentrated. The golden sun above him melted, and its existence was funneled into his sword. With the nourishment of the sun, Sris Edge released an intense output of energy. The output of energy was so great that it seems that Cedric was holding a massive pir of golden light instead of a sword. As golden radiance swirled around him and illuminated his delicate yet focused features, Cedric opened his eyes and brought the sword down. An explosion of golden radiance erupted as he did so. Everything within 10 miles in front of him was cleaved in half. The heat, sharpness, and brilliance of that attack would leave anyone stunned and speechless. Even those in thete stages of the nar Traveler Realm would have to be careful about this attack. This was Cedric''s magnum opus of a skill he calls Sris Gtine. "Haaah..." Cedric exhaled a misty and warm breath as he kept Sris Edge away and sat in the void. His arms were trembling, and he was visibly spent. All of his self-created skills were taxing to him, and for a good reason; it would be too weird if he could unleash attacks of that intensity left and right without getting tired. Even with his absurd energy reserves, he still has limits at the end of the day. "Excellent swordsmanship as always," the voice of the Law Communion Sword echoed in his ears. "Thanks," Cedric huffed in reply, due to exhaustion. "But it still has a long way to go." "Don''t rush it, kid," the same voice chided. "Even at the heyday of Superhumans, hardly anybody in the same age as you could be your match. You''re already doing well; don''t be impatient." "I know." Cedric sighed as he sat on the ground. "I won''t rush it, I promise." Cedric then closed his eyes and began recovering his energy. Meanwhile, the Law Communion Sword was rendered silent. It''s praise wasn''t to inte Cedric''s ego. It was a genuinepliment. It is true that in terms of talent, potential, andprehension, this kid was pretty much unparalleled. The only downside to this kid is that he''s too responsible. He carries too much unnecessary burden on himself, even going so far as to carry others'' burdens for them. It''s one thing for someone to feel responsible; that''s normal. Being the savior of the world, on the other hand, is apletely different thing. ''Heroplex.'' The Law Communion Sword thought to itself. ''He''s blessed with so much talent and a pure heart that he feels responsible for everything bad that''s happening around him.'' ''I''ve seen his past, and sure, he''s different back then, but that''s just on the surface.'' It continued, ''Deep down, he''s still the boy who looked up to Superhumans and believed them to be the heroes of the world.'' ''The fact that he was granted the title of a Sage wasn''t helping. Hisplex was worse than his predecessors, and it''s unhealthy. Unfortunately, from what he told me about the current state of the world, this unhealthy mentality is what was needed the most; therefore, adults can only keep their mouths shut about this.'' ''The worst part is that he''s probably aware of this himself. He most likely knows how to fix this too, but he couldn''t afford it since reality doesn''t allow him to. Poor guy...'' The Law Communion Sword could onlyment silently about this. It''s such a sad thing to see someone so talented and humble endure such a thing, but s... ''Hmm?'' The Law Communion Sword felt strange fluctuations around Cedric. Looking upon it closely, albeit faintly, the sword saw the fabric of space twisting and coiling around him. Shortly after, Cedric''s silhouette began turning blurry. It''s as if a miracle happened and he suddenly multiplied by two. However, because the Law Communion Sword channels raw Concept Laws to this ce, it understands what''s happening better than anyone else right now. ''This...this is Space Laws!? '' It eximed in surprise. Without any further ado, it began channeling shards of Space Laws to the hall and watched as Cedric nkly opened his eyes to startprehending them. The strange twists and turns around him intensified. So much so that Cedric began unconsciously warping here and there. His body swayed like weed as he was pulled from one area to the next. His expression and gaze remained empty all this while. ''Good! Good, Kid! Hah! '' The Law Communion Sword roared pleasantly in its mind. ''Space Laws! Hah! How long has it been? Heavens, this kid is truly outrageous!! '' Since time in this ce moves differently from the outside, it actually took Cedric a whole month toprehend the beginning stage of spacews, which was ''Spatial Maniption''. That said, this doesn''t lessen the absurdity of his achievement. If anything, spending a mere month toprehend the beginning concept of spacews was already considered ster in more ways than one. ''More than a hundred years passed, yet only you, Kid, achieved something like this.'' The Law Communion Sword remained silent until Cedric''s consciousness returned. It watched as astonishment and wonder appeared on his face. It saw Cedric calming himself down before performing his first minor teleportation consciously and seeding. He then brought out his sword and stabbed it forward. Space twisted as he did so, and suddenly, the tip of his sword appeared several miles away from where he stabbed. He did again, and this time it appeared behind him even though he didn''t turn around. The sword watched as Cedric explored all the possible ways he could infuse the elements of space into his swordsmanship. Once he''s done with that, he moves on to other applications too. Eventually, after testing out hundreds of ideas, Cedric sat down in exhaustion, but with a bright gaze and a wide smile on his face. This is when the Law and Communion Sword said: "If you raise your mastery of spacews to the intermediate stage, I''ll agree on your proposal." Cedric''s eyes widened at that. Chapter 247: Acalas Voice -- [Notice! User Cedric grasped the Beginner Stage of Space Laws: Spatial Maniption.] [Congrattions, User Cedric.] [Ac hopes that you continue working hard to increase your mastery of spacews.] This was the message he received as soon as he woke up from his stupor. Comprehending spacews was beyond his expectations; he only wanted to hone his skills even further when he secluded himself in the true Sword Communion Hall. He never intended to chase after the spacews. Sure, he was gathering insights about it, but he didn''t expect that the hints he umted from experiencing transmission from ce to ce were enough to let him understand the entry level to the conceptw. The Law Communion Sword said that it took him more than a month''s worth of time toprehend spatial maniption, and this made sense to him because, from the additional insights he received, spacews were extremelyplicated. Even though he stepped into the first level out of four, what he understood from it barely scratches the surface. Spatial maniption doesn''t just allow him to perform minor teleportations¡ªlike actual teleportations, not transmissions. In fact, teleportation was probably the simplest skill he could disy using thisw. The concept of manipting the very fabric of space goes way deeper than that, and even though he spent an additional month inside the Swore Communion Hall to confirm the things heprehended, he''s still far from mastering it. However, even though he only nced at the real profundity of spacews, a huge change happened to his perception. Bing aware of how spacews work caused his senses to adjust to them. Now, he could perceive the integrity of the space around him. Space appeared to him as intersections of fine lines and dots. It''s messy and difficult to make sense of. They twist and turn in mysterious ways, and every movement produces varying results. Beyond this, space is everywhere. It seems to contain every single thing within this world¡ªthis universe. It was too vast and too grand, and it felt overwhelming. That''s why Cedric felt momentarily dazed the moment he perceived the elements of space as soon as he left the hall. As intimidating as it was, though, Cedric didn''t feel scared of it. How can he see this as a massive canvas that''s open for analysis? Cedric nevercked the confidence to achieve greater, grander things in his life. How can he retreat from this challenge? But as much as he wanted to experiment out here, he had to restrain himself. His awareness of spatial elements exposed him to the real state of the world. ''Fragile. Why is it so fragile? '' This is what Cedricmented as soon as he sensed the spatial integrity of Azure Terra; it may even go as far as the whole Prime Earth itself. ''No wonder why it''s easy for the Demon Race to infiltrate this world despite the protection of Purgatory.'' Cedric mused inwardly. ''Even I, in my current state, could easily poke a hole through space and take a peek at the outside world.'' ''The spatial integrity of this world was too fragile. That''s why our enemies kepting back.'' Even with his minimal understanding of spacews, he could just tell that this was all too messy. The spatial integrity is in dire need of repair. He wouldn''t be surprised if this was caused by the Demon Race too. This fragility is why humans can''t use teleportation devices outside of their homes. It''s also the reason why they can''t bring any items with an expanded space outside because those would just appear like a sore thumb¡ªa bubble that can pop anytime by Demons, leaving a hole where they can send more of their people in to invade Prime Earth. "Ac, am I the only one whoprehends spacews in this generation?" he asked. [Yes, User Cedric.] Ac''s response came quick. [In fact, it''s only you within thest 100 years.] Cedric''s pupils were constricted upon hearing that response. Only him for thest 100 years? That can''t be right? He imagined all of the strong people he had met so far, and even those he had yet to meet. The nar Travelers, and more importantly, the Star Travelers¡ªnone of themprehended spacews at all. How could that be? "Who was thest one, then?" [Her name is Winona Featherington. She could be considered your senior being because she was the Void Sage. She died at 25 years old, about 117 years ago. She was forced into a corner and revealed her status as the Sage.] [When the Demon Race learned of this, they spent a hefty price to assassinate her. Even more so when they learned that she has the power of space at her fingertips.] [The Demon Kings, Wrath and Envy, were sent to ambush her. Unfortunately, they seeded. But before she died, she entrusted her Magnum Opus to me for safekeeping. She knew that no matter what happened, she couldn''t let it fall to the hands of the Demon Race, especially not Envy.] [Seeing as youprehended the same elements andws that made her a grave threat to the Demon Race, I believe that her magnum opus would benefit you the most. Hence, I grant you the ¡ºAspect of Space¡».] From within Cedric''s consciousness, a new aspect, Sigil, appeared. The moment it appeared, a wave of insights flooded his mind. Thousands of Cedric''s thought chambers worked in unison to break down the information at a frightening speed, greatly minimizing the time it takes for him to recover from that sudden windfall. [Do note that the Aspect Sigil of Space was far fromplete.] [Winona died prematurely; she was unable toplete her inheritance. Moreover, she was in herst breath when she passed this to me. Because of that, I''m afraid that this signature could only assist you in the Intermediate Stage of Space Laws. Beyond that, you''re on your own.] ''That''s more than enough.'' Cedric replied mentally after releasing a turbid breath. [Please be careful.] [I know that I''m not the ce to demand anything from you, but I...this world needs you. I know that I''m putting the weight of the world on your shoulders, and believe me, if only I could, I wouldn''t. Unfortunately, we''re running out of options and time. Thus, I can only rely on you.] [I can guarantee your safety within this domain, but I know that you''d be forced to fight outside. Your n is working. They still don''t know that you and Derrek are the same person. They are hunting for Derrek and have almostpletely forgotten about Cedric.] [The earlier you reach the Intermediate Stage of Space Laws, the better. At that level, you''d be able to fix the spatial integrity of this world. Though, with your skills, I believe that soon you''ll discover a way to heal this continent at the very least.] [This continent represents 50% of my body. And if you could heal it, I''d be able to recover enough to start actively helping you as well. I have faith that you can achieve this with the help of your allies.] [Once you reach the nar Traveler Realm and achieve the Perfected Sage Physique, I will grant you a cloning skill that should help you with your future ns.] [Beyond that, you''re doing well, child. Extremely well. Your parents are extremely proud of what you''ve be, and they''re cheering you on. Please don''t be in a hurry to reunite with them. Theypletely understand that you still have a lot of work to do. They can wait, and in my embrace, they have all the time in the world to wait for you.] The corners of Cedric''s eyes stung as he listened to thest part. What answered him wasn''t the cold and emotionless AI of the system. He only wanted to ask a question earlier. He certainly didn''t expect that Ac herself would respond to him. It had to be known that she wouldn''t respond to anyone, not even the High Marshals, unless it waspletely necessary. In her current state, even this simple act taxes her immensely. The fact that she went out of her way to guide and reassure him speaks volumes about how valued he was. Cedric took a deep breath, and somehow he felt that his old burdens and regrets were being lifted. He believed that Ac wouldn''t lie to him. If she said that his deceased family was rooting for him, then it''s the truth. "Thanks," he whispered softly. "I''ll do my best." A firm resolve has taken root within him. If he hasn''t been resolved to do everything in his power to achieve his goals before, then now he has. "Cedric?" He turned around and saw Erica standing behind him, wearing a worried expression. She lifted her delicate hand and caressed his face. He leaned to her touch as she asked: "What''s wrong? Did something happen?" Cedric smiled and shook his head. He pulled her in and wrapped her in a tight hug, burying his face in her neck and inhaling her familiar scent. "No, I''m good. Just feeling a bit nostalgic," he mumbled while basking in her presence. "I see. Nostalgia is good," she replied with a smile. "Come, let''s get you to bed. You''ve been working all day; you need rest." Chapter 248: Couple Experiments -- "Uh oh..." Boom!!! It was very fortunate that Cedric isted this room and covered it with runes and arrays. If he hadn''t done that, the explosion just now could''ve seriously damaged his house. He peeked out from his cover and sighed, looking at the charred remains of his tools. Nothing survived intact from the impact of the explosion. He groaned as he sent out another request for a new set of tools to be delivered straight to his inventory. "This pretty much confirms that I need hands-on experience with the real thing first. Blind experiments won''t cut it." Cedric removed hisb coat whilst cleaning the mess he created. It''s been a week since they returned home. All of Team Elric was enjoying their vacations in their own way. Cedric spent this time honing his skills; outside of those times, he is either rxing with his girlfriends or performing experiments like this one. He wants to upgrade the functions of the Demon Soul Purification Altar by discovering how to purify, or at least mimic, Demon Lord Souls. Cedric has performed numerous experiments since returning, but none have seeded just yet. This isn''t counting the attempts he made prior to being drafted. He pretty much exhausted all of his options at this point, which led him to believe that he''s missing something crucial¡ªsomething that sets apart Demon Lord Souls from ordinary Demon Souls. He''s convinced that the only option he has left is to somehow get his hands on a Demon Lord Soul and consume it to experience what it''s like personally so he can get the spark missing in his craft. Cedric sighed after cleaning up his mess. He was notified that the tools he ordered had already arrived, but he hadn''t taken them out just yet. Instead, he left theb after turning the lights off, deciding that he had enough experiments for today. "Oh,e on! Really? Why didn''t that work?" He blinked as he heard Chrissy''s loudints next door. Frowning, he decided to take a peek. His eyes shed and his vision warped; following this, obstructions lost all meaning. His vision prated walls, and he saw his girlfriend pouting as she stared at the charred cauldron in front of her, filled with a viscuous and skin-crawling concoction. ''She must be testing a new concoction again.'' He mused to himself while adoring how she looked. "It almost worked before." She mumbled to herself, "I thought I just needed to reduce or increase that one reagent to get the desired effect, but it didn''t work. What am I doing wrong here?" She''s so focused on her work that she didn''t hear Cedric enter the room. The moment he did, he immediately sniffed around and squinted. He inspected the cauldron of poison she''s making and pretty much confirmed his guess earlier. ''She''s developing the flesh-dissolving poison of hers,'' he thought to himself. This flesh-dissolving poison was inspired by the sight where the insect demons pretty much devoured the Raging Mountain Bull Demon in an instant, leaving only its skeleton. As terrifying as that scene was, her nightmares turned into an inspiration that she just had to create. Chrissy has created a lot of poisonous concoctions before. In fact, at least 25% of the avable poisons on the system market were her creations. She told him about this before, and much like him, she also secluded herself in thebs, trying to create a form that could produce her desired effects. But much like Cedric as well, she too was having a difficult time cracking the code. Obviously, she can''t use ''personal experience'' as an option here, unlike Cedric. She can''t throw herself into the maws of that insect wave to get inspiration for what it''s like and expect to survive that encounter. Even if she somehow could, Cedric wouldn''t let her do that. "Hmm..." ng!! Chrissy was startled, causing her to drop her tools. She sharply turned around and sighed in relief after seeing that it was just Cedric. "How long have you been there?" She asked. "Not long. I heard youining from outside, so I came in to check on you." Cedric grinned as he walked closer to her. He kissed her cheeks and asked, "Still can''t get the form, right?" "Yeah," she softly replied, resting her back on Cedric''s solid chest. "It''s annoying. I''m nearly out of options, I think. I''vee very close to making it with the recent form, so I thought I just needed to adjust the ratios. But even after I did, all ended up failing. I don''t know what I''m doing wrong." "Well, I think you have more options left than you initially thought," Cedric pondered as he stared at the cauldron. That got her attention, so she looked at him inquisitively. "I mean, I remember that you have developed other forms that came just as close as this one to your desired effect, no?" he asked, causing Chrissy''s eyes to widen. "You said you have about ten of them? Well, you''ve exhausted all the possible ratios of one form, and so far, it''s not the one you need. It''s too early to think that you''re the problem here since it just so happens that you have nine more to explore." She just had to smooch him because of that. Chrissy might not say this much, but this was one of the things she loved about him. Not everybody was fond of the idea of ying with something as dangerous as poison. More importantly, not everybody shares her passion for it, and that''s fine. What stinks is that, just because of this, a lot of people became afraid of her. Most of them thought that she would poison them if they dared to do something remotely close to offending her, thinking that she''s just that shallow. It made her feel lonely, and it has been difficult to forge real bonds with people because of it. She had lost count of how many times she considered switching paths, abandoning the poison path, just to get rid of the loneliness she felt. Team Elric was just like them at first, and it was awkward. But the more they worked together and the longer they knew each other, the better it got. Still, it has taken a long time before they becamefortable with her. Cedric though? He''s different. Since day one, Cedric has never found her weird. She may have some weird quirks, but at this day and age, who doesn''t? Even when he learned about her deep fascination with poisons and toxic substances, Cedric''s eyes or expression never changed. He saw her as a passionate woman. The object of her passion didn''t perturb him in the slightest. If anything, he understood where she wasing from. She initially thought that this was just because he was trying to bed her, but no. Cedric''s just as weird, if not weirder than her. He even helped her develop some of hertest and most potent concoctions. But more importantly, Cedric never saw herself as a ''Witch'' or a frightening woman just because she happened to have an innate fascination with poisons. He saw her as ady and treated her like one. He made her feel special; he cared for and loved her deeply and passionately. His feelings made up for the void that was left behind when her parents abandoned her because of her weirdness. His love was more than enough topensate for all the years she spent being lonely and the target of public criticism. She never stood a chance in the face of her affection. That''s why she never even thought about resisting. Instead, she embraced it head-first and basked in it. It''s just as addicting as she thought, because she just can''t get enough of it. Huff... Cedric pulled back from the kiss; his face was a bit flustered. He catingly held her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Rx, Princess," he said, and the endearment never failed to make her feel flustered. "We can''t be like this in here with your cauldron mere inches away from us. I mean, we''re immune to it and all, but I don''t think it''d be romantic if we somehow knocked it down and it destroyed the floors of theb." Chrissy sighed and replied, "Yeah, that''d be a buzzkill." She then stood up and secured the lid of her cauldron. Then she stretched for a bit before removing herb coat and cing it in her inventory. With a mischevious expression, she jumped into his embrace, and Cedric readily caught her. "Hmm? Not experimenting anymore?" "No more." She giggled, pressing her body close to him. "Somebody disturbed me and got me riled up. I can''t focus anymore. You gotta take responsibility." "Oh, yeah?" Cedric squeezed her bountiful behind him, earning him a pleasant mewl from thedy in his arms. "Yeah. Come on, you''re not thinking of leaving me hanging, are you?" "Oh, I don''t think I could even if I wanted to. Not when you''re looking at me like that." "So do it. You can do anything you want with me, sir." Cedric''s eyes zed with need as he pretty much turned into a streak of light towards the bedroom. Chapter 249: Space and Tech God? -- Cedric secluded himself to practice in an isted room. He ensured that not even a sliver of whatever he''s doing outside would leak out, not because he''s afraid of damaging his surroundings but because he''s practicing spatial maniption. He couldn''t risk being discovered while doing this, or else the Demon Race would never let him know peace. Sure, he could''ve entered the true Sword Communion Hall to do this; he just chose not to. Whenever he''s in there, he''s unable to prevent himself from being immersed in the profundity of conceptws. He''d end up spending months in his immersion, getting no practice in, and that just won''t do. The application of conceptws is just as important asprehending their profundities. There has to be bnce, or else he''d drive himself into a bottleneck. And at times like this, where he needs to have steady growth, bottlenecks are no good. Within this isted space, Cedric performed all the current applications of spacews he had thought of so far. He exerts his influence over the fabric of space by twisting, folding, or severing it to see the oue. He also tries to connect one space node to the other, just to see what will happen. Most of it resulted in all sorts of space shenanigans. Twisting the fabric of space causes a visible distortion. Depending on how many threads he used, how much distortion and damage he could do. Folding them allows him to essentially give him a shortcut to things that''s normally out of his reach. If he wanted to, he could fold space and then puncture it, allowing him to appear on the other side. This was the idea behind teleportation, by the way. Set Point A and Point B, treat those as two ends of paper in a sense, and fold them, then exert force to puncture a hole in that folded space, walk through it, and vi! Teleportation! As for severing the space fabrics, that causes spatial rifts to appear; this is where spatial maniption starts bing dangerous. A spatial rift essentially sucks everything in. Even Cedric himself does not know what''s on the other side of it. Moreover, even he''s not immune to it. The spatial rifts he creates are just as deadly to himself as they are to his targets. Due to this, he doesn''t dare to do this often. Even when he does, he only creates a tiny rift, one that he could immediately mend in case of emergency. As his mastery over spatial maniption increases, he''ll eventually reach a point where he no longer has to be afraid of this. But since he''s not at that level right now, he had to be careful. The mostplicated part of spatial maniption he''s discovered so far is when he''s dealing with space nodes. Think of space nodes as ''pins'' that determine a location. There''s only a handful of space nodes in a given area, and each one is the origin of the ever-inclusive and expansive web of space fabrics. Simply put, ''Pin'' is connected to all sorts of strings, and these strings are the ones that stabilize the space in a given location. You can y with strings (fabrics of space), and so long as you give it enough time, it will recover on its own. The same can''t be said with the ''Pins'' (space nodes). If you''re not careful, then it''s highly possible that you will turn that space node into itself, essentially creating a ck hole that will endlessly grow and devour everything you know and love. Even if you give Cedric loads of reassurance, he will still be wary about messing with space nodes. Cedric will wholeheartedly admit that he''s nowhere skilled or strong enough to control space nodes. Hell, even ordinary ne travelers wouldn''t be able to do that. That said, this was the key to his other major goal. Once he reaches the minimum requirement of strength and skill to exert control over space nodes, he''ll be able to repair the flimsy spatial integrity of this continent. At that point, he''d even be able to perform a continent-wide spatial lockdown, essentially forbidding anyone except him from messing with the space of this continent. If his skill reached a level where he could easily do this, then their enemies could only ever dream of descending directly to his turf. Even if they somehow could, Cedric would know it immediately. But that''s a matter for the distant future. For now, Cedric''s content with fusing the elements of space into his offensive and utility skills. It''s a lot of work, but that''s nothing new to him. Of course, Cedric didn''t neglect the other concepts andws heprehended. Spacews might be one of the more elusive and deeply profound conceptws, but they''re not omnipotent. In truth, conceptws can''t be measured by ''rarity'' since all of them are fundamental pieces that make up the world. There''s no ''weaker'' or''stronger''bel on conceptws. Sure, a user of Space Laws could ''technically'' iste the space on which a me produced by Fire Laws burns, rendering it useless since it wouldn''t be able to hurt anything within that isted space, but on the same spectrum, the user of Fire Laws could burn the very fabric of space to free it from its cage. Someone whoprehended swordws could slice both of these elements, but in that same spectrum, both elements could severely suppress the sharpness of swordws. On the other hand, fusing the power of conceptws produces more interesting and, often times, frightening effects. Fusing firews and spacews could essentially create a domain¡ªa prison that contains a sea of mes that will incinerate anyone who''s trapped in it. Fusing swordws with spacews might result in a sh that could divide the heavens or the world itself. This is what makes conceptwsplicated. They could suppress each other each other or support each other. Sometimes, both can happen at the same time, and it will still produce something noteworthy. Currently, Cedricprehends thews of fire, sword, astral, and, recently, space. With the addition of the ughter Concept. He has actuallyprehended too many, and there''s not enough time within a day for him to progress on all of them; therefore, he needs to schedule them properly. And this isn''t even including all of the extra things he had to take care of. His unparalleledprehension makes up for it. But even with this, he always ends up finding room for improvement. In times like this, Cedric wishes he had a time chamber where he could seclude himself for years or decades to focus on mastering his current skills. Sadly, he doesn''t think that their civilization has something like that. ** "Uh...hi?" Well, this was certainly awkward. It''s been about two and a half weeks since Team Elric returned home. Today, Cedric was notified by Headmistress Lissandra and Archbishop Gabriel that someone wanted to meet him in person. When asked, they told him that it was Charles Makarov, also known as the Lifestyle Guild''s Leader¡ªthe Tech God¡ªwho wanted to meet him. This made Cedric feel excited, of course. It''s the tech god. He alone elerated humanity''s natural technological advancement by decades in just a few years. He ushered in the modern era and was rumored to be one of the engineers who created the Ac System, which greatly benefited humanity. Cedric had a particr image of what the Tech God looked like. Appearance-wise, he thought that the Tech God would be a tall and rathernky man with sses and an air of intellectual superiority about him. He wouldn''t be surprised if he had any unknown gadgets with him at all. However, reality pped the expectations out of him. In front of him was a kid¡ªa teenager, to be more specific. Brown hair, a sickly paleplexion, and piercings¡ªlots of them¡ªon the ears, nose, and lips¡ªeven his nipples were pierced, not that Cedric would point this out. Theboy'' was wearing a loose ck hoodie and a pair of gray sweatpants with sneakers. Nothing about him gives the impression that he''s the''supposedly'' or ''allegedly'' nerdy Tech God. This dude looks and smells like a delinquent fuckboy. Cedirc shifted his gaze to the headmistress and gave her an ''are you kidding-me?'' look. But thedy just shrugged at him. "BAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" The ''boy'' burst out withughter. Nearly rolling on the floor and certainly crying. "Oh, this is the best! This just never gets old! Bahahahahaha!!!" Cedric blinked at theughing ''boy''. On the side, he spotted Gabriel, who sighed deeply in exhaustion and disappointment. "Whew! Okay, pfft! Alright, I''m going to stop! Sheesh!" The boy got up from the floor and grinned at him. He then bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Young Sage. I''m sorry for that just now." A small giggle escaped his lips. "Look no further, and no, they''re not pranking you. I am Charles Makarov, Lifestyle Guild''s Leader and Tech God, if you will. Pleasure to meet''cha!" "Oh, um..." Cedric was stupefied; he nkly epted the handshake as he focused his gaze on Charles before saying, "Really?" "Pfft! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Chapter 250: Analysis of Lord Souls -- "Phew! Damn, thank you. I really needed thatugh." Cedric could do nothing but blink at Charles. The kidughed for about 10 minutes straight, by Cedric''s estimation, all because he found his prank too funny. Even now, Charles is still wiping away his tears fromughing so much, but he does seem calmer now. The young sage didn''t know whether to be offended or pleased that the Tech God finds him hirious. "Shall we move on with our official business?" Gabriel chimed in from the side. "I''m afraid that if we delve into more pleansantries, we''d be here all day." He sounds as if he doesn''t want to be here, but in truth, he''s just saving the Holy Son from further embarrassment because he personally knew Charles'' personality. "I agree." Lissandra supported his proposal. She then turned to Cedric and said, "We came here to notify you that your request has been approved, but only with a few conditions." Cedric thought for a bit before asking, "The Demon Lord Soul, right? What are the conditions?" He did ce a request to get his hands on a Demon Lord Soul, though he did it through the system. He didn''t expect his request to reach these people, but in hindsight, he should''ve. Especially Charles, if he''s really the tech god. "It''s nothing much. We just want to guard you as you use it," Lissandra stated. "We know the risks of using a lord soul, and we just want to make sure that we can do something in case of emergency." "This isn''t us doubting your skills or your willpower, Young Sage," Gabriel added. "We do this for additional insurance. Your status is, after all, incredibly important to us." Cedric nodded at their statement. This much should be expected, at least. "I understand. When can we begin?" he asked. Lissandra and Gabriel then turned to Charles, who''s pouting on his seat. He grumbled and took something out of his inventory. "Here." He then handed a small, sealed box to Cedric. It looked innocuous, but Cedric could see through it at first nce. He knew that the Demon Lord Soul was inside, and it''s sealed shut so that it won''t spread corruption everywhere. As he touched the box, his professional skills and his unparalleled insight immediately informed him of everything he needed to know about how this box was created: itsposition, how it was forged and where, its durability, and more importantly, how to use it. Snap! Cedric snapped his fingers, and instantly, several runes shimmered around them. Charles, Gabriel, and Lissandra immediately felt the room being isted from the outside. "Oh!!!" Charles'' eyes sparkled in wonder and curiousity as he looked over. His inquisitive gaze marveled at the strange symbols ced on each corner of the room. He couldn''t recognize the symbols, but he could tell that each one wasposed of at least hundreds, if not thousands, ofmon symbols and runes. Knowing his, he instantly understood that each symbol he saw was, in truth, a formation in itself. And given that there''s onerge symbol on each corner of the room, it means that they''re inside a grand formation since all of thoserge symbols are connected to each other too. "Impressive!" He praised as he returned his gaze to Cedric. But to his surprise, he saw him expertly disabling the seal of the box by himself. "Ah, right. Professional skills; of course you''d know how to use that the moment you touched it," Charles muttered as he settled back into his chair. Professional skills are the skills one would receive upon taking a sub-ss. Cedric has a lot of those since he has mastered a lot of sub-sses, so it''s not surprising that he didn''t need Charles to exin to him how to use this box. Cedric was deaf to Charles'' praise. Well, he heard it. He just didn''t acknowledge it since his focus was needed elsewhere. His attention zeroed in on the Demon Lord Soul, which appeared as a plume of mes hovering above the small box that restrained it. It pulsed with that same, rancid corruption that everybody''s familiar with. Its vitality was off the charts, too. The plume has a pitch-ck outline with a pale white core. Compared to ordinary Demon Souls, it''srger, feels more alive, and is evidently more tainted with corruption. "Okay, let''s see what we''re working with here," he muttered as he took out a feather quill from his inventory. This feather quill is a runic quill, one that all Scribes used to draw symbols and runes. Holding the quill, Cedric''s hand turned into a blur of motion as he swiftly drew one rune after another. The runes and symbols danced around him before stering themselves on the pulsing soul. Charles, Lissandra, and Gabriel remained quiet. They simply watched as the Young Sage disyed his expertise before them. They don''t understand everything that he''s doing, but they could somehow follow his thought process. ''Oh, so that''s what he wants to do! That''s genius! '' Charles eximed through voice transmission that only Gabriel and Lissandra could hear. ''What is it exactly?''Gabriel asked, not being able to follow at all. ''Watch closely; it''s going to happen soon.'' Charles giggled. They didn''t have to wait long at all because, at the next moment, a burst of light suddenly emerged from the soul as thest runended on it. There was a momentary sh of light that faded just as quickly, revealingrge squares of light filled with all sorts of information. "That''s..." Gabriel trailed off. Even Lissandra was rendered speechless. "That''s so fucking impressive, it makes me so mad." Charles'' grinned, but the corners of his lips were twitching. "He essentially made a program using runes and symbols that could analyze theposition of a fucking Demon Lord Soul. He''s essentially hacking it." He then looked at Lissandra and said, "He''s got to be doing his thing on purpose, right? Like some kind of revenge because Iughed at him earlier?" "Well, I''m not sure. I personally don''t think he''s that petty." She replied, "Just look at him; I don''t think he even remembers that we''re here." Charles could see it, and he''s extremely familiar with it since he too had his fair share of extreme focus like this. He huffed and decided to keep watching. That said, he had certainly learned a thing or two from Cedric''s disy so far. Cedric remained deaf and uncaring about their presence because he''s in ''work mode''. His concentration and focus were so sharp that they could almost cut steel. He panned through the data he received. Analyzing andparing it to other data he previously had. He then bit his lips and ran simtions mentally. "Well, that''s no good." He muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "What is?" Cedric nearly dropped his quill from surprise as he heard Charles'' voice right next to him. He took a deep breath to recover before saying, "It''s, uh, well, I don''t think it''s possible to purify Demon Lord Souls as is with the tools we currently have...for the forseeable future at least," Cedric exined. His eyes then focused on the particr data disy and continued: "Even the most time-consuming and gentlest purification process will reduce it to nothingness." "Demon Lord Souls are corrupted beyond saving." Cedric sighed. "The corrupted has prated deep into the root of the soul. There''s just no avable equipment we could use to get rid of it without damaging the core structure of the soul. And even if there is, I don''t think it would be worth it to use those for the simple act of purifying a Demon Lord Soul, I imagine." "..." The elders looked at each other knowingly. "Does this mean that Essence Souls would only be an option during the Superhuman Realm for the forseeable future too?" Gabriel asked curiously. "Fortunately, no," Cedric replied with a sigh. "This thing has given me enough data to improve the altar." "Well, why are you sighing then? The problem was solved, wasn''t it?" Charles was confused. "Because it''s a temporary solution," Cedric replied. "I will improve the altar in a way that it could increase the concentration of Essence Souls to reach the level of Demon Lord Souls. But in the end, this method still relies on the existence of Purgatory." "The Demon Lord Souls we gather by killing Demon Lords in Purgatory and the real world are, regrattably, useless to us for the foreseeable future. We can''t expect the status quo to remain forever. Sooner orter, Purgatory will disappear. What happens then? How do we progress past that point?" "I was hoping to see clues from this thing; it''s a shame I can''t." Cedric sighed again. He then huffed almost petntly and said, "Eh, whatever. I''ll let future me handle that if I''m still alive by then." Charles gaped at the ridiculousness of this boy. He even turned to Gabriel and Lissandra, giving them a look that said, ''Did you hear what he said just now? '' The two just shurgged at him, though, even smiling helplessly because of how far Cedric''s vision stretches. Chapter 251: Altar Upgrade and Ideas -- "Okay, let me just..." Cedric pursed his lips as his tools came and went out of his hands. Under his ministrations, the small Demon Soul Purifying Altar changed just a little bit. It''s general design didn''t change a lot; there just seem to be additional symbols here and there. But the overall mechanics of the altar changed greatly because of the addition of new arrays. That said, the core function of the altar remained the same: it still purifies demon souls. "Okay, let''s see if this works," Cedric muttered. He then took out ten Tier 9 Essence Souls and injected them into the altar. Once the Essence Souls were secured, he pressed his palms on the new array he installed and watched as the Essence Souls fused together into a single entity. Cedric focused on and analyzed the process. Every minute change that''s happening to the essence soul was reflected on his mind. Time even seemingly slowed down, allowing him to keep up and record everything in his memories. In reality, the fusion process only took a minute to be over. It was quick, silent, and efficient. Cedric could probably reduce the time needed for the fusion, but it''s really not that necessary right now. What''s important is that it seeded. "System, analyze the material, please," Cedric ordered. ** [Analyzing...] [Beep!] [Unnamed Energy Source (Bronze Rank)] This material has striking simrities with the recently discovered Essence Soul, but this one has greater energy signaturespared to Tier 9 Essence Soul. This material was created as an alternative for Demon Lord Souls, and like Essence Souls, it is 20% more effective than an ordinary Demon Lord Soul. ** "Awesome!" Cedric eximed. Then, his expression changed into pondering: "But... bronze rank? What does that represent?" "It represents that this material is suitable for nar travelers to use." Charles'' voice sounded behind him, prompting Cedric to look at him. "More specifically, it''s suited for 1st to 3rd Change nar Travelers." "Next is the Silver Rank for 4th to 6th Change, and then the Gold Rank for 7th to 9th Change nar Travelers," Charles added to fill the gaps in Cedric''s database. Cedric emitted a hum of understanding as he went back to his craft; this time, he''s going to try to create a silver-ranked essence soul. Charles knew what he was trying to do and had aplicated look on his face. The three of them were there throughout the process of Cedric''s upgrade on the altar. They saw him work with an uncanny familiarity and certainty. More importantly, he seeded on his first try, which was insane. As an inventor and the literal Tech God himself, Charles knew that this was no mere luck. Cedric was way too confident in his actions for this to be called an attempt. As far as Charles knew, Cedric already knew exactly what he needed to do, even before he brought out his tools. Beyond this, Cedric''s disy of skills was an eye-opener for him too. This kid''s vision was vast. Charles initially thought that the rumors about the Young Sage were a bit exaggerated, but now that he has seen them in person, he can say that they''re still underestimating him. "Oh, there we go! A Silver Ranked Essence Soul. But it required 10 Bronze Rank Essence Souls to create. I assume that it''s the same for a Gold Rank then? Hmm..." Cedric continued converting Demon Souls to create more Essence Souls, and a few minutester, the product ended up appearing before him. "Nope. Gold Rank needs 15 Silver Rank Essence Souls," he muttered before looking at Gabriel. "Archbishop, I think we''re going to need to build an exchange tform before weunch this update. Since we can''t purify Demon Lord Souls directly, the users will need to exchange them for Tier 9 Essence Souls to use the new functions of the altar." "That is a wonderful idea, Young Sage. Leave it to us." Gabriel was obviously more than happy to assist him with this. "What are you going to do with the Lord souls you collect, then?" Charles asked with a raised brow. "You know that you''re essentially introducing a new form of currency to the public by doing this, right? The supply and demand will start to wildly fluctuate because of this new addition." "While it''s not possible to directly purify Lord Souls, it doesn''t mean that we can''t convert into a different energy source, like you know." Cedric then looked at the Tech God knowingly before continuing, "...electricity?" Charles'' eyes widened in shock mere seconds after Cedric replied to his inquiry. "Oh, that is devious. I fucking love that." Charles then sat on the ground and took out writing materials before starting to scribble furiously. Cedric then looked at the confused pair and felt like he owed them an exnation. "I am unable to directly purify Demon Lord Souls with my current skills, but that doesn''t mean that I''m out of options. Since I was able to discover how to convert Demonic Corruption into a safe energy source for humans to use, I could think about dozens of ways to do the same with Lord Souls." Those words caused Gabriel and Lissandra''s eyes to widen in pleasant surprise. "Electricity is the mostmon energy source we''re familiar with, especially Tech God over here. While I still don''t know how much electricity a lord soul can produce, I bet it''s enough to create at least a handful of Tier 9 Essence Souls. That way, we can meet the supply and demand for them." "That''s fantastic!" Lissandra eximed. As an educator herself, she could easily understand the implications of this cycle. "As expected of you, Young Sage," Gabriel praised him with a wide smile. Even he was a little excited about this. Cedric didn''t bask in their admiration too much. He instead sat down next to Charles and peeked at the design he''s making. Well, he''s not designing the actual model itself; he''s still in the process of listing all the necessary materials that could handle a Demon Lord Soul safely. "Care to tell more about your ideas for this?" Charles asked as he continued listing the materials. "Well, I didn''t particrly think of a design when I initially thought of this. But since we''re here, I think the ones that we''re familiar with already work just fine: windmills, wind turbines, water wheels, etc. It could be any of those. So long as it''s built to withstand the full might of a Demon Lord Soul, just in case, it''ll do." "Hmm, I see. Okay, we''ll go with that then," Charles replied. "What are you calling the upgraded version of Essence Souls? You created it, so you name it." "Greater Essence Soul. Let''s keep it simple like that," Cedric replied. "Oh right, I actually want to request something from you since we''re on the subject of energy production." "Shoot," Charles replied without tearing his gaze away from his notes. "Can you make something that could also harness the excess energy on the Misdirection Formation they installed?" Cedric asked. His request made Charles look at him. "What do you mean?" "The Misdirection Formation was upscaled by you and your guild, no?" Charles nodded at that. "When I made it, I considered the size of the area it''s supposed to cover. The mist it produced at that scale is just enough to focus on the purpose of''misdirection''." "When you guys upscaled it, I think you overlooked that part. Because of that, we''re draining too much corruption from the environment. And while that''s generally good, that will also rm the demons since, you know, they''re the ones producing it." "Simply put, this formation was draining too much corruption and producing too much mist. Before long, the entire continent will be affected. We could use that to our advantage, yes. But it will also increase the wariness of our enemies towards us." "I''m just saying that we could tone it down," Cedric suggested. "We can reduce the production of the misdirected mist and turn the excess energy into something else we could use to increase our strength. We don''t need to disappear from their sight just yet." Charles gaped at him for a bit before releasing a defeated sigh. He slumped and grumbled. "Alright! Yeah, sure. Give me more work, why don''t you? Awesome, great, fantastic." The sarcasm in his voice was evident, and it made Gabriel and Lissandra chuckle at him. "Sorry," Cedric apologized, thinking that he''s overstepping his bounds. "I can help if you want." "No, no. It''s fine." Charles sighed. "Really, it''s fine. This is my fault anyway. Thank you for pointing it out. Don''t worry, me and my guild can handle this just fine. You should focus on maintaining your image while steadily increasing your strength. The stronger you are, the better." "Thanks for your concern; I''ll do just that." "Alright, I''ll go back to myb now. You''ve given me a lot to think about. I''ll see youter." As soon as he said that, Charles promptly disappeared from Cedric''s room, despite the istion runes still active. Cedric didn''t mind it, of course; Charles is, after all, a star traveler. He never thought that he''d be able to keep him here, even if he dared to. Cedric then looked at Gabriel and asked: "How''s the preparation of the Sun Disc, by the way?" Chapter 252: Upgraded Altar, Cedrics Consciousness -- The news of House of Light''s Demon Soul Purification Altar being able to now produce an Essence Soul that can be used as an alternative for Demon Lord Souls surprised everyone. The announcement was made a week after Cedric''s first meeting with Charles Makarov. The House of Light posted a full disclosure of how Greater Essence Souls worked in their public online ount for everyone to read. It even included their partnership with the Lifestyle Guild to make this all possible. Of course, the very first people to be notified about this were the soldiers. On the very same day that Cedric made the update, Gabriel already received a prioritized demand from the army for the new installment for the altar. Since then, the soldiers that reached the nar Traveler Realm have been moring to get their hands on Greater Essence Souls. It has been proven and tested to be effective. Soldiers who had been stuck or deliberately postponed their progress to prepare for their next breakthrough were the first ones to try it out, and to their overwhelming surprise, despite the guarantee, it truly worked¡ªwondrously at that. None of them had to be on guard with the induced psychosis brought on by consuming Demon Lord Souls. They didn''t have to divide their attention into equal parts anymore; one part focused on the procedure of the breakthrough while the other fended for the psychosis. They could wholeheartedly and single-mindedly focus and enjoy the experience of bing stronger¡ªsomething that they never thought possible before, yet here they were. One has to know that the stronger the Demon Lord Soul is, the more danger it poses. Demon Lord Souls are divided into Early, Middle, and Late Stages in terms of strength, which also corresponds to the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Rank Demon Lord Souls, respectively. Additionally, the higher one''s attainments in their strength¡ªin other words, the stronger they are¡ªthe more risks they have to consider before making their breakthrough. Breaking through the 7th Change nar Traveler Realm was far more dangerous than attempting the 1st Change. It''s just the way it is. However, with the existence of Greater Demon Souls, which many thought wouldn''t appear in a few years at the very least, the risks had almost entirely disappeared. Most had been taken care of for them. The only risk that remains is the loss of focus and concentration from the practitioner, leading to the failure of breakthrough, and this can''t be med on the altar anymore. The same could be said for the rest. Be it a soldier or an unaffiliated person, so long as they have the need for Greater Essence Souls, they are undoubtedly indebted to Cedric, because without him, none of this would''ve been possible. That said, most people don''t know just how much of a contribution he made. The big shots are deliberately preventing his participation from being noticed after all. It was one of Cedric''s requests, and who were they to deny him that, especially when this was to ensure his safety? As a result, the House of Light and the Lifestyle Guild took the brunt of attention for him, and they''re more than happy to do so. Once again, people surged to the lighthouses to exchange Demon Lord Souls for Greater Essence Souls. As for the Demon Lord Souls they''ve gathered so far, each one is being converted to electricity, which willter be converted to other types of energy to increase the vitality of their civilization, making it easy for everybody to increase their strength. The High Marshals had been notified of what transpired during Cedric''s first meeting with Charles. They''re also aware of the n to use Demon Lord Souls to not only produce more Essence Souls but also increase the density of energy within theirnd. To ensure that nothing goes wrong, a High Marshal personally stationed himself near the power nt that Charles recently built. This is just an additionalyer of security because, knowing Charles, he already left all kinds of security measures all over the ce to keep it secure. Charles had been busy too. Cedric has truly given him a lot to think about¡ªand more work, too. He was fixing the issue of the formation they recently built for the civilization. But beyond this, Cedric''s behavior made Charles feel that he wasn''t trying hard enough. It''s silly because, in truth, Charles has already contributed a lot to the race. He even reached a level of strength that puts him on the same pedestal as the rest of the pirs of humanity. If pushes to shove, he was willing to die for the sake of the race''s future. But Cedric¡ªthat kid dreams big, and his vision extends far beyond anybody he''s ever met. Cedric wasn''t just looking at the possible ways to eliminate demons from their world; no, his goals extend far beyond that point. As for how far? Charles had no idea since he never asked. But he could tell that Cedric had grander ns than this, and truthfully, he wished that he could be there to see them. ** Cedric was aware that he had made anotherrge ssh, though almost no one would trace it back to him. He had already seen thising, even before he created the update for the altar. That said, since he''s keeping a low profile, this activity was less concerning to him since he had people handling matters for him. Right now, he''s doing something entirely different. He once again isted himself. This time, it isn''t because he''s practicing spacews; he already did that earlier; he has a different reason now. Cedric sat down and took out the box that Charles handed him a week ago, the same one that contained the Demon Lord Soul. He released the soul and instantly felt it spreading corruption everywhere. Despite not having a physical body, the fact that it could still influence its environment shows the power contained within the soul plume. Taking a deep breath, he extended his senses to the Demon Lord Soul in an attempt to study it on a deeper level. The array he used to unravel the details of this lord''s soul showed him all he needed to know to make use of it, but it didn''t show everything. Even if Cedric were to increase his mastery over his professional skills, he wouldn''t be able to unravel all of the information contained within a lord''s soul with just an array of runes and symbols. He''s aware of this, and so he decided to still get hands-on experience. The moment his mental probing touched the Lord''s soul, however, a surprising development urred. The Demon Lord Soul turned into a streak of light and shot to his be. Truthfully, Cedric could''ve done something to prevent that; he could''ve even evaded it, yet he didn''t. He allowed the Lord''s soul to appear within his consciousness. When this happened, the Demon Lord Soul found itself appearing in a seemingly boundless space. There''s a clear ocean beneath and cloudy skies above. The very first thing it did was corrupt everything on sight. It doesn''t matter whether this ce was truly endless or not; its job was to spread corruption, and that''s exactly what it was trying to do. But before it could even release a stream¡ªeven a thread of corruption¡ªit found itself frozen in ce. Try as it might, it couldn''t do anything. It''s as if an invisible shackle was ced on itself, preventing it from doing anything. This was when a sigil suddenly showed itself. It released a deep violet brilliance that seemingly stretched everywhere and nowhere at the same time. This was the ¡ºAspect of Space¡» given to Cedric by Ac. The moment this sigil appeared, others followed suit as well. The once-clear skies turned into an endless nket of violet and purple, dotted with sparkling silver. This change was brought about by the ¡ºAspect of the Stars¡». And on a distant horizon, a half-golden crescent peeked out. Even from this distance, the Demon Lord Soul is extremely terrified of that thing. Its fear was rooted in the very depths of its existence. With whatever''s left of its sentience, it knew that the moment that thing rose would be the same moment true death woulde for it. "You demons are really unruly." A deep and archaic voice echoed everywhere. Then, from out of nowhere, Cedric appeared, but he looked way different from his outside appearance. Here, his eyes were extremely prominent, seemingly containing multiple swirling cosmos and the very void itself. He didn''t seem human either; he''s like the personification of a true celestial, the absolute god of trillions of lives. It''s like even the most minute movement he makes causes the death and birth of gxies. "I wanted to take it slow, but you went ahead and threw yourself in here." Cedric released a helpless sigh. "This might''ve been harmful to others, but sadly, you picked the wrong person to mess with." He clicked his tongue as heaven and earth changes transpired around him. This was Cedric''s consciousness, and here, he was a true god, much like the previous owner of his eyes. "You did this to yourself, so don''t me me. Now..." Cedric then raised a finger and said, "Reveal all of your secrets to me." Chapter 253: Dreadful Reality -- Cedric only wanted to experience what nar Travelers feel whenever they consume Demon Lord Souls. He heard about the induced psychosis so much, and it got him curious. He wanted to experience it himself to see just how horrible it was because many experts have been troubled by it, causing the majority to fail in their breakthroughs. He really didn''t have any other reason beyond this. He didn''t even need to do this since he already discovered and created Greater Essence Souls. He just truly wanted to personally experience it, that''s all. Sadly, that''s not what he got from this Demon Lord Soul. What he gained was far more valuable, though. He got the memories of the Demon Lord; he didn''t get all, only bits and pieces. They''re disconnected too, making it challenging to make sense of it all. However, the fact that he''s able to receive glimpses of it is already incredible. The energy contained within the Lord''s soul was immense too, but for Cedric, this was just a bonus. "The Infernal Fleet... 15 Gctic Ships, each one as big as an entire and could carry millions of people with self-sustaining ecology." "Demon Lords, Demon Kings, Demon Emperors...Demon God." Once again, Cedric didn''t get all the memories intact. He only gathered bits and pieces from the Lord''s soul he consumed. Nheless, it was enough to give him a decent perspective on what they''re truly against. And what he did did not make him happy; instead, it filled him with creeping dread. From what he understood so far, the Demon Race was a wandering race. They don''t have a home to return to; instead, they take their home with them on their gctic conquest. He had seen glimpses of demons ransacking worlds, gxies, and cosmic sectors to gather valuable resources. Basically, if they discover something valuable, they will attack and conquer that ce to get their hands on it. They''re like cosmic locusts¡ªpests¡ªthat needed to be purged. Sadly, they''ve gotten a little too strong. The Demon Race has 15 gctic ships, each of which is as big as a. It would take a year and a half for someone to visit all the locations within the ship by foot, considering that their goal was just to sightsee. Even then, there are restricted ces within each ship that only demons with authority could enter. These restricted ces vary in size; some are just offices, while others are as big as an entire realm inside. Each ship had enough power to sustain all the life it carried. Demons have discovered a way to essentially produce the resources they need to support their constant wandering. A Demon Emperor stands at the helm of each ship, meaning that there''s at least 15 of them since there are 15 ships. It''s possible that there were more since the memories weren''t intact and there were massive gaps in the information he got. What''s important is that there were two of those ships stationed within the same gxy that Prime Earth was in. Meaning that there''s at least millions of Demons, hundreds more of Demon Lords, and two Demon Emperors on standby outside of this world. It''s been hundreds of years since the siege of Prime Earth began, and Cedric wouldn''t be surprised if the rest of the gxy they''re in has already been reduced to lifelesss or straight up ruined due to demon corruption. Prime Earth was surrounded, and there''s just no denying this. No wonder the Demon Race wasn''t taking them seriously. The gap between their civilizations was just too great. Humans could barely carve out a space for them to exist in the very world they grew up in; how could they possibly surmount the real challenges waiting for them outside? Even if humans were able to somehow repel those two gctic ships by some sort of miracle, how would they fare if all of the ships arrived? What would happen if that entity, the Demon God, personally made a move? Could humans truly survive this? Dark clouds seemingly loomed above Cedric''s head as he discovered just how much of a of a gap he and his people needed to cross. He felt weak and exhausted; he even seemed to have aged a few years because of stress. Even with his thousands of thought chambers, he couldn''t discover a way to bridge the gap as he is right now. This threat was so overwhelming that he felt his faith in himself crumble. He thought that he was already doing a fantastic job at giving his people hope for freedom, but in the grand scheme of things, he hadn''t done anything worth noting just yet. "Do the heavens really want us dead?" Cedricmented bitterly. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he submerged himself in his consciousness. Cedric briefly wished that he hadn''t known about this. If only that were the case, then he might still be able to remain steadfast and faithful to his duties and responsibilities. So what if he had discovered a way to counter democratic corruption? So what if he''s the Sun Sage? So what if he was considered to be the most heaven-blessed genius to ever grace the human race? In the face of his overwhelming strength, all of his previous achievements were useless. He thought that he''d be helping his people takerge strides towards peace and prosperity, but in truth, he hadn''t done anything that could truly make a difference. "Fuck, this is so sad." Cedric groaned in frustration. He''s now burdened with the truth, and he doesn''t know how to handle this. If there''s one thing he''s certain about right now, It''d be that he wouldn''t dare reveal this information to anyone else¡ªmaybe not even Ac, but he strongly suspects that she already knows. Cedric retreated from his consciousness and returned to reality. There, he opened his eyes and disciplined his expression. Although he still felt the dread within him, he didn''t dare to show any signs of it. ''Get it together, Cedric. Just do your best. If you can''t do it in your time, then at the very least, do something to make it easier for the future generation. You have what it takes to at least prolong humanity''s existence; start with that and go from there.'' ''This is not the time to wallow in despair.'' Cedric took a deep breath and got rid of his unnecessary thoughts. Really, he can''t afford to stop here. Humans don''t have the qualifications to establish a peaceful surrender or cooperation with the Demon Race; their enemies won''t show mercy to those who are weaker than them. "Ah, I really shouldn''t have done that." Cedricughed mirthlessly, truly regretting consuming that Demon Lord Soul. His curiosity has truly gotten the best of him. Being ignorant about the truth might''ve been better for his sanity. Clicking his tongue, he closed his eyes and decided to focus on the abundant wave of energy coursing through his body, brought by the Demon Lord Soul. The energy was foul, understandably so because it came from a demon and it''s inherently harmful to humans. The energy contained within was also too great; even Cedric''s evolved physique was feeling the burden. Therefore, Cedric decided to focus his attention on it. He directed this energy to his entire body, circting it and passing it through his core, which contained the evil-purifying trait of the sun left by the Aspect of the Sun. This got rid of the foul elements contained within the energy, turning it into something neutral. After filtering it, Cedric circted the energy some more, purifying it even further and increasing its quality before fusing it to his White Lotus zed Core. The abundant energy was just enough to saturate the core, bringing him to the limits of the zed Core Realm. Giving more energy won''t do anything at this point since it''s full. What he needs is time, patience, and the right moment to move on to the next stage of the White Lotus Core Technique. This might happen by the end of the day or a decade from now on; nobody really knows. This was one of the uncertainties of cultivating this technique. Either way, Cedric would continue nurturing it since it''s one of the reasons behind his overwhelming strength. Without the rampant wave of energy burdening his body, it regained its usual lightness. Cedric stood up and stretched for a bit. The dread has been cleared from his mind. He deactivated the istion array within the room and stepped out to take a quick shower. As he absent-mindedly enjoyed the warm water washing his body, a pair of warm and delicate hands wrapped around his waist, slowly tracing the solid lines of his body until they ended up grasping his length. It was then followed by the sensation of two soft mounds pressing on his back. He also smelled the scent of lilies mixed with rosemary. A smile appeared on Cedric''s face as he gently pulled Erica to his front, reversing their positions. He took note of her needy and slightly embarrassed expression. No other words were needed from that point on. Chrissy joined them at some point, which ended with the three of them under the sheets of Cedric''s bed. Resting with their limbs attached to his body, Cedric was more determined than ever. The reality of their situation didn''t seem as daunting to him as it was before. Chapter 254: Surveilance -- Cedric was currently in a peculiar ce... He left the academy fairly early in the morning. He didn''t have any sses today or anytime soon due to the sensitive state of the frontlines, so he had a lot of free time. Cedric didn''t leave the capital. He just searched for the tallest ce within the city and climbed on it. He made sure to minimize his presence so that he wouldn''t be detected; he didn''t want to raise any rms while doing this. The tallest ce he found was a mountain. It was one of the fewndmasses from the era before Superhumans that was preserved to this day. Usually, people are restricted from approaching it since any carelessness from superhumans could severely damage the mountain. For Cedric, destroying this mountain was a simple task. He just needs to exert a little force on his steps to crack this entire mountain in half. Even ordinary superhumans could do that; that''s why they''re forbidden from going up the mountain. That said, Cedric could be really sneaky when he wants to. If he wanted to hide, onlyte-stage nar Travelers and Star Travelers would spot him. The ones guarding the mountains are only regr Superhumans, so none of them spotted him at all. He reached the mountaintop in a blink of an eye; he''s really fast after all. Upon getting there, he simply sighed and sat down to gaze at the distant horizon. Cedric emptied his mind briefly. He wanted to dpress for a bit since he had been burdened by knowledge for the past few days. Discovering the harsh truth felt stifling, and even though he was able to remain determined as before, some things just can''t remain the same. Beyond this, there is a more important reason why he came here. Cedric opened his eyes after a couple minutes of resting. His bright golden eyes released a faint brilliance as hey t on his back and stared at the skies. All of his senses, especially his vision, were warped and focused. He controlled his perception to the best of the best of his abilities. Instead of letting it bleed around him, he stretched it upwards, intending to study the skies above him. 1,000 miles, 2,000 miles, 10,000 miles... Cedric''s perception easily saw through and prated the fake atmosphere of humanity''s civilization, seeing the real skies above them¡ªthe ones that are dark, gloomy, and corrupted. 11,000 miles 15,000 miles 50,000 miles Upon reaching this height, Cedric starts feeling the burden, but he''s far from reaching his limits just yet. He also felt the suppression of the real world against his senses, but it hardly affected him since his body was well secured within Ac''s territory. Even with his sharp senses and far-reaching vision, he could hardly make out the things that he''s seeing. His vision was swarmed with darkness. Sometimes, he would see shapes and figures passing by from his perspective, but nothing made sense to him. It was a bit frustrating, but he kept going. 55,000 miles 60,000 miles 75,000 miles... The burden increased. Cedric could feel the strain in his eyes; he could even feel himself frowning. He didn''t mind, though, because he considers this part of his training. Somehow, the darkness became thinner at this height. They reflected on his vision as tendrils of ck serpents slowly slithering around; they still lowered the visibility, but at the very least, he could make out something more tangible now. It''s also around this height that he felt the presence of something. He had no idea what it was for now, but he could tell that it was solid from a single nce. He then continued stretching his vision. 80,000 miles 85,000 miles 100,000 miles 150,000 miles It stops here. Cedric''s eyes were bloodshot due to the strain. Maintaining this distance takes a lot out of him, but he kept it there. He knows that he can''t hold this for long, and he couldn''t afford to waste time. At this height, he definitely felt the ''wall'' he saw earlier. It''s as solid as he thought, and no matter how hard he tried to see through it, he couldn''t. That wall did feel familiar, though. Hiss! Cedric forcefully closed his eyes. He felt the world spinning around him, but that''s just mostly because his perception was returning to normal. The burden on his head disappeared, and he was already feeling better. However, his mind kept reying the scene he saw just now. "Purgatory," he mumbled softly. That''s right. Cedric actually saw the buffer ne that kept demonic forces at bay. Ac''s ultimateyer of defense to protect not only herself but also humanity¡ªtthe Purgatory ne. It''s the very same n where humans are forced to go at least once a month to engage in a fight against the forces of demons. It is the reason why Demon Souls existed and the reason why Prime Earth still has humans to this day. He actually saw and felt its existence for the first time without being forcefully transported there. It felt novel for some reason because he''s probably the first person to ever achieve something like this. You just won''t see a lot of people inheriting the eyes of a god, after all. It truly acts as a shield, preventing the rest of the Demonic Army from descending to their continent and ending humanity once and for all. That said, it also blots out the real sight of the stars above. Cedric sighed as he figured that''s how far his vision could go, even if he was able to increase his strength beyond this. The Purgatory ne was too dense and solid; even his absurd senses couldn''t prate it. He did this exact thing within the Purgatory as well. The difference is that, in there, the dark skies just seemingly expand infinitely for some reason. Even after straining himself and stretching his vision as far as he could, he couldn''t see the limits, and that might be on purpose. "Nothing I could do about it, I guess..." he muttered before releasing another sigh. Cedric decided to try again. This time, instead of stretching his vision up, he just allowed it to spread all around him. The instant he did so, the entirety of human civilization was reflected in his mind. The size of the territory was around 25,000 miles. Cedric could easily cover that distance with his senses and keep it on for hours without any problems. Exerting some more effort on it, his vision easily passed through the walls and the mist hiding humanity''s civilization. He saw groups of soldiers moving out and gathering resources to be converted. He saw mechanics, engineers, and scribes working hard to build more defenses that could be mounted on the walls. More importantly, he once again felt the swarming corruption everywhere. Because of the misdirection formation, the density of corruption dropped significantly. The formation was converting corruption into a usable energy source after all. Stray Demons or Low-Tiered Demons wouldn''t discover this easily; Cedric guesses that they''re more pressed by the idea that humans suddenly disappeared instead of the density of corruption lessening. Cedric studied everything. He didn''t strain himself too much this time. He exerted some pressure, but nothing that caused too much burden on his brain. 75,000 miles of distance, which is within hisfortable surveince range. It''s already far enough, covering almost half of the entire Azure Terra Continent. The darkness was still obscuring his vision a bit, but it''s not as bad as the skies. Cedric could hold this for 8 hours straight. He then retracted his field of sense and rxed again. He rested his eyes and his brain for a couple of minutes before moving on to his next agenda. This time, he performed an underground surveince. He started from thendmass he''s on and slowly extended his range as deep as he could possibly reach in his current state. It''s definitely more challenging to perform an underground surveincepared to a surface surveince, but Cedric kept at it. Since the Misdirection Formation provides 360¡ã protection, it also stretches underground. Cedric started with that first. Meaning that his initial underground surveince range extended up to roughly 25,000 miles underground too. "I see," he muttered after observing for a while. There were no demons within this range, fortunately. And it seems that the formation was doing phenomenal work, draining the corrupted from the ground as well. However, there were certainly some ces that needed more help than others. Relying on the formation alone would take years topletely cleanse them of corruption. It''s also these ces that Cedric has been neglecting for a while now. But since he had personally seen this problem, he could start thinking about something to fix it. "System, create a new task notice for me. Name it ''Leyline Repair Task'' and put it on the ''Urgent'' and ''Priority'' lists." [Tasks and reminders were created. Your personal schedule has been updated.] "Thanks." Cedric sighed as he retracted his surveince field. He stood up and dusted himself before disappearing from the mountain, turning into a streak of light towards the academy. Chapter 255: Hell Dive - Spying on Cedric -- Psheww~ BOOOM!! Under the cold and sanguine gleam of a red moon and the looming dark clouds, a vast and deste battlefield lit up with all manner of explosions. On a distinct spot in the field, a sea of fire could be seen, and it''s also the origin of these explosions. Despite the scalding heat of those bright orange mes, however, a ceaseless horde of undead marched towards it fearlessly, seemingly not minding the incinerated fate that would befall them once the mes touched them. At the center of the sea of mes was a young man whose face was pale with visible exhaustion. He was sweating buckets, and his breaths werebored as he supported his body using his sword. There''s a visible strain on his face, yet his eyes remain cold. He stared fearlessly at the all-consuming horde of the undead marching towards him. He was undettered by this scalp-tingling sight, but his body couldn''t lie. He was approaching his limits, and it shows. The only thing that''s keeping him alive is the sea of mes surrounding him. It gave him a momentary respite from the unceasing spawn of undead creatures all around him. Even so, maintaining this skill was taxing for him. Releasing a turbid breath, the young man straightened his back and wiped the sweat pouring down his face. He reached into his belt and took out a vial of red potion. He didn''t even nce at it before downing all of the contents of the vial while his eyes remained focused on the growing undead horde. "Haaah..." The young man released a sigh offort. He repeated his action; this time, he consumed a vial of blue potion and threw the empty vial towards the nearest burning undead approaching him. The throw has enough force to scatter the ashes of the undead. His health and energy were being restored thanks to the potion; anybody who''s at least a little bit sensitive to energy could sense that. That said, with the overwhelming wave of undead creatures still spawning all over the battlefield, it''s debatable if this was helpful at all. Since there were too many undead swarming the sea of mes where the young man was, it''s obvious that he wouldn''t be able to tell everything that''s happening around him. Even if a handful of undead creatures behave abnormally, he wouldn''t know since he''s got his hands full trying to stay alive until the allotted time for this hellish trial is up. He wouldn''t know that there were a few undead creatures who weren''t doing anything other than staring at him. They''re not marching along with the rest to willingly throw themselves into the sea of mes. They just stood there, staring at the struggling young man with sinister and disdainful expressions on their faces. It''s obvious that they''re spying on him. These undeads were possessed by the consciousness of stronger demons; it''s the method they use to gauge the strength of humanity to see if there were any troublesome people they had to get rid of early. However, judging by the scene in front of these spies, they were worried for nothing. This young man was strong; there''s no doubting that. After all, he''s still standing, even with thousands of demons swarming towards him. That said, he''s barely keeping up with this trial. He needs to rely on luck and trickery to pass this cruel mission, and if one of the elements doesn''t side with him, he''s done for. He might be strong, but he''s not a threat at all. There''s truly no need to be wary of him. The spies sent signals to each other in silentmunication. After nodding to each other, the bodies they possessed turned ck and dropped like sacks of potatoes. Shortly after, they rose like nothing happened and finally joined theirrades to throw themselves into that sea of mes. ''Looks like they''re gone...'' the young man sighed inwardly. This young man was none other than Cedric. And with the disappearance of the spies, he could finally rx. He didn''t do much, though. He just increased the output of the mes, allowing it to spread further but not by a lot. He increased the heat as well. Other than that, he remained in position and still pretended that he was struggling to keep up. ''There''s three fewer spies this time.'' He muttered inwardly as he recalled the number of spies he discovered. ''It''s getting less and less; this means that they''re close to writing me off their assassination list.'' If it weren''t for the sudden activity on the frontlines, Cedric would''ve been forgotten by the spies entirely at this point. However, for some reason, since the recent activities of the Demon Race spiking, he discovered that he''s being watched closely again. He guessed that the spies must be running through their list of ''potential troubles, and he was included in that list. It started two months ago, but every month after that, the number of spies decreased. It was troublesome to keep up appearances, but it''s necessary. However, that doesn''t mean he''s not irritated. Cedric was nning to use this time to experiment some more. Since he''s way too strong to fail his Hell Dives, he''s using his time inside the trial to perform experiments that could be replicated in real life. This was how the misdirection formation and the conversion rune were discovered. It''s also how the Origin Reversion Array was invented. Obviously, Cedric can''t perform his experiments when some perverts are spying on him. He has to put on an act¡ªa scene of desperation and futile resistance¡ªto fool the spies watching him. He wanted demons to forget about Cedric Stormrider to give him more freedom in doing things. It''s the entire reason why he created ''Derrek'' in the first ce. Although the spies have already left, Cedric can''t drop his guard just yet. There have been times when the spies decided to return for some reason, perhaps just to be sure. No matter what, what''s important is that he was nearly caught once, and he doesn''t intend to experience it a second time. That''s why, even though he''s itching to try out his ideas, he can''t do it right now. ''...speak of the god damn devil...'' Cedric groaned mentally as he felt another interference around him. The consciousness of the spies descended once more. There are two this time. They possessed the bodies of a pair of distant undead. Cedric already lowered the output of his mes the moment he felt the hint of interference around Purgatory, and he also put on the mask of exhaustion and crisis again. With his absurd sensory range, he could tell that they were watching him closely. It hasn''t even been an hour since the previous batch of spies left. Cedric wasn''t limited to an absurd vision; his other senses are just as sharp as his vision was. Therefore, he could hear them talking even though they''re using sound transmission. "I told you, you''re thinking too much. Look, he''s barely keeping up with the horde. Judging by the surging energy within him, he probably consumed another pair of potions just now. This is a waste of time." "Sorry, but I just can''t help it. I just feel extremely jittery whenever I look at him for some reason, and I really don''t know why." "Everybody makes you feel like that. If you''re scared, just say that. No need to beat around the bush." "You''re the scared one! Your entire family is the scaredy cat!" "Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. Are we done here? If so, then let''s leave. There''s nothing to see here other than the sad and desperate sight of that so-called genius." "Yeah, it is sad. Let''s go. I''m feeling hungry as well." Sensing them leaving after mocking him, Cedric''s lips twitched in mild irritation. He maintained his discipline, though. Anyway, this wasn''t the first time that Demons mocked him; it''s not going to be thest. He can''t afford to lose his temper just because of their trash talk. But this is exactly the reason why he can''t drop his guard. He''s fortunate that he could sense the first sign of interference; otherwise, he would''ve exposed himself by now. Typically, there wouldn''t be a third time. But just to be sure, Cedric remained cautious. He attacked here and there, but he mostly stayed within the sea of mes, letting it do the work for him. He kept his senses sharp for any signs of interference as time trickled down. Eventually, the full eight-hour time period was up, and the undead creatures swarming him disappeared. Cedric sighed in relief, but he knew that this wasn''t over yet. "That''s the first one," he muttered as he sat on the dirty ground, wiping his sweat with a towel. "I need to clear this for the second time to clear this month''s mission." "And to keep up appearances, I have to clear the second attempt using my alter ego." "Those perverts will return." He sighed. "Not only that, they would even harass me verbally like they always do. They''ve been testing Derrek''s patience, and they''re not seeing any hopes of guaging himpletely, so I''m afraid that they''d escte things." "Aw man, I''m really not looking forward to this." Chapter 256: Hell Dive - Derreks Turn -- On the vast and deste battlefield known as the Purgatory, a young man with a rather rugged face and long, billowed scarlet hair stood tall with his sword stabbed at the ground. He wore heavy-ted armor with a scarlet and gold motif and an illusory scarlet and gold cape draped behind him, making him look like an outstanding, fearless, and experienced army general facing a grave threat to his home. Behind him, a huge golden halo made of mes formed a sigil that represented his status. The sigil looked like a depiction of the rising sun; it released an intense brilliance, making it difficult to look at the man directly. This man is Cedric disguised as Derrek, and currently, he''s once again facing the seemingly endless horde of undead creatures, yet none have managed to touch him so far. He wasn''t even doing anything other than standing there. He just released a fraction of his aspect''s power, yet apparently, that''s enough to make him untouchable. Even a few rays of the sun released by the aspect were enough to dissolve the undead into nothingness. Even though a sea of undead consistently swarmed towards him, none were able to get close to him within a 10-mile radius. They''re like moths entraced by the mes. There''s probably no other person who could replicate this kind of dominance in their Hell Dive aside from him, and he''s facing a fairly challenging trial too. At least in his opinion, others would find it impossible, though. "Saaaaaaaaggeeee...!" Cedric, or Derrek, raised a brow after hearing that. He gazed at the location of the voice and sneered. "Oh, look, there''s a pervert," he spat in disdain. "What is it this time, hm?" "Your death... is approaching." The voice sounded harrowing, and deliberately so. "Really? I look forward to it," Derrek replied. "But honestly, that line is getting old and sad; can''t you think of something else? Also, if you can, tell that Grim Reaper to hurry it up; I''d like to see it up close and personal." Unfortunately, that''s all there is to it. He had lost count of how many times they''d tried to scare him like this, yet nothing came after it. "We know who you are..." "Oh, shit! Really? What a coincidence! I know who I am too! Isn''t that just great?" Derrek eximed with a deadpan expression. "You will die!" "Yaay!" "We will kill you and everything you know and love." "Oh no..." "There''s no hope for you, humans!" "Uh huh." This kind of bickering continued for a while, and Cedric remained unimpressed. These empty threats were meaningless to him. The nder his reactions were, the more frustrated the spies felt. Yes, of course, it is inevitable that the Young Sage will get the attention of his enemies. Despite their bravado lies their insecurities. The Demon Race is wary of Sages due to their immense potential, and their wariness is at an all-time high because this generation''s Sage just happens to harness something incredibly fatal to them¡ªthe power of the Sun. The spies never intended to kill the Sage by using threats. Hell, if that happens, then this Sage was probably the worst one yet. No, they never expected to get any good results by scaring him, but at the very least, they want to scare and intimidate him, so much so that he''d loseposure once at least. Yet even that proved to be challenging when faced with the Young Sun Sage. Aside from his name, which they learned to be Derrek, and his status as Sun Sage, they''ve got nothing on him. Sure, they can probably gauge his age and so on, but physical appearances could be faked. They had no concrete leads to use against this person, and that''s what really frustrated them. The worst part is that the Sage himself knows that they had nothing on him, and that allows him to be smug and his insults to hurt even more. The Demon Race could only watch helplessly as the Young Sage bes stronger and stronger with every appearance he makes; even then, they have no idea just how much he''s hiding. At some point, the bickering ended, and Derrek was once again bored. He thought about taking a nap right here and how to piss them off because he could, but he sensed somethinging. An amused expression appeared on his face as he said, "Oho? Well, well...look at this!" He saw a giant clump of flesh amassing over at a distance. He felt the sharp fluctuationsing off of that thing and was genuinely surprised for once. That clump of flesh turned into a giant zombie with rippling muscles and a dreadful aura. The moment it was born, it threw its head up into the skies and released an earth-shaking roar that shook the very earth beneath it. "Mn! How lively!" Cedricmented as he stared at the giant zombie. "I didn''t know that you guys think so highly of me. Sending a Demon Lord-level enemy to deal with me? My, I''m ttered, really." Indeed, the Giant Zombie just now had the strength of a Demon Lord, which was equivalent to a nar Traveler Human Expert. "Be afraid, Sage!" "The Demon Lord is here! Wash your neck!" "You will die!" "It''s over. Hand over your life to us!" "Kill the Sage!" "Death to the Sage!" The spies who''re borrowing the bodies of the undead snarled and cursed him. They didn''t stop; they continued berating him, but their voices fell into deaf ears. They felt uneasy, especially when the Sage''s expression didn''t even change. They truly have no idea if he''s bluffing or if he simply does not care at all. Meanwhile, the giant zombie finished materializingpletely. Its existence stabilized when it saw its target. It snorted harshly as it saw the smug human standing in one ce. The Giant Zombie felt insulted to see the human not cowering before its presence, so it wasted no time teaching him a lesson. The giant zombie was at least 20 meters tall. Its body was massive; it almost seemed like a moving mountain. Logically, something that huge shouldn''t be able to move very fast, but this Demon Lord level undead defies that logic and traversesrge distances within seconds. ...only to stop the moment it entered the 10-mile distance from its target. The giant zombie flinched and retreated. It looked shocked and mildly horrified. It felt the scythe of death aimed at its neck just now, and it reacted instinctively. It then looked down and saw one of its legs charred very badly. It was still smoking as it looked at it, and this was just from entering that zone, which barelysted a second. If the giant zombie had stayed there longer, this leg might''ve been gone by now. This sight silenced the spies and caused their expressions to turn ugly. To think that not even a demon lord could breach that zone was horrifying to them. It seems that they have every right to treat the Sun Sage as their mortal enemy. Meanwhile, the Giant Zombie found this uneptable. It was a Demon Lord; it was big, strong, and capable of crushing that flimsy human. How can it be scary? That said, the giant zombie was also smarter; it knew that it couldn''t be reckless. Therefore, instead of forcing its way in, it instead chose to grab a handful of its kind. It molded them into a ball like y dough and threw it towards him. The Demon Lord''s throw broke the sound barrier. As intimidating as that was, however, it was useless in the end. It didn''t matter how fast or how hard it threw balls of undead flesh towards the human; the moment the ball entered that forbidden 10-mile zone, they turned into wisps of smoke; none even made it close. The Giant Zombie Demon Lord switched to throwing chunks of rock, but the oue didn''t change. Derrek remained untouched and unfettered on his spot, still wearing that irritating smile on his face, much to his enemies'' dismay. They truly couldn''t do anything against him. This fiascosted for quite some time before the sage grew bored of it. He then released a sigh and said, "You know, for a Demon Lord, you are a very sad existence. I thought you''d at least make this a little bit exciting, but I guess I was wrong. You''re just as weak as everyone else was." The Sun Sage then pulled his sword out of the ground. "I grow tired of this farce," he uttered with indifference. "Just as well, the allotted time was nearly over." "Begone." The Sun Sage shed his sword. The attack was so fast that no one was able to react to it. They just felt their consciousness blurring, which was a sign that they had died. This kind of strength was too horrifying. The sage was growing too fast, and the worst part is that they can''t do anything to stifle his progress. They''ve got nothing on him. The spies were helpless; they knew that they''d be med for this again, but unless they could invite a Demon King to descend to Purgatory (which was impossible), nothing could halt the Sage''s growth. Chapter 257: High Marshals -- ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 23 Race: Human IV sses: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon yer (2nd), Educator (Sub) Level: Tier 9 Lv.1 Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Tamer (+6)... System Authority: Lv.9 Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T8 Lv.9 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] Actives: Dispel (M), FTL Movement Lv.20, Meteor sh (Intermediate), Sunset Cut (Intermediate), Heaven Extinction Sword (Intermediate), shing Steel Sovereign (Intermediate), Sr re (Intermediate), Sris Gtine (Intermediate) Passives: CQC Mastery (M), Advanced Sage Physique (U), Sage''s Perception (U), Education Lv.150, Demon Lore (M), yer''s Mark Lv.80, Sage Arts (M), Marksmanship (M), Sword Heart Lv.40 Sub-ss Skills: (Omitted...) [Concept Laws] Laws: Sword Law (Elementary), Fire Law (Elementary), Astral Law (Elementary), Space Law (Beginner) Concepts: ughter Intent [Law Traits] Sword: Controlled Sharpness, Favored Enemy Fire: Burning Heat, True Fire Astral: Astral Genesis,ary Formation Space: Spatial Maniption Unique Trait: ¡ºAspect of the Sun (Mastered)¡»¡ºAspect of the Stars (Mastered)¡» ¡ºAspect of Space (Elementary)¡» [Domain]: None [Equipment] Weapon: Sris Edge (PT1 - Legendary/Growth) Armor: Star Sage Set (PT1 - Legendary/Growth) [Mandatory Task:] : Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 8 hours twice. : Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1 : Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1. : Record: Clear Streak - 39, Failure Streak - 0 ** Cedric dismissed his Profile page and gently petted Aurelion''s thick fur much to the little thing''s behest as it curled into a ball on hisp to take a nap. ''I reached Tier 9 now, only a few levels away from bing a nar Traveller.'' Cedric mused to himself. ''My self-created techniques advanced to Intermediate Mastery, my ss-releated skills leveled up as well, my Sword Heart even reached level 40 now.'' ''Iprehended Space Laws to the Beginner stage, allowing me to manipte space more easily. I''m still far from perfecting my control over it but that will eventuallye.'' ''I''ve also learned all I could about the Aspect of the Stars, I even perfected it even further thanks to my superiorprehension ability. Havingplete mastery over it allowed me to increase myprehension towards Astral Laws, but it will take time for my insights to fully integrate my body and reflect to my skills and Profile.'' ''As for the Aspect of Space, I''m nearly there. Ac said that it only contains inspirations until the Intermediate Stage. Beyond that, I''ll need to rely on myself, which is fine.'' Cedric''s eyes peered out the ss doors, giving him a view of the academy grounds outside. "If someone were to tell me that I''d be in this position a few years ago, I would probably think that they''re crazy, yet look where I''m at." He sighed, feeling nostalgic all of a sudden. Barely two years passed since he inherited the eyes of the Godking. Before this, he couldn''t even kill a few zombies and get enough Demon Souls to sustain his everyday life within the RMC. Yet look at him now; he has already reached the pinnacle Tier for Superhumans, only a few levels away from bing a nar Traveller. He has be this era''s Sage ¡ª the Sun Sage, no less. He was hailed as the strongest youngest prodigy of the Starlight Royal Academy despite his low-profiled nature. He''s now the Holy Son of the House of Light and a member of the Outer World Expedition Team. Even the Pirs of Humanity - the Star Travellers, paid close attention to him. He hasn''t met all of them but he knew that he had gained their respect because of his contributions so far. From aplete trash nobody, he became Humanity''s unparalleled prodigy, and it only took roughly two years for this total transformation to ur. Now that he really looks back on it, his progress has truly been insane. Yet somehow, this was far from enough. Beep! Cedric raised a brow as he mentally summoned hismunication page. Gabriel sent him a message. He opened it and it says: [Archbishop Gabriel]: Young Sage, my subordinatespleted their most recent task. Is there anything else we could help you with? Before replying, Cedric extended his survence range and inspected their underground territory. His focus was on the illusory veiny roots that''s only visible to Superhumans. These are the Leylines of Prime Earth, more specifically, the ones that are under Humanity''s territory. Since his previous excursion and survence, he discovered that he had neglected this problem and rectified it. He requested this mission to the trusted people and there were no doubts that the army was involved. In the end, the House of Light were ones who stepped forward to assist him. He handed them a bunch of array discs and asked them to install it to the locations he marked on the map, most of them required them to dig underground but the subordinates didn''t mind. It took a week for them to finish this task, and how Gabriel notified him that they''re done. [Me]: Thank you for your help. Please notify all the involved parties and tell them to meet me here (pinned location.jpg), I need to inform all of you about certain things before I start with this project. [Archbishop Gabriel]: I''ll notify them, then. Cedric replied with a thumbs-up emoji before dismissing the message window. He then gently woke Aurelion up and said: "Hey bud, return to your room first. Papa has to work for a bit." ''Mmkay!!'' The sunlion replied drowsily before turning into a streak of light shooting straight to his room which was the beast space residing on Cedric''s soul. Once Aurelion was tucked in, Cedric himself turned into a streak of light. He went to the location he marked, but before leaving, he sent a message to girlfriends saying that he''d be out for work. The location he marked on the map was actually under that very same mountain that he went tost week. After making his ns, he figured that this was the best spot to be the center of this project. This mountain will inevitably transform because of what he''s about to do. But it''s for the best so he hoped that others and the mountain itself wouldn''t mind. He dug a small cave entrance on the base of the mountain which led to the dried up Spiritual Vein hidden at the depths of the mountain. He already finished setting up the things he needed here and he was just waiting for the rest. About an hourter, Cedric felt several people entering the cave. He opened his eyes from his meditation. He stood up just in time to greet them politely. "Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Cedric Stormrider, thank you for epting my invitation for this little project of mine." Cedric spotted Lissandra, Fiona, Gabriel, and Charles within the people who showed up. They nodded back at him to return his greetings. Of course, there were more people he''s meeting for the first time. "Ah, so this is him, eh? Our Young Sage. What a dashing Young Man, must be popr with thedies, he reminds me of myself when I was young, bwahahaha!!" The one who spoke just now was a rugged looking old man. He dressed up shabbily and had an unrestrained aura about him. The only decent looking thing on him was the sword attached to his waist. "Nice to meet you, Sir Jin. I''m a fan." "Call me Old Jin, Young Cedric. I''m not too fond of formalities. Besides, if we publicize everything that you''ve done for us, I don''t doubt that your prestige would be much greater than mine." This was Old Man Jin - the Wandering Swordsman. One of the Star Travellers of Humanity. It''s easy to dismiss him because of rougish appearance and hjs unrestrained attitude, but this old man was the most publicly revered Swordsman. He spends most of his time roaming the Azure Terra continent, honing his sword and skills in tough battles. Because he doesn''t stay too long within the civilization, he had no disciples to pass on his skills to. It was also said that he''s not looking for one. It was rumored that he already passed his inheritance to Ac and allowed her to do what she thinks is best for it, that''s why he''s not worried about taking any disciples. "I''m ttered." Cedric replied, he then turned to the men in uniform and felt a dominant aura on them. He gave them his salutations and said: "Greetings to you, High Marshals." "At ease, Young Sage. We''re not in the camp, you can speakfortably with us." A High Marshal with short ck hair and thick beard replied amiably. "My name is Raven Armstrong, High Marshal of the Northern Defense Wall." "Anthony Selner, High Marshal of the Western Defense Wall." Said the ash blond man next to Raven. "Cassandra Zephyrus, High Marshal of the Southern Defense Wall." A kind looking woman said standing on Raven''s left side. "Filius Greenwood, High Marshal of the Eastern Defense Wall. Nice to meet you, Young Sage." This one had a striking bright emerald hair and looked very youngpared to his colleagues. These four are the High Marshals of the Defense Walls, each one was as formidabble as the rest and the true pirs of Humanity. Chapter 258: Leyline Restoration Effort -- "There are more of us; unfortunately, they can''te because there is a lot of work left in the office. Please excuse them," Cassandra of the Southern Defense Wall politely informed Cedric. The Young Sage felt a bit surprised and frightened by her politeness, so he hurriedly said, "That''s quite alright, ma''am. It''s already presumptuous of me to upy some of your valuable time. I''m already thankful that some of you are able toe." "You can speak morefortably with us, Young Sage." Filius of the Eastern Defense Wall smiled at him. "Don''t let our status make you ufortable." "What he said, Young Sage," Anthony of the Western Defense Wall chimed in. "Besides, we actually have to thank you instead. If you hadn''t called for us, we''d still be swamped with mountains of paperwork. It feels rather nice to stretch our legs and take a breath of fresh air instead of being stuffed inside a small office." Othersughed at his words, mostly because they could rte to them. Cedric couldn''t, but he joined them nheless. "Anyway, how about we get this show going?" Raven of the Northern Defense Wall suggested. He then looked at Cedric and asked, "We''ve been notified of this project about a week ago and have been looking forward to it. I assume that the preparations just finished today." "Yes." Cedric nodded. "I asked Archbishop Gabriel''s help along with the resources of the House of Light to assist me with this. Thanks to them, the preparations were made rather quick." "I happened to catch whiff of this since I happened to be around when Gabriel notified everybody. But Ick most of the information about this project. Can you tell me more about it, Young Cedric?" Old Man Jin asked. "Of course! I was nning on doing that before taking action, anyway," Cedric replied confidently. "At first, I called this the Leyline Repair Task. But now, it''d be more urate to call it the Leyline Restoration Effort. It''s pretty straightforward. The goal of this effort is to restore or revitalize the Leylines within our territory." "I thought about this during my altercations with the Cult of the Demon Saint. When I was still a citizen of the ck Thread City, I personally witnessed how the cult took advantage of the Leylines to create and sustain demons they snuck in, which almost devastated the city." "The cult''s been dealt with and the entrance to that specific Leyline had been sealed by me. I''ve nned to revitalize the Leylines ever since but didn''t have the necessary means to do so. Because of that, I''ve neglected it for quite sometime. I was only reminded of it recently. Now, I have all the tools I need to finish this project. I''ve already consulted Ac for this and got her go signal. That''s why I asked all of you toe because I want you all to witness it as well." Some of the elders looked at each other knowingly. They couldn''t help but admire the young Sage but also feel pity for him. ''He''s a little too young to be paying attention to these things.'' - this was generally what they all thought. What makes them feel worse is that he actually found a way to do something that should''ve been their responsibility to begin with. "Wonderful!" Old Man Jin eximed in excitement. "What are we waiting for then?" "I just need to tell you about a few things, then we can begin." Cedric understood Old Man Jin''s excitement and bored impatience, but he had to set their expectations because this would certainly cause argemotion. It''s a huge project, after all. "First of all, I need your help." He stated, "Once I start with this, I can''t stop until it''s done. I can''t be disturbed, nor would I be able to pay attention to anything else once I begin. I''ll leave the security to you all, if that''s alright with you." "Don''t worry, Young Cedric. Even if a Demon King were toe, they wouldn''t be able to get anywhere near you. I swear by my sword," Old Man Jin solemnly said. Cedric wanted to say that he didn''t need to swear something like that, but it''s a little toote for that, so he could only smile appreciatively at him. "Next, this will cause argemotion." Cedric continued with a solemn face. "The Leylines not only contain the spiritual vitality of this world, they also allow it to flow and pulse. This is the vitality of the world as well." "This ''Spiritual Vitality'' contains humanity''s connate Providence, our ''luck and fortune'' per se, things that have been suppressed and siphoned by the Demon Race ever since their corruption tainted it." "Ac told me that she sealed this for us, but because she''s maintaining the Purgatory ne and the Demon Race are relentless in their ruthless n to drain everything from us, she had no choice but to leak some of it so that they won''t try harder and cause more chaos and harm to us and her." His words caused the elders'' expressions to darken. "By clearing the taint of corruption from the leylines, we will be liberating that suppressed providence, and it will bless our people." Cedric''s face lightened up when he mentioned this. "This liberation will shake our entire civilization. It might cause a wide-scale earthquake and a fierce storm, so it might be misunderstood by our people." "That fierce storm is, in truth, an Origin Energy Rain," Cedric stated. "I believe most of you know what that is, so if you could help me quell everybody''s panic and tell them to bathe in it, that would be great." Their eyes lit up upon the mention of this. The Origin Energy Rain is definitely a good thing. It''s a rain that contains immense vitality. Bathing in it will allow all life to flourish, be stronger, receive epiphanies, or break their limits, so whenever ites, all are implored to experience it. "We''ll notify everybody," High Marshal Raven replied. "A system alert would help too," Charles added. "It''d be best to tell everybody not to be so greedy. An Origin Energy Rain is a blessing for everybody." "We''ll send out tasks for soldiers to keep peace during the event," High Marshal Cassandra stated. "I''ll also ask my students to go and help out," Lissandra added. "Themotion this will cause might spread outside," Cedric reminded everybody. "For now, we''re surrounded by the misdirection mist, so we should be fine for quite some time." "However, since the Demons are paying attention to this, they will definitely know that our presence has been liberated. They will for sure not like that at all. But we have time," Cedric concluded. "Yes, we have time. We''ve also gathered more resources thanks to you, and our defenses have also been upgraded thanks to you. If they want to attack us, they better be prepared to lose their lives in the process. We''re ready for this," Fiona fervently stated. Cedric had a few things to say about that, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He didn''t want to douse their burning conviction with the harsh and merciless truth. "Anything else?" Cassandra asked. "No, that''s about it." Cedric smiled as he shook his head. "I''ll begin shortly; once I start, we have about a week until the process is finished. That''s when themotion will happen. I''d appreciate it if the necessary arrangements are done by then." "Do your thing in peace, Young Cedric. Don''t worry about the rest; we will handle it for you." Old Man Jin patted his shoulders. "I''ll guard the entrance to this cave. Like I said, even if a Demon King were toe, they could forget about disturbing you." "Thank you." Cedric bowed at him. He then stepped back and went to the exposed spiritual vein to sit down in front of it. Before starting with this, Cedric made sure to notify his girlfriends that he would be unavable for a week at most. He told them that he''d be in seclusion, which isn''t strange for superhumans like them. Chrissy and Erica replied that they understood and wished him luck. Cedric felt a little guilty about lying to them like this, but for now, it''s all he could do. He then closed his eyes and adjusted his state of mind. The people behind him watched and felt the Young Sage harmonizing with the environment; his presence blended so well that if they weren''t looking at him, they would''ve almost missed him. They knew that he started the moment it happened. Several runes shimmered into being around him, and the entire cave lit up with a golden radiance. Arge array lit up in front of the sitting sage in response to this stimtion. "It''s starting, folks," Filius softly announced. "We can''t let this child down. Come, we''ve got work to do." After saying that, he marched out of the cave to do his part. He was, of course, followed by the others. As for Old Man Jin, he remained at the entrance of the cave. He sat down, looking bored as ever, but his senses were primed and on the lookout for any possible interruptions. May God have mercy on someone who intends to harm the child who''s trying to save humanity, because he sure as hell won''t. Chapter 259: Blood Sacrifice -- A silent resonance urred when he started the process. It is debatable if there is another person other than him who could sense this, and even if there was, they probably wouldn''t feel this as intimately as Cedric does. The arrays he instructed the House of Light to engrave on the other Leyline Roots were resonating with what''s happening here. Cedric''s perception waspletely immersed in the Leyline Network; he couldn''t spare any attention to anything else other than this. That''s why he asked for help since he''s actually very vulnerable right now. Nobody knows except him what he''s actually doing to achieve this. They probably don''t have any idea just how much of a of a burden this was for Cedric. If this were to be done normally, it would require at least hundreds of people to do so. In other words, Cedric was doing the work of too many people by himself. He could''ve asked for help. Many people would''ve loved to be a part of this project. However, Cedric selfishly took on this task alone, mostly because he trusted himself better than anyone else. Try as he might, he still couldn''t get rid of his doubts and suspicions about other people. He could think of a lot of ways others could take advantage of this or screw the whole project over, and that''s not something he wants to see. Three days have passed since he began his seclusion here. As per his request, nobody dared to disturb him. Old Man Jin resolutely stationed himself at the only entrance that led to where he was and swore that he wouldn''t allow anybody in, not even the High Marshals themselves. Runes, symbols, and inscriptions shimmered around Cedric, dancing around him for a solid minute or two before diving into the dried-up spiritual vein in front of him. The Spiritual Vein hardly showed any difference until now; the only visible change so far was that it''s now covered with golden runes that Cedric ced in it. That said, the real difference could be seen within the depths of the spiritual vein itself. There must be at least milions of runic symbols in there, each one shimmering with a golden radiance. Looking closely, each one of these runes was connected to the other. The interior array that Cedric made was tooplicated. Even if hundreds of Master Scribes fused their brain power together, it would take them months, if not years, to decipher the sheer scale of Cedric''s array. This is one of the reasons why he preferred to do this alone too. And thisplicated set-up isn''t just limited here. Cedric has already finished his set-up in this area in about three hours since he started this whole thing. What he''s doing now is extending this to the entire Leyline Network within humanity''s territory. This was an unbelievably heavy workload. It''s simply too much for an ordinary person to bear this kind of burden. Fortunately, Cedric was many things except ordinary. The drain on his energy wasn''t too bad. Since he mastered the aspect of the stars, his astralws have improved quite a bit. And this improvement allowed him to perfect his utilization of astral energy even further. Compared to Ki, astral energy was denser and contained more power and vitality. Since Cedric discovered a way to restore astral energy more efficiently despite the obviousck of it in his surroundings, he practically had no worries about consumption for this kind of activity. His Sage Physique was also helping him greatly with this. The rate of his energy recovery was almost keeping up with his expenditure. The only real thing he had to worry about was making mistakes in the process and losing focus. ** On the 7th day, humanity was shaken by the sudden activity around them. Many woke up to the sight of soldiers marching all over the cities. Word spread very quickly online, and panic started rising. The faint tremors that could be felt all over their civilization weren''t helping either. Some thought that a crisis was happening and started preparing for the worst. Others felt wary but were helpless, so they could only go on about their day. The nosy ones tried to pry some information from the patrolling soldiers but failed to do so. How can they say anything when they themselves don''t know why they were suddenly ordered to do this? Halfway through the day is when the truth came out, and it was triggered by a system announcement. [Alert! Alert! Alert! ] [This is a world-wide announcement! An origin energy storm is expected to ur tomorrow morning, which willst for the entire day.] [Ac highly encourages everybody to educate themselves about what an Origin Energy Storm represents. Information could be found here.] [Please maintain order when the storm begins. This is an equal opportunity for everyone. Greed is a sin.] This was then followed by people doing their research and spreading the word to their social media tforms and news outlets. Everything they needed to learn about the benefits of the Origin Energy Storm was avable to them; some even simplified or summarized it for those who couldn''t be bothered to read thepiled articles, even with the strong suggestion of the system. The soldiers also received additional orders, which made them understand why they were stationed here. After reading about the benefits of the Origin Energy Storm, people couldn''t help but look forward to it. Fortunately, the announcement was made ahead of time, giving them enough time to make preparations. Cedric also received this message, but he didn''t hear or see it. Currently, he''s kneeling in front of the glowing spiritual vein, which is pulsing every now and then. It was these pulses that caused the tremors that everybody has been feeling since the start of this day. That said, Cedric hardly paid attention to that as well. His focus fellpletely on a ratherplicated runic formation around him. With zed eyes, he clutched a bloodied dagger in his hand, the same tool he used to open a gash on his wrist, letting his blood flow like a waterfall. This isn''t his ordinary blood, but his blood essence, which contained his longevity. Cedric was performing a blood sacrifice, and so far, he had drained a decade''s worth of longevity for the final procedure. This was 10 years worth of his lifespan, yet Cedric felt nothing about it. There were no hesitations on his face, only calm and serenity. Anybody would feel this pinch because this was longevity!one''s life expectancy! 10 years could allow them to achieve many things; sacrificing them would obviously hurt them physically and emotionally. Not Cedric, though, it seems. And truthfully, yes, Cedric doesn''t feel this. To him, it''s only 10 years. He evolved into a [Human IV] and had the [Advance Sage Physique], which extended his lifespan by a great deal. Cedric could easily live up to 5,000 years old if he wanted to, so really, 10 years was nothing much to him. Besides, this blood sacrifice is a necessary part of this procedure. His longevity would be the tool to wake up and nourish the supressed humanity. The quality of the blood used for the sacrifice matters, and amongst everybody, who couldpare to his? Thinking about this, Cedric pursed his lips and said, "You know what? I''ll use 50 years...just to be sure." He grunted and felt the rapid drain on his vitality. He noticed the ring system alerts next to him and casually ignored them. That was Ac telling him that he didn''t need to do this, but he didn''t listen. It''s better to be safe than sorry, after all. Draining 50 years of his lifespan obviously made him feel weak. He allowed his physique to heal his wound and sat down to take deep breaths to recover. He drank gallons of water and emptied his mind to help with his recovery. Meanwhile, his blood was already being processed by the formation he prepared earlier. The viscous red orb containing 50 years of his lifespan was condensed into a deep crimson crystal that shone with sanguinous light. By the time it solidified into a crystal, Cedric had already recovered sufficiently to activate the formation. The Aspect of the Sun and the Stars lit up behind him. He flicked his finger and left the engravings of both aspects on the crystal before pushing it into the spiritual vein. Boom!! The moment it entered, the crystal turned into a streak of light and appeared in the space where the slumbering providence cloud was. As soon as it arrived, the crystal exploded, releasing all the energy and profundities it contained. Like a starved man, the Providence Cloud crazily devoured the energy. It visibly recovered to its peak state, even surpassing its peak due to the excess energy Cedric sent its way. Once it absorbed everything, the Providence Cloud morphed into the shape of an eastern dragon and opened its eyes ferociously. Boom!!! It then broke from its restraints, rising and manifesting in the physical realm, causing a heaven-and-earth phenomenon. A pir of light erupted from the depths of the mountain Cedric was on, and its light could be seen by everybody. Cedric, who was still in the depths of the cave, looked at the revitalized spiritual vein in front of him and smiled contentedly. "Go on...be free!" Chapter 260: Storm of Providence -- With how huge that pir of light was, it''s more challenging to not see it instead of noticing it. Everybody couldn''t help but look at it; it''s as if there''s a strange forcepelling them to witness this very moment, urging them to etch this sight in their memories and never forget about it. As the light dimmed just a bit, a few people could make out a silhouette of an enormous eastern dragon. It was majestic, noble, and radiated a mystical prowess¡ªone that''s not easily understood. It''s form was in between reality and illusion. It released a soft snort before lifting its head and opening its maws. Roar!!! A resounding roar shook the souls of all who heard it. This isn''t a roar of rage or wrath. It''s a roar brought forth by freedom, revival, and recovery. It contained excitement, happiness, and righteous fury. The Dragon of Providence stayed within the domain of humanity, and the people who saw it couldn''t help but feel awe upon looking at it. With a slight movement, it then flew all over humanity''s territory, leaving behind a curtain of aurora in its wake before disappearingpletely. Just as people began wondering where it was, a crisp sound of thunder caught them by surprise. The wind kicked up, and a few droplets of rain began falling. There were no clouds whatsoever; this rain came from the aurora above them. And as soon as it started, it didn''t take long for it to turn into a proper storm. [Alert! Alert! Alert! ] [The Origin Energy Storm is happening. The system highly encourages everyone to bathe in it while maintaining order.] [Reminder: This is an equal opportunity for everybody. Your gains will depend on your luck.] The follow-up notice was nice and all, but in truth, only a handful of people noticed it. That''s because the majority are already immersing themselves in the rain. Wherever you look, you''ll see people sitting down and basking in the fierce storm fearlessly. Some were standing up, some were lying down¡ªyoung, old, somewhere in between¡ªno matter what position they''refortable with or how old they were, they enjoyed the bountiful storm of blessings raining down on them. The raging storm, the crisp sound of thunder, and sightings of lightning were all weed by humans. They embraced it with open arms and let it increase their innate providence. They felt the changes within. It''s as if something within the very depths of being clicked was finallyplete¡ªlike, they retrieved something that''s always been missing. The feeling left aplex sensation for them, but they''re going to have to deal with thatter because there were other things that needed their immediate attention. The fortune people received up front varied greatly; some broke through the bottlenecks of their potential, leveling up a couple of times in a row or even reaching the next tier or realm of power scaling. Some gained epiphanies¡ªenlightenment that allowed them to improve their skills orwprehension. Those who were blessed with a unique physique, such as Garrick Stoneheart, who had the Indestructible Vajra Body, experienced a heavenly change. He could feel his body changing and his strength elevating into something quite iprehensible. His heartbeat roared in his ears, and his skin turned a deeper shade of tan with a faint diamond sheen, which also appeared in his muscles and bones. He never thought that his physique could evolve even further, yet here it was. The rain of fortune also blessed those who had really high aptitude ratings; Isabe Frostwind felt changes happening within her too. As she sat on the roof of an isted house, her body released pulses of cold air, which turned into snowkes that hovered around her. Within her perception, she saw her blood cells seemingly turning into crimson snowkes as they coursed through her body. A cold and piercing rity followed it, causing her to momentarily feel as if she had transcended. A pure white ice lotus bloomed beneath her, making her look like a true fairy. Subconsciously, she knew that she had awakened some kind of physique, simr to Garrick. She just doesn''t know what it is for now. Nevertheless, it was a good thing. Chrissy and Erica also greatly benefited. Erica was inside an isted chamber with an open ceiling, allowing the rain to pour down on her. She was sitting in the middle of it; her entire body was soaking wet, but it didn''t phase her. Her focus was on the changes happening within her. A faint mark appeared on her palms, taking the shape of a horseshoe on the left and a cursive lower-case letter ''a'' on the right. Her body was releasing buzzing waves of light that wrapped around her like a cocoon. Chrissy, on the other hand, was lying on a pool of murky and bubbling substances. Like Erica, she''s also experiencing a great change within her, one that she doesn''t understandpletely just yet. Purple veins could be seen all over her body. They pulsed visibly, seemingly absorbing the pool of miasma around her. A streak of ck smears appeared like tearstains on her face, and a ck rose blossomed on her chest. Despite these visible changes, Chrissy remained in her peaceful slumber. Like what was mentioned earlier, the changes brought by the rain of fortune varied from person to person. It depended on their innate luck, aptitude, and umtion. This isn''t to say that this was the end of it, though. Unbeknownst to everybody, that missing piece they never knew existed, which was finally returned to them, was in fact the seed of providence. It''s a mystical force that will change their lives moving forward. Just because some people didn''t experience a huge change during the Origin Energy Storm doesn''t mean that this is as far as they went. As they continue on their path, the seed of providence within them will eventually bloop and allow them to fulfill their fate and destiny. This is the mystical force that has been missing from humanity¡ªthe very thing that the Demon Race has been suppressing through their corruption. As for the person who caused all of this, he''s still within the depths of the cave. A peaceful and serene smile graced his handsome face as he witnessed everything that''s happening to his people. He didn''t mind the fact that he''s actually missing the chance to gain some benefits for himself. To him, seeing and knowing that he made this much contribution to his race was more than enough to make him happy. Cedric was still paying attention to the leylines. Despite freeing humanity''s providence, he remained attentive to his original purpose here. Fortunately, he didn''t fail. He''s now witnessing the lively pulse of the spiritual vein in front of him. He could feel its vigor and the changes it was making. Others might not sense it, but he could. The quality and quantity of energy and mystical forces around him were increasing exponentially as minutes passed by. This, in addition to the great changes that the Origin Energy Storm brought, caused life to flourish. In the near future, humans will feel more energized, and their innate longevity will be extended. The future generation will be stronger than the old. Crops will be abundant; some will even mutate into rare treasures. Geniuses will experience more epiphanies, contributing greatly to humanity''s effort to resist the horde of demons. And more importantly, hope will never fade again. There will always be people who will inherit the spirit of heroism and be beacons that will lead humanity into a brighter tomorrow. This isn''t Cedric waving the white g; he''s not giving up just yet. He will continue improving and fighting as long as he''s still alive. But just in case he ultimately fails in the end, at the very least, humanity''s future is secured this way. Swoosh! Cedric blinked in surprise as he felt a sudden breeze of wind. Then something materialized before him. It''s a female spirit, as he noticed from its appearance. Her facial features were blurry. All he knows is that she''s wearing a long dress that fluttered as she moved. "You are..." "Thank you, child." A voice that sounded like the faintest whisper flowed in his ears, causing him to involuntarily sigh dreamily. The spirit fluttered towards him and ced her hand on his face, caressing it gently like a mother inspecting her child. A smile appeared on Cedric''s face as he subconsciously avoided her gaze, even though he couldn''t see her eyes. "It''s what I should do," he humbly replied. "And I can''t leave such actions and efforts unrewarded. You, of all people, deserve this just as much as the rest do." Cedric wanted to argue that he''s already fortunate enough; he obtained the godking''s eyes, which turned his life around; he didn''t do more than this. But before he could say anything, the spirit brought her face close to him and nted a kiss on his forehead. A sigh left Cedric''s lips as he immediately fell into a deep slumber. As he curled into a peaceful sleep, the spirit brushed the stray hairs away from his face and said: "This world and its people are incredibly lucky to have you." Chapter 261: Spiritual Journey -- "This is wild..." This is what Erica said as soon as she was done inspecting the changes that had happened to her. Physically, nothing much has changed except for the additional marks on her palms, which also appeared on her pupils, the sign of a horseshoe, and the cursive lower-case letter ''a''. Within her body, though, she could feel the vigorous movement of energy. They flowed through her veins unobstructed, and their density practically doubled in a single day. She could now cast energy-draining spells morefortably because of this, but the major surprise were the marks that appeared on her. "The Omega Sign effectively doubles the might and duration of any spells I use without any additional energy expenditures, passively. If I actively use its effect, it will allow me to cast five spells at once while simultaneously ensuring that none of those spells will be affected by any kind of obstruction." "The Alpha Sign passively grants me immunity against curses and hexes; it also transfers its effects to the caster. Its active is a powerful silencing spell thatsts for 5 minutes. The duration mostly depends on how much gap there is between me and my enemies, and I can also use it on multiple people at once." "This is nuts..." Erica sighed as sheid on the bed. She didn''t think that she''d be this lucky. The Origin Energy Storm practically doubled her strength overnight, which was insane to think about. And from what she heard, it wasn''t just her. The effects of the storm might vary for people, but the general trend is improvement. She knows that she isn''t the only fortunate one to undergo such a transformation. She then sensed the doors opening and saw Chrissy entering her vision. She swiftly sat up on the bed, surprised by what she saw. "Girl, your hair...what?" Erica uttered in shock. "I know." Chrissy chuckled as she twirled the ends of her hair. Previously, Chrissy had long tinum blonde hair. It''s one of the features that made her somewhat unique. Now, though, that''s no longer the case. Her hair turned ck for the most part, but if one looked closely, they''d see that it actually had a green shade to it; this was more visible with the reflection of light. "Woke up like this," Chrissy shrugged. "The best part is that every strand of hair I have contains poison. I never thought it was possible, but here we are. Your eyes are weird, by the way." "Thanks for thepliment, I guess." Erica rolled her eyes. "Ah, right, you might want to keep your distance for a bit," Chrissy grumbled. "I somehow evolved because of the storm. I now have a unique physique; can you believe that?" "Ooh, lucky," Ericamented. "What kind of physique is it?" "It''s called the ''ck Rose Cmity Physique''. Basically, all harmful substances I use will now contain the power of hexes and cures. It also increases my affinity and the efficacy of those elements when I use it by 200%. I''m still trying to control it for now and barely making it." Chrissy sounded tired for some reason. "Oh, well, you don''t have to worry about me. The Alpha Sign gives me immunity against hexes and curses passively," Erica replied. "Thank God for that." Chrissy looked relieved. "Still, I need to reign this first; I don''t want to identally hurt somebody." She then looked around and asked, "Cedric hasn''t returned yet?" Erica shook her head before saying, "Must be in seclusion still. I wonder if he had the chance to bathe in the storm." "He probably did," Chrissy replied as she made herself some coffee. "I mean, the system was pretty adamant about its suggestion. There''s no way he could''ve ignored it." "Right." Erica nodded. "And knowing him, he''s probably experiencing greater changes than most of us." "Well, you know it''s random, right?" Chrissy asked. "I mean, it''s understandable if he''s lucky as well, but it shouldn''t be too surprising if the changes that happened to him aren''t as bombastic as what we''ve experienced." "Yeah, you''re right." Erica sighed. "Well, I guess I''m just really hoping that he benefits from this more than we ever could." "Girl, he''s fine with or without this," Chrissy stated after taking a sip of her coffee. "He hasn''t told us anything concrete, but both of us know that he''s obscenely strong. The changes that happened to us should barely close the gap between us." Erica pursed her lips, silently agreeing to what she said. She knows that Cedric has been keeping many secrets to himself, and that''s quite alright with her because, deep down, she knows that he''s a good person. She knew that if it were only that easy, then he would''ve told them already. Since he couldn''t, it means that he had his own reasons for that as well. Obviously, Cedric was strong, and Chrissy was right about what she said just now. That said, was it really bad for her to want her man to be stronger? "I wonder how long his seclusion will take," Erica muttered to herself. ** "I see, so that''s how it is, hah!" Old Man Jin couldn''t help butugh at the irony of it all. "I spent almost 50 years pursuing this path, arrogantly thinking that I''m right, yet it turns out that I''m wrong! I''m so wrong!" He just existed in a state of epiphany, one that he experienced thanks to the Origin Energy Storm. It''s been too long since thest time he experienced something like this, so when it came, Old Jin didn''t hesitate to fully immerse himself in it. This statested for the entire duration of the storm, and he had realized many things about himself during his experience. One of them led to the conclusion of something that he had been chasing for almost 50 years now. But to his sorrow, it turned out to be a dead end. It felt vexing¡ªrealizing that he had wasted so much time walking on the wrong path. Yet it also felt liberating, because along with this realization was a direction to the actual path he should be taking to elevate his sword art even further. Old Jin couldn''t help but shed a few tears. But as much as he wanted to immediately go into seclusion to correct his path, he suppressed his desire and stood up to check on the person who made this possible. But upon entering the area where the Young Sage was, Old Jin was surprised. He ced a hand on his sword as he warily inspected the scene in front of him. The Young Sage was there; he seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber. Whether this is due to exhaustion or something else, Old Jin doesn''t know. What truly concerns him is that he could feel a presence nearby, and he didn''t know if it was friendly or an enemy. "Don''t disturb him." Old Jin was almost scared out of his wits. He took out his sword and eyed the room sharply. "Show yourself! What did you do to him!?" A phantom then manifested near Cedric, causing Old Jin to feel trepidation. However, once he saw the phantom, the old man was shocked once more before getting rid of his animosity. "Ac," the old man whispered. "I see. Are you watching over him?" "He refused to bathe in the storm." She gently replied, "He''s convinced that he didn''t need it. He''s just happy to be of assistance. He essentially revived me, yet he feels a bit ashamed to take part in the opportunities that only became possible because he made it happen." "This child brought me back to life, allowing me to manifest like this again after so many years. Yet all he said is that it''s what he should do." "How infuriatingly selfless!" She huffed as she continued caressing Cedric''s face. Old Jin sighed. Knowing who he''s talking to, he knows that she''s not lying. His heart hurts for the child. How could he be so blind about his self-worth? Just what did this child have to endure to end up like this? "How long would he be in slumber?" he asked. "It depends," Ac replied. "He''s on a spiritual journey. Don''t worry about him; he''s safe here. If you want, you can continue guarding him. Just don''t let anybody disturb him." "I understand. I will continue guarding him then. It''s the least I could do for this kind child." After saying this, Old Jin marched away and, once again, sat down in front of the cave''s entrance. He closed his eyes and left a sliver of his attention active while the rest digested his gains. As for Cedric, he felt as if he were being ferried to somewhere he didn''t know. He could only subconsciously follow this feeling, and it felt like it''d been years. When rity returned to him, his eyes snapped wide open, and he sat up, only to find himself somewherepletely unfamiliar to him. "Where...am I?" He voiced out his confusion. It was then that, all of a sudden, a movement surprised him. His mind nked out as he found himself staring at an eyeball that''s as big as Prime Earth itself, staring back at him. "Don''t be afraid, child." "Like hell, I wouldn''t be! You''re a massive eyeball! Who greets people like that!?" Cedric yelped out in fright. Chapter 262: Big Han -- Cedric will wholeheartedly admit that he said those words out of fright and trepidation. It wasn''t his intention to be rude; he''s just frazzled because, out of all the things that he could see as soon as he regained consciousness, he was not expecting it to be aary-sized eyeball. The air seemingly went still after he uttered his words. Cedric mentally scolded himself, thinking that he had messed up. Although he couldn''t be med for it, it doesn''t change the fact that his words were somewhat rude and disrespectful. This entity, whatever it''s supposed to be, was strong. Obscenely strong. Cedric didn''t doubt this, even for a second. The only reason he''s not having a mental breakdown just yet is because he could tell that this ''entity'' wasn''t a demon. It wasn''t human, but not a demon either. "Come on, now. That''s a bit rude. I''m more than just an eyeball," the entity said. Following that, Cedric then saw a massive wave of stars covering the eyeball from above and below. He saw shooting stars colliding, space warping, and time stilling at the very moment it happened, but at the very next second, the eyeball reappeared in his vision. ''Did it just...'' "I''ve got eyelids too," the massive eye sheepishly stated. "Of course you do," Cedric absent-mindedly replied. His initial guess was right. It blinked just now to prove the point that it has eyelids. Cedric didn''t know whether tough or cry at this. That said, this should be a sign that this entity didn''t mean him harm, right? If it does, Cedric will be dead by now. "I''m sorry. I''m just...really confused, I suppose." Cedric sighed and admitted this. "How did I end up here? Thest thing I remember is that a...fairdy wanted me to experience something, yet all of a sudden, I woke up here. I''d appreciate it if you could enlighten me about this." "Well, there''s no other way to say this, really. I snatched your consciousness and drew you into this ce because I found you interesting," the eyeball replied. Cedric felt a headacheing. "Right, of course, and I guess I''m powerless to resist something like that." A little bit of sarcasm and petnce were present in his words. "Yeah, that''s my fault. But hey, I didn''t take you simply because I was merely interested. You qualified for a life-changing opportunity that I''m guarding too; that''s the bulk of the reason why I took you in," the eyeball stated. "An opportunity?" "Yes!" The eyeball eximed. "The consciousness of your world originally intended to expose you to the raw sight of the world beyond your own. From what I saw, that would''ve opened your eyes to the real state of your gxy, allowing you to make ns and such. If you''re lucky, you might even gain deeper insights about your Concept Laws." ''It knows...'' Cedric muttered to himself. ''This entity knows about Ac and the Demon Race.'' Cedric suddenly turned wary. He still remembered that Ac was considered a ''rare resource'' by the Demon Race. And although this entity isn''t a demon, it might also be interested. This was enough for Cedric to psycho-analyze everything from this point on. "Your world''s extremely tiny." The eyeball sighed. "Moreover, it is isted. If I wasn''t alerted to your potential, I would''ve missed youpletely." "I don''t mean to sound rude or anything, but... what are you?" Cedric asked, unable to contain his curiosity. "#@_#<¡Â&,@#-!!" "Argh!!" Cedric clutched his, feeling an immense headache all of a sudden. "Ah, shit! My bad! Sorry!" The eyeball panicked and sent out a small beam of light towards Cedric. The moment this light touched him, Cedric felt the pain dissipate like smoke. He released a sigh and feltfortable once more. Deep down, he''s astonished by this. "Err, haha...sorry!" The eyeball shyly stated, "I got a little toofortable. I forgot that I''m speaking to a Native. I guess I''m just pleasantly surprised that you could speak mynguage, and that made me excited. It''s been too long, after all." Cedric stilled all of a sudden. "I''m speaking yournguage," he thought hollowly to himself. "Yeah! Wait, you didn''t know?" The eyeball asked, and it has a brow; it''s probably furrowed right now. "I didn''t... yeah, I guess I am. But how?" Cedric asked nobody in particr. "I knew that it''s possible that there are other living beings other than humans and demons, but this is my first time seeing and talking to one." "Oh, so that means you can subconsciously understand and speak mynguage despite this being your first time? That''s weird." "Yeah, I guess it is," Cedric muttered, feeling a bit frazzled by this. "Oh well, whatever. If you don''t get it, then you don''t get it. I mean, I work in your favor, so just run away with it," the eyeball dismissively said. "But, to answer your question, in yournguage, I could be considered a Titan." Cedric looked at it in wonder and whispered, "A Titan, eh. Yeah, I guess that description fits. Wait, you can speak mynguage now?" "It''s really not that hard." If it wasn''t for the fact that Cedric couldn''t see the entire body of this entity, he would probably see it shrugging as it replied. "What''s your name, sir?" Cedric asked. "My name''s Cedric, by the way. Nice to meet you." "Well met, Cedric. And please, don''t call me ''Sir''. I''m barely a 100,000 years old. I''m quite young, all things considered. Call me Big Brother Han, or just ''Big Han'' will do." ''Barely a 100,000 years old, he says..quite young, he says..damn! This is nuts.'' ''I mean, I guess that''s why he sounds and acts like a teenager, but still! That''s insane! '' Cedric knew deep down that Big Han wasn''t lying. If he was, Cedric would be able to tell. That doesn''t make this less shocking, though. 100,000 years¡ªwhat a foreign concept! Even though he had seen the glorious life of the godking, this kind of lifespan still left him dazed. While Cedric was dazed, Big Han shifted his gaze and looked at a distance. The way his pupils dted and his vision zoomed in across several gxies to look at the general area where he picked up this child would put Cedric''s abilities to shame. Not only this, but within seconds, Big Han more or less learned everything he needed to know about that world and the human race. "Oh wow, you humans are something else." Big Han''s words pped Cedric back to reality, causing him to stare at his massive eyeball again. "Small, inauspicious, and incredibly supressed, yet every single one of you has potential. I guess this is partly because your world has innate spirituality. It''s a pity that the Space Pirates saw you first." "Space Pirates? You mean the Demon Race?" "Well, they don''t stay at one ce, and they loot wherever they go while disregarding consequences. If they''re not Space Pirates, then what are they?" Big Han rhetorically asked. "They''re not the only ones. There are a lot of nomadic races who traverse gxies, plundering everything that holds value." "To us, it doesn''t matter what they look like. So long as they do those things, they are space pirates. None of them would daree close to this ce because they will be eradicated before they could finish a whole sentence." Big Han''s words chilled Cedric to his core. He felt as if he was dreaming. It sounded cruel, but it made sense. This also gave him more perspective on how vast the gxy truly was. "You called me a Native earlier." "We use that to describe beings that we never saw before and never knew about the existence of the Cosmic Alliance. It sounds offensive, I know, but once you see the real prosperity of our civilization, whether you like it or not, you''ll realize that it makes sense why we call you that." Cedric pondered for a bit before asking, "So, you''re not trying to im ownership of my world?" "Heavens, no!" Big Han eximed. "No offense, but your world''s like a piece of candy to me¡ªa nearly expired one at that. Oh, don''t look at me like that; face it, the Space Pirates pissed all over your world and it still hasn''t been cleaned up. Who would eat something like that?" Cedric wanted to say something to refute that; he truly does, but he knows that Big Han was right. It''s just that the way he describes their situation, it''s insulting as much as it''s hirious. The grave threat that they''re facing isughable in front of an existence like Big Han. Such disparity really leaves a bitter taste in Cedric''s mouth. "You said something about an opportunity?" Cedric asked. "Right! Gosh, I nearly forgot about it because I got too excited to converse with someone again after such a long time. Ahem..." Big Han cleared his throat before saying, "Your potential is amazing considering that you''re a native; that''s why I took you here." Something materialized in front of Cedric. They looked like tokens. "The green tokens contain information about the opportunity I was talking about. As for the violet golden token, you should only use that once you''ve learned everything you need to know about it." "Refine these tokens so that you can store them in your soul. That way, they will follow you once you return to your body." Cedric nodded, and he did just that. Chapter 263: Shaken -- "Are you really okay?" Cedric turned around to see Erica, who had a worried expression on her face. His eyes were automatically drawn to the Alpha, and the Omega signs were reflected on her pupils. She reached out to caress his face and said, "You''ve been so silent since you returned, and I''m worried. Did something happen? You know you can tell me, right?" Cedric could just feel his fondness for her. He leaned to her touch, closed his eyes, and sighed in relief before replying: "I''m okay, just... overwhelmed, I suppose. I''ll bounce back eventually. I''ll be fine." He could tell that she wanted to ask more but forced herself not to, opting to respect his wish to not say more than this. Instead, she just hugged him, offering her presence andpany. Honestly, this was more than enough for Cedric. If she were to know the truth, she''d probably feel the same; she might even react worse than he does because what he learned was just beyond overwhelming. It was mind-blowing. To think that the universe was truly that vast¡ªCedric couldn''t help but think that this prison of theirs truly limited their vision. "Do you need space to think for a bit?" Erica asked tentatively. Cedric could tell that she''s choosing her world carefully because she didn''t want him to misunderstand. "Yeah, that would be nice. I still need to digest everything I learned after all. Sorry, I''ll make it up to the both of you soon, I swear." "It''s okay." Erica smiled softly. "You don''t have to apologize. I''ll make myself busy then, but if you ever need me, don''t hesitate to call me okay." Cedric buried his face on the crook of her neck and muttered, "I love you." "I love you too," Erica shyly replied. "Okay, enough of this mushy stuff. I''ll go now." Cedric kissed her before letting her go. As soon as she left the room, Cedric''s expression turned nk. He disappeared from the room as well and appeared in the istion room. He activated the runes inside and sat in the middle of the room to organize his thoughts. A green token appeared on his hands, the same one that Big Han gave him. He received a total of three green tokens and one violet gold token from the titan. The green tokens contained information, and the unique token was his pass to arrive at the ''opportunity'' that Big Han referred to. Cedric had already skimmed one of the tokens, which caused his turbulent mood. That token contained information about the cosmic alliance that Big Han talked about. The Cosmic Alliance is called the Divine Council; think of it as some sort of government body that ruled the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm. As for the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm, it''s the name of the Divine Council''s territory. It spans through at least thousands of gxies, worlds, and strange realms. It''s a cosmic giant. The Divine Council was founded by six races that, once upon a time, vied for hegemony over the entire realm. From the brief history he got from the token, the great warsted for millions of years until a ceasefire was suggested and the alliance was founded. As for the six races that founded the alliance, they were: the Wise Dragon Race, the Mystic Fae Race, the Primal Beast Race, the Ancient Titan Race, the Divine Celestial Race, and the Holy Spirit Race. Each race has unfathomable foundations and a long history. Their territories span several gxies and are extremely strong, so much so that even the tiniest movement from them causes worlds to shatter. It had to be known that even though these six races founded the alliance, they weren''t the only ones there. With how many living beings there are in this vast, vast realm, it''s understandable that some would have the qualifications to join the alliance as long as they signed the agreement. There are many ''Nomadic Tribes''¡ªraces t that are not well-known to the alliance¡ªwho signed the agreement and had been working for the alliance. In exchange, they could qualify for orpete for more resources to develop their world and their race even further. Reading all of this causes waves in Cedric''s heart. The information was so much that he thinks he''s dreaming. He couldn''t even wrap his head around it. Sadly, it was real. It''s both terrifying and exciting. The information contained within this token was just a preview; Cedric knows this too. If he wanted to learn more about this, he''d need to make direct contact with the alliance. Of course, that''s under the assumption that he qualifies for it. Grasping another token, he sank his perception inside, and another wave of information crashed into his mind. He assimted everything and organized it. This one contained information about the ''opportunity'' that Big Han offered him. Unknowingly, instead of gaining the opportunity to see the real state of their sr system and a small chance of understanding the raw Concept Laws, Cedric instead gained the qualification to enter the Tower of Prodigies. The Tower of Prodigies is an entry-level trial that the Divine Council created to spread their influence and make themselves known throughout the entire Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm. It is open to everybody except for the Six Leading Races themselves; they instead send people to manage the trials or make rmendations. This [Tower of Prodigies] was rich in resources; there was a short list of what it offered based on the information contained in the token. Cedric only recognized 5% of that list, and those are cultivation techniques, treasure pills and medicines, divine equipment, arrays and formations, and so on. As for the rest, Cedric had no idea what they were; there were no descriptions he could work with. Again, just to reiterate, this is just a''short'' list of what the [Tower of Prodigies] could offer, and this isn''t the most valuable thing someone can get here. At most, these so-called''rewards'' are the unwanted trash of the six races, and this was their way of getting rid of it. The true reward that challengers are after is membership. Yes, it''s a piece of paper, but this piece of paper held more value than all of the things that the tower could offer. Getting this piece of paper means that the challenger could be a cosmic citizen, and that alone would grant them ess to unimaginable things they''ve never seen before. If they work hard enough, they could join a respectable cosmic sector and share their blessings with their people, bringing them an unprecedented golden age. However, before anybody could even daydream about this, they must first ensure that they can clear the challenges before them. Nothing is free after all. Once again, learning all of this caused turbulent waves in Cedric''s heart. How truly overwhelming! In front of the Divine Council, humanity wouldn''t even be considered ants; they''re merely a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. It''s somewhat disheartening, but it''s the bitter truth that he had to ept. Humans can''t even deal with space pirates that are plundering them, so what qualifications do they have? On the other hand, though, this was a chance for their rise. Big Han, an ancient Titan, praised them for having potential, and for someone like him to say those words, maybe there''s hope. Additionally, being exposed to the real giants of the universe made the Demon Race seem less intimidating to him. It''s funny how quickly his perspective changed because barely a month ago, he''s stillmenting about the disparity between them and how small humans truly were. Well, nothing much changed, really. Cedric just opened his eyes to the true expanse of the gxy, that''s all. The third token contains the cosmic map, which also works as a pin for his current location. It''s the first time that he has analyzed a map thisrge. Instead ofndmasses, he''s looking atrge swirls of gxies and the sectors where they operate. He wasn''t surprised to see that,pared to the grand expanse of this realm, the universe where Prime Earth was located is at the far edges of the map. It''s so unbelievably small, inauspicious, and dismal. Cedric feels so tiny¡ªso small, worthless, even¡ªit''s a bitter pill to swallow and wasn''t good for his mental state, but it''s the reality. He could wail,in,ment, and throw tantrums all day, and nothing would change. Compared to the sheer size of the realm, humans are just as valuable as specks of cosmic dust. "But...the opportunity is here," Cedric muttered to himself. His gaze and heart burned as he held the violet gold token in his hands. It felt both hot and cold to the touch. Cedric held on to it as if it were his lifeline. "I can save us...with this." Cedric forcefully calmed his mind. He''s too excited and impatient, making him prone to making mistakes. "No need to rush, Cedric," he told himself. "You have time. Settle down, reim your peace, and keep an open mind. Stay true to yourself and your goals. Stay grounded and humble." Phew! It took Cedric an hour and a half to calm down. When he felt that he''s finally ready, he sank his perception of the violet gold token and felt a strong pull taking him somewhere. Chapter 264: Tower of Prodigies: Dawnbringer -- [Greetings, Challenger! Wee to the Tower of Prodigies! ] [Would you like to register your racial identity? ] This was the very first thing that Cedric heard after the world stabilized around him. He found himself standing inside a seemingly boundless blue space filled with grids, which reminded him of those virtual reality games he yed back then. Even the voice prompt that weed him sounded like one. It really made him wonder if this was all a coincidence or on purpose. Cedric cleared his throat and asked, "What does registering my racial identity mean?" [By agreeing with this, you are allowing us to collect data about you and your race.] [This will help us provide you with more dynamic levels during the trials, which will also help you improve greatly and provide you with rewards that suit you the best.] [Rest assured, Challenger. This data is under the protection of the Divine Council Laws. [Any data you provide to us will not be shared with other parties unless we receive your explicit and written agreement.] [That said, would you like to register your racial identity, Challenger? ] Cedric took a deep breath after thinking for a bit, then replied, "Sure, what do I need to do?" [You only need to stand there and rx, Challenger.] Weng! It''s like someone took a picture of him without any warning. Cedric didn''t even see thating, and he''s on alert. [Racial identity, registered Thank you for your participation, Challenger. Please tell us what alias you want to use within the trials.] An alias...Cedric learned about this in the token he received from Big Han. Setting up an alias is a privacy measure. Sometimes, it''s inevitable that friction between challengers happens during the trials. A person''s real name holds a lot of power, and there are plenty of ways to kill someone just by knowing their real name. So, to prevent this from happening, it is decided that all Trial Challengers must use an alias instead of their true name. Cedric has already decided what alias he''s going to use, even before he arrived here. "Dawnbringer." Cedric dered, "I''ll use the alias ''Dawnbringer'' during my stay." [Alias: ''Dawnbringer'' set! Congrattions, Dawnbringer, and wee to the Tower of Prodigies. Best of luck to you.] [If you have any concerns, you can summon the system AI to help you. We also suggest that you educate yourself about the rules and regtions that will be observed while you''re in the tower.] [Everything you need to know is provided in the system interface that you may ess at your leisure.] [You will now be transported to the first floor of the tower; please stand by.] Swoosh!! Cedric watched as the world around him warped. The blue tiles all around him flipped over and revealed apletely different world. He found himself standing in a modern and fancy-looking penthouse, which surprised him greatly. The interior motif was a mixture of soft and beige colors. The floor was made of marble tiles, and the walls are painted with simr-themed colors. He saw couches, chairs, chandeliers,mps, beanbags, small tables, and other essentials that he''s extremely familiar with. Cedric even saw a system prompt floating within his vision, pointing him in the direction of his private room. "Oh, look! A new guy! Hello there!" Cedric turned his head towards the location of the voice and saw his first ''stranger''. The stranger was a tree. There''s no other way to describe them, truly. Based on the icons that are floating beside the stranger''s head, it should be a she. Her skin looked like aged tree bark, her hair was braided grass, and her eyes were like those of a hawk''s. She''s wearing a dress made of sewn flowers, which does very little to hide her suggestive and provocative figure. What gave Cedric a profound impression of her were her wings. She had two pairs of dragonfly wings that were gently fluttering behind her. Cedric noticed a line of moss above her eyes, which should be her eyebrows, lifting. He immediately caught himself and said, "I apologize for staring. I''m new here. My name''s Dawnbringer. Nice to meet you." "My, what a gentleman. I forgive you, and truthfully, I can''t me you for staring. I reacted more violently than you did during my first time, so...haha." Her voice was pitchy but pleasant to the ears. "Call me Moss Lady. Aside from us, there''s 6 more people here. They can''te out now because they''re either in seclusion or had something to take care of in their world. That said, wee to the Trial of Prodigies." "Thank you," Cedric replied. "You must have a lot of questions right now. I suggest you go into your room and learn everything you can about this ce; the system AI should help you with it. Go on." Moss Lady waved her stick-like fingers at him in dismissal. Cedric nodded before following the green trail that the system left for him to follow. It led him down the hall, and he pointed at the third door on the left. The moment he entered his room, he was met with another surprise. Swoosh!!! "What the hell!?" Cedric was expecting to see an ordinary-looking bedroom. It''s only normal since the reception area of the 1st floor of the tower looked incredibly familiar to him, so he was expecting a bed, maybe arge window, some other furniture, and so on, in this room, but no, that''s what he saw. Instead, he arrived at a massive, open world covered with a thick nket of grass. The crisp and fresh breeze of the wind caressed his entire body. The sky above him was clear and blue, adorned with various shapes and sizes of clouds. Cedric could see a house from a distance, one that looked humble and strangely familiar to him. It''s fenced and has a smallke on the back. "What''s going on?" Cedric muttered to himself as he made his way towards the house. [This is your private room, Dawnbringer.] The system AI responded. [It''s a minor dimension where you can stay to hone your skills or seclude yourself.] [You can go all out here and not worry about destroying things because this realm can repair itself faster than you can destroy it.] "I see." Cedric hummed in understanding. He paused in his steps and immersed himself in the atmosphere. He could feel his body thrumming in joy for some reason. The sigil, which represents the aspect of the sun in particr, was vibrating in glee within his soul, greedily absorbing the sunlight. This caused Cedric''s eyes to snap wide open. He looked incredulously at the sky above, his mouth gaping slightly. With a shuddering breath, he calmed himself down and thought, "Of course, the absence of the real sun was a unique thing in my world. A ce like this would obviously notck something like this. They might even have it in spades." Cedric felt emotional for a brief moment. This just reminded him of the disparity between their civilizations, but he forcefully tapered this emotion down. He''s not here to wallow in despair and cry about the unfairness. He''s here to prove something. Upon arriving at the residence and looking at it closely, it reminded him of a vacation house, one that could be seen on the resorts of high-end hotels. The whole ce made him feelfortable, even more so when he felt the density of foreign energies here and the obviousck of corruption. "Thatke is absurd." Cedric took a deep breath as he sensed the sheer density of energy in thatke. Simply put, if he were to liquidize all the energies present in his world, it would only amount to a bucket of water in thiske; even then, its quality could never hope to match it. [This is a C-Grade Spiritual Lake. You may use it in any way you please, Challenger.] These words caused Cedric''s eyes to sh strangely. He then asked, "Can I take some of it back to my world?" [So long as you don''t damage the Origin Formation beneath thiske, you can have as much as you want, challenger.] "Oh...oh wow..." Cedric was speechless. That alone made this trip worthwhile. If he could bring back as much spiritual water as he could to his world, he could only imagine how much benefit it could give to his people. Yet as much as he was tempted to do that, he had to calm down. He had other things to take care of. He had to remind himself that this was just a bonus and that he had to keep an open mind. He couldn''t be blinded by momentary wealth and miss the real prize. He has to stay true to his goal. He tore his gaze away from theke and entered the bedroom. He was greeted with a more familiar sight in here. He didn''t think too much of it. Instead, heid on his bed and stated: "System, give me a crash course of all the things I need to know about this tower and the trials." [As you wish, Challenger...] Chapter 265: Challenger Profile -- "Okay, I think I understand enough now," Cedric muttered to himself. The system AI already gave him a crash course about everything he needed to know here since the tokens that Big Han gave him only provided an introduction. First and foremost, time works differently here. It doesn''t matter how long he stayed here; a day, weeks, months, years, decades, or even centuries will pass in his world. That said, his stay here isn''t permanent. There are stiptions on how much time he has, and the system informed him that it depends on a few criteria. His true body was still in his world; only his soul was here, but it had been given a physical form due to some form of divine ability. Most importantly, all of his gains here will be reflected in his true body. Meaning that whatever level of strength he gained here will return with him once he leaves. This also applies to all skills, techniques, knowledge, and so on, unless there is a special condition that prevents him from having them. As for the knowledge about the trials... Those who qualified for the Tower of Prodigies are called ''Challengers''. The tower is open to everybody except the Six Leading Races of the Divine Council. The ce he arrived at after registering his identity was called ''The Lobby''; it''s the reception area that looked a lot like the penthouses avable at his home. ording to what he learned, the fact that it seemed so familiar to him was just a coincidence. He shouldn''t put too much thought into it. Since there are a lot of living things of all shapes and sizes, it''s obvious that the number of prodigies wouldn''t be small. There are multiple lobbies avable, and each one only has room for 10 challengers. The challengers are free to socialize to build their socialwork or even establishpetition amongst themselves. The caveat is that they can''t kill each other. Each lobbie is considered a non-agression zone, and those who vite this rule will not only be eliminated but will also receive harsh punishment directly from the Divine Council. A minor offense will result in immediate death, while a major offense means the envement of that challenger and their entire race for at least 10,000 years. It was harsh, cruel, and immoral, but out here, the one with the bigger fist has more authority. Viting the rules established by the Divine Council was worse than courting death. There are three trials that challengers must face here: the trials of body, mind, and spirit. Each trial has a maximum of 10 stages and has varying levels of difficulty set at Easy, Medium, Hard, and Dynamic. The first three difficulty settings are only an option for those who refuse to register their racial identity. Since Cedric registered his, the trial difficulty was automatically set to Dynamic Difficulty for him, and there''s no changing this. Whether this was the right decision or not, only time will tell. The system might be generous enough to answer most of his questions, but it wouldn''t tell him everything. Only those that he needs to know as a challenger. These were generally the things he needed to know for now. His real goal was to see how far he could go. Aside from this, Cedric also inquired about general knowledge about the council and such. He''s mostly curious about how this society works and so on. Since his world was suppressed by space pirates (the Demon Race), his perspective was way different from the norm. ording to what he learned, the normal life of a person whose world was under the jurisdiction of the Divine Council was centered around life evolution, which is done by breaking their inborn mortal shackles and chasing after transcendence. The power scale that the Divine Council established was way different than what he knows, which is normal since it hasn''t even been a week since he learned about their existence. They use the Heavenly Bodies as the strength scale, staring at the ary level] that mortals are at. Each level is divided into the ''Warrior Realm'', which is roughly equivalent to humanity''s Superhuman Realm. After thates the ''Grandmaster Realm'', then the ''Sage Realm'', which respectively corresponds to the nar Traveler and Star Traveler Realms. On Prime Earth, Star Traveler was the pinnacle. Out here? That barely qualifies as ''strong''. It''s nowhere near the peak. Sage Realm experts are antspared to the real experts of the alliance. After theary leveles the grand sr level. Again, this level is divided into Warrior, Grandmaster, and Sage stages with 1¨C5 star sub-levels. Next is the cosmic level; this was the limit of knowledge that Cedric had ess to, though. The system hinted that things are different once one reaches the cosmic-level lifeform, but right now, this matter is too far from him, so even if he knows it, it''s useless. He''s better off focusing on the trials instead. Still, this broadened Cedric''s horizons even further. It''s truly astonishing andmentable just how huge the gap was between civilizations. "System, show me my profile." [As you wish...] ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 23 Race: Human LE: 1-starary Grandmaster Lifeform Potential: A+ Achievements: None. Points: 0 ** Cedric smiled wryly. His Challenger Profile was essentially a nk te, which was understandable since he just came here. The ''LE'' stands for Liform Evolution, and based on the details on his profile, his strength was measured to be at the 1-starary Grandmaster Realm. Cedric knew that he couldn''t hide anything from the tower''s scanner. He also didn''t doubt its uracy. The standards of strength within the Divine Council''s territory were, of course, way different from those on Prime Earth. They have nock of resources and freedom; of course, their people are born with higher potential than humans. The ''Potential'' section on his Challenger Profile is simrly measured using letter grades; from lowest to highest, they are: D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, and EX. An ''A grade'' potential is the minimum level required to qualify for the Tower of Prodigies. Cedric was humbled by this. Ac dered that his potential was EX, but here, it''s merely an A+ grade, and this was with hisplete fusion with the godking''s eyes too. He''s only ''qualified'' enough for this. He''s neither a genius nor the Son of Heaven. He''s just a slightly lucky dude, like he''s always been. What a truly humbling experience! The ''Achievement'' section represents the things he has done so far in the trials. Considering that he has yet to do anything, it''s obvious that there would be nothing there. As for the points, it''s the only currency that''s epted here. Challengers gain points by performing well on the trials. The number of points they receive isn''t static. The only hint he got from the system is that it''s based on his performance. Challengers could use points to exchange for resources or trade with other challengers. Cedric had already skimmed through the very long list of resources he could buy using points. To say that there''s a lot would be an understatement. He could refine his search by using filters; he could even directly tell the system about his requirements and refine it even more. It''s too much for him right now, not to mention that he doesn''t even have a single point to his name, so he didn''t look any further. Since he already learned everything he needed to know for now, he should really start preparing for trials. With that in mind, Cedric went out of the house and flew away. He picked a spot that''s far enough from the house to train. He summoned his sword, the Sris Edge, which responded to his call, and also his armor. Cedric closed his eyes to adjust his mental state before unleashing everything. The system told him that this ce can recover very fast, which means he didn''t need to hold back at all, so he didn''t, and it felt amazing. On Prime Earth, Cedric felt restricted. He moves while constantly looking over his shoulders. He had to be on constant guard since he could afford to expose himself early on, or else his con would be discovered and all of his preparations would be useless. He had to keep a low profile and never unleash all of his strength to keep himself safe. Here, there was absolutely no need for that. He didn''t need to pretend, he didn''t need to scheme, and most importantly, he didn''t need to hold back. This world can take it. It can take him without any consequences, and it feels good to just unleash himselfpletely. As Cedric waved his sword, apanied by billowing mes of gold and lights with the faint luster of the stars and the twists and turns of space, every single cell on his body thrummed in excitement and glee. He couldn''t help but think: "So this is what freedom is like..." Chapter 266: Trial of Mind: Ancient Stone -- No one was in the reception area when Cedric came out. The ce still looked the same as when he saw it for the first time. Apart from the hall that led to the personal rooms of challengers, the only other doors led to the trials themselves. There''s even a te on top of the doors that dictates which one leads to what. The system AI tipped him that out of the three, he should go to the Trial of Mind first. The AI didn''t provide any additional details after that; it just casually mentioned this. Cedric thought that he didn''t have anything to lose, so he decided to follow its suggestions. He walked to the middle door, which led to the Trial of Mind. Swoosh! As soon as he touched the doorknob, Cedric found himself standing in apletely different world. It happened so quickly that he didn''t even sense it happening. Cedric released a defeated sigh. He turned around and inspected the ce he''s at. He found himself standing inside a wooden dojo. In the middle of this room, he saw a boulder that looked incredibly ancient, and his entire being screamed at him to get up close and personal. Cedric tapered down his instincts forcefully. This took a lot of effort because the pull of this thing was stronger than anything he had ever felt before. As he grappled for control over his instincts, a system window appeared before him, stating: ** [Trial of Mind; 1st Stage] [Stiption #1: Sit and meditate in front of the Ancient Stone. You may only look at it. Making any form of physical contact with it will result in failure.] [Stiption #2: The Ancient Stone contains millions of skills, techniques, arts, etc. At the first stage, you will only be exposed to 10 of them. The more you focus onprehending and resisting the allure of the stone, the more insights you will receive.] [Stiption #3: Under the Dynamic Difficulty, you are given 3 chances. Giving in to temptation means losing one chance. Use all three, and the Trial of Mind will permanently be closed to you. Please be aware of this. [Requirements for Clearance: Comprehend 10 skills from the Ancient Stone and raise 5 of these skills to Intermediate Mastery.] [Time Limit: 10 years.] [Tip: If you feel like you need time to digest your gains or if the temptation is bing too strong for your liking, simply think about leaving this ce, and you''ll be sent out. You don''t need to stay inside andprehend and raise the mastery of everything in one go.] ** Cedric pursed his lips as he analyzed the rules of this trial. It certainly feels challenging. Cedric has never felt anything like this before. On Prime Earth, his willpower was almost unparalleled, and his mind was fortified due to his experience. He initially thought that nothing could shake him, but he was so wrong. This ce continuously humbled him, and the stone in front of him was no different. Cedric took a deep breath. He felt a bit confused about the time limit because of the time difference, but he wasn''t on the right track to pay any attention to that right now, so he could only recklessly bite the bullet and start the test. He sat in front of the ancient stone in a meditative pose with his eyes closed at first. He could feel his instincts screeching at him, and it''s starting to get unbearable. Despite that, he persevered and restored some semnce of control. He didn''t want his first attempt to end in a miserable failure. Once he felt that he was ready, Cedric opened his eyes and stared at the ancient stone. His expression turned wretched instantly because the pull just increased by several levels as soon as he did that. Cedric clenched his jaws and his fist. He regted his breath and kept his eyes focused on the stone. In the middle of his fight against his instincts, he caught sight of something. It was faint at first, but it contained so much charm that his mind instantly and subconsciously became drawn to it. The longer he stared, the clearer it became. It didn''t take long before he waspletely enamored by it, and all of his thought chambers concentrated on watching the sight unfold. With zed eyes, Cedric saw an image of the rising sun over the horizon. He felt inexplicably connected to it. He felt his heart thump in excitement as he watched the sun rise from the horizon. He felt its first rays illuminating his body and its warmth coursing through his blood. The resonance was so strong that Cedric became devoted to it. Suddenly, this rising sun was all he could see and feel. The strange allure of the Ancient Stone had beenpletely forgotten at this point. Unexpectedly, the rising sun flew above and beyond the skies. The scene switched to outer space, where he saw that sun shining in its entire glory. His gaze spotted something strange, though... Somebody was inside the sun. It''s a little difficult to see, but Cedric couldn''t be mistaken. There''s a person sitting the same way as he currently does. As he focused on this person, an explosive change suddenly urred. His vision warped, and all of a sudden, all he could see was the entity he saw sitting at the center of that sun. It''s as if this entity were sitting directly in front of him. His body was formed by celestial bodies, and their facial features were a little difficult to make out. The only thing that''s clear to Cedric is the state of the entity''s body. And upon looking at it closely, he felt that it was strangely familiar. He saw a majestic, swirling cosmos with a golden neb at the core of this entity. Cedric also saw a trail of milky white passages that formed a unique and intricatework of pathways that led to every corner of the entity''s body. Cedric saw a golden core that looked a lot like the sun on the entity''s feet, hands, at the base of the entity''s neck, their vicle, forehead, and at the base of their spine, and thest one was at the entity''s core. "Nine Suns..." Cedric subconsciously muttered in his daze. The resonance was dialed up to 11 all of a sudden. Suddenly, Cedric''s entire body shook, and a strange phenomenon appeared around him. Nine illusory suns appeared around him, apanied by the charm of Concept Laws, blistering heat, and unparalleled brilliance. The Nine Suns revolved around him for quite some time; eachpleted revolution brought them closer and closer to manifestation. At the peak of their manifestation in the physical realm, the Nine Suns paused and suddenly flew straight into several areas, drilling into Cedric''s body and embedding themselves into his being. Cedric''s body shook physically as he immediately fell into a trance. Suddenly, his blood felt like rolling magma. His body was steaming, seemingly being cooked alive. His skin blistered and charred, peelingyers afteryers. A huge funnel of Cosmic Energy swirled around him, and Cedric greedily devoured it like a whale inhaling air. Cedric quite literally molted nine times before it stopped. All of this happened without his being conscious of it. In his daze, Cedric saw himself bing that entity all of a sudden. He felt an overwhelming sensation of omnipotence and omnipresence. He felt like he was a god. He had never felt this kind of high before, and it felt scary. He didn''t bask in this feeling for long. He eventually came down from his trance and discovered the changes that had happened within him. Delving into his consciousness, he discovered that the ¡ºAspect of the Sun" had disappeared. It was instead reced with a bubble, which contained an archaic book titled: ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡» This thing was simr to the White Lotus Technique, but instead of focusing on the umtion of energy and prolonging one''s lifespan, the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡» focuses on forming a physique that can handle the power of the Nine Extreme Suns. "It''s a cultivation technique..." Cedric muttered to himself. Sinking his perception into his body, he saw the faint apertures where the Nine Suns were located; the first one was at his core; there''s one on each palm and foot, one at the base of his spine and nape, one at his vicle, and one on his forehead. These apertures are hollowed for now; in fact, aside from the one on his core, the rest were locked. He needs to umte energy or consume Heavenly Resources to fill and/or unlock the rest of the apertures, turning them all into Extreme Sun apertures. Once all of the apertures are unlocked and filled, it will signify the perfection of the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡». Cedric sharply inhaled as he basked in the sheer density of untapped power coursing through him. Even with a single aperture opened (not even filled), he was already leagues above his previous self. "...and this is just one of the 10 things I can receive from this ancient stone," Cedric mused to himself. "Such is the foundation of a grand civilization, I suppose." He opened his eyes and reluctantly stared at the Ancient Stone before releasing a breath and leaving the trial space, deciding to consolidate his recent transformation in thefort of his room. Chapter 267: Groupchat -- [41st Lobby Groupchat] [Moss Lady]: The newbie seeded on his first try. Impressive. [Howler]: Oh, oh!? Really? Which trial, though? [Moss Lady]: Trial of Mind [Howler]: Oh, damn! That''s neat [Eunuch Wei]: It seems that our lobby''s going to be more lively this time. [Howler]: Eunuch Wei! It''s been a while! How are you doing? How''s the wife? How''s your kids? [Eunuch Wei]: Fuck off, brat. [Howler]: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! [Hawkeye]: Chat''s active again, yay! [Moss Lady]: Hawky girl! I missed you. It''s been a while since I''ve seen you. When are you returning to the trials? [Hawkeye]: Mossy, hey! Sorry, I haven''t been active; my world''s too hectic, and I have a lot to do. If things go ording to n, I should return within a year. Wait for me! xoxo [Backpack Fatty]: Hey, people. [Morning Wood]: ''Sup! [Howler]: Lovebirds! Are you engaged now? [Backpack Fatty]: Not yet. Brother Wood is ying hard to get. I need to stroke him hard, it seems. [Morning Wood]: Die, you two. [Backpack Fatty]: KYAHAHAHAHAHA [Howler]: BWAHAHAHAHAHA [Hermit]: Noisy [Hawkeye]: Grandpa Hermit! Hello! Hello! [Hermit]: Settle down, little girl. I can feel your energy all the way here. [Eunuch Wei]: If the newbie ever manages to join this room, I think he''s going to have a massive culture shock with how chaotic we are. [Morning Wood]: He? [Howler]: Yo, Brother Wood, cool it. Have mercy on the newbie! [Backpack Fatty]: It seems that I havepetition. [Morning Wood]: Die a thousand times, you two! [Hawkeye]: Aww, I was hoping that the newbie would be a girl! There are too many boys here; it''s unfair! [Moss Lady]: He''s not that bad, girl. He was handsome and a gentleman. Mama approves! [Hawkeye]: Really? ?? [Moss Lady]: Image.jpg [Hawkeye]: HAJSKRMRODHAH [Howler]: He''s hairless! [Backpack Fatty]: Damn! So handsome! What is he? [Morning Wood]: ?? [Morning Wood]: Wait, no! No! It''s supposed to be this ?? [Eunuch Wei]: Whatever helps you sleep at night, Woody. [Moss Lady]: Hawky, girl? Are you there still? Don''t tell me you fainted. [Hawkeye]: ASKDNFBDJSMKH [Howler]: Damn, she''s malfunctioning. [Hawkeye]: Okay, I''m good. I think [Hawkeye]: I was eating when you sent that, and I legit almost died. My food is all over the room now, eww. [Hawkeye]: How old is he, by the way? [Moss Lady]: I knew you were going to ask ???? [Moss Lady]: Technically, he''s too young for you. He''s only 20¨C25 years old, from what I sensed. [Moss Lady]: But I think that he''s from a race that has short lifespans, so traditionally, he''s old enough to marry. Though I did sense that he''s already devoted to two people,. [Hawkeye]: a [Backpack Fatty]: Too bad, huh? Brother Wood? [Morning Wood]: Shut up, fatboy. [Howler]: Well, at least he''s not like Eunuch Wei. [Eunuch Wei]: I will strangle you, furboy. [Howler]: ?? yes, please ???? [Eunuch Wei]: I-... [Hermit]: You all are getting too excited. We don''t even know if the boy will actually make it far enough to join us. [Howler]: There goes Grandpa Pessimism again... [Hermit]: Shut it, kid. I''m not pessimistic, just realistic. [Hermit]: It''s fairly easy to qualify for the tower. Gaining achievements, on the other hand, is way harder. You brats, of all people, should know that. [Moss Lady]: Hmm, you''re not wrong, but... I believe the newbie has promise. [Hermit]: What did you see? [Moss Lady]: a young boy forced to carry the entire weight of his race. A child that hase too far to fail. [Hermit]: ... [Howler]: Damn [Eunuch Wei]: That''s... [Backpack Fatty]: Now that... that changes things. [Morning Wood]:... [Hawkeye]: crying [Hermit]: Good luck to him, then... ** Cedric was unaware that his fellow challengers were talking about him. His focus waspletely on his recent gains. ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 23 Race: Human LE: 1-starary Grandmaster Lifeform Potential: A+ Achievements: Trial of Mind (1st Stage: 5%) Points: 0 ** Despite feeling way stronger than his previous self, his Life Evolution rating still remained at 1-starary Grandmaster Realm. He had no idea why this was the case, but there''s no way that he''d be mistaken about his own strength. He didn''t mind this too much; what''s more important to him was to consolidate his new strength and memorize the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡» as intimately as he could. Since it''s a cultivation technique, it would certainly take time for him to master it. He didn''t feel confident about doing it within the 10-year deadline since it''s too profound. Speaking of deadlines, he gets it now. The 10-year deadline to clear the 1st Stage of the Trial of Mind ticks while he''s within the tower and freezes if he leaves. Yes, he can leave in between, but he''s also on a time limit since he couldn''t stay indefinitely in the Tower of Prodigies. ording to what the system AI told him, his qualifications for the tower expire once he reaches 100 years old outside. To summarize, Cedric has two timeframes that he has to observe: time inside the Tower of Prodigies and time in the real world. So long as he''s yet to reach the age of 100, there''s hope of him advancing further and further into the trials to gain more achievements and be stronger. Truth be told, just having the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡» was already a massive gain for him. This cultivation technique could take him to the [Grand Sr] realm of life evolution, which should be more than enough to free his world and protect it. And since he''s allowed to take back as much spiritual water as he can, Cedric could totally elevate humanity and Prime Earth into an unprecedented age and bring them glory like no other. As time passes, geniuses will eventually be born, and one of them might qualify for the Tower of Prodigies and go further than he could if he couldn''t make it far at all. But with all that he had seen so far, especially the things that''s within his reach, how could Cedric not yearn for them? With his expanded horizons, how could he sit still? He could do so much more with the resources avable here. A bright future was ahead of him, so how could he stop here? Swoosh! Golden mes billowed around him with intensity. The heat and brilliance it contained were certainly greater than what he could manage before gaining his new cultivation technique. Cedric had already consolidated his new strength, but he didn''t end his training there. It''s such a strange sight because Cedric was soaking in the C-grade Spiritual Lake right now. The waters of theke did nothing to douse the mes he''s emitting; if anything, theke was not affected at all. His body was greedily devouring the spiritual waters of theke. The 1st Extreme Sun Aperture on his core madly devoured the energy it contained in the waters, making the golden neb look more solid than before. This aperture is the one and only one that Cedric has opened currently. It has been two weeks since he got the codex, and the 1st Extreme Sun has yet to show any real visible change. He discovered that after exhausting himself to his limits, the absorption of the aperture increases significantly, which in turn makes his progress slightly faster. However, it''s still not fast enough for Cedric''s liking. Cedric opened his eyes after hisst session and released a sigh. "I guess I should first see what the rest of the skills I''ll get from the Ancient Stone are before I decide which one to take to Intermediate Mastery," he muttered. "That said, given how this trial was meant for prodigies, I should expect a real challenge." Cedric then looked up and stared at the bright skies above him. No matter how much he looked at it, he felt as if he couldn''t get enough of it. This is what a real sky should look like: clear and blue, vast and filled with white clouds. Being the Sun Sage, Cedric had no trouble staring directly at the sun. He knows that the one in here was a fake one, but it felt more real than what the House of Light made for human civilization. It''s even way better than the improved version Cedric recently created. "Soon," Cedric muttered to himself, "I''ll restore Prime Earth to how it should''ve been without those space pirates." "I will return the true sky to my people. I will let them see the real sun, moon, and stars. I''ll break open the sky, shatter the ns of the Demon Race, and eradicate thempletely." "I will return freedom to us." "...and if I''m lucky, I''ll register humans as new members of the alliance, hopefully with me as its chairman." Cedric submerged his body deeper into theke as he closed his eyes, immersing himself in his hopeful dreams. "I don''t aim for much. I just want to borrow the prestige of the council to give us, humans, a chance to prosper." "As for me, I''ll see how far I can go. Wherever my fate and destiny take me, I''ll be fine with it. I just hope that my future family is fine with that too." Chapter 268: More Skills! -- It''s been a month since Cedric arrived at the Tower of Prodigies and began his trials. He had seen incredible improvement since then. First, his progress with the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡» increased steadily. The first Extreme Sun Aperture he had opened was almost fully condensed by now. It''s still going to take some time before it''spleted, and he understands that. This urged him to return to the Trial of Mind, arriving at the Ancient Stone once more toprehend another skill. During this time, he felt that the allure and temptation of the stone increased significantly. If it weren''t for his recent increase in strength, he would''ve caved in. Fortunately, he didn''t, which allowed him to learn his second skill from the Ancient Stone. The skill heprehended was called: [Myriad Sword Catalogue], which delighted him greatly because it''s sword Sword Art. The Myriad Sword Catalogue is divided into two chapters: the Sword Master Chapter and the Sword Immortal Chapter. Each chapter contained all the details necessary to train and master the sword. It even contained details about the further stages of Sword Mastery that Cedric had never encountered before. The Sword Master Chapter is all about wielding the sword, while the Sword Immortal Chapter is about controlling swords. Each had their own charm and did not sh with each other. This was just the thing that Cedric wascking. He''s vaguely aware that this might be a general technique for the swordsmen of the Divine Council, but he doesn''t care. The fact that he got this for free was already a lot for him. Hisprehension didn''t end here. After memorizing the contents of the Myriad Sword Catalogue, he received another skill from the Ancient Stone that''s called [Runic Heaven Records]. Yes, this one was about inscriptions, runes, symbols, arrays, and formations. Again, Cedric guessed that this might just be the basics of the Path of Symbols, but he didn''t care. It''s exactly the fundamentals that he''scking, so he''s grateful for this. And to his overwhelming surprise, heprehended a fourth skill right after this, which is called the [Heaven Shrinking Steps]. It''s a movement technique, something that Cedric never bothered to learn before. The concept of movement skills isn''t new to Cedric; there are a lot of them on Prime Earth; he even had the fortune of witnessing some in person. The reason he never bothered with it is because he was already absurdly fast. Even as a mere superhuman, he could already move at the speed of light. As he got stronger, he became even faster. Despite not learning any movement skills, Cedric never neglected his speed because it''s one of his trump cards. This [Heaven Shrinking Steps], however, is something that he had to learn. Like the rest so far, Cedric assumed that this was a fundamental skill of the Divine Council. Because of how vast their civilization is, which literally spans hundreds of gxies, not learning this technique would be a sin. He would be left behind, literally, if he didn''t learn this skill. And it just so happened that the [Heaven Shrinking Steps] contained insights about Spatial Maniption, something that, again, Cedric desperatelycked, so how can he not learn it? Cedric was no longer as surprised when he learned his fifth skill right away. Well, it can''t be considered a skill, really. It''s more like homework than anything else. It''s called the [Five Elements Concept Diagram]. And the contents of this thing subverted Cedric''s worldview. See, a concept diagram is, in truth, simr to an aspect sigil (which Cedric thought was wild because what a coincidence, right?) And it kind of works the same; they contain knowledge from masters who made it as a form of inheritance for their juniors or descendants. It''s just that the concept diagrams were more focused on conceptws. And to Cedric''s absolute shock, it turns out that conceptws are divided into levels too! Grand Sr Evolversprehend Grand Laws, and Cosmic Level Evolversprehend Cosmic Laws. The gap between each level was immense. Reaching the perfected stage ofary firew only scratches the surface of the real immensity of grand firews. Simrly, the perfection of the grand firew was just the surface of the cosmic firew. This was insane. It once again reminded Cedric of just how irrelevant he waspared to the grand scheme of things. The [Five Elements Concept Diagram] contains knowledge about thews of fire, water, earth, metal, and wood, which are considered the building blocks of the world. It is said that before one reaches the Grand Sr Realm, one must attain mastery over the five fundamentalws, or else they''ll face a bottleneckter on. It could be postponed, but that contains risks. Having this concept diagram was akin to having headache-inducing homework because if he wanted to reach beginner mastery over the [Five Elements Concept Diagram], he had toprehend the beginner level for all five elements. The same goes if he wants to raise it to intermediate mastery. Unfortunately, hisprehension ended here for now. In total, he had learned half of the skills he needed to pass the first stage of the trial of mind. Cedric has the ¡ºNine Suns Empyrean Codex¡», the Myriad Sword Catalogue, the Runic Heaven Records, the Heaven Shrinking Steps, and the Five Elements Concept Diagram. Since the Ancient Stone no longer provided him with new skills to learn and analyze and was just tempting him to touch it, Cedric left the trial space and returned to his room. He hasn''t seen any of his fellow challengers, but he didn''t mind. He didn''t have much time or intent on socializing for now anyway. After arriving at his personal space, Cedric arranged a schedule for himself with the help of the system. Cultivating the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex was a given, of course. Other than that, he nned on dividing his time wisely into studying the new skills he learned. He will practice the Myriad Sword Catalogue and the Heavenly Shrinking Steps until he drops fromplete exhaustion. Then, as he''s resting, he willprehend the Five Elements Concept Diagram and the Runic Heaven Records. Cedric has enough thought chambers to handle the constant wave of insights he will receive. Moreover, unlike Prime Earth, the Concept Laws in his ''room'' are more stable and abundant. He knows that he can''tpare himself to the real prodigies of the Divine Council, but the fact that he qualified for the trials should mean that he''s not that bad. Moreover, Cedric has never been afraid of challenges, so how does anybody expect him to cave in and give up? A me burned fiercely within Cedric''s chest. It''s his determination to achieve his goals and to prove something. This was something that he never felt towards his peers back on Prime Earth. [Hello, Dawnbringer.] The system''s voice sounded in his ears, surprising him briefly. [We detected that youprehended the Myriad Sword Catalogue and the Runic Heaven Records.] [We will be providing you with training materials to assist with your practice.] Swoosh! A portal appeared near Cedric, and he spat out the training materials he needed. He saw a rustic sword case, a runic quill, a stack of papers, and several jars of ink. He took the rustic sword case first and asked the system to appraise it. [Trainee''s Sword Case] : Training equipment that summons an infinite number of training swords. Hint:Refine it using your blood to gain ownership of this item. Cedric''s eyes widened upon reading this. He unhesitatingly nicked his finger and smeared his blood on the runic carvings of the sword case. It lit up briefly, and Cedric felt an intrinsic connection with it. If he wanted to, he could store this in his soul for safekeeping and bring it out whenever he wanted to. He then tried summoning a training sword, and it truly appeared. He held the training sword and couldn''t help but smile wryly. "Ah, of course. The ''training sword'' of this civilization would be considered a legendary sword in my world. How fucking absurd." The quality of the training sword in his hand was definitely higher than his own sword, the Sris Edge. The only advantage Sris Edge has over this training sword is the sealed energy that Cedric has been feeding it since he got it. That said, if he were to unleash all of those energies at once, it would only barely manage to destroy this training sword. Which is so fucking absurd, it makes Cedric feel like crying. The fact that this sword case could produce an unlimited number of training swords like this makes him feel weak in the knees. The runic quill was no different. As for the stack of papers and jars of ink, he could also tell that they''re of the standard quality of the alliance. Cedric felt like he''s going to have an annuerysm if he continues makingparisons, so he didn''t dare to think about it anymore. "Just ept everything, Cedric." He muttered to himself, "Don''t drown in these riches and focus on your training." Chapter 269: Howler and Backpack Fatty -- Swish, Swish, Swish Cedric stood on the in with swords surrounding him in an ornate manner; his hands were sped behind his back. Evidently, he''s controlling the swords using only his thoughts. Even though the sword case he got from the system could potentially produce an infinite number of training swords, 10 was the limit of what Cedric could take out at once. Using the sword case does consume energy, and controlling these many swords puts a mental burden on him. Cedric stood still, and so did the swords. When he opened his eyes, the swords suddenly turned into streaks of light that flew away from him, carrying a terrifying, piercing power with them. Sending out a thought, the swords practically teleported back near his body and encircled him with their tips facing out. They then spun, seemingly turning into a circle saw. With another thought from Cedric, they stopped again. One sword broke away from the formation andnded on his hand. Cedric went into a stance and began performing the fundamentals of the Sword Master Chapter of the Myriad Sword Catalogue. With each breath he released, it was apanied by a sharp and piercing gleam of the sword. His body and the sword he''s holding thrummed in joy with each move he made. Slowly but surely, the sharpness of his aura climbed steadily as he practiced his stances. In conjunction with performing his stances, Cedric was also practicing the fundamentals of the Sword Immortal Chapter of the Myriad Sword Catalogue. The Sword Immortal Chapter was all about controlling flying swords, much like the nine training swords hovering around him since he started his training. Even though he could only control 10 swords for now, he could perform numerous sword formations using them, and this would just increase as he gradually increased the number of swords he could control. His current level of skills disyed the Beginner stage ofprehending the Myriad Sword Catalogue. Technically, he could''ve just chosen either the Sword Master Chapter or the Sword Immortal Chapter to specialize in, but Cedric decided to train in both. He''s not being muddle-headed by doing this. And if his assumptions were correct, he''s neither the first nor thest person to have done this. The Myriad Sword Catalogue is the fundamental sword skill within the alliance; it''s not surprising for anybody that someone would want to master it to its fullest, and Cedric was no different. Cedric''s current level of strength was enough to reach the Intermediate Stage of the Myriad Sword Catalogue. He just needed more time to practice it. Once Cedric had enough of his warm-up, he decided to take his practice up a notch. He mobilized his energies, which had been converted into Bright Yang Energy due to the influence of the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex. The re of his energy resonated with the swords, causing bright golden mes to cover each sword. As Cedric focused, the mes condensed, and their heat rose at an rming rate. Now, aside from the terrifying sharpness of the training swords, they also carry the annihting heat of Sunfire. This essentially doubled their lethality. The sword on Cedric''s hand showed a stronger reaction to his energy because it''s in direct contact with him. Nevertheless, be it this one or the flying swords, both just made Cedric extremely dangerous. Cedric carried on with his training with this. In addition, he''s also performing the Heavenly Shrinking Steps, which also reached the beginner stage. His figure blitzed from one location to the next. Some would even say that he''s teleporting, and that''s not technically wrong. After all, the Heavenly Shrinking Steps are essentially a discipline of spatial maniption. Cedric''s mind was in overdrive with how much he''s doing. Fortunately, the workload was divided equally among his thousands of thought chambers. He had been gaining more and more insights as he practiced, and anybody who''s watching him could tell that he''s improving at an rming rate. Due to how intense his might was, it was inevitable that he would leave a trail of destruction wherever he went. Fortunately, his personal space could repair itself faster than he could do damage to it. But even then, Cedric ensured that he''d control the amount of destruction he caused. Yes, he had no reason to hold back like this here since this ce can take it, but what about Prime Earth? Prime Earth has already been severely weakened by democratic corruption. Cedric didn''t want to identally destroy his world all because he couldn''t control his strength; if that happened, then all of his efforts would''ve been for naught. He knows that he will inevitably cause damage to the world when he fights; he just has to make sure that it''s properly controlled and that he''s good. Cedric kept this punishing and draining pace for 8 hours straight. When he heard the rm going off, he stopped and fell face-first to the ground with a loud thud. He even somewhat tasted the soil. He panted heavily. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his limbs were trembling due to overexertion. Wisps of steam wafted from his body; his organs were working overtime to alleviate the stress and the punishment he sanctioned for himself. About five minutester, his trembling stopped. Cedric grunted and pushed himself off the ground. And with great difficulty, he stood up and limped towards the Spiritual Lake. Uncaring about his dignity, he threw himself into theke, not even bothering to take his clothes off. He allowed himself to float on the surface of theke and his body to greedily absorb the abundant energies within. The 1st Extreme Sun Aperture within him sucked up all the energies of theke to replenish itself. This happened without Cedric''s conscious urging. As his body recovered from fatigue, his mind remained active. He left some of his thought chambers to digest his recent gains in offensive skills while the rest focused on a new task. Now, he''sprehending the Five Elements Concept Diagram and the Runic Heaven Records at the same time. Interestingly enough, the Five Elements Concept Diagram was quite easy to analyze. It might be because he had a simr experience due to the Aspect Sigils, or he''s just really perceptive. Either way, this was good for him. Of course, he would need to test out hisprehension eventually, but right now, silently pondering it would suffice. Once Cedric felt rested enough, he got out of theke, dried himself, and took the materials provided to him to practice drawing runes. Cedric decided to make the talismans that he saw in the Runic Heaven Records. He figured that it''s a good practice tool to gauge his level. It''s a bit challenging because, even though he''s capable of movement, he''s still exhausted. He would continue to recover from his talisman-making practice, though, so he did it anyway. All while he continues to analyze the Five Elements Concept Diagram in the background. This was how Cedric divided his daily schedule. And his progress was nothing to scoff at. "I think that my progress would be faster if I could test my progress against someone." Cedric sighed and decided that he shouldn''t think too much about this for now. ** "Oh, so this is the new guy! He really is hairless!" Cedric swallowed whatever he wanted to say in reply to that. Instead, he looked at the speaker just now and was surprised by what he saw. "Greetings!" The challenger said, thumping his chest and emitting a low growl, which should be their way of greeting someone. Cedric could tell because of the emoji that floated beside his speaker''s head when he did that. "I''m Howler, member of the Werewolf n." Howler is a bipedal wolf with a human-like torso. He''s about 8 feet tall and has lush gray fur. There is a long scar on his left eye and a w scar on his chest. He''s wearing a bone-teeth ne and a pair of pants. "Sorry for staring." Cedric averted his eyes and bowed slightly. "Hello, I''m Dawnbringer, a human." "A human, eh?" Howler looked interested. "I haven''t heard of your kind before, and how surprising that you can speak mynguage." "I..." Cedric blinked; he then looked shocked and mildly terrified. "I guess I do. Damn, it happened again." Cedric really had no idea how this was happening subconsciously to him. Didn''t he have perfect control over his body? Why couldn''t he control this? "You must be the first of your kind to arrive here, then," said someone who''s standing beside Howler. "Did the system ask you to register your racial identity when you first came here?" Cedric nodded to that, and once again, he could understand this person''snguage, which further added to his confusion. "Oh, well...then that checks out." He said, "Ah, I''m called Backpack Fatty, by the way. Nice to meet you, Dawnbringer." "Nice to meet you too...?" Cedric observed himself as he tried to reply to Backpack Fatty with the samenguage, and once again, he''s shocked that he could do this. Backpack Fatty tilted his head and asked, "Oh, you know mynguage too?" "No," Cedric decisively replied, and with a wry smile, he said, "Would you believe me if I said that this is my first time hearing and speaking it? I don''t understand how either." "Oho...how interesting." Chapter 270: Beef Stew -- "Don''t think too much about it. So, you can somehow understand and speak manynguages. Cool. I highly doubt that this was the only surprise you''d get upon making contact with the alliance." "If you analyze everything, your head will explode. Just take it in stride. It''s not a bad thing anyway," Howler suggested with a mild shrug. "He''s not wrong." Backpack Fatty added, "Besides, your focus here is the trials. You can analyze these unexpected abilities of yours once you earn a solid foothold here." Cedric blinked before releasing a softugh: "Yeah, you''re right. I don''t have the leisure to think too much about it right now." He then looked at Backpack Fatty and asked, "No offense, but can you tell me which race you are from?" "None taken." Backpack Fatty gave a version of his smile and answered, "I''m from the Mountain Giants n; we''re descendants of the Ancient Titan Race." That information gave sense to what Backpack Fatty looked like. Cedric could possibly describe him as a golem Buddha. His skin looked craggly like stones and gravel; each time he spoke or made any form of movement, grains of sand would fall off his skin. He had a protruding belly that almost resembled a. Looking closely, Cedric could see patches of forests on his body, which should be considered his ''hairs''. Even though this entity stands around the same height as Howler, Cedric knew that Backpack Fatty was way bigger than this; he''s a giant after all. grumble The three of them froze for a bit. Cedric blushed, while Howler merely grinned sheepishly. The grumbling sound came from both of their stomachs, after all. "It''s so weird how we just can''t seem to escape hunger despite evolving." Backpack Fatty muttered softly, just loud enough for both Cedric and Howler to hear. "I haven''t eaten something good for a week now; that''s why," Howler said as an excuse for his reaction. "Same, but it''s been 2 months for me. My training doesn''t help with that either." Cedric then stood up and made his way to the kitchen. Howler''s eyes widened at his statement: "2 months without eating and you can still stand? That''s insane! Are all humans like you?" "We canst longer by breathing in energy instead." Cedric then grimaced out of nowhere before continuing, "But existing like that sounds pretty sad, so we tend to eat every now and then, even though technically, we don''t have to anymore." "That''s wild," Howler muttered. "We of the Werewolf n are carnivorous folks. Food''s our lifeline, especially meat." "I can''t rte." Backpack Fatty sighed. "The idea of appetite is lost to me. I mean, I could eat too, but it doesn''t really do anything special to me." "The difference between races is really wild," Howler muttered, and their conversation continued on from there. Meanwhile, Cedric was working his way into the kitchen. He had already seen it once and saw that there were supplies here. He had been inspecting them one by one, and once again, to his surprise, he saw things here that closely resembled what he had back home. Kitchen tools like knives, stoves, spats, pans, etc. Even strange seasonings and ingredients that, once he''d gotten a taste of them, allowed him to put abel on which one was which. They go by different names here, but in essence, they''re pretty much the same as the things that Cedric knew how to handle. About an hourter... Sniff Sniff Howler''s eyes widened all of a sudden; his eyes became zed, and his jaw went ck. He just smelled a heavenly aroma wafting out of the kitchen, and he couldn''t help but look over. "W-what...what the hell is he doing out there?" "I don''t know, but..." Backpack Fatty swallowed hard. "I think this is also affecting me." grumble Howler and Backpack Fatty were stunned. The former wasn''t surprised when he heard his stomach rumbling; it wasn''t the first nor thest time it''d happen. He was more surprised when he heard Backpack Fatty''s stomach rumbling too. "Oh, heavens, this is insane." Backpack Fatty winced as he gently rubbed his protruding belly. "I forgot thest time this happened." Then came Cedric, who unceremoniously brought the entire pot of stew with him. "Hey, guys. I made food. I hope this is edible for the both of you too," Cedric stated as he scooped some before handing it to them. "This is... food?" Howler was stunned; it seemed like he had never seen anything like this before. The same could be said with Backpack Fatty as well. "My people call this ''cooking'' or ''culinary arts''. It''s a method we use to make food even better than it already is. I don''t know if you have something simr back in your homes, but in my world, this is how we eat. Try it and tell me if it''s ptable to you." Howler and Backpack Fatty nced at each other knowingly. They''ve never heard of anything simr to ''culinary arts'' before, but it does sound incredibly profound. The irrisistible aroma of food made them impatient. Therefore, they tasted it by copying the way Cedric ate his portion. And once they did... "By the moon!" "Oh, my Titan Ancestor!!" Cedric watched in surprise as both of them literally devoured the food, including the tes and spoons he had given them. In hindsight, he should''ve told them that the tes and spoons weren''t edible, but thinking about it, it shouldn''t be a problem. "Can I have more?" Howler asked. "And I, as well, if it''s not a problem," Backpack Fatty asked as well. Cedric grinned and said, "Sure, I made a lot anyway." "By the way, these..." Cedric mentioned to the spoon and tes, "aren''t food; they''re not edible; don''t eat them; only the stew is considered food." "Ah, so it''s called a stew," Howler muttered, entranced by the way Cedric filled the tes with food. "A Beef Stew, more precisely. Strangely enough, this ce had all the things I needed to recreate this here. I guess this is another one of those coincidences, but oh well," Cedric stated. "What''s a beef?" Backpack Fatty asked. "It''sbeled as Sky Bull Flesh here, the one that''s in the freezer," Cedric replied. "It looked the same as the one I''m used to, so I used it." "This is Sky Bull''s flesh!?" Howler eximed in surprise; even Backpack Fatty was the same. "But...how can this be? Sky Bull''s flesh is tough andcks nutrients. It''s probably the worst food ever! How can this be the same thing? Are you sure?" "Yes." Cedric nodded while eating; he''s unphased by the bad reputation of the Sky Bullsing from Howler. "I even asked the system to trante it. I could be wrong, but the system sure as hell won''t." "Sky Bulls are annoying. They eat, shit, piss, and fuck everywhere. I can''t believe they could be this delicious." Backpack Fatty''s eyes were shining. Cedric smiled and kept silent. The three of them fell into a harmonious atmosphere, silently enjoying their food. Inwardly, Cedric was surprised because not only was the food great and came out just as fine as he expected it to, but it even containedrge amounts of nutrients that his body hurriedly absorbed. And to think that Howler said that Sky Bull fleshcks nutrients¡ªwell, maybe this was ording to his perspective. As far as Cedric''s concerned, if they don''t want this meat, they could give it to him instead. He''s more than happy to ''dispose'' of them. "Maaaaan, that was so good!" Howler sank further into the couch, looking mildly sad. "If only I could eat this regrly, I wouldn''t mind. Even if it''s a Sky Bull flesh." "I mean, I could teach you how to do it," Cedric suggested, and with the way Howler''s eyes widened in realization, he knew that he got him. "Can you? Please! Seriously, this was so good that I can''t go back to eating the nd food in my world. We can trade! Tell me what you want!" "Hmm. Show me what you can offer first. I''ll see if there''s anything that piques my interest," Cedric said in a professional tone. Inwardly, he could only apologize. He didn''t want to take advantage of Howler, but he couldn''t miss out on opportunities. Cedric saw a sh of light, and suddenly, a stack of items in all shapes and sizes appeared on the table. He was overwhelmed for a bit because every piece here looked valuable. "Pick anything you want from this pile. If there''s nothing here you fancy, just tell me and I''ll show you another pile." Suddenly, Backpack Fatty interjected, "Can I also trade with you? I''d like to learn how to make beef stew as well." "Sure!" Cedric readily agreed. It seems that Mountain Giants also can''t resist the allure of good food. Backpack Fatty also produced a pile that Cedric could choose from, and what he had was even better than Howler''s pile. "Okay, wow, this is a lot. This will take some time, so please be patient with me," Cedric stated. "No problem. We have all the time in the world here," Backpack Fatty replied. Cedric then began rummaging through the piles with hidden enthusiasm. Chapter 271: New Treasures, and Skills -- "Whew...this is nuts." Cedric sighed some turbid air. He''s back in his personal room. His interactions with Howler and Backpack Fatty ended a few hours ago, and he just finished inspecting the things he got from trading with them. Originally, Cedric only intended to take one item from each pile. After all, he already felt guilty about this. The value of a beef stew recipe isn''t as high as the items they took out for exchange. But he underestimated just how much disparity there is between them. To him, the things he got from them were valuable, but to them, they were mediocre at best. They even felt bad because Cedric only took one of the items avable; that''s why they urged him to pick at least five from each. It was a generous offer, one that Cedric couldn''t refuse. Therefore, he ended up with 10 new valuable items. From Howler, Cedric got the following: the wings of a Crow Emperor, the spine of the Golden Freedom Roc, the skull of the Undying Smander, the heart of a Vermillion Bird, andst but not least, the shell of a Snake-tailed ck Tortoise. Cedric has heard of these creatures before on Prime Earth, but they were mythological stories at best; he never imagined that they were real until he came here. Of course, he also didn''t expect that he would get their remains by simply trading them with a very simple andmon beef stew recipe. To say that this was a steal would be an understatement. Cedric decided that he would keep these items for now. When his skills reach a certain level, he will refine these treasures into valuable things. And if this wasn''t shocking enough, the things he got from Backpack Fatty were even more surprising. Seed of the Sacred Celestial Tree, aplete set of Spiritual Dragon Veins, 100 cubic meters of Connate Spiritual Farm, an Earth Core Golem Puppet that possesses the strength of a Grand Sr Grandmaster Life Evolver, and finally, a Heavenly Thundercloud. The Sacred Celestial Tree is a spiritual tree that draws in the power of the celestial bodies instead of sunlight or water. This tree could grow up to 10,000 meters high and could connect to multiple celestial bodies, acting as a medium for passage to those worlds. The value of such a thing doesn''t need any further exnation. Spiritual Dragon Veins is said to be the singr form of Spiritual Veins. Once it''s nted and nurtured, it will eventually elevate the spirituality of the world to an astonishing degree. By the alliance standards, the Spiritual Dragon Veins could increase the spiritual density of a world to an A+ grade. The Spiritual Lake in Cedric''s room was only at C grade, and he''s already shocked by it. A couple gallons of water from thiske could benefit Prime Earth for decades. One could only imagine what the Spiritual Dragon Veins could bring to them. ...he even got theplete set too; all he had to do was have Ac fuse with this, use spiritual waters to nourish it, or directly connect it to a spiritualke, then wait until it started upgrading his world. It couldn''t be any easier than that. The 100 cubic meters of a spiritual farm are a ce where he could grow natural treasures. It''s in the form of a minor dimension, simr to Cedric''s room in the tower; he already refined it so he could ess it anytime he wanted. With the high spiritual density of this farm, he could nt the Sacred Celestial Tree here for the time being and transfer it once Prime Earth was cleansed of filth. As for the Earth Core Golem Puppet, he has already refined it too. It''s essentially his bodyguard now, and it''s way stronger than the strongest person on Prime Earth. Later, he will leave it to guard his world as anotheryer of security to ease his worries. Then there''s the Heavenly Thundercloud. It''s a natural climate with an inborn spirituality. Make no mistake, this piece of cloud could extend for thousands of miles, and it''s powerful enough to decimate Prime Earth with barely an ounce of effort. Cedric encountered some resistance when refining this treasure, but he won in the end. Now that he couldmand it to do whatever he wanted, he could even use it as a form of transportation. Getting these was a scam, really, but Backpack Fatty doesn''t see it the same way. To him, these were things that fell onto his body. He neither had use nor need for any of these. He just kept them because he couldn''t find any other way to dispose of them. Besides, he''s asleep most of the time if he''s not in the tower. Both Howler and Backpack Fatty knew the value of the things they gave away to Cedric. They''ve already asked the system to appraise them after all. They could''ve sold it away, but they didn''t since it''s no use. They wouldn''t get any trial points through this, only Alliance Dors, which were useless to them right now. They have no qualms about giving these away in exchange for the knowledge of making beef stew, which Cedric ensured to be as beginner-friendly as he could. He even tutored them personally on how to make them, and he left when they seeded. Now, so long as they have enough ingredients with them, they could cook it for themselves. Aside from trading, Cedric also received some advice from them. As it turns out, Howler was at Stage 3 of the trials, while Backpack Fatty is at Stage 4. They told him that Stage 1, especially in Dynamic Difficulty, is meant to give what the challenger needed the most, which exins why Cedric was getting the fundamental skills for now. They also told him that he didn''t have toplete the Trial of Mind before going to the other trials. In fact, they suggested that he visit the other trials if he feels like he''s stuck. Cedric also noticed that Howler and Backpack Fatty made it a point to not ask about his progress. Whenever their conversation is about to touch on that topic, they will start discussing other things. They probably think that he didn''t notice, but he did. He just yed along. Cedric could only guess why, though. Well, it''s not that important right now. Even if he knew why, so what? Knowing that won''t help him clear the trials faster, so what''s the use? Therefore, instead of getting distracted by other things, Cedric threw himself back to his practice. ** Time passed in his training. Unknowingly, Cedric has been here for 6 months. This has been the longest seclusion he has ever done. It''s crazy to think that he still has more than 9 years of avable time here. Even crazier, if his consciousness ever returns to the real world, only an hour will pass. Cedric already received all the 10 skills he needed to receive and practice from the Ancient Stone. Aside from the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex, Myriad Sword Catalogue, Runic Heaven Records, Heaven Shrinking Steps, and the Five Elements Concept Diagram, thest five he received were: Fiendgod Celestial Scripture, Astral Sovereign Mantra, Breath Holding Technique, Spacetime Concept Diagram, and the Torch Dragon''s Gaze. All of which are at the Grand Sr level. The Fiendgod Celestial Scripture is another cultivation technique; this one focuses on tempering his physique. By chanting the scripture, Cedric invites Baleful Astral Qi to descend and temper his body. It was excruciatingly painful, but the benefits couldn''t be denied. The Astral Sovereign Mantra is a mental tempering technique. As he chants it, he will experience all sorts of mental interference. He needs to sharpen his focus and continue, but the longer he does it, the stronger the interference gets. Like the previous technique, this one was also taxing, but it''s just as beneficial to him. The Breath Holding Technique is a niche skill that reduces the fluctuations of power he''s emanating. If he''s trained to perfection, it''s possible to reduce his aura to that of a normal person. It''s not as bombastic as the other skills he received, but he liked it nheless. It''s simplicity also made it easier for him to understand it. Then, there''s the Spacetime Concept Diagram, which is probably the most difficult andplicated Concept Diagram he has everid eyes on. It''s understandable since this one contains the elements of not only Space but Time as well. These are two extremely elusive concepts, and even with the alliance''s standards, only the cream of the crop could grasp them early into their life evolution. Last but not least, there''s the Torch Dragon''s Gaze, which is the very first r Technique Cedric has seen. He actually thinks it''s hirious that he inherited the godking''s eyes, yet he never practiced any r techniques. To be fair, there''s no such thing on Prime Earth; he never even thought that it''s possible before receiving this technique. And to his overwhelming surprise, Cedric not only learned the Torch Dragon Eye incredibly quickly, he even trained it to Advanced Mastery stage in less than two months. "How the hell did that happen?" Chapter 272: Progress, Trial of Body -- The [Torch Dragon''s Gaze] is an extremely powerful r technique. It''s creator got inspiration after witnessing the might of the real thing¡ªtthe Torch Dragon from the Wise Dragon Race. It is said that the Torch Dragon was responsible for the day and night cycles; it also held sovereignty over numerous elements, and even more so over light and dark. ording to the myths of the elusive Torch Dragon, it is impossible to directly gaze into its singr eye. Those who dared to have experienced vivid nightmares or have directly gone mad. These results are what the skill''s creator was after. The [Torch Dragon''s Gaze] could either induce blindness through sheer brightness or submit the target to fall in an endless void apanied only by their thoughts until they go mad or insane. One could only imagine just how strong this skill was. Moreover, the effectsst longer and be stronger with one''s mastery of this skill. In addition to this, practicing this r technique also elevates a person''s visual acuity immensely and gives them increased affinity for the light and dark elements. Cedric certainly did not expect to have an immense affinity for this skill. He found it unbelievable that, within 2 months of constant practice, he increased his mastery over it to the Advanced Stage. At the Advanced Stage of mastery, the Torch Dragon''s Gaze required no eye contact anymore. So long as the user of the skill has a line of sight with his or her target, they will be affected by this skill. Upon reaching the Perfection Stage of mastery, Cedric would only need to know his target''s name and a short glimpse of their appearance to subject them to the horrifying effects of this skill. This achievement was truly unexpected for Cedric. It got him thinking that maybe he had atent affinity for r techniques or skills, probably because he inherited the eyes of the godking. Well, he couldn''t test this for now, but if the chance presents itself, he wouldn''t mind confirming whether this was true or not. Another skill that surprised him was the progress of his mastery of the Breath Holding Technique. To be fair, it''s a fairly simple technique. It''s all about control, which is something that Cedric already excels at. By exercising control and discipline over one''s physical, mental, and spiritual aspects, one could also control the fluctuations of their power. Cedric was also used to this. In fact, this was one of the core aspects of the fundamentals that he diligently practiced until it became second nature to him. Therefore, it wasn''t so surprising that he already reached Advanced Mastery over the Breath Holding Technique that quickly. At this stage, he could pretend to be aary Warrior instead of aary Grandmaster. In fact, unbeknownst to even Cedric himself, his control far exceeds the skill cap, so that even those who are actively searching for traces of people using the Breath Holding Technique would find it difficult to discover them on him. He''s already unknowingly improving the skill itself, and it''s simply because he had a really good grasp on the fundamental requirements of this skill. His progress with the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture and the Astral Sovereign Mantra was slow, and that''s quite understandable. He could only endure a few cycles of physical and mental refinement each day since it puts a huge burden on him. That said, what Cedric didn''t know was that his adaptability was helping with his progress immensely. Both the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture and Astral Sovereign Mantra were well-known Grand Sr cultivation techniques in the alliance, partly because of their excellence but mostly because of the steep and demanding requirements to practice them. The pain and burden of training these techniques were too much for themon folk to endure. He''s not aware of this yet, but Humans'' innate adaptability (boosted even further with the evolutions he underwent) and tenacity were just the right qualities that one must have to achieve sess with these techniques. Right now, both the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture and Astral Soverign Mantra have reached thete Beginner Stage of mastery; just a few more refinements, and he''d push it to the Intermediate Stage which would count to aplishments and requirements to pass the 1st stage of the Trial of Mind. Then there''s the Spacetime Concept Diagram, which was the most difficult homework that Cedric everid his eyes on. Even after staring at them for several hours each day, he still couldn''t grasp them properly. He already had a foundation with Space Laws, it''s the Time Laws that''s making this extremely challenging. Even after months of meditating over the diagram, he''s still fumbling to grasp insights about Time Laws, which locks his progress at a half-step to the Beginner Stage of mastery. As for the techniques he gained earlier, the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex, Five Elements Concept Diagram, and Heaven Shrinking Steps are at thete Beginner Stage. The Myriad Sword Catalogue and Runic Heaven Records have reached the Intermediate Stage of mastery. With these two, in addition to the Torch Dragon''s Gaze and the Breath Holding Technique, Cedric only needed one more skill to reach the Intermediate Stage of mastery and clear the 1st Stage of the Trial of Mind. That said, Cedric wasn''t in a hurry. Even if all of the skills he learned from the Ancient Stone reached the Intermediate Stage of mastery, he wouldn''t apply for clearance just yet. It''s mostly because he didn''t know what would happen next. Will he immediately move on to the 2nd Stage or be allowed to remain at the 1st Stage for the remainder of the time allotted for him? Cedric wanted to ask the other challenger first before making a decision. Additionally, he wouldn''t find any other peaceful and excellent ce to go in seclusion like this one. Sure, it''s a bit lonely here without his girlfriends, but loneliness was his old friend. If he applied for clearance and discovered that the remainder of time he had left wouldn''t carry over and be added to the time limit of the 2nd Stage, it''d be a damn shame. He wants to make wise use of his time here. ** [Wee to the Trial of Body] This is the text that greeted him as soon as he entered the door leading to this trial. ** [Trial of Body: 1st Stage] [Stiption #1: Fight and kill to your heart''s desire] [Stiption #2: Your enemies be stronger the longer youst.] Stiption #3: Everything that moves is your enemy. Kill!] [Requirements for clearance: Survive for 24 hours.] [Tip: Whether you admit defeat or die within this space, neither will jeopardize your chance. If you can survive for 24 hours straight, you''ll clear this trail regardless of how many failed attempts you have.] [Time Limit: 10 years] ** Before entering this ce, Cedric did not meet his fellow challengers, but that''s fine with him. Cedric got hints of what this trial was all about from Howler and Backpack Fatty a few months ago, so he already managed his expectations for it. ''Just how many coincidences can there be?'' Cedric muttered inwardly as he stood tall in the middle of a deste battlefield alone while waiting for the countdown to be over. Just sprinkle some corruption in this ce here and there, and this would resemble the Purgatory of Prime Earth. Hell, even the contents of the trial itself felt incredibly simr to what he''s used to. As the countdown ticked to a single digit, Cedric saw creatures appearing out of nowhere. They''re weaker than him, but their auras were still formidable. He pped the sword case, and a total of 20 training swords floated around him. As soon as the timer hit zero, the ughter began. Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh!! The training swords around him turned into streaks of light that pierced the skulls of the unnamed creatures. He killed them in a blink of an eye, but at the same time, more appeared just as fast. Nostalgia was truly out to get him because the way they appeared was also simr to how the undead usually swarmed him. It was so simr. Cedric decided to put this idea aside for now and focus on the battle. As he yed his opponents, he''s also taking note of their appearance and unique qualities. These things weren''t the undead. Each one was unique; anybody could tell that from a nce. However, in this trial, despite being different from each other, they all fall into the same category: enemies. Cedric looked rxed for the most part, but in truth, he''s actually making slight adjustments to his movements. He came here because he wanted to train. Cedric had no desire to clear this stage in his first attempt. He wanted to feel the pressure of the real battlefield to squeeze out his potential and elerate his progress. As time passed, Cedric gradually fell into immersion. With a sword in hand and many more flying all over the battlefield under his control, he was getting into a rhythm when, all of a sudden, he was struck by something that killed him before he could even retaliate. He awoke with a gasp just outside the trial door, and with a wry smile, he realized what happened. "So when you said that ''Everything that moves is an enemy'', you actually meant ''everything''...huh, alright, got it. Message received." Chapter 273: Fattys Suggestion -- Cedric made it a habit to spend a whole day once a week throwing himself again and again at the Trial of Body. No, he''s not doing this because he was in a hurry to clear it. It''s also not because he had unresolved anger issues. He does it to experience the thrill of an actual battle and use its pressure to squeeze out more of his potential. At the 1st stage of the Trial of Body, everything was his enemy, heavy empathis on the word ''everything''. The entire world was against him. It starts out pretty calm and easy. Just a few foreign creatures who were a bit weaker than him¡ªnothing special. However, once the clock hits the 30-minute mark, a surprising change urs. As he repeatedly threw himself into battle, Cedric discovered that the changes were random. His first death was caused by a lightning strike. On his second attempt, he encountered a sudden volcanic eruption, even though there were no volcanoes in sight. Next, there was a raging tsunami, and after that, he faced a sudden blizzard. The vexing part is that his enemies aren''t affected by the changes in his surroundings. It was only dangerous or fatal to him. It felt unfair, especially since his task was to endure this kind of bullshit for 24 hours straight to clear this trial, but what can he do? That said, it wasn''t all that bad. There were no penalties for dying, and he could make as many attempts as he could. The time limit was also pretty generous. The best part is that he''s pressured enough to actually feel it. This pressure allows him to integrate with the techniques he learned, increasing his mastery over them, which also helps him elerate his clearance of the Trial of Mind, not that he''s in a hurry to clear that either. So far, after another two months within the tower, he was able tost for six hours within the Trial of Body. It doesn''t sound much, but considering how challenging it was, this was already impressive progress. The amount of bullshit he had to endure in this trial was mind-blowing. He thought that the endless horde of undead creatures he faced on a monthly basis back in his world was already absurd, but this one just takes the cake. Everything was hostile to him; it''s like that ce wanted nothing more than to erase his past, present, and future. The foreign creatures he had to fight got stronger with every hour that passed, and their numbers increased. This, on top of the surprising cmities that just happen out of nowhere, was already vexing enough, but in reality? That''s just the start. The moment the clock hits the 6-hour mark, the Concept Laws themselves make a move. A blizzard raging with the profound concepts of water, ice, frost, and snow? Check! Thunderstorms fueled by the fierce power of lightning and thunderws? Check! Are earthquakes strong enough to bury an entire continent? Check! Sudden que? Poisonous miasma? Razor-sharp rainstorms? Pestilent fog? Check, check, check, and check! It doesn''t end there... The world hates him so much that, all of a sudden, the creatures he''s fighting start wielding the profound powers of conceptws as well. It''s like they suddenly mastered it out of nowhere and are not exactly shy about disying what they could do with it. With all of this, it is no wonder why he couldn''tst longer. This trial was just too much. Was it vexing for Cedric? Kind of, yes. Who wouldn''t feel the same, though? That said, he wasn''tpletely dettered. It''s not the first time he experienced the hatred of the world. Truth be told, it actually felt nostalgic to him. It takes him back to the days prior to receiving the eyes of the godking. This feeling hadn''t stopped him before, and it certainly can''t now. He hase too far to fail. Like what was mentioned earlier, Cedric wasn''t in a hurry to clear any of the trials, even thest one that he''s yet to visit. He''s got time, so why hurry? He''s not deterred from dying over and over again. The state of his world had tempered him to just casually shrug the sensation off since he''s already used to it. Actually, if he were to truly try his best, he could probably survive for 8 hours at the Trial of the Body at this point. He''s just unsure because of the unknown bullshit this trial could throw at him, but if he truly tried hard enough, he could probablyst longer. But that''s not his priority. What he''s after is progress in his skills. He''s honing himself with the trial. Cedric won''t be able to find a ce like this anywhere. Purgatory is no longer sufficient for him. Right now, if he wanted to, he could apply for clearance of the Trial of Mind since all skills he received from the Ancient Stone, minus the Spacetime Concept Diagram, have reached the intermediate stage. He doesn''t n on doing so right now, but if he wanted to, he could. ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 23 Race: Human LE: 1-starary Grandmaster Lifeform Potential: A+ Achievements: Trial of Mind (1st Stage): 100% (Confirmation Required), Trial of Body (1st Stage) - 25% Points: 0 ** This is his current challenger profile right now. Even though the system acknowledges that he''s already qualified to clear the first stage of the trial of mind, he just needs to actually do it. It also says there that he''s still at the 1-starary Grandmaster Lifeform level, even though he''s already leapt above his strength before he entered this ce. With the three cultivation techniques he''s practicing: the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex, Fiendgod Celestial Scripture, and Astral Sovereign Mantra, Cedric feels like he''s making breakthroughs continuously, but ording to the system''s measurements, he''s not making any progress at all. It''s weird, but he decided to not think about it for now. As long as he knows that he''s getting stronger, that''s enough for him. Truthfully, if others knew about his progress, they''d probably be shocked because it''s too fast. One has to know that the Dynamic Difficulty of the trials is meant to truly pressure the challengers. The contents of trials, stiptions involved, and even the time limit and tips provided to them are adjusted ording to the analysis of the system based on what it perceives from the challenger. The intelligence of the system is not to be questioned because it was made by the alliance. With that said, the fact that Cedric was literally flying through his progress through the trials meant that the system either understimated him or hadn''tpletely understood his true potential. Either way, it doesn''t change the fact that Cedric''s progress was truly mind-blowing. If the administrators of the tower have noticed this, the inaction means that everything is still fine. Besides, Cedric isn''t one to unt his progress anyway. He had a few goals in mind; boasting about his genius aptitude isn''t included in those. ** "...so there''s no carryover?" Cedric asked the werewolf and the mountain giant that''s sitting on the opposite side of the table. "Yep, there''s no such thing." Howler shook his head. "Dynamic Difficulty and All That." "What he said." Backpack Fatty chimed in. "So you should take your time; don''t be in a hurry. Well, it''s not like you could hurry even if you want to. The trials aren''t easy, after all." "If you were on the Easy or Medium difficulty, it will carry over," Howler added. "That''s what I heard, at least." Cedric nodded in agreement and went silent for a bit. He wasn''t surprised by what they said. If anything, he was already half-expecting it to be this way. Cedric met these two again after roughly three months since thest time. He cooked for them again and took this chance to ask them about some of his concerns. As it turns out, clearing the trial ahead of time was unwise because the remaining time left wouldn''t carry over to the next stage of the trials due to his being at the dynamic difficulty. If he were on a lower level of difficulty in the trials, however, it''s probably possible. "Well, that''s that, I suppose. At least it''s clear to me now." Cedric sighed. "I think you should start going to the Trial of Spirit," Backpack Fatty suggested, causing Cedric to focus on him. "Is it obvious that I haven''t gone in there yet?" Cedric asked tentatively. "To me, yes. I don''t care about others, though." The mountain giant shrugged. "We are sensitive to spirituality; you''re wondering why you haven''t experienced a breakthrough yet even after your diligent practice, right?" Cedric''s eyes shed, which was all the answer that the other party needed. "That''s because your spirit hasn''t fully sublimated yet. Your mind and your body have already limated to the existence and standards of the alliance, but your spirit is still shackled to your world, figuratively." "Eh, I''m not really good at exining things. Just go there and experience it yourself. You''ll understand what I mean eventually." Backpack Fatty shrugged. "I see." Cedric''s eyes were shining as he analyzed the implications. "Thanks for telling me. I''ll consider going soon." Chapter 274: Trial of Spirit -- [Wee to the Trial of Spirit] [Trial of Spirit: 1st Stage] [Stiption #1: Stay awake!] [Stiption #2: Endure!] [Stiption #3: Resist!] [Requirements for clearance: sit on the Lotus Praying Mat and stay conscious for 24 hours to pass this trial.] [Time Limit: 10 years] [Tip: No attempt limits. You''re free toe and go as you please.] ** Cedric stood in a vast white space filled with fog. The only visible thing in his sight was the altar, where the so-called Lotus Praying Mat was ced. Despite having the godking''s eyes, Cedric was unable to see anything within the fog, no matter how hard he tried, prompting him to give up trying eventually. He came here due to Backpack Fatty''s suggestion. He said that this trial should sublimate his spirit, whatever that means, allowing him to finally make actual progress in strength. Cedric had no idea why this was the case, and he wasn''t particrly inclined to ask further either. These things were beyond him, so it''s no use even if he knew. He''d eventuallye here sooner orter anyway, with or without Backpack Fatty''s suggestion. Since he couldn''t see anything beyond the fog, Cedric just decided to start the trial instead. He walked up the altar and sat on the Lotus Praying Mat. Weng! An invisibly fast fluctuation suddenly urred, one that he failed to react to due to how fast it happened and couldn''t even if he could since it''s beyond his current abilities to do so. He found himself stuck,pletely unable to move a muscle. He could breathe and blink; he could also look wherever, but that''s about it; moving anything else aside from that was impossible. Then, a blinding burst of light appeared above him. Aside from its brilliance, it also brought forth an unknown pressure that caused Cedric''s pupils to constrict. The pressure was stifling. It couldn''t be felt by the body, but it directly targeted his spirit, which makes it even morefortable. A living being''s spirit was their most sensitive and vulnerable part. Any harm done to it could be fatal right away. At the same time, it is also the most profound part of them since it holds the mysteries of a person''s existence and their uniqueness. On Prime Earth, there aren''t a lot of ways to temper one''s spirit. Humanity hasn''t developed that far, nor has it had the chance to, really. Consuming essence souls doesn''t improve one''s spirit either, due to itsposition. Cedric believed that his spirit was slightly stronger than most, all because he inherited the eyes of the godking. After all, using the unparalleled visual prowess of the eyes demanded a crap ton of energy and put an immense burden on one''s spirit. But with the pressure he''s feeling right now from this trial, Cedric''s beginning to doubt that. Groan Well, it seems that he could make a noise too, at least. But that doesn''t really make his situation better. Saying that this was ufortable would be an understatement. It''s unlike anything he has ever felt. The pressure didn''t just press down on his spirit; it also pricked him. It''s as if millions of needles were piercing every individual cell of his body, slowly but surely. ''So that''s why the stiptions were weird.'' Cedric thought to himself as he was reminded of the contents of the trial. Because he was quite literally glued to his seat, he can''t do anything about this. He''s forced to experience every single second of this torture. Unless, of course, he wills himself to exit the trial. ''Fuck it! Let''s see how long I can endure! '' ** Five hourster... "Exit!" Cedric snarled. Swoosh!! Space warped around him, and his surroundings changed. Before he knew it, he had already returned to the lobby¡ªmore specifically, right outside the door of the trial. Cedric knew that his mobility had returned, but he was too tired and too pained to move, so he justid there. Even breathing felt painful to him. ''Was that really necessary?'' Cedric thought to himself as he recalled what he experienced during the past five hours. It was nothing but torture. It felt worse than being chewed alive by numerous zombies. He had never felt so helpless before, and he didn''t like it. At least in his Hell Dives and at the Trial of Body, he could fight back. In this damnable trial, though? He could do nothing but take it. It doesn''t help that the pain increases exponentially as time passes. It came to the point where he felt as if he were a coin under a hydraulic press. It''s just too much. Sigh! Cedric pursed his lips and picked himself off the ground; his legs were still wobly. He limped back to his room, feeling like a dog fleeing with his tail between his legs. Upon returning to his room, he went to his hut and rested for a good while. He never felt this kind of spiritual exhaustion before. Actually, he had, just not this bad. Fortunately, despite experiencing the torture of the trial, his soul wasn''t injured; it just hurt. This made him think that he could''vested longer if he just chose to endure the pain longer, but truly, such pain was too much even for him, so even if he wanted to, he just couldn''t. He woke up after a whole day of resting. Still feeling ufortable, yet after a brief inspection, he discovered that this feeling wasn''t because he''s exhausted or hurt still. No, it''s due to something else. Cedric felt... denser, not physically but spiritually. He felt as if he had grown a couple of inches, but in truth, he hasn''t. He also felt like his clothes were too tight, except they weren''t. He feels fuller, for some reason¡ªlike stuffed¡ªand it feels strange and weird. After a deeper inspection, Cedric eventually discovered the reason why he feels this way, and it has something to do with the Trial of Spirit. The ''stuffed'' sensation he felt was due to his soul bing denser. Not only did it expand after experiencing 5 hours of wicked torture from the trial, but it also felt way denser than before. It swelled in size and became heavier. The sensation of his clothes being too tight stemmed from this. The soul is the house of the spirit; both are contained within the body and linked with energy, forming the divine trinity that makes up most living beings. Humans are no exception. After enduring the torturous trial, Cedric''s soul has grown. Previously, it''s been like a wisp. Now, it''s starting to turn into a light orb. Due to his soul growing in size and bing denser, it''s now upying more space. And since it''s using his body as a vessel, it caused him to feel as if his clothes were too tight on him. After discovering this, Cedric tested how strong his spirit had gotten. He used thetent abilities of his eyes, and he was immediately stunned. He could already sense a lot previously, but with the improvements in his spirit, everything felt more intimate and natural. He could perceive things in a deeper and more profound way, and it felt moving. Cedric also felt a slight improvement in hisprehension after a round of training, which was astounding. His gaze turned weird then, as he thought, "No pain, no gain, huh?" Indeed, he hadn''t endured that torture for nothing. His improvements weren''t explosive, but they''re noticeable. This was just after a single session. If he could endure longer, who knows just how much improvement he''ll get? But at the same time, the torturous pain he had to endure was truly so great that it almost negated the benefit altogether. If it weren''t for the fact that the improvements are permanent and really valuable, Cedric could hardly say that it was worth the pain. "Alright, fine!" Cedric grumbled in defeat. "I''ll adjust my schedule, I suppose." He couldn''t ignore the potential improvements he could receive from the trial after all. Well, he would have to go through it if he wanted to remain here anyway, so this was no surprise. Adjusting his schedule meant that he would be milking that trial for all of its worth. Which also meant more painful torture for him. If it''s just passing, he didn''t need to do this. He could just asionally go to the Trial of Spirit and see how long he couldst, and if he''s lucky, clear it as soon as possible and forget about it. But since he decided to get the benefits he could get from it, he has to add it to his schedule, albeit reluctantly. He''s not looking forward to the pain he''ll experience, but the potential benefits should be worth it. "Once a week at least...every weekend, maybe?" Cedric muttered to himself as he adjusted his schedule. "Yeah, that sounds fine." Done with that, Cedric rested for a bit and stared at the clear sky above him. He stared at the passing clouds and allowed his thoughts to wander for a bit. "I really miss my girls." Chapter 275: Life Evolution, Difference in Concept Laws -- Body, Mind, and Spirit... These are the three mainponents that make up living beings and are the aspects that need to be improved and elevated to achieve Life Evolution. Prime Earth had no idea what Life Evolution is, but it does have a way to elevate a person''s strength, the goal of which is to, of course, eliminate demonic threats. Compared to thebined effort of the entire alliance''s research about gaining real strength, Prime Earth wouldn''t even reach the standards. The Six Leading Races, as well as the countless other races and ns that joined the alliance, delegated a mind-blowing amount of brainpower in pursuit of Life Evolution. The true goal of pursuing Life Evolution still escapes Cedric, but it isn''t that important to him now. The Nine Suns Empyrean Codex, Fiendgod Celestial Scripture, and the Astral Sovereign Mantra were cultivation techniques that refined a person''s Mind, Body, and Spirit, respectively. Out of the nine Extreme Sun Apertures, Cedric has opened three so far, putting him at the intermediate stage of mastery over the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex. It took a surprising amount of energy to excavate and fill out these apertures, but the results were astonishing. Currently, if Cedric were to go into a Hell Dive again, he just needs to release pulses of his energy once every ten minutes to eradicate all of the undead creatures around him. The sheer density and heat of his energy were enough to reduce everything around him to ashes. Practicing the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture, which refines his physique, was admittedly painful. Not as bad as the torture of the Trial of Spirit, but still pretty bad. This practice requires inviting the presence of Baleful Astral Qi to temper his body. The Baleful Astral Qi was a dense mass of energy; a basketball-sized clump of this was heavy enough to create a dent that could expose the core of Prime Earth and possibly destroy it. Additionally, the Baleful Astral Qi was extremely vtile. It does contain surprising amounts of vitality, but it''s berserk. Only those who had iparably strong willpower could endure the pain and burden of using this energy to refine their physique. But as much as this technique seems primitive to the eyes of most alliance members, none could doubt its effectiveness. Practitioners of this body-refining technique, especially those who achieved great sess in the practice, could withstand the explosion of a sr system with just their physique alone. Cedric, with his intermediate-stage mastery over this cultivation technique, will survive the impact of Prime Earth exploding right under his feet. In fact, just his sheer raw strength could sink continents if he really tried to. It is even possible to multiply the strength he possesses, so long as he has enough control over his raw power. Among the numerous body-refining techniques at the Grand Sr level, the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture remains in the top 10 despite not having many practitioners willing to learn it. The same applies to the Astral Soverign Mantra as well. What causes people to refrain from choosing this technique is the induced psychosis it causes during practice. There had been many asions where practitioners of this technique went mad, destroying everything around them due to sheer insanity. To others, the gain isn''t worth the risk. But the only reason why this happens is because the victims of the psychosis ate more than they could chew. Hubris and arrogance are also factors in that. The creator of this technique left sufficient warnings and tips to follow when practicing it. It''s the practitioners themselves who couldn''t resist temptation and ignored the warnings, believing that they could do something others couldn''t. Cedric did not have this kind of mentality. Being exposed to the sheer immensity of this cosmic realm humbled him enough. Any idea that he might be better than some people in the alliance was instantly dashed by his exposure to other races. This, in addition to the fact that he couldn''t afford to die just yet, made him extremely cautious in his practice. The moment he feels something is wrong, he will stop chanting the mantra as per the instructions of the creator. The Astral Sovereign Mantra tempered his spirit, allowing his thoughts to flow smoother, greatly increasing hisprehension, extending the range of his perception, and reducing the burden of using the visual prowess of the godking''s eyes. And thanks to his recent dives into the Trial of Spirit, which tempered and elerated the sublimation of his soul even further, his sensitivity to danger increased even more. Now, his soul has practically tripled in size. It''s now as big as his entire head, and its growth doesn''t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon, ording to his observations. Aside from asionally chatting with Howler and Backpack Fatty, Cedric threw himself into his training relentlessly. He followed the schedule he created for himself faithfully, barely delegating time for rest and rxation. Cedric wasn''t sure if he''s already considered the strongest on Prime Earth just yet, but he should be pretty close. But even if he was, Cedric couldn''t stop there. He still remembered what he was up against. Admittedly, the Demon Race didn''t seem as formidable to him as before. In the eyes of the Divine Council, the Demon Race were filthy space pirates. They weren''t threats, just mere pests. These creatures wouldn''t even dare get close to the alliance''s territories. Demon Lords, Demon Kings, Demon Emperors, Demon God¡ªwhatever they call themselves¡ªthey don''t scare Cedric anymore. Don''t be mistaken, though. Just because he''s not scared of them doesn''t mean that they''re no longer threatening. It''s precisely because they''re strong that Cedric couldn''t afford to ck off. Cedric knew that being the strongest human didn''t mean that he could eliminate demons right away. He needed to see just how strong this so-called Demon God was and adjust his ns from there. He can''t do that right now, though, because he''s still in seclusion. ** "Ah, I see. I understand now." Cedric muttered to himself as his eyes sparkled in wonder. Suddenly, he stood up, and with a slight clench of his hand, space warped around him. He waved his hand, and a wormhole appeared before him. He stepped inside and came out several hundred miles away from his hut. Taking a deep breath, he summoned a sword from the sword case and began practicing the Myriad Sword Catalogue, more specifically, the Sword Master Chapter. In the middle of his practice, however, his body froze. At the very next second, his actions became extremely strange. His body was moving in reverse. Jj It''s as if time was being rewound at this very moment. That isn''t strange, because that''s precisely what''s happening right now. In fact, it wasn''t just that. If you look closely, the speed of the rewind varies, and it''s all under Cedric''s control. Of course, his skills aren''t just limited to rewinding time. He could also fast-forward his actions. Cedric was now powerful enough to influence the flow of time itself, and his mastery over it increased even further just now. Stopping his actions, Cedric released a somewhat exahausted smile and said, "I finally reached the intermediate stage of mastery over this damn Spacetime Concept Diagram." It took him a long time to reach this level¡ªlonger than he anticipated. If it weren''t for the recent improvements in his perception, this would probably take longer to reach. In Prime Earth, mastering Concept Laws meansprehending their different traits. Take, for example, the Fire Laws... At the beginner stage, one wouldprehend the burning heat trait. At the intermediate stage, there''s the true fire trait, and so on. The Divine Council doesn''t use the same scaling, mostly because the presence of conceptws here is more raw andplete, unlike on Prime Earth. They pay more attention to the application of conceptws, and this depends on what the practitionerprehends on their own. They don''t putbels on them. This was the reason why Cedric had to re-learn everything from scratch aftering here. Sure, the insights he learned on Prime Earth helped him, but they didn''t make a huge difference. At most, he could use them as references. And since Cedric hasn''t made any contact with Time Laws before, of course it would be more challenging for him. That''s why it took him longer to grasp it. That said, his Five Elements Concept Diagram has reached the advanced stage of mastery, and the Spacetime Concept Diagram has just now reached the intermediate stage. Truthfully, he''s not doing badly. He still had plenty of time left in this seclusion of his. Cedric then looked at the training sword on his hand and muttered, "I''ve neglected you a bit, huh?" The sword in his hand hummed in response to his words. Neglect is a strong word. Cedric tried his best to train each skill he learned equally. However, it is inevitable that his progress on his other skills will fall off because of this. "Don''t worry, I''ll put more focus on you now." "I''m going to try to reach the sword heart realm again and, if possible, form a sword spirit as soon as I can." Chapter 276: 1st Level Conclusion, Leaving -- "Whew..." Amidst the empty space, a figure d in clean white robes stood tall. He wore an indifferent expression on his face as he stared at the scene before him. Chaos ensued around him. Space was torn, the elements raged, and destruction followed. It was an apocalyptic scene, yet this man was unaffected. Everything that''s happening around him is only the aftermath of a star''s explosion. Typically, such a thing was a catastrophic event that hardly anybody could survive. But not only is this man fine, he''s also unaffected. There isn''t even a scratch on him or a tear anywhere in his clothes. "I held out for years only to see this rather anti-climactic scene. Was it even worth it?" The man muttered to himself, sounding a bit jaded. This man was none other than Cedric, who just survived the explosion of the world beneath him. He did so without fleeing; he endured the impact ofary destruction with his physique alone, a feat that no humans aside from him could do currently. Then, out of nowhere, the system window shed before him: [Congrattions, Dawnbringer. You cleared the Trial of Body with flying colors!] [Rewards: 2500 Trial Points, 150,000 Alliance Credits, 5 Roulette Draws] That''s right. What happened just now might seem real, even from his perspective, but in truth, it wasn''t. It was merely the result of him clearing the 1st Stage of the Trial of Body. This was mainly the reason why he was unperturbed by the destruction of a world beneath his feet. With an exhausted sigh, Cedric waved his hand to dismiss the system message and willed himself to leave the trial space. He reappeared in the lobby¡ªmore precisely, right outside the door of the trials. As soon as he appeared, more system alerts appeared before him. [Congrattions, Dawnbringer! You sessfully cleared the 1st Level of the Tower of Prodigies!] [Calcting rewards...] [Notice: Your performance was above the standard requirements!] [Issuing additional rewards...] [Rewards: 10,000 Trial Points, 500,000 Alliance Credits, 10 Roulette Draws] Looking at this caused Cedric to release another sigh as he made his way back to his room. He couldn''t help but feel nostalgic. "Ten years, huh?" he smiled wryly. Indeed, to Cedric, it has been 10 years since he came here. Well, technically, it isn''t since there''s still about three weeks left, but it''s more or less the same. It''s not like those remaining weeks make a difference anyway. The past five years didn''t, so how could he care about mere weeks? Despite not aging visibly during the time frame, Cedric experienced considerable growth in his psyche. This has been the longest seclusion he has ever done in his entire life. His mind has been jaded by the sheer repetition of his activities. But more importantly, he matured a lot. He is calmer now, and it shows. He now has the demeanor of a real expert. His control over his entire being has been honed to an unfathomable level by human standards. 10 years might not be much to others, but for a human like him? It''s a lot. That''s a lot of time for Cedric to think, even though, for the most part, he''s busy with his training. And because Cedric had thousands of thought chambers working at the same time, the number of things he could think of was simrly unfathomable. Actually, Cedric could''ve cleared the trials roughly five years ago... Cedric had already perfected everything that he received from the Ancient Stone on the Trial of Mind except the cultivation techniques, putting his progress way above the standard requirements. He could''ve also cleared the Trial of Body and Spirit five years ago. He just purposefully dyed it to savor the allotted time to its fullest. This meant that theter five years of his time limit within the tower were spent honing his mentality. Cedric endured true loneliness here. Even thepanionship of his fellow challengers failed to ease this feeling. He spent the majority of his time in meditation, honing his mindfulness and his mentality. He elevated his entire existence by constantly harmonizing with his surroundings through peaceful meditation. The length of his seclusions grew longer and longer, making time lose a bit of its meaning to him. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that Cedric was jaded. And while that might take away most of the joys in his life, it also allowed him to open his mind to all possibilities. The current Cedric has reached a level that the previous one couldn''t possibly fathom. Upon arriving at his room, which served as his home during his ten years here, Cedric couldn''t help but feel mncholic. With a single step, he appeared inside the hut, crossing several miles of distance in that one step he took. He sat on his bed as if he hadn''t done something ridiculous just now and pondered. He then looked at the second batch of system messages that appeared shortly after receiving the first one: [Dawnbringer, you are now eligible to start the 2nd level of the Tower of Prodigies.] [You have the option to do it right away or postpone it to return to your world.] [What is your choice?] "I''m thinking about returning to my world. But from what I understand, I have a time limit for that too, right?" [Indeed!] [If you choose to return to your world to take care of some personal business, you must return and start the second level of the tower before you reach 100 years old.] [If you don''t do this before the time limit, it''s the same as forfeiting your chance at the Tower of Prodigies.] Cedric nodded at that. He had no problems with this arrangement. He might''ve spent 10 years here, but once he returns to Prime Earth, only an hour will pass. That''s to say, Cedric''s still at the ripe age of 23. He has 77 years left to finish whatever urgent business he has and find time to return to the tower and start the second level. Truthfully, it''s impossible for Cedric to lose his qualifications. The only chance he has is if he dies, and killing him would take a surprising amount of effort considering that he could now endure the explosion of a star with just his flesh alone. Knowing that he''d be returning home soon, Cedric couldn''t help but feel a bit excited. It''s been 10 years since hest saw the faces of his girlfriends and felt their warmth. It''s been so long that he''s almost forgotten what it''s like to be with them. It''s also been that long since he smelled the foul yet familiar stench of his home. As disgusting as that might sound, home is home. And since he''s returning with a full haul, he could fix that right away. "Show me my profile." ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 23 Race: Human LE: 5-starary Grandmaster Lifeform Potential: A+ Achievements: Trial of Mind (1st Stage) - Cleared; Trial of Body (1st Stage) - Cleared; Trial of Spirit (1st Stage) - Cleared Points: 17,500 ** Cedric received 2,500 trial points for clearing each of the 1st Stage of trials with flying colors. In addition to the bonus of 10,000 trial points for going above and beyond to clear the first level of the tower, itted him a total of 17,500 trial points. He summoned the System Store and went to his ''Cart''. After spending thest five years idling by, he often sifted through the contents of the shop and added the things he found useful to his cart. Cedric proceeded with his check-out and paid 10,500 trial points for everything, leaving him with only 7,000 trial points left. Others would feel the pinch, but he won''t. The things he brought were necessary for his ns and personal use, so he didn''t mind spending so much in one go. Aside from this, there are also the items he got from trading recipes with his fellow challengers. He had gotten a few useful trinkets from them. That''s why, when it was stated that he''s returning with a full haul, he wasn''t exaggerating. "Okay, I got everything I need." Cedric hummed in contentment. "System, I''d like to return to Prime Earth, please." [As you wish, Challenger.] [Notice: Since this is your first time returning, synchronizing your strength here with your real body will take some time.] Judging by the distance, we estimate that it would take a whole week for the synchronization toplete. Please be patient.] "That''s alright." Cedric smiled. Truthfully, it was beyond alright. Waiting for a mere week to be the strongest human being on Prime Earth? That''s already absurd. Cedric felt jittery, a sensation he hasn''t felt in a long while. Even his tempered being couldn''t help but feel excited at the prospect of returning to his world after 10 years of solitude. Before he got too emotional, though, the system''s voice sounded in his ears again. [Returning in three, two...] [We wish you a pleasant journey and a hasty return to the Tower of Prodigies, Dawnbringer.] That''s thest thing Cedric saw before everything turned dark for him. Chapter 277: Passionate Retun -- Cedric assumed that his return would cause amotion...cause, well...it would make sense if it did. After all, he left with his strength barely reaching the nar Traveler Realm and returned as, most likely, the strongest human being alive. However, his assumptions were proven wrong. The moment he felt his consciousness descend to his body, he also heard the sounds of his joints popping and the faint cracks of invisible shackles shattering within him. For a brief moment, he was unable to move. His body needed time to adjust to the sheer amount of unexpected strength being injected directly into it. As time passed, the synchronization began. After a couple of minutes, Cedric opened his eyes and immediately noticed the difference. "This feels strange." He frowned, slightly displeased. "I''m not used to being this weak." Unfortunately, though, he could onlyin to himself about this. Actually, there''s nothing for him to be worried about since, after a week, his strength will return to how it should be. He took a deep breath and immediately regretted that decision. Wearing an ugly smile, he muttered, "Ugh, that nostalgic and hateful stench of corruption. Oh, how I missed you." Of course, he was being sarcastic. He did not miss this at all. Even though he''s still within humanity''s territory, he could feel and smell the corruption all over the world. As much as he hated this, he had to endure it for now. It also served as a reminder that he still had a lot of things to do moving forward. Cedric immersed himself in his entire being. He slightly marveled at the power coursing through his body, which grew with each passing moment. He saw the five lit and four dimmed Extreme Sun Apertures brought forth by practicing the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex. He saw the residual baptism of Baleful Astral Qi on the grains of his flesh caused by his cultivation of the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture. And finally, he could feel his soul gradually increasing in size to catch up with his progress on the Astral Sovereign Mantra. Aside from his strength being restored and synchronizing to reality, Cedric could also feel the intimate connection to a strange ce deep within his consciousness. He knew that this was his connection to the Tower of Prodigies. If he willed it so, he couldmunicate with the System AI of the tower to either bring him back or take out the things he gained from there. Last but definitely not least, Cedric briefly recalled what happened before he went to the Tower of Prodigies. He remembered that a great war was imminent. He also recalled that before he left, he facilitated the revival of leylines, at least within humanity''s territory. Everybody experienced the Origin Energy Storm and greatly benefited from it. And it''s this very event that led him to his meeting with Big Han of the Ancient Titan Race. Cedric opened his eyes and released a faint sigh. He looked around his istion room and smiled wryly. Since he mastered the Runic Heaven Records, Cedric''s understanding of runes, symbols, and inscriptions has reached an unfathomable level by human standards. Just from a slight nce, he could spot 10 ways to easily shatter the isting array that his previous self created. With a slight effort, he could even turn it inside out. Sighing at the discrepancy, Cedric waved a hand, and immediately a fresh set of runes flew out of his sleeves. In an instant, the istion array transformed and transcended. To say that this room has instantly be the safest ce on earth would be an understatement. And this was made with Cedric barely trying... Cedric stood up and felt the awkwardness in his movement. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he flexed his muscles and regained perfect control over all aspects of his physique. He erred to the side of caution because everything around him seemed and felt fragile. He had to be careful not to identally cause destruction wherever he went. Once he felt certain that he had an urate grasp of his strength, he took a step and teleported outside of the room¡ªan act that he would never dare to do prior to his time at the tower, but he could now since hisprehension and control over spacews were pretty much perfect. After briefly scanning his home, he discovered the presence of his girlfriends. Cedric was momentarily stunned. Suddenly, the memories came rushing back at him. His heartbeat quickened, and his eyes turned slightly moist. He released a sigh to settle his emotions. He then made himself a cup of coffee and made his way to the living room. He sat on his favorite couch, the one that''s near the windows, giving him a clear view of the academy. "10 years in an hour..." Cedric muttered to himself, feeling all sorts of emotions right now. It''s been so long, yet upon returning, nothing much has changed. He feels estranged for some reason. He doesn''t belong to this world anymore, despite it being his home. He wondered if his fellow challengers also felt the same, and if so, how did they deal with it? Sadly, he had no contact with them right now, so he could only deal with this by himself. ** Erica saw her boyfriend rxing on his favorite couch. Usually, she would either ignore this or join him to talk about random stuff just to spend some time with him. For some reason, though, even though only a few hours had passed since shest saw him, something was different about him. It''s weird; he doesn''t seem to be doing anything right now, yet it made her feel this way. He didn''t look any different than he did a few hours ago. He''s wearing the same clothes, has the same length of hair, and has the same rxed and calm expression on his face. In short, physically at least, he remains the same. But Erica, especially after the changes brought by the Origin Energy Storm, had sharper senses than before. She could tell that something was different about him. He''s still her boyfriend, but her instincts told her that his changes were out of this world. Something that she couldn''t fathom for now... "Take a picture, love. It''llst longer." Cedric''s yful voice echoed in her ears, causing Erica to blush. She ended up staring at him from afar because of what she felt all of a sudden. ''His demeanor doesn''t seem weird...'' Erica muttered to herself as she gingerly walked towards him. "What! Aaahh!" She yelled all of a sudden when a strange and unknown force suddenly swept her off her feet. It caused her to float towards Cedric, who gently caught her and ced her on hisp. A pair of bright golden eyes gazed straight through her entire being. They held sincere emotions and strong longing, which stunned her speechless. "Hi," he greeted. Erica felt his possessive but gentle hands wrapping around her. She shivered at their physical contact, which is weird because she could''ve sworn that she had gotten used to his way of showing affection for a while now. Just where is this differenceing from? With his face nuzzled at her bountiful chests, which tickled her but she pointedly ignored, his muffled voice sounded in her ears: "I can practically hear your thoughts, love," Cedric muttered with afortable sigh as he smushed his face on his girlfriend''s breasts. "Well, you just seem..." "Different?" Cedric smirked as hepleted her sentence. "Yeah." Erica nodded. "What happened?" Cedric stared at her. Once again, she felt as if he were staring straight at her soul. He then shook his head and said, "A lot." Cedric then went back to breathing in her scent and continued, "A lot has happened. I can''t say much for now, but overall, it''s a good thing. I''ll tell you all about it soon, I hope." "Hnnn!" The two of them heard a whining sound behind them. Erica looked, but Cedric didn''t. She saw Chrissy standing there with a pout and brows furrowed. "This is unfair. I want cuddles too, but I can''t because I still haven''t gotten my new physique regted." "Nonesense! C''mere." "Wha¡ª! Hey!!" The same unknown force that put Erica in hisp also grabbed Chrissy as well. She dropped by his right thigh, and before she could utter any word ofint, Cedric sealed her lips with a searing kiss. She tried to push him away, not because she didn''t like it but because her poison was too potent right now because of the changes that had happened to her. But despite trying, she was powerless against the burning passion behind Cedric''s actions and his greedy and possessive paws, which practically imprisoned her and made her weak. After roughly three minutes of making out, Erica blinked and felt impressed. Cedric just reduced Chrissy into a mumbling mess of hormones that quickly. This was probably the fastest he had done so. She then felt his heated gaze turn to her and immediately felt threatened. She wanted to run, but she had nowhere to go. Helplessly, she could only sumb to what happened to her and Chrissy afterwards. Chapter 278: Acala: Are you cheating on me? -- "I think... I overdid it," Cedric muttered to himself as he stood in his naked glory at the edge of the bed. Looking at his slumbering girlfriends, who are still quivering from time to time from the aftermath of their activities during the past 24 hours, an apologetic smile appeared on his face. "Yeah, I totally did." He sighed and released a faint wisp of his energy. He infused it into them and watched as they visibly rxed and fell deeper into their slumber. He estimated that they would need at least 12 hours of minimum rest to recover from the things he did to them. Cedric''s only excuse was that it''s been 10 years for him. Even he underestimated just how much he missed them. After kissing their foreheads, Cedric left the room to not disturb their slumber. He wore a loose white robe, a pair of ck pants, and straw sandals. As he left his dorm room, his aura and breath turned fainter and fainter with each step he took. It went on until he essentially blended with his surroundings. He didn''t turn invisible, but he might as well be because even if he were to breathe down someone''s neck, they wouldn''t be able to sense or perceive him. This was the miraculous effect of the Breath Holding Technique, and in this state, not even the High Marshals would be able to sense him. With another step, space shrunk under his feet, and all of a sudden, he found himself standing in the skies above humanity''s civilization. He bypassed the restrictions of the academy''s dimension and appeared directly above the entirety of human civilization. He once again familiarized himself with the fake skies and sheltered environment of this ce. He wore an indifferent expression as he calcted all of the remaining things he had to do from now on. Despite his observation, he noticed that the mood of his people was still jubnt. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the majority of them were still digesting their gains from the recent Origin Energy Rain. Be it soldiers from the army ormon civilians, all have gained something from the storm. "Right, it hasn''t been long since the Origin Energy Storm urred," he muttered to himself. "Changes are still happening constantly because of it." Cedric should be impressed, but the truth is, he wasn''t. He couldn''t be after having a glimpse of the prosperity of the alliance. His exposure broadened his horizons and raised his standards. Therefore, all of this lost its charm for him. Sighing to himself, Cedric took another step and appeared at the depths of the mountain, where he revived the leylines. There''s nobody there except him, so he sealed the entrance to it. Tugging at the connection between him and the tower, he summoned his inventory and brought out the Earth Core Golem he got from trading with Backpack Fatty. A ten-foot-tall golem with the strength of a Grand Sr Sage Life Evolver manifested and kneeled before him. "Earth Core Golem: Granitas, greets Master," the golem said with a respectful tone. Despite Cedric being weaker than it, the golem held no contempt or dissatisfaction with their rtionship. After all, it is only sentient enough to follow orders. "This small world is my home," Cedric said to his golem servant. "It''s in a rather perilous state, but that''s our problem to solve. From now on, I''ll leave you here to act as ast line of defense for our civilization." "Unless this sheltered space was facing imminent destruction under the hands of the Space Pirates, you are to remain here and guard this ce. Understand?" "Yes, Master. I shall carry out your orders," the golem respectfully replied. "Go on. Besides Ac, the embodiment of this world''s consciousness, and me, nobody should be aware of your existence." The golem nodded before blending into the mountain itself. From now on, this was a bastion. Under the golem''s care, this ce has be the safest ce on earth. With the golem''s protection, humanity''s civilization just had anotheryer of protection. One that could ensure their survival even if everything goes wrong. "Don''t be shy; you can show yourself. I know you have a lot of questions," Cedric stated in a t tone. Woosh! An entity that looked like a beautiful woman manifested near him. She''s wearing a silk dress adorned with gems and butterflies. She has long, curly hair, deep bronze skin, a pair of verdant pupils, and an oval-shaped face. Anybody whoid their eyes on her would be stunned by her beauty and captivated by her charm and the aura she''s exuding. However, none of these fazed Cedric at all. He seemed to be immune to any of it. "Child you..." the spirit trailed off. Her eyes quaked, and disbelief appeared on her face. "You, are you cheating on me?" Cough! Cough! Cough! That was the thing that broke Cedric''sposure. Out of all the things he imagined Ac asking him, he didn''t expect them to be those. "What nonsense are you on!?" Cedric eximed in disbelief. "I can smell other System AI''s on you. I didn''t think there''d be other ones, but still, I thought you''d only have me!" Cedric found this unbelievable. He couldn''t understand why she was acting this way. Was this truly Ac? Wasn''t she supposed to be more mature¡ªnot just physically but mentally too? What makes this worse is that...''technically'', her usations were sound. As weird as this might seem, Cedric ''unknowingly'' cheated on her. "Whatever, I''ll y along, I suppose," Cedric muttered in annoyance. He then looked at Ac directly and said, "Yeah, I did cheat on you! So what? What''re you going to do about it, huh?" Ac clutched her chest and dramatically copsed on the floor with a horrified expression on her face. She then wiped some invisible tears on her face as she said: "Y-you, how could you? I trusted you! You promised! I was there in your lowest! I was there when you peaked! You promised me forever! How dare you!" Cedric''s eye twitched in irritation. He couldn''t believe that this was actually happening; even worse is that he''s actually ying along. "She''s better than you. She''s richer, prettier, sexier, and offered me so much more than you could ever dream of. I''m just a man. Presented with something better, how can I remain indifferent? Just ept it; you either stay or leave. I don''t really care anymore." "Oh, boohooo..." Ac cried out dramatically; she even did that ridiculous nose-blowing act to sell her performance. "It''s over. How could you be this cruel to me?" With a hurt look on her face, she snarled at him: "Leave! Leave and nevere back! I never want to see you ever again! Go with that hussy of yours; I don''t care anymore!" "..." "..." "Are we done with this ridiculous drama?" Cedric asked. "Yeah." Ac then unceremoniously stood up as if she had never started any of this. "Sorry, I couldn''t help it. I''ve been watching too many dramastely. You''re the only one who could talk to me so far, so I took my chances. Thanks for ying along, by the way." Cedric sighed while massaging his temples. "No problem. But please, never do that again. This memory will haunt me forever; I just know it." At the very least, Ac had the shame to look guilty. Cedric couldn''t really me her for acting a little childish. It hasn''t been long since her revival. And despite being the spiritual consciousness of this world, she''s actually very young still. She spent most of her time in deep slumber. Always preserving her energy to maintain the Purgatory Realm and protect herself and her citizens. Her life is under constant threat due to the Space Pirates, and it puts an immense burden on her. All that fear and loneliness were too much for her to carry alone. That''s why Cedric, albeit reluctantly, chose to y along with her because God knows how long it has been since she had this much freedom. "Ready to know what''s going on?" Cedric asked. "Yeah, I''m listening," she replied. "Well, you don''t really have to." Saying this, Cedric sent a beam of light, which flew directly to her head. That wasn''t an attack; it''s a memory transmission. He sent her a bulk of information about his encounters at the Tower of Prodigies. Details about the Divine Council, the Six Leading Races, and thousands of other races and ns; information about the Tower of Prodigies itself; and the thousands of gxies under the council''s rule. Down to the very instance that led Cedric to be exposed to the existence of the alliance and many more. Ac''s mouth flew wide open at the sheer density of this revtion. And much like Cedric, she too felt an existential crisis. The same ''smallness'' that Cedric felt uponing into contact with this information was felt by her as well. "Oh, my..." Ac looked overwhelmed, and rightfully so since this was too much information. "I know." Cedric could rte to what she''s feeling. "I knew it!" Her words surprised him all of a sudden. "So you were cheating on me!!" "Quit it!!" Chapter 279: Nostalgia -- "...in all seriousness, you did great." Ac sighed. "You endured 10 years of loneliness just for this. Moreover, this burden isn''t something that you should be taking all on your own, yet you did it anyway. You''re giving us way too much, and I don''t know if we could ever repay you for everything." She had questions earlier that Cedric did not hesitate to answer. They were nothing too personal, just more or less about his opinions about the existence of the alliance and the ns he had moving forward. Ac could sense his strength even with his muted aura. Cedric was being really kind by holding back his strength because if he exerted just a small effort, he could easily destroy humanity''s civilization and plunge them into chaos. If he exerted just a bit of effort beyond that, he could easily shatter this entire continent on his own. That said, this wasn''t the main point. It''s about Cedric''s overwhelming contribution to this world and its people. Cedric had every right to be selfish. His gains during his time at the Tower of Prodigies are his and his alone. He could''ve used the trial points he gained bypleting the trials for things that could make him stronger or things that could aid him with the future challenges that the tower throws at him, yet Cedric didn''t do so. Instead, he used his hard-earned trial points to buy things that would help elevate the livelihood of humans and help with resistance against the Demon Race. The things he got by trading with his fellow challengers, such as the Earth Core Golem, the spiritual farm where the Sacred Celestial Tree grows, theplete set of Spiritual Dragon Veins, and even the Heavenly Thundercloud, were already set up by Cedric. There are also more like a bunch of seeds that couldter blossom into sacred nts and heavenly treasures, treasure mine cores,ke and sea sources, and many more things that could transform Prime Earth into a true jewel of a. These, in addition to the things he bought using trial points, are just too much. These items could benefit the world and its citizens for generations. Cedric was too generous. He practically bought nothing for himself. Everything he took was for others instead. And this saddens Ac, since a child like him shouldn''t be carrying this much burden on his own. "I don''t need repayment," Cedric stated firmly with a t expression. "I''m doing this because I could. I want this existential war to end in my generation. This has gone long enough; it''s time for a change. It''s time we regain some semnce of freedom." Cedric gaze then turned distant for a moment and said, "Being exposed to the existence of the Divine Council made me realize just how much we''re missing out. Our goal should be to join and prosper with them, not to be imprisoned and harassed in our ownnd." Ac stared at him; her expression remained as is. She feels a bitplicated, but she more or less knew what she had to do. "You''d be ourst line of defense then," Ac suddenly stated, "in this war at least." "Hmm?" "You''ve grown too strong. It''s useless to send you on the front lines. It''s better if they send the soldiers instead to temper them on an actual battlefield. If you''re there, you''d just eradicate all demons you encounter, and the army would be incredibly dependent on you. If they want to achieve your ns for them, they should be able to function on their own. You should only lend your aid when they need it the most," Ac exined. "So you''re saying that I should only move when the army''s facing a crisis they can''t solve on their own?" "Exactly." Ac nodded. "You''re powerful enough to monitor everything that''s happening to the world without leaving this space. If things go awry, you could just make an appearance and help them. You''re enemies are the ones parked right outside of this world, not the ones trapped here." Cedric was thoughtful for a bit. Her words made sense; he has indeed be way too strong to concern himself with the struggles of the army. She''s right when she says that his enemies aren''t the ones trapped here but the fleet stationed outside because a huge bulk of the Demon Kings, Demon Emperors, and Demon God are in there. These were the only things that could give him a fight. "I don''t want to be a paper-pusher, though." Cedric wore a strange expression on his face. "You won''t; don''t worry." Ac pacified his concerns. "I could issue a chain quest to you as a cover. You can use this as an excuse to exit the enlistment while you do your thing." Cedric was silent for a bit. He weighed the pros and cons of doing this, and so far, he''s liking it. "Okay, let''s do that. Right, can you also... release me from the Hell Dives? Because, well, they''re meaningless to me now. Only if you could, though." "No problem." Ac readily agreed. "That''s what I was going to say next anyway." A string of alerts from the Ac System swarmed his vision. After a brief scan, Cedric dimished them with satisfaction. He''s now free from the Hell Dives and the uing war. This just freed up his schedule, allowing him to use his time for more productive things. "Thank you," he said to her. "This is nothingpared to what you''ve done so far." Ac shook her head. "Go and do your thing. Don''t let us hold you back." Cedric smiled before turning into a streak of light and disappearing from the underground mountain cave. ** Upon returning to the Starlight Royal Academy, he saw that his girlfriends were still sleeping. He shook his head and stepped outside once more. He then spent his time roaming around the academy, re-familiarizing himself with the ce since, for him, it''s been ten years since thest time he did it. Sure, he could''ve just scanned the entire academy with his senses. With how powerful he has be, there are no secrets that could be hidden from him here, but that kind of defeats the purpose and the fun of it. Cedric visited the Academic Towers, the practice areas, the student market, the Astral Observatory, the arena, etc. He saw a few familiar faces and many unfamiliar ones. He even saw the freshman students, who are still familiarizing themselves with their new environment. It feels too nostalgic to do this. Once upon a time (though in reality, it''s onlyst year), he was one of them. Now, he''s more than they could possibly think or dream of. Time is truly one hell of an element, huh? Following where his feet took him, he found himself habitually returning to the sword dojo. And upon arriving there, the nostalgia felt even stronger because this was where he spent most of his time. Thirdy, Instructor Uruk, his fellow swordsmen ssmates, even the ones who are trying to prove themselves to join this ss¡ªhe missed them all. The instructor, Uruk, wasn''t around. Just like others, he''s also drafted into the war. His blindness didn''t exempt him from it since he could see just as clearly, if not clearer, than most even without his eyesight. His eyes thennded on the Sword Communion Hall. A smile appeared on his face as he suddenly remembered something. With a single step, he breached the isted space where the Law Communion Sword was. "WHO!?" A furious roar shook the entire ce, yet it barely caused ripples on Cedric''s countenance. "Oh wait, it''s you. Wait! You!!!" Cedric smirked at the reaction. Unlike before, where he would usually find himself looking up at the chain sword above, now he''s standing face to face with it, allowing him to admire its design. "Yo! Long time no see...for me at least." Cedric muttered thest part. "Gotta say, your design is truly ahead of our time. It makes me wonder about the real identity of your creator." "Forget about that, Dude! What happened to YOU? Like..." Cedric had this feeling of being looked at from head to toe. "You''ve befome unfathomable! This is nuts, dude!" "Why, thank you." Cedric chuckled. "It''s because of a fortunate ident that allowed me to see the broader world. But enough about this. I remember someone telling me that they woulde with me once I reach some level of mastery over spacews, hmmm." "How can I forget? Of course, my word still stands. Oh dear heavens!" Cedric interrupted the Law Communion Sword by disying his astounding control over spacews. The sword could only watch as Cedric expertly kneaded space like it was y dough, morphing it into any shape and size he wanted. His mastery goes beyond the intermediate stage; he actually had a perfected mastery of it; how could the sentient sword not be shocked? And it didn''t end there! "Y-you! This is... fire, wood, water, metal, earth, and... time! All have reached the level of perfection!! What the fuck!?" Cedric smirked and felt smug. He dismissed the phenomena he caused by disying his skill and stared at the Law Communion Sword. "So? Am I qualified to take you out of here now?" Chapter 280: Truth Revealed -- ** [Profile] Name: Cedric Stormrider Age: 23 Race: Human IV sses: Irrelevant Level: 2-starary Grandmaster Titles: Irrelevant System Authority: MAX Companion Beast: Aurelion (Radiant Sunlion) T8 Lv.9 Aptitude Rank: EX+ [Skills] - (omitted) [Concept Laws] Laws: (nar) - Five Elements (Perfected), Sword (Perfected), Space (Perfected), Time (Perfected), Astral (Perfected) Concepts: ughter Intent (Perfected) Unique Trait: ¡ºNine Extreme Sun Physique¡»(Intermediate) [Domain]: ??? [Equipment] Weapons: Sris Edge, Vermillion Feather Sword Case Armor: Star Sage Set, White Crane Immortal Robe [Mandatory Task:] : (Exempted) ** ''Even the Ac System can''t fathom what I have be, huh?'' Cedric grinned as he looked at his profile. Cedric shared his experiences with Ac herself, but even with that, she couldn''t give an urate measurement of what he has truly be after returning from the Tower of Prodigies. It''s understandable since she wasn''t there herself. Her knowledge was limited to this world. Even with Cedric''s memories, she can''t possibly calcte just how strong he is. If she wanted to properly measure him and provide a more detailed profile page, she had to expose herself to the alliance first, and that poses risks on its own and definitely won''t happen anytime soon. "Yeah, but that''s just the start. There will be explosive changes from now on; just wait for it," Cedric replied to his newpanion, the Law Communion Sword. After disying his perfected mastery over the concept ofws, the Law Communion Sword didn''t hesitate to leave with him. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that it''s hugging his thigh now. Cedric shattered its expectations. Although the sword still has no idea exactly what the fortunate ident is that this child experiences, a promise is a promise. The Law Communion Sword asked, "That''s true. But unless my people are facing an imminent crisis, one that they can''t solve on their own, or the Demon God descends to this world, I won''t be making an appearance in this war." "That''s right." Cedric nodded. "If I solved everything by myself, they''d be reliant on me, and we can''t have that. In the distant future, I''ll be too upied to pay attention to their affairs; if they''re too reliant on me, humanity will be extinct before I know it." Cedric pondered for a bit before saying, "For now, I n on creating a new home for you¡ªone that wouldn''t necessarily trap you within while also allowing some people to actually benefit from what you can do." "Naturally." Cedric felt the telepathic connection between them disappear, a sign that the Law Communion Sword was now slumbering. Inwardly, Cedric was still suspicious about the sword''s creator. The sword''s design was way ahead of its time. He''d even say that it''s out of this world. The Law Communion Sword briefly told him about its creator, but looking at how the sword was designed, Cedric was doubting if that was even true. Whoever made this sword couldn''t possibly be that talented, especially in an era of strife like this one. Cedric suspected that the creator of this sword wasn''t a human. They may be a foreigner who identally got stranded in this ce and decided to help. There are a lot of races in the alliance that are gifted with a shapeshifting ability, and with how backwards this world was, no one would suspect them. There''s also no hints of the metaphorical ''oriole'' anywhere on Prime Earth; Cedric was certain of that because he had scanned the world dozens of times already. Whoever this entity was probably only wanted to recover their strength, provide some help, and leave as soon as they could. Shaking these thoughts away, Cedric returned home. As soon as he appeared, he immediately sensed the distressed emotions of his girlfriends, causing him to frown. "Hi, girls. What''s wrong?" he asked. "Cedric...I-...we..." Erica struggled to form words. Looking at her face, it was obvious that she felt a bit ufortable. Chrissy was the same. It''s like they''re trying to hold something back and are barely able to do so. "Ah!" Cedric realized what was happening. With a soft chuckle, he grabbed both of them and took them to the Connate Spiritual Farm. Due to their difort, the girls couldn''t even tell what happened. They were too busy holding on to the chaotic energies swirling within them. "It''s okay. I''m here." Cedric''sforting voice echoed within their minds. "Go on, release it. You''ll be fine. I''m watching over you." With a few words from him, the girls stopped suppressing themselves. With a scream, they allowed the explosive energy within them to rampage. Cedric waved his hand and isted them separately. He stretched and folded the space around them to iste the explosion of energy they''re releasing. Just like that, the girls reached the nar Traveler Realm. At this point, they''re no longer in pain. Instead, they''re feeling calm and enjoying the experience of their breakthrough. After roughly an hour or so, both of them opened their eyes and released a relieved sigh. It was then followed by an expression of disbelief and wonder about where they currently are. "W-where are we!?" "This is...Cedric, what''s going on here? What the hell is that tree?" "Okay, rx, you two. One question at a time." Cedric chuckled as he sat in between them. "First, how do you feel? Good? Are you hurting anywhere?" "I''m good," Erica replied, and Chrissy said the same. "Fantastic. You two are nar travelers now. You beat Francis with your progress." His words put a smile on their faces. But Erica wasn''t one to be distracted. Still looking around, she asked, "Cedric, where are we? Did you take us here?" "We''re at a ce called the Connate Spiritual Farm, love." Cedric grinned at her. "Yes, it is a farm. And yes, it is considered a small world with aplete set of conceptws. Also, yes. I was the one who brought us here." "That tree..." Chrissy trailed off, staring at that growing tree from a distance. "...what is it?" "It''s called the Sacred Celestial Tree." Cedric replied, "And Princess, no. It''s not a tree. At least yet. That one is but a young sapling. A matured Sacred Celestial Tree could easily pierce the skies and reach the starry skies above. It''s branches could connect to other worlds, stars, asteriods...you name it, serving as a portal to them. Additionally, it could even be responsible for the day and night cycles." "That...this...wha¡ª...how? I mean¡ª..." Even Erica herself doesn''t know what to say or ask. She knew that Cedric wasn''t lying to them, but even so, this was too much. She has never heard of anything like this. It sounds unbelievable, but she didn''t doubt its legitimacy because she could feel the innate potential of that sapling. Cedric sighed. He thought to himself, ''I suppose it''s time to face the music. I can no longer hide this from them.'' "You see, my luck turned around because of an act of kindness from an old man I met at the RMC..." Cedric started stating his story. He didn''t go into detail about every encounter he had. He just highlighted a few important factors to make them understand how he ended up with his current status. Cedric told them about eyes, exined the changes they brought to him, and exined how he turned his life around. He exined how he became the Sun Sage and the interactions he had with the leaders of humanity. He also revealed the fortunate ident that led him to meet the Ancient Titan - Big Han. From here on out, just like what he had done with Ac, he shared his memories with them. This allowed the girls to see everything from his perspective and feel what he felt upon learning all of this. They saw the trials he faced, his interactions with his fellow challengers, and bits and pieces of his training, but more importantly, they also caught a glimpse of how long he had endured his loneliness, all in the pursuit of bing stronger just to ensure the safety of the world. By the end of it, both Chrissy and Erica were silent. Cedric didn''t disturb them. He let them digest everything that he had revealed to them so far. It was a lot, so he''s not expecting them toprehend everything overnight. "So that''s why you were particrly active yesterday," Chrissy lightheartedly huffed. She smiled at him as she lovingly caressed his face. "It''s been that long for you, huh?" Erica''s eyes stung with unshed tears. She leaned into him and said, "10 years of loneliness¡ªit''s too long." "It''s worth it." Cedric just smiled in reply. "This is a once in a lifetime chance. Put anybody in position, and they''d most likely do the same." "No, I disagree." Chrissy shook her head gently before leaning in. She smiled sweetly and said, "I could think about 10 instances to prove my point." "You did it because you''re you, my sweet and selfless prince." Chapter 281: Cute Pests -- "What''s this nt right here?" "That''s the young sapling of the Eternal Youth Peach Tree. Once it matures, it will bear nine Eternal Youth Peaches. Consuming one extends a person''s youthful appearance for 10,000 years, but it wouldn''t stop the actual aging." "Why only nine?" Chrissy continued asking. "I don''t know the specifics," Cedric shrugged. "But the information came from the System AI of the Tower of Prodigies, so it shouldn''t be false. However, even though it only produces nine peaches, it doesn''t disappearpletely. The whole tree will wilt and then leave behind a seed that could be rented to start the cycle again." "How long would it take for this tree to mature?" "It depends on the concentration and quality of energy around it," Cedric answered. "With the current level of energy concentration on the farm, I think it would take at least 5 years before it fully matures." "That''s not bad, but... it''s a pity that it only produces nine peaches." Chrissy sighed in pity. "Actually, it''s not as bad as you think," Cedric chuckled. "The peaches are considered an excellent alchemy ingredient in the council. Through alchemy, we can turn them into the Eternal Youth Pill, which could produce the same effect as directly consuming the peach. The effect varies depending on the quality of the pill." "Oh yeah! Why didn''t I think of that?" Chrissy''s eyes brightened. "Is it safe to assume that the alchemy inheritance over there is pretty advanced too?" "Indeed it is," Cedric replied. "Though I didn''t get the chance to personallye into contact with one, I browsed a few of them, but only the introduction parts. Even with that, I could tell that it''s really advanced." "What about that one over by the spring? What''s that?" Erica asked. "That one''s called the Nine Purity Lotus," Cedric replied to her. "That one''s the most challenging to grow since it requires only the purest Spiritual Spring Essence for consumption. Any kind of impurity will cause it to degrade; that''s why I sealed it within a formation." "What does it do?" Erica continued asking. "It cleanses the consumer''s physique three times, purifies their energy three times, and baptizes the soul three times as well," Cedric replied. "It''s one of the most sought-out heavenly treasures, especially by Grand Sr level experts because, from what I heard, consuming one lowers the difficulty of stepping into the Cosmic level of life evolution." "Is it an alchemy ingredient as well?" "It could be," Cedric answered, "but only a really skilled alchemist can turn it into a pill. As for what pill exactly, I don''t know." Cedric, along with his girlfriends, remained at the Connate Spiritual Farm to spend time with each other. They were curious about the things he had nted around them, so they started asking him. Cedric, of course, had no qualms about telling them what they were. This ce was incredible. Even the vast pocket dimension where the Starlight Royal Academy was built couldn''t hold a candle to this 100-cubic-meter farm. Just the sheer concentration of energy here already wins thepetition, not to mention the density and presence of conceptws. Cedric had already given them permission to freely enter and leave this ce; he had no qualms about sharing this space with them since they''re important to him. He even built humble homes for them to stay in here. They could train here, and their progress will yield twice the results with half the effort. It''s also easier and safer to perceive conceptws here since, unlike Prime Earth, the conceptws here are more intact and present. "Girls, is it alright if I step out for a bit? I just need to take care of something," Cedric suddenly asked out of nowhere. "What is it?" Erica asked. "Well, just some nuisances that refuse to take the hint." Cedric smiled knowingly. "I''ll be back in a jiffy, I promise." Chrissy and Erica looked at each other for a bit before nodding at him. "Be back by lunch, okay?" Chrissy requested. "Will do! Love you, bye!" After kissing both of them, he promptly disappeared, leaving both amidst the peaceful silence of the farm. "..." "..." "...demons?" Erica ventured a guess. "Probably, yeah," Chrissy replied. "But how, though? Aren''t we hidden?" "Hidden yes. Almost invisible? Also yes. But we haven''t disappeared. We''re at the same ce as we''ve been all this time. Demons aren''t dumb." Chrissy shurgged. "Right. And our sudden disappearance must''ve rmed them. It would make sense that they''d investigate." Erica hummed to herself. "Will he be fine?" "Obviously! Why would you even doubt that?" Chrissy looked at her with an incredulous expression. "Even if the world explodes beneath his feet, he''d be fine. How could some strays even dream about hurting him?" "I can''t help it, okay?" Erica blushed in embarrassment. "I know he''s strong, but I''m used to being worried for him. Even if he bes the strongest being alive, I think I will still worry about his well-being." "And he loves you for that," Chrissy replied as sheid down the grass. "And correction, he already is the strongest...in this at least. He''ll be fine. He promised, didn''t he?" "Yeah, you''re right. He promised." ** Cedric was unaware of what his girlfriends talked about. Even if he was, it wouldn''t change much. It would only, and most likely, cause him to chuckle because Erica''s worried for nothing. He stood in the air with his arms folded behind his back. Despite being there, nobody was able to sense his presence at all, not to mention see him. Cedric was looking at the western walls, where the strange movement he felt originated. In his eyes, a group of demons moving underground was reflected. "Cute little pests..." Cedric chuckled as he watched their determination. These groups of demons, in particr, are called the Night Stalkers. They could move silently and stealthily in any kind of terrain, including the air and underground. The army has ways to discover their presence, but this group in particr was carrying a special device that boosted their stealth, making it possible for them to remain undetected by the army''s sensors. Nightstalkers also have the ability to sense danger and phase through solid objects. From their abilities alone, they are excellent assassins and were raised to be one. "Somebody imnted a bomb on their brains, installed a toxic canister to rece their kidneys, and ced a seal on their brains. Any kind of tampering will cause a chain reaction and kill many people. It seems that they''re trying to initiate the first move in this war, huh?" Cedric had a calm expression as he analyzed what these demons were trying to do. If he had never made contact with the Tower of Prodigies and hadn''t reached his current level of strength and abilities, even he would fall victim to these things. Sadly for them, Cedric can no longer be measured by theirmon sense. Without alerting anybody, Cedric isted the area where the Night Stalkers were moving. He stretched out the space and folded it a couple of times to reinforce it. With a single step, he appeared right before them. And with a single mentalmand, the space froze, and all movement aside from his ceased. Cedric could tell that the Night Stalkers were rmed by their sudden loss of movement. He saw their realization that their operation waspromised and felt their efforts tomit suicide, but in front of him, how could they ever think about having anything going their way? With a swipe of his hand, he confiscated all the dangerous things they had; he removed the poison canister and the bomb; and he also rendered the seal in their brains useless with just a single nce. "You all made the worst mistake in your life bying here," Cedric coldly sneered. With a flick of his sleeves, he imnted ve Seals on them. This ve Seal was something that only someone with the same level of skills as him, in terms of Symbol Mastery, could sense and remove. Suffice it to say, there''s practically nobody here that could do that, so it''s impossible for his scheme to be exposed now. Once they''d been branded, Cedric freed them from their restraints, and immediately, the group of Night Stalkers prostrated before him. "Greetings, Master," the Night Stalkers said in unison, their voices filled with endless veneration and deep respect. To them, Cedric was no different from a god that must be worshipped. Every word he said will be treated as gospel and the absolute truth. None of them would even doubt him, and they would even willingly die for him. Such was the power of the ve Seal he imnted on them. "Tell me why you were sent here; be as detailed as possible," Cedric ordered. The Night Stalkers didn''t hesitate. They sang to him, revealing the plot of the Demon Lords by sending them here. They were sent out to investigate the disappearance of human civilization or confirm that they''re still around. Once either was aplished, they were tasked with assassinating humanity''s young geniuses by suicide. Cedric wasn''t surprised. This isn''t the first time they did something like this, nor would it be thest. However, things just took a wrong turn for them since he''s here. Chapter 282: Spies, Lost Continent, Meeting -- Cedric sent the Night Stalkers back to where they came from. The difference is that they''re his spies now. He severed their connection to the soulwork of the demon race, which was almost the same as them being killed in action. This so-called ''Soul Network'' is something he discovered from reading the Night Stalkers'' memories. It''s the secret behind their ''Immortality''. Demons that are killed by humans won''t truly die. They will lose their flesh, yes, but so long as their souls remain intact, they will return. Upon their physical death, the souls of demons will be called back to the Soul Network, joining the queue for rebirth. A machine called the Flesh Incubator will be responsible for attaching their souls to a new set of physical bodies, and in there, they will stay until the fusion is over. Once this process was over, they got to walk and live again. With the Soul Network and the Flesh Incubator, it''s a miracle that humanssted for this long. They''ve got to thank Ac for that because she directly interfered with this cycle. To protect herself and her citizens, Ac tampered with the Soul Network. She forcibly connected the souls of the Demon Race to the Purgatory Realm in exchange for sending her own people in there to pit them against demons as well. Demons that are killed repeatedly in the Purgatory Realm will slowly but surely lose their memories, the oldest ones first. The more deaths they experience, the worse it gets for them. Demon souls are the product of the memories they lose. Her interference with the Soul Network is what kept the Demon Race at bay. The demons think that if she could do it once, she could do it again. If they cornered her too much, they''re afraid that she would just blow up their soulwork and end their false immortality. That would be the worst oue for them. Trading their immortality for the chance of iming rare resources doesn''t seem worth it, but their demon god refused to give up on her, so they couldn''t do anything but keep their operations active. Cedric was pleased by what he learned. Now, he has an actual target. He has no ns on doing anything drastic right now, but it''s good to know where the enemy''s vulnerabilities are. He also did something to improve the stealth capabilities of the Night Stalkers. Because while they''re practically invisible to the human senses, the Demon Race has a way to discover them. He countered these measures with sheer skills in runes and symbols. Now, even if a Demon Emperor were to personallye down, they wouldn''t catch even a whiff of their scent. Of course, these measures aren''t effective for Cedric himself. They''re his ves, sure, but it''s best to be careful just in case. Still, from the perspective of the Demon Race, this batch of Night Stalkers is no more. Whether they seeded in their task or not didn''t matter in their grand scheme. Demons are arrogant to the bone; they look down on humans, so this task was nothing more than a little prank in their eyes. Cedric will make them pay for that. Aside from upgrading their stealth capabilities, Cedric also gave them a way tomunicate with him, which he also connected to Ac. Since he agreed that he wouldn''t be stepping on the frontlines this time, he was more than agreeable to let her and the army handle the intelligenceing from his spies. Cedric also nned on extending this spywork by enving more spies. The number of demons roaming Azure Terra was alreadyrge, and there are more on the other side of the world, where the other continent is. This continent, which modern humans call the ''Lost Continent'', had fallenpletely under the jurisdiction of the Demon Race. The majority of the Demon Lords and the Demon Kings that slipped through this world were there. Not even the army knows what was happening in thatnd. And while Cedric could fill them in, this will weaken humanity''s resolve in the long run and make them more reliant on him. Sending spies to provide intelligence to the army would suffice. He''d let the army decide on what to do, and if things went out of hand, it wouldn''t be toote for him to make an appearance, just as he promised. "Oops, look at the time." Cedric chuckled to himself. "Better get going; I don''t want my girls to be upset." ** The High Marshals of the Defense Walls, Raven Armstrong, Filius Greenwood, Cassandra Zephyrus, and Anthony Selner, along with other unnamed High Marshals and important personnel, were gathered in a meeting room. "Good day to all of you. I apologize for summoning you to an abrupt meeting. I know that all of us have important work to do, but I''m afraid that this takes precedence." Raven Armstrong greeted the crowd and started the discussion. "There''s no need for apologies, High Marshal Armstrong. We believe you." Headmistress Lissandra spoke on behalf of the rest, earning her an appreciative smile from him. Armstrong then returned his focus to his peers and said, "As we all know, the Origin Energy Storm happened not too long ago. It''s impossible for anybody in this room to not know this because that was the entire reason why we''re swamped with work right now." A murmur of chuckles and giggles echoed from the listeners because what he said was true. "What most of you don''t know is that, aside from causing all these positive transformations in our civilization, the Origin Energy Storm was actually just a side effect," Armstrong continued. "It was caused by the revival of the Spiritual Leylines within our territory." A round of gasps could be heard from the listeners. Armstrong gave them time to digest the implications of what he said before continuing. "The revival of the Spiritual Leylines will undoubtably bring us numerous benefits in the long run; it will even benefit humanity for generations toe. But more importantly, it''s revival also meant the restoration of Ac''s consciousness." That rendered the room silent. Aside from the involved parties during the leyline restoration effort, the others had no idea that Ac had woken up from her slumber. "Let it be known that she''s still weak." Armstrong stressed this to them. "But at the very least, she''s awake now and could help us help her too. Don''t expect her to show herself to any of you. We haven''t seen her ourselves, but she already contacted us and did something, which brings us to the main reason why I called all of you here." Armstrong then flicked his sleeves and summoned a bunch of system windows in front of the listeners, which contained sensitive information. There were reports and images that caused everybody''s faces to turn grim. "Around 10:34 am of this day, Ac told us that the Demon Race apparently sent 9 Night Stalkers to spy on us," Armstrong stated. "Yes, we failed to sense them, and no, the scanners weren''t cking off in their jobs nor their machines malfunctioned. These Night Stalkers were carrying something that rendered our scanners useless. And with their abilities, they could''ve easily phased through our walls without us any wiser." "Sure, we would''ve responded to their aggression the moment they made a move, but Night Stalkers are raised to be assassins. Their target was never us; it''s our children." His statement caused everyone''s countenance to turn grimmer. "Yes, their orders were to assassinate our geniuses again. This isn''t the first time, and I doubt that it''ll be theirst attempt." "And if you think that this is bad, oh, it gets worse." Armstrong snapped his fingers, and new system windows appeared in front of the listeners. "Aside from the trinket that neutralized our scanners, these Night Stalkers had their kidneys reced with a canister that held potent posions. If triggered, it would easily cover an entire city with a cloud miasma, killing everyone within. There''s also a bomb nted on their brains to prevent us from tampering with their memories." "It''s been hours since this report came in and nothing happened," someone from the listeners pointed out. "Is it safe to assume that the threats were neutralized?" "Yes," the High Marshal confirmed. "And we have Ac to thank for that." "She caught them. She didn''t just neutralize them; she even enved them," Armstrong stated with a grin. His words caused everyone to be surprised. "You''ll get ideas on how she achieved this by perusing through the reports on your screen. My point is that, with these Night Stalkers enved, we turned their spies into our own," Armstrong exined. "As all of you here are well informed about our situation, I don''t think I need to exin just how useful this can be. With these Night Stalkers being our spies from within, we''d be able to respond to threats even more effectively from now on." This is when they realized that they weren''t gathered here just to hear about bad news. Indeed, having these Night Stalkers on their side could potentially turn the tide of the uing war in their favor. "Everyone, once we''re finished handling the changes brought by the recent Origin Energy Storm, our next focus would be our war efforts. I encourage everyone to work hard because if we used our cards correctly..." "Reiming Azure Terra for ourselves might no longer be just a dream anymore." Chapter 283: Donating Books -- "Girls, I have something for you." "What is it?" Erica asked curiously. Cedric took out two books from his inventory and passed them to them. "Violet Qi Mantra?" Erica read the title of the book she received. "Heavenly Poison Scripture?" Chrissy did the same. "Are these the so-called cultivation techniques?" Erica asked. Cedric nodded at her. "Yes, they are. I want you two to start practicing these and make yourselves stronger for the uing struggle. These techniques will not only extend your lifespans, they will also give you additional benefits, which you could read more about. Those should allow you to reach the 1-star Grand Sr Life Evolution stage. Once I return to the tower, I''ll try my best to earn enough points to buy the next chapter for you." The girls knew that Cedric wanted to go above and beyond. His dreams could no longer be sustained by this tiny world anymore, and, as his lovers, they want to apany him as well. Therefore, even though they still felt like they were being a burden, they just thanked him and said that they would do their best. With a brief skim of the contents, the girls immediately knew just how valuable these cultivation techniques were. There''s nothing like it in this world, but in the alliance? These were just mediocre techniques. Why else would they be readily avable for purchase in the tower if they''re not ordinary? Still, when Cedric said that practicing these could extend their lifespans along with giving them a few additional benefits, he''s actually downying it. If they were to reach the perfection stage of these techniques, it could easily extend their longevity by 10,000 years. 10,000 years¡ªwhat kind of concept was that? One has to know that even the Star Travelers of Prime Earth only had a maximum lifespan of a bit over 1,000 years. Anything more than this was sphemous and unheard of. Even before Cedric made contact with the Divine Council, he was already anomalous by Prime Earth''s standards, able to live up to more than 5,000 years. And that''s mostly because he practiced the White Lotus Core Technique, which allowed him to evolve his racial longevity. Cedric''s giving this to them held a lot of meaning. But to top this off, what he gave them was only the first chapter of each technique. Who knows how much longevity the following chapters could give them when they start practicing them? The Violet Qi Mantra he gave to Erica was geared towards the umtion of energy. Practicing this technique was quite demanding since it required absurd amounts of energy and effort to make progress. But the results were worth it because it turns its practitioner into a literal walking disaster built with an unending source of energy to use for their cause. This technique was perfect for spellcasters like her; that''s why he bought it. The Heavenly Poison Scripture was pretty much tailored for Chrissy. It''s a technique that could turn everything into poison, which she could make use of. This was perfect, especially considering that Erica awakened a special physique that elerates her progress and increases the power of any poison she uses. After giving them follow-up instructions, he left them in the connate spiritual farm to practice. He made a training room there and equipped it with runes so that they wouldn''t identally damage the crops he nted. Another reason he wanted them to practice here was because the density of energy here was higherpared to outside. It will still take some time for energy concentration outside to increase, especially considering that the revival of the leylines just happenedst week. It''s better for his girls to practice here instead ofpeting with everyone else outside. ** "What do you want to do this time?" Ac asked, appearing next to Cedric like a ghost. "What''s with your tone? You sound as if I''m nning something apocalyptic." Cedric rolled his eyes. "Sorry about that. I didn''t mean it that way." "I know." Cedric snorted. "Anyway, I''m here to assist you with your fusion with the Spiritual Dragon Veins. But before that, I''d like you to set up something for me." "And that is...?" "You know that even before I made contact with the alliance, I''ve been practicing a cultivation technique, right?" Cedric prefaced first. "Yes. It''s quite unique. It made you a walking energy generator and a tireless monster, which made it possible for you to endure the endless hordes of the undead." "Which I still resent, by the way..." "Hey! I didn''t want to do that to you either. The Demon Race forced my hand!" Ac whined. "I know. But that''s not the point." "Then why bring it up in the first ce?" "AS I WAS SAYING..." Cedric red at her. "I''m nning on donating that technique, but I''d like you to set it up in a way that''s beneficial to us." "I''m listening." "The technique''s name is the White Lotus Core Technique. It''s a cultivation technique that has a neutral alignment; the most valuable benefit one could get from practicing it was longevity expansion, which I bet many would be thrilled to have." "Oh, you have no idea." Ac hummed. "It also allows them to essentially increase their energy reserves, allowing them tost longer inbat. I will divide it into chapters that could be purchased by spending military merits and only by military merits." "Ah, so the stick and the carrot thing?" "Kind of, yeah. For now at least," Cedric replied. "The army needs more volunteers; even with the drafting, they''re stillcking in numbers. This is just the thing that could help with that." "I have other cultivation techniques here that I will also donate, but for now, these are only essible to 3-star nar Travelers and above; they will also need military merits to purchase these as well. I want to increase their strength as much as possible before the war begins." Most of the cultivation techniques he ns on donating are things that he received from memories he inherited from the godking. He could only remember their contents and had an idea of what they could bring to people by practicing them. He had no practical experience with them since he had never used them. There are also a few other cultivation techniques that he bought from the tower. They were cheap but could at least take someone up until the 5-starary Sage level. [AN: Just a reminder that the Divine Council follows the Life Evolution standards and the realms areary, Grand Sr, and Cosmic realms. Each realm is divided into Warrior, Grandmaster, and Sage. The Cosmic realm is stillrgely unknown to Cedric since his contact with the alliance was still limited.] "Could the energy concentration of this territory support this n of yours?" Ac hesitantly asked. "Essence Souls are a thing, remember?" Cedric raised a brow at her. "Oh, right. Yeah, silly me. How can I forget?" Ac smacked her forehead. "Right, have you discovered a way to create a Demon King-level Essense Soul?" "I have." Cedric nodded. "During the end of my first year of seclusion in the tower. I''ve already made some tests yesterday. I just need to update the altars on the Lighthouses, but that''s my job. For now, you should focus on setting the arrangement for the cultivation techniques first, and then prepare for your fusion with the dragon veins." Ac nodded at him, and with his help, they began setting up the arrangements for the cultivation techniques that Cedric nned on donating. After their discussion, they finished the arrangements smoothly. By tomorrow, all important and eligible personnel will be notified of these. Cedric could already see their surprised reaction, but right now, he didn''t care about any of that. "I ced a formation on the Spiritual Dragon Veins that acts as a filter and converter of demon corruption. This way, once you finish fusing with it, you can start draining corruption from your body and turn it into nourishment instead." "That said, I want you to start slow and limit the absorption only on Azure Terra for now, at least. I don''t want to rm the demons on the Lost Continent since the army needs more time to get stronger." "So the n is to reim Azure Terra first, expand the operations, and fortify our base before making a move on the Lost Continent?" Ac asked. "Pretty much, yeah." Cedric nodded. "This will take some time, but that''s fine. We''ve stagnated for centuries already. It''s about time for a grand change to happen." Ac went silent for a bit. She could feel the zing determination within Cedric, despite his t expression. "Will my fusion with the Spiritual Dragon Veins cause violent reactions?" She asked. "Hmm, I reckon a few quakes here and there will happen. Nothing too violent though, so don''t worry. Just remember to focus the production of energy on our civilization. We don''t want to rm the demons about the changes happening to you." "I know." Ac grimly nodded. "Whew! Okay! I''m ready. Let''s begin!" Cedric nodded and flicked his sleeve to iste the space within the mountain. He also gave orders to Granitas, the Earth Core Golem, to not let anybody disturb them. The first step towards the golden age of humanity begins here. Chapter 284: Cultivation Craze, Vein Fusion, Sun Disc -- On the very first minute of the next day, the army was shaken by a surprising announcement from the system; even the High Marhals were greatly rmed by this news. Hell, even the Tech God himself, the same person who had made the biggest contribution to the system''s birth, was shocked. It was obvious that he wasn''t informed ahead of time, much like the rest. The breaking news is all about something called a ''cultivation technique'', which was said to not only allow someone to be stronger but could also extend their longevity. If this was announced by some organization out there, they wouldn''t have believed it easily. At most, they will investigate the legitimacy of such ims first before making a decision. But the notice didn''te from any third-party organization. Instead, it came directly from the system¡ªfrom Ac herself. Given who she is, how could they doubt her? It''s understandable that there would be some who wouldn''t be convinced right away, even though the notice came from a trusted source. Being cautious is never a bad thing, especially in this line of work. It is for this reason that Cedric decided to make the first chapters of these cultivation techniques free to purchase, with the condition that only those who are on active duty are eligible to view and practice them. By sunrise, dozens of soldiers had already tried it out, and all of them unhesitatingly spent their hard-earned military merits to purchase the next chapters. Just the first chapter alone boosted their overall strength by 15% and extended their longevity by 150 years. The effects were visible because the practitioners looked visibly energetic and younger after mastering the first chapter of their chosen cultivation technique. These results sparked a wildfire amongst soldiers, and in no time, almost all of the soldiers purchased the cultivation techniques en masse. As for the higher-ups in the army, they too were affected by these changes. Unlike ordinary soldiers and officers, they had ess to more cultivation techniques. Just the idea of increasing their strength explosively was already enough to make them crazy about it. Add the extended longevity these techniques bring, and their gazes be scorching hot. It is fortunate that humanity''s territory has been hidden by a formation right now because, with the craze brought by the cultivation technique, the walls werepletely vulnerable. The order couldn''t be restored in the meantime since everyone was crazily practicing their new techniques. Unbeknownst to everyone, Ac herself was also changing. Fusing with the Spiritual Dragon Veins was time-consuming and agonizing for her. The spiritual veins are quite literally her blood vessels, and fusing them with a new set of veins of higher quality would, of course, hurt a lot. The changes happening to her were monumental. Without Cedric''s help in isting the chaos brought forth by this change, Prime Earth itself would be experiencing city-toppling earthquakes by now. The fusion took a whole 12 hours from start to finish, with no rests in between. This meant that Ac was hurting for its entire duration. This will sound wild, but her centuries of suffering from the erosion of demonic corruption helped a lot. She has been tempered by the experience, allowing her to stay awake for the entire duration of the fusion. She even had enough energy to be snarky at Cedric once they''re done. Fortunately, the demons weren''t alerted by these changes, just like they nned. Now, Ac was resting. The new set of Spiritual Dragon Veins was already doing its job. With the runic formation that Cedric engraved on the veins, it was now absorbing demonic corruption and converting it into neutral energy that could nourish itself. It would take at least a week before the veins begin producing and releasing spiritual energy into human territory, but the wait will be worth it¡ªthat much Cedric could guarantee. Cedric left the mountain once the fusion was over. Before he did, though, he instructed the Earth Core Golem, Granitas, to guard her properly and not allow anybody in except Cedrif himself. Once he''s done here, Cedric returns home and goes to hisb to begin designing the update patch for the soul-converting altars of the Lighthouses. ** "My, my, would you look at this?" Cedric''s teasing voice echoed within the hall. "Somebody looks rejuvenated. What kind of miraculous elixir did you drink to achieve this, hmm? Archbishop Gabriel?" "You jest, Young Sage." Gabriel''s deep and vigorous voice echoed in reply to his teasing, though his expression couldn''t hide the flustered excitement he felt within. Nobody would guess that this man was the same balding archbishop of the House of Light. Thanks to the White Lotus Core Technique, Gabriel''s youthful appearance was restored in addition to the extension of his life. How could he not be delighted with this? Try as he might, he just can''t help it. Cedric whistled as he inspected the archbishop, who now looked like he''s in his mid-20''s. He inspected him from head to toe, emitting an impressed whistle. "Amazing. Is this the effect of these so-called ''cultivation techniques''? If so, I could only imagine the chaos within the army right now. The old guys hiding in there must be going crazy right now," Cedricmented. Of course, he''s putting up an act here. He obviously knows what''s going on. Nobody knows it better than him since he could literally see it from all the way here, and he doesn''t even need to try. "I personally couldn''t me them." Gabriel sighed. "Even I am having a difficult time suppressing my jubnce over this." "Is that so?" Cedric raised a brow. "Well, I''ll check it out myselfter, I suppose. Anyway, I''m just here to give you an update. After that, I''ll leave you to celebrate the return of your youth." "An update of what?" Gabriel frowned in confusion. "Of the Soul Conversion Altars," Cedric stated, causing Gabriel''s eyes to widen. "You mean¡ª!" "Uh, huh." Cedric nodded. "I had an epiphany over this. I solved the problem of not being able to convert Demon Lord Souls directly. I also discovered a way to convert Demon King Souls directly as well." "I know we devised a method to produce Greater Essence Souls, and we can still use that. Whether you scap the idea or not, I''ll leave it up to you. As for what the Demon King level Essence Soul would be called, hmm, let''s just call it King Essence Soul or whatever; it''s just a name anyway." "Wait¡ª!" "Also, I''ll be relieving you guys from constructing the Sun Disc. I''m very sorry about this, and I appreciate your help so far, truly. But I received an advancement quest from Ac that required me to finish the Sun Disc on my own... so, yeah. Can you tell me where it is right now? I''d like to take it away now if possible so I can finish it soon." "It''s on the underground facility nearby; I''ll take you there." Gabriel sighed, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "Oh, cool!" Cedric cheered. "Ah, right. Here''s the new array for the altars. Just like before, you just need to ster it on the altar and wait until the light fades. Perform a couple of test runs just to make sure and tell me if something goes wrong. I''ll keep my lines open, so feel free to message or call me." Gabriel speechlessly received the array discs from Cedric as they walked towards the underground facility. With a single nce, Gabriel could immediately tell the sheer profundity of the array. He tried analyzing them but immediately gave up after a minute, even feeling a slight throb on his head right after. The new installments for the altars were at least a hundred times moreplicated than the previous onesbined. Looking at this, Gabriel wholeheartedly admits that, in terms of symbol knowledge and mastery, the Young Sage was unparalleled. While he was still nning on how to handle this new task at hand, they already arrived at the underground facility where the Sun Disc was. Cedric''s eyes lit up. It was far fromplete, but the frame for the whole thing was already built properly. From what he recalls, the House of Lightmissioned cksmiths to create the parts; assembling the frame falls under the responsibility of the members of the House of Light to keep it private. "Incredible! You guys move fast. This helps me out a ton, thanks!" Cedric grinned at him. "Can I take it now?" "Are you sure that you won''t require our assistance for this?" Gabriel asked in return. "I have no other choice." Cedric feigned helplessness as he replied. "Ac wants me to finish this by myself. Don''t worry, I know what to do. I''m the one who designed it after all. I''m confident that I''ll finish this soon." ''That''soon'' might take you a couple of years, though.'' Gabriel muttered inwardly. However, he could only shake his head. "If that''s the case, please take it. I''m looking forward to seeing it put into action," Gabriel stated. "Oh, just you wait," Cedric chuckled. "The sun, the moon, and the stars¡ªyou will see them all very soon." Chapter 285: The Budding Violet and Black Calamities -- "Hmm...." Cedric hummed in thought as he stared at the frame of the Sun Disc. He walked in circles around it, inspecting and scrutinizing it closely. Humming intensifies "Well, this would work just fine if it only stayed within Azure Terra. It certainly wouldn''t be enough to rece an actual sun, but that''s a problem forter." His previous idea wasn''t bad. However, his standards are much higher now after his time in the Tower of Prodigies. He could point out dozens of immediate improvements to the blueprint he had previously made. Actually, that''s part of the reason why he decided to take this away from the hands of his subordinates. His current skill level is better kept private for now. If they continued working on this with him, they would eventually ask questions, and Cedric wasn''t confident in keeping his mouth shut. He greatly appreciates their enthusiasm for helping him, and he also appreciates the work and effort they put into building this. He also knew that they dedicated a good portion of their resources to building this, and he promised that he''d pay them backter. However, it''s for the best if hepletes this on his own. "I''d have to build a temporary recement for the moon and the stars too." Cedric hummed to himself as runic symbols began flowing out of his fingertips. Meanwhile, as Cedric was busy patching the ws on the Sun Disc and making the blueprints for a temporary moon and stars, his girlfriends were sparring at the arena he created inside the farm, not too far from him. Cedric used a Dimensional Crystal Fragment, which costs a whopping 500 Trial Points, on the Connate Spiritual Farm to make it bigger. It now has 5000 cubic meters of space inside, which is big enough for them to do as they please. Chrissy and Erica chose to stay here most of the time since this ce has a better atmosphere than outside. The energy density was greater here, and the conceptws were firmer and more presentpared to Prime Earth, making their training double the results with half the effort. They have been using the cultivation techniques that Cedric gave them a few days ago, and so far, they''ve already seeded in building their foundations for them. Through the Violet Qi Mantra, Erica''s energies have been converted to Violet Qi, which is several times denser and more potent than what she had before. She has only formed five wisps of Violet Qi these past few days, but even this little amountpletely trounces what she had before. Her body had been nourished by the violet qi she formed. Not only did it allow her topletely adjust to her new constitution, but it also prolonged her lifespanpletely and made her several degrees stronger than before. If she were to fight the previous version of herself who hadn''t practiced the Violet Qi Mantra, she''d defeat her with one hand behind her back. The swift and frankly rming rise of her strength gave her a glimpse of just how truly terrifying the Divine Council was. To think that a cultivation technique like this was readily avable for anyone to purchase in that civilization made her realize just how huge the gap was. Now, she could sympathize with what Cedric felt before. She didn''t dwell too much on this, though. Instead, she bolstered her determination and decided to increase her mastery as fast and stable as she could. What''s crazy to her is that casting the spells she learned so far a hundred times in a row would only ''barely'', and she''s being generous with her description here, able to drain a single wisp of her Violet Qi. And that single wisp of violet qi could be recovered by consuming an energy source or by resting for five minutes. Because while it was difficult for her to condense violet qi at first, the moment she did, her body changed and could now start producing it. This meant that, so long as she paces herself well, she will never run out of violet qi to spend. She thought that when Cedric said that practicing this cultivation technique made her a walking disaster with bottomless energy reserves, he was exaggerating. Now she knows that he wasn''t. He''spletely serious. Remember, Erica only has five wisps of violet qi right now. Imagine if she has ake''s worth of it¡ªa sea of Violet Qi¡ªwhat she would have as a Violet Qi core. Imagine the damage she could do! This discovery was so astonishing for her that she even purchased new skills from the shop to add to her arsenal. As a side effect of creating her foundation for the Violet Qi Mantra, Erica''sprehension sharply increased. It wasn''t difficult for her to learn and grasp new spells. This is what kept her upied most of the time during these past few days. Chrissy''s progress didn''t lose outpared to Erica''s. The Heavenly Poison Scripture was truly tailor-made for her. Her talent, as well as her new constitution, took it in like fish in the sea. On the very first day since she received the cultivation technique, she had already built her foundations for it. Now that her poison was extremely lethal, even Demon Kings should be wary of what she could do because, on top of her poison''s lethality, it''s nigh-traceless. Currently, only Cedric and Erica could sense her poison urately; it''s also only them who could shrug off its effects. Cedric''s Extreme Sun Apertures contain the purest Sunlight Energy, which directly annihtes her poison. Erica, especially after gaining violet qi, remains mostly unaffected by it. Chrissy''s poison contains the power of hexes and curses on top of it, having the profundity of the concept of poison. To say that she was a natural would be a severe understatement. Truth be told, even in the Divine Council''s alliance, such a talent on the poison path was rare. If her talent were to be exposed there, many people would fight to im her as their disciple. Unfortunately, that''s going to have to wait a bit because the problem of Prime Earth hasn''t been solved yet. The Heavenly Poison Scripture doesn''t just contain the method of practice; it also contains forms for new poisons that Chrissy could try out. The best part is that these poisons don''t need actual ingredients to be created; she could make them through the chemical reactions of the Heavenly Poison Seed. The Heavenly Poison Seed is the foundation for the Heavenly Poison Scripture. It secretes poison qi containing all sorts of toxic elements that could either support or suppress each other, like alchemical ingredients. One had to know that practicing the Heavenly Poison Scripture normally poses great risks to the user because nobody''s actuallypletely immune to poison, not even Erica herself. This so-called ''immunity'' was a generalization and far from being absolute. In most cases, these immunities are, in truth, just counter-agents or antibodies against toxic elements, which could be disabled under the right conditions. It is very possible for the practitioners of the Heavenly Poison Scriptures to poison themselves to death. It has happened before, and Cedric repeatedly stressed this to her. Fortunately, Chrissy wasn''t an amateur at handling poisons. In fact, on Prime Earth at least, she''s peerless when ites to poisons. In addition, her ''ck Rose Cmity Physique'' turns these toxic elements, even the unknown ones, into nourishment for her instead. It might hurt her at first, but soon her physique will adjust to it and record it; the next time it appears, it will no longer hurt her. Because of these factors, Chrissy faced fewer obstructions and threats when practicing this cultivation technique. Sparring with each other is a way for them to squeeze out their potential. They need to bebat-ready because, unlike Cedric, they aren''t exempt from this war. They will be called to the frontlines sooner orter, and there''s no way they''re going to sit still and watch everything unfold. That would be a great disservice to their new skills. Moreover, it might make Cedric disappointed in them. Erica, the spellcaster with a seemingly endless battery of energy, versus Chrissy, who''s mere presence could poison someone to death. While Erica could sense her poison and cast spells to cleanse herself of its effects, she knew that it''d be a bad idea to let Chrissy touch her. Unlike Cedric, who''s absurdly strong and could directly ignore her poison, she isn''t the same. Chrissy, on the other hand, was annoyed because of the seemingly endless strings of spell Erica''s unleashing on her. She has barely enough room to breathe, much less release her more potent poisons. Even if she could, Erica would just cleanse them right after, which annoyed her a lot. Their fight is always a constant stalemate. Neither refuses to give the other an inch of advantage. It was tough, but it is exactly what they need right now. The pressure others exert squeezes out their potential and sharpens their skills. Cedric, who''s busy with his projects nearby, was impressed by their effort despite not paying direct attention. Chapter 286: Sins -- ''What is this...feeling? I wonder.'' ''And why am I feeling it?'' Amidst the drynd stained ck with corruption, a humongous creature stirred into wakefulness. All it did was open its eyes, yet this simple movement caused the surrounding creatures to flee in terror as if a natural disaster were approaching. This giant creature looks like an ape with an elongated neck and simrly long butnky arms. It has very long fur stained with a crimson color. Ity t on the ground, unmoving as its eyes stared at the dark and gloomy skies with a questioning gaze. The creature then sat up, and immediately, everything within at least 100 miles trembled from its movement. A dark and depressing atmosphere encapsted thend, originating from the giant creature itself. All life withered around the creature as if they''re aging at a pace visible to the naked eye. Meanwhile, the creature just sat there, looking at the horizon with a curious glint in its eyes. ''Are those monkeys doing something ridiculous again?'' It wondered. The giant ape''s eyes dted all of a sudden, and a strong sensation of depression clouded its mind. ''No. That can''t be.'' The ape thought. ''Their spirits have been long broken, just like mine. All they could really do now is hide. A useless effort, if I might add. It''s hopeless for them.'' ''If they think that hiding from the eyes saves them from what''s toe, then they''re delusional.'' The ape slouched even lower and raised its hand to scratch its head. It then released a sigh that caused everything within its immediate vicinity to experience a low-intensity earthquake. Then itid down again and closed its eyes, intent on continuing its slumber. ''I still don''t know what this prickly feeling at the back of my neck is,'' it thought. ''And I still don''t know why I''m feeling it or why it bothers me.'' ''...'' ''Whatever, I''ll just go back to sleep.'' The ape couldn''t be bothered anymore and once again fell into a deep slumber, unaware of an invisible creature standing over its body. ** "Hmm? That giant chimp woke up?" Not too far from the ce where the giant ape slumbered, another creature curiously looked over with a unique look on its face. "That chimp just sleeps all day long yet is still able to be that strong. It''s so unfair." The creature sighed. The wings behind its back fluttered ever so slightly, releasing a cloud of dark golden mist that dispersed throughout the area. As these mists scattered in the air, they turned invisible. All the creatures that inhaled this invisible mist turned mad and started attacking each other. The creature that released this mist looked like a massive moth with a slightly humanoid body. It wore a helpless expression, seemingly unaware or uncaring of what was happening on the ground beneath it. "Thatzy ape as well as that angry lizard...they''re all unreasonably strong for no particr reason at all." The giant moth then looked up and wore a resentful expression. "Curse you, you fat fuck!" It raised a middle finger to the skies, uncaring whether its message was heard by its target or not. "You gluttonous pig! You sent me here while you enjoyed the luxury on that ship! I regret calling you my brother! Argh! This is so unfair!" "That goes for you as well, you lecherous cunt! I swear when I return, I will rip off your tits with my bare hands!" "Hmph!!" After screaming its resentment away, the moth''s wings continued fluttering away, leaving behind a cloud of dark golden mist, which made the stray demons fall into madness. ** "So the Night Stalkers failed, huh? Hmph! No worries. I wasn''t expecting them to seed anyway. But I will remember this. The Night Stalker race will have to answer to me once we''re finished conquering his backwards." At the distant edge of Azure Terra, a ce surrounded by an eternal typhoon could be found. At the eye of this typhoon lies a swirling void that constantly oozes out corruption. Inside this swirling mass of void was a massive bone dragon emitting a ferocious aura that caused the very space to tremble. The killing intent on its body was fierce, almost manifesting into several shapes of screaming ghosts, tormented creatures, and angry wraiths. The eyes of the bone dragon looked sharp too. One nce could literally kill someone. The bony head of the dragon suddenly flicked towards the south. It then sneered a minuteter. "Fucking ape, it''s such a shame that it''s so fuckingzy. It would''ve been a great help to this king. Hmph!" "That moth is the same. All it does is whine all the fucking time. Hmph! Why did our god even send them here? I, alone, am enough to deal with these ants." The bone dragon shook its head and curled into itself. It ignored the stray birds walking on eggshells nearby. It only concerned itself with making ns to hasten the conquering of this tiny world since it didn''t want to stay in this ce any longer than necessary. Unfortunately, it needs to exercise patience, which evidently the bone dragon doesn''t have much of. "Hmph!" A thunderous snort sounded out, causing the strays to nearly die from a heart attack. This wasn''t the first time this happened, and it certainly wouldn''t be thest. Being theckeys of this temperamental lizard should''ve, in theory, built their resistance to its whimsical bursts of rage every now and then, or at the very least, made them used to it by now, but the truth is that it doesn''t. It still feels as terrifying as it was the first time they experienced it. Still, nobody dared to voice anyints. Thest one who did so ended up filling the gap between its teeth. And because the dragon held a high status, it had the right to ban them from essing the soulwork. Meaning that anybody who died on its ws and maws wouldn''t be revived or reincarnated. The strays could only swallow their resentment and do their best to mitigate the bursts of anger and annoyance from this bony dragon. ** "The spies sent the first batch of intel," Raven Armstrong stated to his colleagues. "They have located three Demon Kings, and they''ve been marked on the map." This caused his fellow High Marshals to be alert. Armstrong then swiped his hands and disyed the map of Prime Earth. Through the system interface, the map had markers that pinned the general location of the Demon Kings. "They''ve found two on the Lost Continent so far, and one stationed on the far south of Azure Terra," Armstrong stated. Cassandra Zephyrus, who''s in charge of the southern defense wall, looked grimly at the map and asked, "Which Demon King is it?" "It''s the Undead Dragon," Armstrong replied solemnly. "It''s also one of the Seven Deadly Sins, the holder of the Wrath Sin." A gloomy atmosphere suddenly descended on the meeting room. Then, Anthony Selner, another defense wall High Marshal, asked, "Aside from its location, do we have any further intel?" "There''s a perpetual typhoon at the location that the Undead Dragon chose. Moreover, there is a gaping spatial tear at its core depths. The Demon King is in there, and it''s the center of its operations. The Night Stalkers reported sights of stray demons going in and out of that ce. To prevent being discovered, the Night Stalkers didn''t dare to go in, so this is all we have for now." "It''s too close forfort." Filius Greenwood sighed, feeling a headacheing. "At least one of the Night Stalkers should remain within the vicinity to monitor their movements. We have to be alerted as soon as possible when that thing leaves its nest." "Way ahead of you," Armstrong replied. "Ac already gave the same orders to them." "Who are the other two, then?" Cassandra asked. "The Lazy Giant Ape, who''s also the Sin of Sloth, and the Moth Princess, the Sin of Envy." There was a brief silence after High Marshal Armstrong revealed this. "That''s three out of seven. Are all of them here?" Anthony wondered in trepidation. "Watch this first," Armstrong replied before ying a short video clip. The clip contained footage taken by one of the Night Stalkers. It was the scene where the Moth Princess yelled profanities at the skies, even throwing a middle finger towards it. Despite speaking thenguage of demons, all of the High Marshals understood her without needing trantions because they''d studied thenguage before. "From his clip..." Armstrong spoke, catching the attention of his colleagues once more, "we can assume that, at the very least, the sin of gluttony and the sin of lust aren''t here. As for the remaining two, the sin of pride and the sin of greed, we''ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, they''re not here too since three of the sins are already enough to keep us upied." "Let''s start with the closest threat to us first, the Undead Dragon of Wrath." The intelligence brought by the Night Stalkers proved valuable, but unfortunately, there was no time for them to be thankful for it because there''s an immediate threat around. Instead, the High Marshals could only begin nning on how to create countermeasures should the Undead Dragone. Meanwhile, Cedric just finished replicating the celestial bodies and is now nning to re-introduce them to humanity. Chapter 287: Heavenly Cycle Clocktower -- The Heavenly Cycle Clocktower¡ªthat''s what Cedric called his creation. It''s a hundred feet tall and made with precious materials. It also contained the Sun and Moon Disc, as well as the Velvet Starry Veil. He tied all these three entities together using something called the Heavenly Cycle Array, derived from the phenomena created by the Sacred Celestial Tree he nted on his farm. Since the Sacred Celestial Tree is still a mere sapling, it couldn''t be used for its purpose yet. It can''t be transnted to human territory for now since this world can''t support its growth just yet. It will just wilt if he forces it, so he can only mimic its effects through this clocktower for now. The Heavenly Cycle Array is responsible for the day and night cycles within the territory. In addition, thanks to Cedric''s mastery over astralws, the array also contains the charm of conceptws, which will allow humanity to greatly benefit from them. "This will probably cause argemotion, but well..." Cedric sighed and smiled wryly. "Whatever. If they ask, I''ll just say that I just designed it and Ac did the rest." Cedric stepped out of the farm and appeared at the House of Light''s headquarters. He didn''t even bother alerting Gabriel or anybody else of his presence. After choosing a spot, he opened up a spatial portal and transferred the 100-foot tall clocktower unceremoniously, then he dipped. As soon as it appeared, some people were already alerted by its presence. After all, such a tall building couldn''t possibly escape the eyes of people. "Hey, hey! Look at that!" "What is it?" "A clocktower?" "Isn''t that the headquarters of the House of Light?" "Oh wow, they built another thing. I wonder what it does." "Strange. I live close to this ce, yet I seem to never recall them building something that big." Dong! A clear gong sounded across humanity''s civilization, greatly rming everybody, even more so the personnel of the House of Light, who were just as puzzled as everybody about the clocktower''s sudden appearance. Most people couldn''t sense it, but a few did. When the gong sounded, all of the lighthouses dimmed for a brief moment before awork of interlinking lines appeared above the sky for a brief moment. Such movement was enough to rm not only the supervisors of the House of Light but also the army. Gabriel was already here; the High Marshals appeared shortly after; even Fiona, Lissandra, and Charles were here as well. They all watched at the hands of the clock, which was automatically adjusted to disy the current time. More importantly, they all felt the profound charm diffusing from the clocktower and, in conjunction, the other lighthouses as well. ** "Is it just me, or is it getting warmer all of a sudden?" "It''s not just you. I can feel it too, but... I don''t know; there''s something about this warmth that I can''t exin." "You think so too? Strange, isn''t it?" "It feels more...real, forck of a better term." "The sun also looks more real than before; so does the sunlight." "Even though the clouds look more vivid, the air also feels crisp and cool." "Strange. When I try to scan the clocktower using the system, it only disys its name. It doesn''t have a description." "Yeah, you''re right. I just say ''Heaven Cycle Clocktower'', weird." "Do you all think that the clocktower made all of these changes? Because I do." "Nah, that should be a coincidence. It''s just a clocktower; it''s only responsible for disying time. I think it''s the positive side-effects of the Origin Energy Storm." "Oh yeah, that makes more sense." ** While themon people could only receive the name of the clock tower using the system, those who had a higher system authority were able to gleam more information, especially the known pirs of humanity. ** [Heavenly Cycle Clocktower] : Designed by the Sun Sage and created using precious materials. : This clocktower is linked to all lighthouses and serves as the main gear that''s responsible for the day and night cycles within humanity''s territory. It''s created using the Sun and Moon Disc as well as the Velvet Starry Veil, tied together by the Heavenly Cycle Array. This clocktower is also connected to the protetive formation that hid the territory from the Demon Race. : This clocktower also contains the profound concept of the astral and celestial bodies, meaning that true sunlight, moonlight, and starlight energies are being diffused to its area of responsibility, elevating the quality of energy density and spirituality within the territory. ** Theplete information about the Heavenly Cycle Clocktower was disyed for those who had LV.8 System Authority and above. Everyone who read its contents was awed by the sheer implications of what the clocktower could do. Of course, the one that''s most affected was Archbishop Gabriel, who literally dreamt of this moment for decades. "Oh, Holy Son, you did it. You actually did! You returned the blessing of the sun to us." Gabriel had tears pouring down his face as he kneeled in worship of the clocktower. He stared at the sun, which conveniently moved directly above the clocktower, making it seem like it was shining down on it. Gabriel thought that the sigils that Cedric gave to them before, which were based on the Aspect of the Sun and were installed at the lighthouses, were the best thing they could have for the foreseeable future. The Archbishop had noints about that since, thanks to the sigils, the fake sunlight that they created felt so close to the real thing. That was already enough for the old man. Never did he imagine that not even a yearter, through some fortunate causes, their Holy Son would actually pull through and create a true miracle. While it is true that the sun they''re seeing isn''t the real one yet, the sunlight''s energy they felt wasn''t fake. It''s as real as it could get, perhaps even better because it contains the charm of the Astral Laws. Seeing this, Gabriel couldn''t ask for more. He doesn''t have anyints, even if he were to die tomorrow. He tried contacting Cedric. Most of them did. They wanted to hear it straight from his mouth. Unfortunately, he''s not responding. ording to Ac, he''s resting (lies) because the creation of the clocktower drained himpletely. She told them that she''s watching over him, so they should just go on about their business. [Since we''re on this topic, I''m informing you that I pulled him out of the draft. He''s on the verge of maturing his Sagehood.] [I gave him missions that would guide him to mature; he will also be on a spiritual journey from time to time, so try not to disturb him too much. He''ll show up when he''s needed.] High Marshal Raven Armstrong asked: "Would there be any danger to his life? Also, how long would this take?" [The Young Sage knows the value of his life more than all of youbined. He''s sensible and knows how to pace himself well. His missions aren''t life-threatening given his cautious nature.] Everyone sighed in relief upon receiving this response. [As for how long it would take him, it depends.] [He''s young, and he has plenty of time ahead of him. I don''t want him to feel burdened by this war too much before he''s their target. I don''t want us to lose another sage, especially someone this young, talented, and sensible.] [That''s why I pulled him out of the draft.] [Rest assured, when hepletes his maturity, I have no doubts that he will be the strongest sage humanity ever had.] [But since he''s still in the process of maturing, the rest would depend on you a lot for now. Do your best.] "You don''t have to tell us twice," Armstrong strongly responded. He then turned around and looked at Gabriel, asking, "You good?" Gabriel nodded with a sharp look in his eyes. "I will etch this miracle into my memory. The House of Light will always stand by the Holy Son, even if the world turns against him." Gabriel took a deep breath after making that deration. The rest of the personnel behind them didn''t say anything, but judging from their looks, they meant the same thing. The position of the Holy Son became unshakeable in their hearts from this moment on. "He visited me a few days ago bearing gifts." Gabriel stated before taking out one of the array discs Cedric gave him. "He gave us another installment on the altars." "He said that he received an epiphany and solved the problem of not being able to convert Demon Lord Souls. In addition, he also discovered how to convert Demon King Souls to Essence Souls." This shocked everybody who was listening to him. "During these past couple of days, we''ve been busy adding the new installment to the altars. It''s also during this time that the Holy Son has been designing this clocktower." "With this, we can harvest more Essence Souls and because of its neutral attribute, it''s a great supplement to the newly introduced Cultivation Techniques." Gabriel looked at the majestic clocktower behind them and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear: "Great changes are happening to us, and our Holy Son is determined to leave his mark behind." Chapter 288: Sun, Moon, and Stars "Is it just me, or is the moon just specially bright and very close tonight?" "Mn! The stars are shining brightly too. The different velvet shades of the night sky are visible too. I thought we''d never see them again because of pollution." "The Origin Energy Storm truly brought us a lot of miracles." #StarryNight and #FullMoonBeauty upied the social media rankings tonight. All the news outlets were discussing it, and many pictures of the clear and velvety starry night circted online, prompting more people to go outside to see it for themselves. There are a ton of people who were captivated by the gorgeous image of the full moon hung up in the skies. Perhaps the most affected out of all of them was Lissandra, the headmistress of the Starlight Royal Academy. Typically, during this time, she would be in her office, trying to finish her work before retiring for the night. Tonight, and possibly the following nights after this one, were special. And it''s understandable for her to see it for herself because of her history. As she stared at the gorgeous night sky, she couldn''t help but feel emotional. She could now understand what Gabriel felt a few hours ago. The sheer difference was just iparable. "Ah, Young Sage. You''ve truly given us a miracle." She muttered softly underneath her breath. She wasn''t even in her office or the academy right now. She''s in a city with a small poption¡ªmore specifically, on a hill that''s far from people. Lissandra looked like a goddess as she basked under the moonlight. Her fair and smooth features, as well as the curvature of her body, were highlighted by the soft and gentle brilliance of the moon and the stars. She could feel a strong resonance deep within her. Inside her consciousness, the Aspect of the Stars¡ªone that has been passed down to her by her mentor, the same one she gave to Cedric, which he perfected and returned to her¡ªthrummed in glee. It greedily absorbed moonlight and starlight from her surroundings, releasing profound insights that filled her mind with wondrous images. A sense ofpletion, something that she never thought she was missing before, filled her. Others wouldn''t understand this feeling; even she couldn''t exin it herself. There was a profound sense of joy and excitement within her that she thought was long lost to her. That said, she also couldn''t help butment briefly. "If this kind of environment were avable during my youth, my mentor wouldn''t have died in vain." And what a sad thought this was! Her mentor, the Star Sage, hoped and prayed for her to inherit her mantle and be the next Star Sage. However, her potential fell short of the requirements. In the end, she could only study the aspects her mentor left behind. So close yet so far... If this dense moon and starlight were present back then, she could''ve inherited the sage''s mantle earlier, possibly before her mentor died. "But it''s all in the past now." Lissandra opened her eyes and sighed. Despitementing her luck, she smiled as she realized that this was perhaps fate working its magic. "The Sage of this era was several times more formidable and talented than I ever possibly could." She then nced at the night sky and chuckled. "Even the Zodiac Saints couldn''t hold a candle to him." In terms of aplishments and merit, Cedric has already surpassed his predecessors. Even if the first generation of the Zodiac Saints were to be ced in this era, they''d have to bow in respect to him. There''s just noparison. Reaching the nar Traveler Realm at 23 years old, eliminating the Cult of the Demon Saint, bing the House of Light''s Holy Son, inventing Essence Souls, converting corruption into raw and neutral energy that humanity could harness to improve their lifestyle, and inventing the Misdirection Formation that not only protected the outer world camps but also the entirety of humanity''s territory as well... creating the Heavenly Cycle Clocktower that could produce true sunlight, moonlight, and starlight energy. All of this he achieved at the tender age of 23 years old. And with how young Cedric was, it''s certain that he won''t be stopping anytime soon. Despite his achievements, the Young Sage never threw his weight around. He remained humble and respectful. He didn''t do it for fame, reputation, or money. He did them because he could and because he wanted to; he didn''t ask for anything in return. Seriously, how could anybodypare? "My bottleneck loosened up," Lissandra whispered to the wind, her eyes shining in splendor at this discovery. "I''ve been stuck at the 2nd Tier of the Star Traveler Realm for nearly a decade now. It turns out that I justcked a little bit of true starlight." "A month¡ªno!" Lissandra shook her head fiercely. "The clocktower is working all the time. The density of celestial energies will only rise after each passing day. There aren''t many people who use starlight like me to cultivate. In addition to the cultivation techniques, I''ll only need a week to shatter this pesky bottleneck and breakthrough." She felt jubnt inside. How could she not? It''s been close to a decade since she made progress! This barrier made her lose hope before. It made her think that this was as far as she could go in this life; that''s why she hasn''t been training as diligently as before. But now, with the Heavenly Cycle Clocktower, her hope has returned, and it has burned even fiercer than before. "Oh, Demons," Lissandra sneered coldly as she looked over the horizon. "Your hubris will be your downfall. You will regreting here, that I''m sure of." ** "So this is what a real night sky looks like¡ªhow pretty." Erica sighed infort as she leaned on Cedric''s shoulders. "Our ancestors used to have this kind of view all the time. How enviable." "I''m not sure about that. Besides, this isn''t the real thing just yet. It''s close though, like very close, but not exactly the same," Cedric replied. "I will need to either create a real sun and moon or buy some if you want to feel what it''s like." "Is that even necessary?" Chrissy asked. "Does that small difference really matter?" "It does." Cedric shrugged. "Prime Earth wouldn''t beplete without it. Ac will never truly recover if shecks them, and if she never recoverspletely, any possible growth will be unstable. We can''t have that." "You can create celestial bodies?" Erica raised a brow in question. "With the right materials and preparations, yes," Cedric replied. "But just to be on the safer side, I''ll need to advance my Life Evolution more. Once I reach the Grand Sr Realm, it should be effortless for me." It''s been a week and a half since Cedric returned to Prime Earth, and his life evolutionpleted its synchronization to reality, making him a 5-starary Grandmaster Life Evolver. He''s just shy of a step away from bing aary Sage. "After making the clocktower, what''s your next move?" Erica asked. "Well, I''m just curious. You don''t have to tell me if it''s too sensitive, just to be on the safe side." "Don''t worry about it." He chuckled and kissed her head. "I''m strong enough to protect us. As for what''s next, I have ns on modifying the Purgatory Realm." His girlfriends looked at him incredulously. "It''s been a pain in the neck for humans since the demon race''s invasion. It''s also the reason why most unlucky folks out there, like I was in the past, are treated unfairly andbeled as ''criminals''. I believe it''s time to rectify that." Cedric has never forgotten his roots or his origins. His time in the RMC was a defining factor in his life. It changed him and turned him into the man that he is right now. His memories there weren''t pretty. In fact, it''s filled with nightmares and trauma. But that''s exactly why he has set his eyes on it. If he could render the function of the monitoring chips on their napes entirely unnecessary, then he would. Cedric saw these monitoring chips as cors or dog tags. It has always made him ufortable. It makes him feel like he''s enved. Removing it could mean spiritual freedom for humans. That''s another shackle they''ll lose, and he believes that it is the key to advancing this era. He doesn''t n on removing the Purgatory Realm¡ªno, not right now, at least. That buffer ne serves as protection from the invading fleet outside. Humanity isn''t ready for them just yet, so for now, the Purgatory Realm has to remain. But that doesn''t mean that he can''t tweak it slightly to make it more advantageous to humans instead. Of course, this n carries risk¡ªa greater risk than what others could imagine since that ce is tied to the Soul Network of the Demon Race. However, Cedric thinks that it''s necessary to do this. No one has to remind him to be careful since he himself knows just how risky this was. But for the sake of freeing humanity from the oppression of the Demon Race, this was something he must do. Chapter 289: Contract and Loopholes -- Cedric''s consciousness touched the barrier of this world, which is the Purgatory Realm. Roughly a month or so ago, doing this would''ve consumed a lot of his energy and ced an immense burden on his mental faculties, but right now? It''s as easy as breathing for him; he doesn''t even need to try. If he wanted to, Cedric could put the entire under surveince, and even though that wouldn''t take much from him, he''d be able to do that all day. After all,pared to the worlds that the Divine Council had, Prime Earth was rtively small. But doing that isn''t necessary right now. What he wanted to do was study the structure of the purgatory realm to have a better understanding of it. So far, he knew that Ac, in a brave move to save herself and her citizens, created this realm and was forcibly tied to the Demon Race''s Soul Network, the key to their false immortality. That said, knowing what she did is different from understanding how it actually works. And if Cedric wanted to tweak things in the Purgatory Realm, it would be imperative for him to understand its existence first. The process, which Cedric thought would take some time, is actually far simpler than he anticipated. "I see..." Cedric opened his eyes, releasing a relieved sigh. "At the end of the day, it all boils down to runic symbols, huh? My, isn''t that just fantastic? I happen to be an expert on that!" That''s right, it''s all about runic symbols again. Cedric discovered pretty early that runic symbols worked simrly to writtennguage, which trantes the profundity of heaven and earth. This discovery was proven to be correct, especially when he made contact with the Tower of Prodigies and mastered the Runic Heaven Records. Ac essentially baited and forced the Demon Race to sign an agreement that put hers and their people under controlled aggression. She did so to give humans time to develop and prevent demons from going all out. It was a risky but extremely rewarding move. s, it aggrieved many people. Moreover, even with these shackles, the means of the demon race were plenty. How could a recently developed species contend with that? Thanks to his mastery over runes and symbols, the ''agreement'' or ''oath'' that both parties signed¡ªtthe contract, per se¡ªbecame visible to Cedric. And while he couldn''t ''edit'' it without rming the opposing parties, he could certainly exploit some obvious loopholes to make it more advantageous for humans. See, this ''contract'' is what''s causing and forcing humanity to do their monthly Hell Dives, and the Hell Dives is what made humanity ce a monitoring chip into each other for the sake of security. In the ''agreement'' both forces will be pulled into the Purgatory Realm to fight. Humans see this as a test of their abilities, while demons see it as a form of entertainment or a chance to learn more about humans. If the human participant wins, great! They get to live another month and get rewards like Demon Souls¡ªthe essence of demons plucked from their very origin. Humans could then use demons souls to make themselves stronger. If the human participant fails, though, they be a danger to everybody around them. If they fail three times in a row, ording to the agreement, demons could im their prize. They not only im the human''s soul but also turn their body into a spatial node, which they could then use to ''legally'' invade Prime Earth¡ªa process that could be prevented if the failed participant willingly hands over their life to their peers. But with how many humans are alive on Prime Earth, how could every single desperate and unlucky person be willing to just die? They were born into this unfair setting; none of them wanted this. Moreover, they''re treated as sinners for something they can''t control. How is that fair? The ''three-time losing streak'' might sound fair in business terms, but in truth, it isn''t. If it were, then aside from the system rewarding humans who manage to maintain their winning streaks, shouldn''t something bad also happen to their enemies? Like, for example, one of their facilities blowing up, a stiption that their fleet will move back a certain distance, or even something simple like one of theirs turning into humanity''s ves. Sure, the demons that die in the purgatory slowly lose their memories, starting with the oldest ones, but that hardly matters to them because they have the Soul Network and the Flesh Incubator. Demons could reincarnate as many times as they want, so long as they have resources. Why would they care about some old memories? If true fairness were to be applied on both sides, the Demon Race should be panicking right now because there''s at least a hundred people who maintained a winning streak of 1000 and above. Do any of those happen? No. But if a human loses their battle three times in a row, demons could legally invade and wreak havoc on Prime Earth, and the only way to stop it is when the loser willinglymits suicide. How is that fair? Of course, it''s unfair. However, what can they do about it? Human civilization isn''t as advanced as these space pirates are, so they could only swallow this kind of setup. ''Not anymore, though.'' Because Ac had been in a deep slumber as soon as this agreement was made, the Demon Race was able to get away with many things by exploiting the loopholes. Truthfully, nothing much will change even if she''s awake now, since she''s still too weak to challenge them. Fortunately, Cedric isn''t as weak as her. That said, he''s keeping a low profile, so it''s not convenient for him to personally make the move. However, that doesn''t mean that he''spletely out of cards... "Granitas, heed my call," Cedric muttered. With a slight breeze, the Earth Core Golem, Granitas, appeared in a kneeling position behind him. "I await your orders, my lord." "How long will you need to iste this sr system?" Cedric asked. "Three days is enough, my lord," Granitas replied. "But if you desire my movements to be hidden from our enemies'' senses, I will need no more than two weeks." "Alright. Two weeks it is." He nodded. "Iste this sr system and make sure that they can''t run away. Also, reinforce the Grand Sr Laws as much as you can without them knowing while you do that. Report to me after you''re done." "As you wish, my lord." Granitas then sank into the ground and began performing his duties. Meanwhile, an ocean of runic symbols poured out of Cedric''s body. One by one, they turned invisible before fusing to the Purgatory Realm. Cedric wasn''t ''editing'' the uses on the agreement between Ac and the Demon Race. What he''s doing is simply reinforcing the already existing rules in it and adding some uses here and there without their knowledge. He made it so that humans could still turn into spatial nodes, but when they did, they wouldn''t open up within humanity''s territory. The node will appear on the Lost Continent instead. That ce is already literate with demons anyway, so why not dump them in there? This was something that wasn''t specified in the contract before and was something that demons exploited greatly. Not anymore, though. Cedric reinforced the rules and added more uses that he thought necessary to even out the situation without alerting the Demon Race. He also added additional rewards to those who are performing well in their hell dives since he''s super freaking rich right now. On the surface, nothing seems to have changed, at least for now. It will take some time before anybody notices this, and by then, it''ll be toote for them to do anything. Truthfully, with Cedric''s foundations right now, he could just simply flip the table and tell them to ''fuck off''. He''s strong enough to challenge them anyway. He didn''t do so because, as much as others see this as an existential threat, it is also an opportunity. Even Cedric couldn''t refute that, without the presence of the Demon Race, humanity wouldn''t havee this far. Besides, the Demon Race is just one of the many space pirates roaming around. Any other space pirate could cause as much suffering as the demon race could. Some are even scarier than them, so, in a sense, humans are fortunate that they''re only dealing with demons. That said, this has gone longer than either party wanted to. Cedric himself wants this to end in his era. He doesn''t want the younger generation to deal with the same sh*t they''re dealing with right now. He wants them to broaden their horizons. See far greater sights than their ancestors ever did. See and experience real prosperity beyond the oppression of the Space Pirates. Cedric wants to show them what''s beyond this ce. He wants to lead everybody into a bright tomorrow, and he himself wants to explore that world too. Obviously, the first step to do that was to get rid of some nuisances. Chapter 290: Forging Stuff "It is done, my lord." Granitas'' voice echoed in Cedric''s mind. He closed his eyes for a bit to spread out his senses, which went beyond Prime Earth, and felt the subtle but undeniable changes there. The Grand Sr Laws might still seem distant to him, but he could still feel the difference. "Great work. You may now return to your previous post," Cedric dered. "As you wish, my lord." His telepathicmunication with Granitas ended there. Cedric then turned his eyes to humanity''s territory and observed the changes over the past few weeks. Compared to before, this ce has be increasingly lively. The colors seem more vivid, and everything feels more real and mystical. There''s a profound sense of positivity present in the air, making everybody look forward to tomorrow. There aren''t many people who can feel this renewed hope. It''s a subconscious feeling that most of them just brush off, but its importance can''t be underestimated. After all, hope is one of the gears that would move a civilization forward. "Ac has already fused with the Spiritual Dragon Veins without any hups," Cedric muttered to himself. "Her recovery has sharply increased since then, and she has been siphoning corruption and converting it into raw energy to nourish the veins and herself." "The Demon Race has yet to notice this because her target isn''t the corruption on the surface but the ones that seeped deeper into Prime Earth." "Thanks to this, the dragon veins are already discharging spiritual energies into human territory, the quality of which is something that the previous one simply couldn''tpare. As a result, the civilization starts looking more vibrant each passing day." "All it needs is one more month of steady discharge, and the spiritual energy density within this civilization will essentially double. The clocktower is also working overtime to provide more variety for people to use." "Because of the Heavenly Cycle Array, even the soldiers within the walls could experience night and day, which improved their mentality. All traces of corruption within the territory have long been eliminated, so it''s an overall improvement." "The addition of cultivation techniques sharply increased the longevity of the army and exponentially increased theirbat abilities. Breakthroughs after breakthroughs are happening during these past few weeks, and with ess to Essence Souls of greater variety, they could support numerous advancements." "As for the subtle changes I made to the agreement between Prime Earth and the Space Pirates, it would take some time before anybody noticed them. It''d be great if nobody noticed at all, but that''s pretty much impossible." "Overall, not bad for a month''s worth of effort." If you ask anyone, they would hardly believe that all of the changes that have happened so far urred within a mere month. To them, it feels like the Origin Energy Storm happenedst year instead. It''s wild, but it''s the truth. And it''s far from over. Cedric took a step forward, employing the Heaven Shrinking Steps as he did so, which caused the world to turn into a blur around him. When his footnded on the ground, he already appeared within the depths of Heavenly Origin Mountain, the new name he gave to the same mountain where he revived Ac and now functions as the center of his operations. He skipped towards one of the tunnels, which led to the sealed traces he created a few days ago. He flicked his sleeves, and the runes glowed as the entrance opened for him. The interior of this room''s ceiling was a couple of dozens of meters high. It also has a wide space, which could be used for many activities. Inside, there''s a billowing forge, a calm and cidke, and other tools necessary to create all kinds of equipment. This was undoubtedly a forging room, one that Cedric made ording to his needs. He sealed the entrace behind him and sent a message to his girlfriends that he''d be busy for a bit. Those two are on the farm; they''re either cultivating, practicing their skills, or sparring with each other, which made Cedric gratified. For the rest, Cedric was on Do Not Disturb for an unspecified amount of time. They believe that he''s in seclusion, working hard to mature quickly, but the truth is far from that. Cedric felt a little bad about lying to them, but it''s a necessary evil. After informing the girls, Cedric dumped several materials on his work table. Each one diffused a brilliant radiance, which meant that they''re of no ordinary quality. These are things he got from trading with fellow challengers in the Tower of Prodigies, mainly from the one called ''Howler''. Wings of the Crow Emperor, spine of the Golden Freedom Roc, skull of the Undying Smander, heart of a Vermillion Bird, the shell of a snake-tailed ck tortoise, ws and crown fur of a White Tiger King, 100 pieces of Azure Dragon''s shedded scales, etc. Howler''s world is in a state of constant war. He said that he''s some kind of mercenary, and these things were ''trophies'' he harvested from his missions. To him, these were useless, but for Cedric, they''re no less than divine materials that he could use to improve the strength of his people. Cedric hasn''t received any forging legacies on the Ancient Stone. However, he did receive one from trading with someone called the ''Hermit''. It''s aplete legacy too, and he mastered it before leaving the tower. "Let''s see..." Cedric hummed to himself as he thought of what to make. "A feathered gown for Chrissy using the wings of the Crow Emperor. And a wand staff for Erica using the spine of the Freedom Roc." "The skull of the Undying Smander and the heart of the Vermillion Bird could be used for a physique refining furnace of some sort. I could set it up as an additional reward for those who continue their winning streak on hell dives." "As for the shell of the ck Tortoise, I could fuse it to the defense walls and engrave a runic formation for it that will sharply increase the defensive capabilities of the territory." "Wait..." Cedric''s eyes suddenly brightened. "Vermillion Bird, ck Tortoise, White Tiger, and Azure Dragon... don''t I have all the necessary materials to create the Divine Beast Guardian Formation?" The Divine Beast Guardian Formation was one of themon defensive formations in the alliance. One was actually avable for purchase in the shop, but it was too expensive for Cedric, so he didn''t buy it. It''s function was to create spiritual guardians in the form of divine beasts to protect an area. In the alliance, it''s a low- to mid-rank defensive formation, but on Prime Earth? It''s essentially invincible. "Oh yeah, this is great! It''s decided then!" This doesn''t mean that he''s scrapping the previous projects. Actually, to create the Divine Beast Guardian Formation, he only needs a sample from each Divine Beast; even a drop of blood will suffice. Of course, the rarer the sample was, the stronger its incarnation would be. (For example, an incarnation of a Vermillion Bird that came from a fallen feather would be much weakerpared to something that''s created from its heart blood.) There would be some left after using a sample, so the rest could still be made into other equipment. "Ah, right. Since I''m already here, I might as well create a new home for the Law Communion Sword," Cedric muttered. "Yo! You rang?" The Law Communion Sword shot out from his consciousness and floated around him. Its appearance caused the conceptws to be active. Even the materials on Cedric''s work table were releasing a radiance that resonated with the sword. "Ooh! What you got here! I''ve never seen these before!" The sword curiously looked over at the table. "Can you taper down your aura? You''re making the materials nervous." Cedric red at the sword. "Oops, sorry," it replied, reeling in its aura shortly after. "But I heard you''re finally making use of me; is that true?" "Yes, I am." Cedric nodded as he replied. "My n is to create the Law Enlightenment Hall with you on the core. I''ll make you a physical body and put you as the guarding elder of the hall." "The Law Enlightenment Hall will be open to those who''re willing to spend their umted merits for this opportunity. This should not only make them more proactive in making this world a better ce but also greatly improve their strength." "You''re giving me a body and an Elder position!? Shit, that''s so generous! I''m in!" The Law Communion Sword thrummed in excitement. Cedric shook his head and took out his forging hammer to begin. For the next couple of hours, the sounds of thundering blows echoed within the forging room. The impact was so strong that if it weren''t for the reinforcements that Cedric left in the room, this whole mountain would''ve caved in by now. It took Cedric three days and nights to finish making everything, hardly resting in between creations. By the time he was done, he had created all of the things he had listed previously, plus more. He only stopped because the other things needed more quenching time. Also because he wanted to check on his girlfriends. Chapter 291: This Mama is thirsty "How do you feel?" Cedric asked this to the middle-aged man in front of him. The said man was about six feet tall and had a rather lean physique. He has a sharp and angr face, sharp brows, and radiant obsidian pupils that shine sharply as well. He''s wearing a loose white robe with golden hems and an image of a coiling dragon design at the back. "I feel great," the man replied, clenching his hands while wearing a pleased expression. "I finally understand what it''s like to have a true spiritual body. I can''t thank you enough for this." "Well, I did say that I was going to make you a body." Cedric grinned at him. "Have you thought of a name for yourself?" "I''ll go by Eon." The man replied, "Just that, Eon. In here, I shall be called Grand Elder Eon of the Law Communion Hall. But of course, when it''s just as two, you can still refer to me as the Law Communion Sword." That''s right. The man in front of Cedric was none other than the Law Communion Sword, who now upies a spiritual body that Cedric made recently. His true body, the Law Communion Sword, is located at the newly formed Law Communion Hall, protected and secured from any harm that would prevent him from doing his job. With this spiritual body, Eon could go anywhere within the Human Territory. Should the territory expand, so will the range of ces he could be. And because he''s the Law Communion Sword, Eon could borrow his innate abilities to control conceptws. Right now, his might is only second to Cedric; it''s just that he''s limited here. But for someone who''s been trapped in an unknown ce with nobody to talk to for decades and could only slumber to stave off the loneliness, Eon was already immensely satisfied with this new chance he got. "Alright, I shall refer to you as Eon from now on." Cedric nodded. "Are you ready for your new work as the Grand Elder of the Law Communion Hall?" "More than ready." Eon grinned. "I can''t wait to posture around humans and force them to admire my greatness." He''s obviously joking around here, but in Cedric''s view, this might actually happen. After all, the Law Communion Hall will be opened out of nowhere. "Gotta appear mysterious, eh? Just don''t go too far, okay?" "I know, I know." Eon snorted. "I''m working for humans anyway, though the hall will need at least a month to umte its atmosphere to reach an eptable level." "That''s fine. They can wait." The newly built Law Communion Hall works pretty much the same as it was before; people enter, and the hall lets themprehend the concepts ofws they''re most proficient at. It only works on arger scale than before. With the scarcity of the conceptws'' influence in thesends due to the Purgatory Realm absorbing most of it as sustenance, it would be weird if those who are eligible toe here didn''t understand the sheer value of this ce. Not to mention Eon himself, who could borrow the power of his actual body to control all kinds of conceptws as he wishes. Strength breeds character and prestige, which is why, whether either Cedric or Eon wants to, Eon would be seen as a mysterious and extremely powerful individual that deserves all the respect in this ce, even though, in truth, he''s just working for someone else. As for the Law Communion Hall needing some time before it''s ready, it''s understandable why. After all, Cedric just finished making it today. The Law Communion Sword will need some time to channel the rawary conceptws into the new hall to build up its atmosphere. "I''ll make the badges for the reservations first. I''ll also introduce you to Ac soon so that you two can work together closely. Maybe, with the help of the system''sputational abilities, you can optimize how to maximize the benefits we can extract from this ce." "Up to you, you''re the boss." Eon merely shrugged at this. As far as he''s concerned, he''s okay with anything. All he cares about is that he can finally explore and experience life. "Alright, I get it. You can roam around now. Just change your appearance and don''t cause too much ruckus. I''ll call you when I need you." "Woohoo!! Thanks, Boss!" Eon cheered as he turned into a teenager, disappearing like a ghost. As for where he''s going to go, it''s up to him. Leaving the hall, Cedric returned to the forge and saw several sealed ss containers within the room. Inside these ss containers were his recent creations. "Umbral Night Gown for Chrissy, the Golden Freedom Focus for Erica, the Blood Rebirth Furnace for refining physiques, andst but not least, the Divine Beast Guardian Formation Set," Cedric muttered. All of this, in addition to the Law Communion Hall, took about two weeks of constant work for Cedric; he barely rested in between. Of course, he still had other materials left to create more things; even now, there are still a few things that''s taking some time to finish crafting. That said, considering that each one of these could be considered a divine artifact by human standards, this is already a lot¡ªtoo much, even. Cedric took the first two items and went inside the farm. There, he saw his girlfriends in the middle of the arena, sparring with each other. "Gah! Another form, really? It hasn''t even been a day since you created thest one!" Erica eximed as she hurriedly cleansed herself off. "Gosh, this one''s particrly sinister too! How could you?" "I can''t believe I''m hearing this from someone who throws out city-obliterating spells like she''s throwing a handful of rocks," Chrissy snorted in reply. "Besides, what did you expect? This youngdy is a genius." "...not you talking in third person''s perspective," Erica spat in mild disgust. Chrissy just chuckled at her. "Are you two done?" Cedric tentatively asked, catching their attention. "Oh, hey!" Both girls replied. The two of them flew to him like streaks of light, crashing into his chest and breathing in his fragrance, causing Cedric to raise a brow. "Hmm? Are you two being naughty again? We just had a fiesta in bed a couple dozens of hours before; was that not enough?" Faced with Cedric''s genuine inquiry, both girls blushed in embarrassment and couldn''t refute it. They couldn''t help it; Cedric was just too fierce and too good at his work. Ever since he attained some level of mastery over the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex and the Fiendgod Celestial Scripture, his body just turned into a perfect vessel filled with bottomless energy that drowned them in pleasure. Cedric isn''t even using a Dual Cultivation technique with them; he knows they exist but he hasn''t bought any, yet due to his changes, any woman who sleeps with him would not only be ruined for everyone else and could only be satisfied with him; it also brings them immense benefits, especially in cultivation. Such benefits will diminish over time; it''s only like this because of the disparity between their strengths. To keep this up, Cedric would need to learn those dual cultivation techniques with them, but that''s a distant matter for now. "Alright, I get it. I''ll pamper youter." Cedric chuckled at this. "But right now, I want you two to try these on." To Chrissy, he gave the Umbral Night Gown, and to Erica, he gave the Golden Freedom Focus. "Ooh! Pretty!" Chrissy''s eyes sparkled upon seeing the gown. She chucked off her clothes, not minding her nudity, because, let''s be real here she has nothing to hide in front of these two. She slipped into the dress and gasped at the way it perfectly fit her body. "Oh my gosh!" Chrissy gasped yet again because not only was the gown weightless, it also channeled her strength and power perfectly. She could even feel them being boosted to an absurd degree. But more importantly, the gown just looked perfect on her. It entuated her curves and beauty like no other gown could ever do. "This is..." Erica became speechless the moment she touched the wand staff. Her Violet Qi thrummed in glee as she held the staff. Channeling a wisp on the staff caused the folded wings on its head to spread wide open. Erica''s eyes widened, feeling as if she had just been injected with pure adrenaline or steroids. She felt a cmity-inducing power thrumming within her as she held the staff, which astonished her greatly. Even her clothes started billowing wildly with the sheer immensity of her energy fluctuations right now. Cedric looked at them both, feeling pleased at their reactions. He had them in mind while creating these things and put extra care and consideration into them. For hisdies, nothing short of perfect won''t cut it. He was shocked when Chrissy leaped up to him and gave him a fat andscivious smooch on the lips, saying: "Fuck me in this, now!" "Shit, okay!" Cedric was mildly surprised but definitely not disappointed. "Girl, have some decorum, please. You''re still dripping with poison." "I don''t give a shit! He can handle it!" Chrissy shamelessly eximed. "This mama is thirsty and wants her milk fresh, now!" "...not you talking from the third person''s perspective again!" Chapter 292: Here they come -- "Move it!" "Run, Cadets! Run!" "If you all can chow downrge amounts of food, I believe that you can also run 10 kilometers without pause. Move it, brats!" "Earn your keep. Don''t fall behind." "You want those cultivation techniques that prolong your lifespan? Work for them! Nothing is for free!" "Show me your unyielding spirit!" A scene of various physical activities and unique methods of motivation yed out on the Eastern Defense Wall. Ever since the news of the so-called cultivation methods that could extend one''s lifespan was published by the army, people who wanted to get their hands on them flocked to the army camps in hopes of obtaining them. But how could the army simply hand it over? There is, after all, a reason why it was brought to them first and not publicized directly. The intent was clear as day for everyone, especially considering what''s bound to happen sooner orter. It didn''t matter what creative methods some people used to get their hands on said techniques while avoiding the requirement to register for military service; none of it worked because the distribution of the techniques was tightly monitored not only by the High Marshals themselves but also by Ac. Want to learn those techniques? Register for military service first and pass the screening. umte enough merits, and you can learn it. It couldn''t get any simpler than that. Of course, there are people who tried toin, saying that this was unfair and unjustified. They tried using their reputation and positions to pressure the army into caving in to their demands. The army''s response to this was simple. Throw the person who keeps onining to the outer world. If they can survive for a week without needing the army''s help, they will ''consider'' listening to their demands. Suffice it to say that none made it past the first day. Some even wet themselves and shat themselves in fear. It was broadcast live too. That silenced those greedy pieces of shit; they were even mocked by the people because they thought that they could bend the army to their will, which was the peak of stupidity. This little fiasco didn''t stop people from enlisting, which allowed the collective number of soldiers to increase, greatly relieving the pressure that they''re facing. Those who passed the screening and are willing to earn merit points were sent out in teams to gather resources from the outer world. Some did other menial tasks like resource production, weapon crafting, repairs, and so on. The tasks delegated to them were based on their abilities and expertise, creating an equal opportunity for all. With this much activity, the overall productivity within the army camps and the army''s overall power increased greatly. And it''s all because of one simple move from Ac. ** Atop the Eastern Defense Wall, which was now receiving some much-needed enhancements, Knight Captain Silverwing was perched. His fox-like eyes slyly regarded the bustle of activities beneath him as he ate some snacks. ''Previously, this kind of activity only happened whenever we entertained brats from the Starlight Royal Academy,'' he thought to himself. ''Even then, it''s a cycle within the four defense walls.'' ''Often times, this area was deste and lonely. The dark skies and the stench of corruption aren''t helping either.'' Peeling his gaze away from the hopeful cadets, he looked above him and saw the clear blue sky and thatrge yellow orb that''s releasing rays of light and heat. Obviously, the dark and gloomy skies have been reced. Silverwing had no idea who''s responsible for it, but a few months ago, the appearance of these clear blue skies, apanied by the heat of the sun, greatly rmed them all. They''ve been used to the reality forced upon them, so it felt rather strange to have this now. In addition, all traces of corruption disappeared. The soldiers no longer had to endure the constant gnawing of demonic psychosis at all times, which also allowed them to finally rest peacefully within thefort of the walls. Some extremists might argue that this will dull the will of the soldiers, but the reality is different from their expectations. Everybody showed an increase in productivity, all because they had a good rest. Then, a few weeks ago, they noticed that the skies seemed to be more real. The colors are more vibrant, and the warmth of the sun felt moreforting. What''s even more astonishing was the night sky, which momentarily distracted a lot of people because of its sheer beauty. Silverwing had never seen such a sight in his life before. He remembered feeling very emotional about it because he used to only imagine what that''s like from the diary that''s passed down from his family and the old records he browsed from the army. This also made him think that things were surely looking up. Of course, he knew that it''s far from over, but at the very least, things are going positively for them. And with the addition of the cultivation techniques that not only extended their lifespan but also greatly increased their strength, Silverwing was feeling very optimistic, something that he admittedly forgot he too could feel. ''Even Lord Commander Banestar is feeling optimistic. How could he not when he literally regained his youthful vitality?'' Silverwing thought wryly to himself. ''I even heard that he''s been spending time with thedies recently. Honestly? Good for him. I''m not qualified to judge him because if I were in his position, I''d most likely do the same. Perhaps worse, even.'' Yes, the Lord Commander Banestar of the 101st Battalion was among the few people who got their hands on the cultivation techniques the earliest and spent their merits to buy them. Silverwing could still remember his shock when he saw Banestar''s youthful appearance. He even thought that he somehow woke up in the past. Rumor has it that Banestar has been spending his downtime in the nearby city. It was said that he''s attending parties while disguised while carrying at least twodies back to hotels. It sounds wild, but not out of my imagination. Nobody has the guts to ask him directly, and Banestar himself never said anything, which was understandable since that''s his business; he''s not doing anything illegal anyway. It''s also difficult to imagine that he''d force women to sleep with him. Besides, he doesn''t, because, honestly? Lord Banestar was a dashing man with this heroic aura tempered by his tenure in the army, and thedies are naturally drawn to that. Also, he only goes after office hours, so it''s not a foul. His productivity didn''t fall behind either. In fact, it increased after the rumors started spreading, so even if someone wanted to confront him about this issue, they couldn''t. Beep! Silverwing was shaken out of his stupor by a sudden rm sounding in his ears. His badge shed, which meant that they''d be called for a meeting. The foxy-eyed knight captain disappeared from his post and turned into a blur of motion, ending up right in front of the meeting room. The rest of his teammates also appeared shortly after. They wordlessly entered the meeting room and found that Lord Commander Banestar was already there, as were the other Lord Commanders as well. They saw theirmander wearing a solemn expression, which was all they needed to confirm that something huge had just happened. The Knight Captains stood behind theirmander and remained silent. Everybody could feel the tension in the meeting room. Shortly after, the High Marshals appeared, and what Silverwing heard from them caused his heart to sink to his stomach. "They''reing, and this time for real." Simple, concise, and direct. The ''they'' High Marshal Armstrong was talking about were obviously demons. Next, they showed a short video clip that disyed a hair-raising scene. It showed a sea of demons gathered at one ce. Their corruption and killing intent stained the skies even darker. They all stood in front of a gaping void where a humongous 50-meter-tall bone dragon came out. It regarded them with a cold snort before emitting a soul-shaking roar that shook the heavens and earth. It then said: "It''s time to show those monkeys what real power looks like! All of you, charge! Kill to your hearts'' content! Kill humans and conquer thisnd!" The collective roar of the demon army resounded in response before starting their march. The video clip ends there. Silverwing was speechless, and so were the rest. Deep down, he knew that this video clip came from the Night Stalkers that Ac apparently enved, but he wondered how they were able to record that scene. Could it be that Ac''s systemwork could reach that far on the continent already? But how? And why weren''t they informed about this? That said, all of these questions were drowned out by the feeling of dread creeping up on him. Silverwing felt his hand getting mmy, but his expression remained the same. High Marshal Armstrong then said, "We''ll be receiving real-time updates from the spies. What''s certain for now is that their army will reach us five days from now." "There''s no room for hesitations. Everyone, return to your posts and make sufficient preparations." "We''re in for a tough battle." Chapter 293: Response and Preparations The public was woken up by a news alert all over the media. War wasing... The army had no intention of hiding this matter because it concerns everyone. The first thing they did was hold a press conference where theyid out the information they had gathered so far. They didn''t downy or overexaggerate the severity of the situation. Their words were concise and straight to the point. War wasing. Their army was estimated to be 5 million at minimum; the weakest were, of course, Tier 1, but they had a Demon King at the helm of their operations. This was an unprecedented magnitude of a demon horde, one that could seriously threaten humanity''s existence. And to further prove their ims, the public witnessed the preparations they were making to face the iing threat. All abled bodies of the military were mobilized. While they didn''t forcibly enlist people this time, those who had already joined were mandated to follow orders. Any sign of insubordination was seen as treason and punishable by immediate execution. It didn''t matter where they were. Some might say that the army was being too heavy-handed, but the situation calls for it. You can never be too careful when facing demons, after all. Due to the threat looming over the horizon, it was understandable that the majority of the citizens were scared. This isn''t a ck Sky event where the defenses of their respective cities are being tested. This was a real threat to their existence. It would make sense that they''re afraid. Countless posts about the end of the world made by rmists and clout chasers circted online, which made the situation worse. Sadly for them, the AI system was too smart and sensible to let them do as they please. They were severely warned the first time they did it. And if they do it again, Ac herself will throw them into the Purgatory Realm as punishment. This was not a joke; lives are at stake here. This isn''t the time for these people to gain followers, seek a financial boost, or make political moves. Not everybody''s that bad, though. There were some who responded to the news with solemnity and helped in any way they could. There were people who marched towards the nearest army camps to enlist themselves to help with the iing threat. There were people who started donating money and resources to help with the war effort, etc. Superhumans were summoned, and most of them answered the call. Most of them were weak, but the army epted them all and armed them to the teeth. They were educated about their responsibilities and how to respond to emergency situations. It is safe to say that everybody, willingly or not, was mobilized. A lot of families were kindly asked to be transferred to bunkers for safety; routes were optimized, curfews were imposed, etc. The army spared nothing to ensure everyone''s survival. Those who felt the most pressure were, of course, the soldiers. Most of them haven''t seen a real war before. At most, they were exposed to the real situation outside. Some were sent out to gather resources and personally experienced just how grievous humanity''s situation truly was. These people knew that if they failed their duties, what they saw outside would mirror what humanity''s territory would look like after this war, and that alone terrifies them to the core. And that feeling¡ªthat horrible image¡ªwas exactly the reason why, despite being terrified, they forced their bodies to move. The terror didn''t paralyze them. Instead, it made them feel desperate to do everything in their power to prevent that scene from bing a reality, even at the cost of their lives. This was only possible because demonic corruption was no longer present around the army camps. It could even be said that not a wisp of demonic corruption could exist anywhere top or bottom within humanity''s territory, because if it did, then it should''ve intensified the soldiers''s fears, forcing them to turn mad. Their response to their fears was one of hope. A mystical force had sprouted ever since Cedric began making huge changes within. Perhaps no one except Cedric himself and Ac realizes the true value of this hope. ** "Shit, you are going all out." High Marshal Filius Greenwood cursed upon seeing Tech God Charles'' arrangements. Currently, the Tech God is busy aligning grids of drones. Each one was thrumming with thunderous electricity. Additionally, his androids could be seen hauling stuff left and right. Reception towers, turrets, scanners, missileunchers, etc. All types of war instruments were being crafted in real time around him, all while Charles himself wore an exhausted yet determined expression. "If only I had more time to prepare, I alone would''ve sufficed. s..." "I''m not so sure about that, but I appreciate your enthusiasm," Filius replied before frowning. "When was thest time you slept anyway?" "Nerds don''t sleep." Charles snorted without peeling his gaze away from his tech forge. "Yes, they do." Filius rolled his eyes. "Answer me, damn it." "I don''t know; I can''t recall anymore. I''ve been busy." "Sleep then. Leave this to the AI." "No." "Don''t be stubborn!" Filius hurled his teenage body over his shoulders, forcibly taking him away from this ce. "Put me down! I''m not done yet!" Charles protested. "Rest, god damn it!" Filius snarled. "There''s still two days before the horde arrives. You have time to sleep and recover. We can''t have you fainting from exhaustion in the middle of the war. Just listen to me." "...but it''s not done yet." "The AI''s got it covered. It''s your magnum opus; have some faith in it. Ac''s also supervising it; that should be enough." Charles could no longer protest after hearing that. He could only sigh and relent to his exhausted mind and body. Even he underestimated how exhausted he was, both physically and mentally. He hasn''t slept for months now. He essentially locked himself up within hisb, onlying out when the situation called for it. He had repeatedly ignored the AI''s reminder for him to rest; at some point, he even used his override because he got irritated by its constant nagging. He kept himself awake by consuming unhealthy amounts of coffee and energy drinks. He also ate from time to time, but only because he was forced by his creations to do so. The reason behind this was the repeated breakthroughs that came to him ever since making contact with the Young Sage. Since that day, Charles had seen a way forward, something that he had been searching for a long time. He had burned out and was a creative stump before meeting Cedric. When he witnessed Cedric''s unique approach to their modern problems, Charles was inspired. This inspiration burned brightly within his chest and cannot be extinguished no matter what he did. Ideas flowed into his brain like a tide that felt overwhelming. He made progress after progress, which greatly soothed his soul and revived his creativity. And with the blessings he got after the Origin Energy Storm, Charles became unstoppable. All the things he brought with him here were histest developments. None of them had been tested, but the AI pretty much guaranteed that they would work as he envisioned them. Even now, the inspiration he received still burns brightly. However, his body couldn''t keep up. Actually, Charles could feel this too. But he just kept on telling himself that he would rest after finishing up this one but never ended up following it because, before he realized it, he already had his hands on a new project. By the time Filius arrived at a secured room within the army camp, Charles was already snoring. The High Marshal shook his head and tucked him in before looking at the mechanical dog that followed them. "A minimum of 24 hours of sleep for him, okay?" Filius said to the smart thing. "If you have to inject him with a tranquilizer shot for it to happen, do it. I''ll handle the consequences after the war. Understand?" "Woof!" "Good boy!" Filius affectionately rubbed the head of the metal dog before disappearing from the room. He appeared on top of the walls and, unceremoniously, began releasing his magic. Thick vines sprouted from his feet, turning into a giganticwork of thorns that covered the entire wall. From these gigantic vines, vegetation bloomed; of course, none of them were ordinary. Carnivorous nts, pea shooters, cherry and chili bombunchers, grasses that are as sharp as swords... A myriad of strange nts appeared from the vines. And with the nourishment of true sunlight, they grew crazily and were eager to show off their stuff. Filius'' magic didn''t end there. His powers reached deep underground,ying all sorts of nasty traps for the iing horde. In his youth, Filius was mocked because of his strange powers. His ability to grow nts was never taken seriously by anyone except the alchemist, who only sought to take advantage of him. Now, Filius rose to the ranks of the High Marshals by relying on his weird ss temte, and nobody dares to mock him anymore. The demons will never know what kind of hell Filius could bring to them once they give him enough time to prepare. Chapter 294: More Preparations, Team Elrics Reunion "5 million demons, huh?" Anthony Selner, High Marshal of the Western Defense Wall, muttered softly as he stood on top of the walls. "Unbeknownst to the public, that number is just an estimate. It''s their initial number we suspected from what the spies showed us previously." "The actual number of demons that will end up showing would be different from that. It won''t be less, though. That''s for sure." With the Wrath''s Sin Demon, the Undead Bone Dragon, at the helm of this charge, it is expected that the marching horde will attract more demons along the way. Not to mention, there were several types of demons that could spawn more demons just by existing: the Broodmother, Insect Queens, Corpse Raisers, Necromancers, and Liches, to name a few. This was thergest movement that the demon of Azure Terra ever did, and with how many stray animals roamed outside, it''s impossible for their movement to be hidden. They will attract attention while they march and will eventually pick up stray animals along the way. "Hmph!" Anthony snorted coldly as he released a billowing aura. Everybody within a 10-mile radius felt his power. The next thing they knew, magical circles dotted the skies. The High Marshal began floating as if his strength were causing him to defy the veryws of physics. His presence was awe-inspiring, and his fury was palpable. He might not show it on his face, but Anthony''s hatred towards the demon race cannot be doubted by anyone. Aside from the High Marhsal, the western walls had another Star Traveler around. It was the Wandering Swordsman, Old Man Jin. He too felt the billowing aura of Anthony, but he ignored it. He''s currently sharpening his partner, his dear sword, ''Magenta'', who has been apanying him for decades now. Actually, Old Man Jin was about to leave the territory to wander around again when the announcement was released. That caused his ns to change. He knew that his home needed him more than ever, so he couldn''t leave. He''s bound by duty and the desire to protect this ce, even if it costs him his life. But more than that, Old Man Jin was probably one of the few people who wasn''t afraid of this horde. If anything, he sees it as a chance. Wasn''t his entire reason for wandering around because he wanted to pick a fight against strong demons? Well, it just so happened that a big one wasing towards him along with millions of its minions. Old Man Jin couldn''t ask for anything better, really. Maybe for once, he''ll have a truly satisfying fight again, and if it kills him, well, even better! At least he dies fighting for his home and on the battlefield. But this old man also knew that if he''s dying anyway, he better take down as many demons as he can with him to reduce the burden on the youngsters around him. That''s why he''s taking his sweet time sharpening his sword. Whether this ends up being hisst fight or not, it doesn''t change the fact that he''s not running away from it. ** "My, my..." Francis wore a strange expression as he circled around Chrissy and Erica. "I know we haven''t seen each other for a while, but it certainly hasn''t been too long, and yet look at you two; I almost couldn''t recognize you." His expression then changed to a somewhat perveted look before saying, "Ah, I get it, my man, Cedric sure says words really hard." Pow! Francis crashed into the nearby wall with a bleeding nose. Darwin, Floyd, and Elric merely snickered at this because, well, he was asking for that. Of all people, he should know how violent Erica''s temper was. As the adults frequently say, ''One might survive a cmity caused by God, but one cannot escape a self-courted disaster.'' "Shit, I missed you too, I guess," Francis grunted as he clutched his bleeding nose. "Die." Erica spat venomously at him before plopping on the nearby couch with Chrissy sitting next to her. "Speaking of Cedric, where is he?" Floyd asked curiously of the girls. "Pre-disposed," Chrissy replied. "Apparently, Ac gave him a quest chain that he couldn''t reveal, even to us. We barely saw him since, but he''s safe, so it''s fine, I guess." She lied so smoothly that even Chrissy herself almost believed her words. Obviously, she couldn''t tell them everything because Cedric told them not to. And even if he didn''t, she still wouldn''t say it because it''s only proper. It''s not her secret to tell anyway. Elric had his thoughts about it. After all, he too knew Cedric''s real status. But since the girls are keeping it a secret, he wouldn''t ruin it for them. He wouldn''t betray their trust like that. "How are you guys, by the way?" Erica asked in return. "Anything we should know?" "Things had been hectic recently." Elric sighed, but a smile was present on his face. "But all good things for me. Since the Origin Energy Storm, my strength has increased so crazily that it felt like I was cheating." "Same," Darwin chimed in. "First, that Origin Energy Storm, then the cultivation techniques and the release of King Essence Souls. I''m actually looking forward to hell dives now or missions outside since I''m running out of souls now with how much my consumption has increased." "I feel ''ya," Floyd sighed. "Practicing those cultivation techniques is just too addicting. It''s so miraculous. Moreover, with Essence Souls, breaking through no longer feels like hiking a mountain of swords." "I''m at 2nd Change nar Traveler now," Francis inserted himself into the conversation. "How about you guys?" "3rd Change," Darwin and Floyd replied at the same time. "I''m one step away from 5th Change," Elric said, causing everyone to look at him. "Don''t look at me like that. I didn''t charge in blindly; I''ve been umting for a while now, you know?" "Right. With how humble you are, it''s so easy to forget that you''re actually a mind-boggling genius who firmly upies the #1 rank in the academy. Elric the Immovable Mountain." That''s right. It is so easy to dismiss the fact that Elric was actually the top student of his generation because he''s too humble, both physically and orally. The only time this became obvious was when he was confronting an enemy. There had been way too many people who had experienced whish whenever this happened. Due to the risks posed by using raw Demon Souls to increase one''s strength and make realm breakthroughs, Elric paced himself well. He already had a first-hand experience with Demon Lord Souls, and it''s far from pleasant. He was even nearly contaminated by corruption after the process, causing him to slow down his progress. But with the introduction of Greater Essence Souls and, recently, King Essence Souls, Elric can cast his fears away. Essence souls are mild and gentle, containing purely neutral energy that just feels nice to use. While he might''ve slowed down his progress due to the risks, Elric firmly believed in refining his foundations. Therefore, when the Greater Essence Souls were finally invented, he didn''t hesitate to run to his nearest House of Light branch and exchange as much as he could to finally make progress after so long. Because of his solid foundation, he wasn''t at risk of deviation. That''s why he''s able to make breakthroughs in quick session. If it weren''t for the sudden announcement of war, he would''ve continued his seclusion until he stepped to the 5th Change of nar Traveler Realm. "You girls should''ve already reached the nar Traveler Realm as well, right? And your gains during the Origin Energy Storm should be immense," Elric guessed while ncing at the physical changes on the girls. He already noticed this earlier, but it''s still shocking. Chrissy''s hair turned vibrant ck with green hues at the end. She''s also hiding a very potent poison that could easily threaten him. Erica, on the other hand, has weird eyes now. He recognizes it as the Alpha and Omega sign. What they do obviously eludes him. "We''re lucky in that regard," Chrissy responded. "I awakened a special physique called the ck Rose Cmitous Physique, which increases the potency of my poisons and turns them into curses and hexes." "I, on the other hand, just turned into a walking energy battery. I should be able to cast spells all day long without any rest if the situation calls for it," Erica revealed. "Oh, wow." "Nice." "Good for you two." "It seems that our squad just became a lot more powerful now," Elric chuckled. "We should be able to rece the current 1st rank amongst the expedition teams. But that''s something we''ll have to discusster." Elric''s face then morphed into a solemn one. "After all, we can''t do that if we''re unable to survive this war." Tension rose all of a sudden. Even the yful expression on Francis'' face disappeared entirely, which emphasizes the severity of their situation. "Well, it''s good that you''re all treating this seriously. I would''ve been disappointed otherwise." A voice suddenly interrupted them. When they looked, they saw Fiona, the head manager for all expedition teams, closing the room''s door behind her as she clutched a folder in her other hand. "Ready to hear about your mission?" Team Elric collectively nodded at her question. Chapter 295: First Salvo: Erica Starts Blasting -- The silence wasn''t peaceful. It was tense, scary, and so brittle that it could snap at any moment. Nobody dared to speak; some didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. Everybody just waited until the moment arrived where everything went to hell. All sides of the defense walls were manned and equipped with all sorts of defense mechanisms. Soldiers, officers, knight captains, lordmanders, war generals, and high marshals¡ªthe entirety of the human army¡ªwere all disposed of the duty to protect their homes. Behind these manned walls were the scared civilians, the majority of whom are hiding in bunkers guarded by superhumans to increase their security. It didn''t matter even if they weren''t there to see what''s happening because they could all feel it. The silence of the world allowed them to be more in tune with the sounds of nature and the vibrations of the earth. Despite not seeing even a shadow of the horde yet, they could tell that they''reing and that they''re close just by feeling how the earth trembles at their march. The animals felt this more profoundly than humans do, actually. The birds didn''t dare to fly, the reptiles curled up in their habitats, and the mammals felt a strong urge to migrate despite not having anywhere to go. It is safe to say that everybody could feel the iing threat and respond ording to their instincts. Humans were not so different. OOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Every single living being within the walls jolted in shock after hearing the long and ominous bellow of the war horn. Their sense of crisis dialed up to eleven, and the first salvo that marked the start of the war was released. Pffft! BOOOOOM!!! The opening fire that stared at this nightmarish defense came from a special missileuncher created by Tech God Charles himself. It fired a missle that streaked through the air, leaving a gorgeous yet ominous trail of smoke in its wake. At the peak of its flight, it burst into a salvo of shrapnels that rained down at the first sight of the horde. Pik Pak Pik Pak! They sounded like fireworks, yet their terrifying effect was reflected for every soldier to see. Upon making contact with the ground, they left a trail of ghastly mes. The demons charged through it, thinking that it wasn''t anything, only to suffer immensely because not only did those mes contain the profound charm of conceptws, they also started spreading amongst them like wildfire. A missileuncher that could shoot salvos with the charm of conceptws¡ªa piece of technology that could harness the power of narws¡ªonly a person such as the Tech God could do something like this on Prime Earth. Since the first salvo wasunched, it''s expected that the next wave wille too. Once they saw the firestarter, the rest surely followed. This was no time to hesitate; this was a war for survival. Hesitation means death here. While the missileunchers of Tech God were destructive, they weren''t enough to cull the sheer number of the horde. Moreover, there were varieties of demonkind that could outright ignore or neutralize the string of salvos raining down on them. The iing army wasn''t passive either. Bolts and orbs darker than ink flew towards the soldiers on the walls. Exploding skulls, leaving trails of ghastly blood, were seen flying around. There were also acid projectiles, corrupted fireballs, the rain of thorns, etc. At this point, there was no use in hiding. The human territory might''ve been able to hide from the eyes of demons during these past few months, but they certainly didn''t go anywhere. The demons still knew where they were, and this was confirmed when they sent the Night Stalkers to infiltrate the walls. They might''ve lost contact with the Night Stalkers, but their disappearance itself was a sign that humanity was still there, just hiding. This was also why the Undead Bone Dragon didn''t hesitate to lead this decisive march. The human territory was surrounded. There''s just no way around it. Anthony was right in his spections; 5 million was just an initial estimate of their numbers. The iing army did pick up stray animals along their march, and their army increased. Even those who were on the opposite side of the continent felt the iing presence of the horde and were drawn to this ce. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that humanity is currently facing all of the demons that were initially roaming around the Azure Terra Continent. ** "st them to pieces!!" "Brothers, kill!!" "For the protection of our home!" "Die! Die! Die!" The soldiers were in a frenzy. Those who manned the walls fired their projectileunchers crazily. They didn''t care about how much money they''re spending; they also didn''t care about aiming too much since, with the size of this horde, their chances of them missing were practically zero. Behind these crazed soldiers were also the crazed members of the Lifestyle Guild, who were madly producing ammunition to support the firing squad. Everybody has a duty to uphold, especially when their home is threatened. On top of the walls were the spellcasters and archers. Behind them were the support sses, who are in charge of buffing them and restoring their energy. Erica was perched on the Eastern Defense Wall. She wore a grim countenance as she regarded the sheer size of the horde. She gripped her staff tightly as she felt fear creeping up on her. This was a nightmare. It hasn''t even been 10 minutes since the first salvo wasunched, but there were already casualties on their side. Of course, the many demons were killed, but knowing that they''re ''technically'' immortal didn''t provide her anyfort at all. ''It''s okay, Erica. Just do what you can,'' she told herself. It would''ve been nice if Cedric was here. Just his presence alone would get rid of her fears. However, she knew that she couldn''t be overly reliant on him...humanity can''t be too reliant on him. "Hey! Don''t just stand there! Start firing!" The corners of Erica''s lips twitched as she heard someone calling her out for inactivity. She reeled in her temper and looked back with a wry smile on her face before saying, "My bad. I''ll start now." She ignored the sneer of the person behind her. Instead, she focused and tapped into theke of violet qi within her. Her aura sharply rose, which greatly rmed the people nearby; the one who felt it the most was, of course, the person behind her. Erica hasn''t said a word yet; her presence was made known within 10 miles around her. She raised her staff, and suddenly, fifty magical circles hovered above her, causing many people''s eyes to widen. With a cold look on her face, she aimed her staff at the horde, and then the fireworks were released. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!! It sounds like an opera of percussions. All fifty magical circles released bolts of magic missiles that skewered demons with 100% uracy. Her rate of fire was so high that her spells looked like a light show. "H-Hey! Don''t use too much mana! I-I wouldn''t be able to keep up with you!" The supporting person yelled behind her. "It''s okay!" Erica responded amidst the noise of the battlefield. "I can maintain this all day without any problems." "Impossible!" She ignored the guy''s disbelief and focused on her task. Frankly, Erica has no need for any support at all, but she had to follow the arrangements of the army leaders. Pshew! BOOM!! Because of her high-profile spellcasting, it was inevitable that she would get the attention of stronger demons. And she did. A Demon Lordunched the attack just now; a ming stake covered in barbs coated with poison was originally meant to kill her, but a timely barrier stopped it from getting anywhere close to her. A magical circle appeared on the head of her staff as she sted that pesky Demon Lord to nihility in response, all without instability on the firing rate of other magical circles above her. "Girl, aren''t you using too much mana all at once?" Erica detected the presence of High Marshal Filius before he even spoke, so she wasn''t startled by his appearance. "I''m fine, High Marshal," she responded. "Believe me, this hardly drains me of energy. I could sit here all day doing this and still be fine. In fact, I would use more destructive spells, but I don''t want to scare them so much that they avoid this ce." Filius was hesitant. This was a really bold im, and he wasn''t informed about it before. He wants to believe her, of course, but aren''t her ims too outrageous? Suddenly, a system window appeared before the High Marshal, something that only he could see. It says: [She''s telling the truth. Trust her.] Filius inhaled sharply after seeing this. He instantly knew that this was Ac speaking to him directly, and frankly, that''s all the convincing he needed. He then turned to the supporting ally behind Erica and ordered: "Make yourself useful in other ces. She''ll be fine." "Yes, High Marshal." Erica barely paid attention to their exchange. Instead, her eyes were looking at the inauspicious cloud of purple smoke rising in the middle of the horde with a barely visible grin on her face. Chapter 296: War: Garrick and Isabella The battle on the ground was just as fierce as the one in the skies. Those who specialize in close-quartersbat had been arranged to intercept the iing horde, preventing them from getting anywhere near the walls. "Die, you monsters!" "Eat shit!" "Kill! Kill! Kill!" "POWAAAAAAA!!!" The soldiers were fearless. With the intensity of humanity''s fighting spirit, corruption can''t get a hold on them, even with demons around. Fists, swords, spears, halberds,nces, daggers¡ªall sorts of cold weapons shed with cold lights, tearing through demon flesh. Shields, barriers, barricades, and traps sprung up to protect the brave warriors too, in addition to the supporting spells cast from the nearby wall. "Hmph!!!" BOOOM!! A huge cloud of dust erupted after a direct confrontation, followed by a loud sh of steel. The earth cracked, and the figures that shed felt themselves sinking down for a bit, but neither was affected. Their steel continued struggling at each other while their eyes coldly regarded the opponent. It was a man against a demon lord. The Demon Lord was of the Capra Demonkind; strong, swift, and ruthless in his strikes. The demon was at least 9 feet tall with a humanoid torso and thighs, the head and lower body of a bull, and a lizard tail. It wore a skull helmet and used a pair of handheld axes made out of demon bones. This Capra Demon was as strong as a 5th Change nar Traveler Realm superhuman, but the man it struggled against was certainly no pushover. The man had deep bronze skin and arge and bulky frame. He''s six and a half feet tall, wearing bulkier armor that looked like it was made of stone. Aside from this ridiculously heavy armor, the man had no other defenses. Instead, he held a huge and long waraxe with both hands as he struggled against the Capra Demon. His wine-red eyes coldly regarded his opponent, and he also wore a vicious grin on his face as he stomped forward to push the demon back with sheer raw strength. Snort! The capra demon was dissatisfied, but it couldn''t be helped. It bent its body and flipped backwards to evade the follow-up attack from its opponent. Just from that short struggle, the Capra Demon understood that it couldn''tpete with its raw strength against this human. Therefore, it could only resort to other tricks to kill; this time, it relied on speed. Swoosh! The Capra Demon turned into a blur of motion; it ranps around its target, who stood there unmoving. In its mind, the Capra Demon thought that wearing that bulky armor made the human unable to keep up with its speed. After feeling certain that the human couldn''t react properly to its speed, it sped up even more, leaving afterimages behind. Once it saw the human trying to cleave the afterimage in half, the Capra Demon pounced from behind. Shick! Roar!! Unfortunately, though, the Capra Demon severely underestimated the cunningness of its human opponent. Just as it thought that the human was attacking the afterimage it left behind, the act turned out to be a feint all along. The human borrowed the momentum of the initial swing to transition into a more powerful swing that cleaved the Capra Demon''s right arm cleanly. ''Hateful! '' This is what the Capra Demon would snarl if it could speak the human tongue. Seeing that it was at a disadvantage, it instinctively tried to retreat. It wanted to run towards one of the liches on the far back of the horde to get some treatment. This was its intention, and it was about to act upon it, but all of a sudden, it saw the human stomping forward, and the Capra Demon felt its body getting heavier. "Nuh-uh. No running away from your problems." The human sneered as one of his feet was firmly nted on the ground. A mixture of white and purple aura res could be seen on his body. In that stomp just now, the human used a skill that reinforced the pull of gravity for the Capra Demon. "If I let you run away, I, Garrick Stoneheart, wouldn''t be able to face the humans you killed in the afterlife," the human dered with a sharp tone as he marched forward to the paralyzed demon. "You''ve signed your death warrant the moment you targeted me." Garrick then lifted his waraxe to the skies, and with a grunt, he cleaved the capra demon in half. The force of his attack was so strong that he also cleaved through five more demons who were standing directly behind his target. Hefting his waraxe on his shoulders, the cold gleam of his wine-red eyes regarded the bustle of filthy demons around him. He leapt up and jumped into the fray, taking on multiple demons at once fearlessly. With the transformation he experienced during the Origin Energy Storm and the recent developments in humanity, Garrick sessfully flew through the strength chart. He''s now a genuine 3rd Change nar Traveler Realm superhuman, one that could stand fearlessly even with multiple Demon Lords with how absurdly tough his Invincible Vajra Physique is. As he cleaved through demons mercilessly, one thought upied his mind:. ''I wonder if I''ll see Cedric in action again. I''d like to see if I somehow closed the gap between us.'' ** Not too far from where Garrick was fighting, another well-known person from his batch was also fighting fearlessly. Crack! Swoosh! Sharp spears made of condensed ice skewered Isabe''s enemies, punching a gaping hole in their bodies and turning them into ice sculptures afterwards. And with a snap of her fingers, these ice sculptures exploded into shards that killed the nearby demons she missed. The nearby soldiers couldn''t help but admire her¡ªnot just because she was too beautiful and carried an otherworldly air that made them feel unworthy of her, but also because she was really strong. She just killed three Demon Lords in a row with her cial spears, and the ice explosion killed at least dozens of stray animals instantly too. Just like Garrick, Isabe was also one of the handful of people who greatly benefited from the Origin Energy Storm. She now possesses something called the ''zed Snow Physique'', which practically tripled her strength and potential instantly. It amplifies the freezing effect of any ice-based skills or techniques she uses and doubles the hardness of the ice she condenses. It also increased her natural affinity to an unprecedented degree, allowing her toprehend the profundities of the Ice Laws with twice the results from half the effort. Isabe reached the 3rd Change nar Traveler Realm, just like Garrick. Her changes speak volumes, considering that she could now fight Garrick into a draw. She has also long surpassed her foster mother''s expectations for her. Swoosh! Crack! A shadow suddenly appeared behind her. It was a ghost holding a dagger aimed at her skull. However, before it could even realize what was going on, it had already turned into a frozen statue, despite its ethereal form. Isabe didn''t even bother looking at the poor stray. As she took a step forward, the frozen statue changed into the shape of a snowke, which was then thrown into the nearest clump of demons, exploding into shards of icicles that caused a chain reaction of freezing and explosion. Such control over the ice element was rare, even in the army. Coupled with her transcendental looks, it was inevitable that she would pluck the heartstrings of heroic men. But because she was often seen with Garrick, a rumor spread within the army that the two of them were in a rtionship, which was not true. It''s just like that since they were of the same academic batch. She often spars with Garrick to sharpen her skills, but beyond that, their rtionship was nothing more than friends. Isabe didn''t bother correcting them, though. Garrick was apparently a perfect fit for her, ording to public opinion, saving her the trouble of dealing with suitors. Garrick straight up doesn''t care about the rumors at all; he might not even be aware of them because he''s too focused on bing stronger. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Isabe condensed more cial spears that shot towardsrge clumps of strays. The cold indifference on her face was hidden behind the veil she wore. Deep down, she felt nothing but pure disgust and hatred against demons. And with this current act of theirs, mercy towards their kind was not on her list of considerations. She raised her delicate arm to the skies, and behind her, a massive snowke appeared, radiating a diamond gleam. With a snap of her fingers, the giant snowke dispersed into a silver mist that crept forward. Everything it touched was frozen in body, mind, and soul. It didn''t matter whether they were swallowed by the silver mist or just touched by it identally. If even a particle of that silver dust makes contact with a demon body, it will freeze thempletely. Those ice sculptures were then turned into more snowkes that flew all over her surroundings, leaving a trail of frost behind them. As she continued with her duty, she wondered... ''Will Cedric show up soon? I wonder how strong he has be since thest time I saw him...'' Chapter 297: War: Rescue Officer Ulfric, Immortal Demons Bane -- "Hey, hey! Come on! Don''t die on me now." "I can...still...fight! Let me at ''em!" "No, sir! I''m taking you back behind the walls, and you will be receiving treatment. Only when the medics say that you can return to the frontlines will you be able to go back. Don''t be stubborn now." Ulfric Hawkeye, one of Cedric''s batchmates now turned into an Army officer along with Garrick and Isabe, dragged one of hisrades back to the safety of the walls while deftly avoiding the shing lights. Seeing that he has a gravely injured person with him, the people manning the baricade let him through, and Ulfric made his way straight to the medical bay. Ulfric was briefly stunned when he saw the scene inside. He was greeted with rows after rows of injured people groaning and grunting in pain, along with designated medics working very hard to nurse them back to health. A distressed cry shook him out of his stupor, and he personally witnessed a fellow soldier breathing hisst. Ulfric saw grief marring the medic''s face for a few seconds before it morphed into a hardened expression. That medic turned to him, and upon seeing that he''s carrying a badly wounded friend, he said: "Lay him on the bed." Ulfric regained his mobility after hearing that. As he ced his woundedrade on the bed, he briefly saw the medic closing the eyes of the deceased soldier before calling the movers who came to take the dead soldier away. The medic then waved her staff and started treating the person Ulfric brought. "This is no ce for you to rest." The medic''s voice echoed in his ears. "You''re still an abled body; that means you still have a duty to uphold." "Your friend''s injuries aren''t as bad as the previous one. He will live, that I will guarantee. As for you, go make yourself useful somewhere else. Don''t be swallowed up by your fears now." Ulfric had this idea that thest sentence of the medic was told not only to him but also to herself. He''s unable to refute her words, so he stood up and nned to make his way out there on the field again. Once again, he saw the grim scene ying out in the medical bay and was reminded how horrible war truly was. There''s at least several thousands of injured soldiers here and not enough medics. Because of the imbnce between numbers, other medics had to operate on more than one person at the same time. God knows how demanding that can be. Each second he spent here meant at least hundreds of people holding on for dear life as the medics tried their best to save them. How many survive depends on chance. How many of these dying people will leave a grieving family behind? How many were unwilling to die? How many died because they weren''t able to get treatment in time? How many were sessfully healed but then told to go out there again, risking their lives just for the small chance of survival? And these so-called medics¡ªwho looks after them? The majority of them looked like they weren''t even in their 30s yet. For all he knew, this might well be the very first time they witnessed someone die despite trying their best. Lord knows what that kind of scene does to someone, but they had to suppress it because the injured just keeping. Only 4 hours have passed since the start of this war, and this ce already looked like this. Despite being safe within the walls, the effects of this horrible war still reached them. If you sit down and think about it, there''s actually not much difference between the outside and here. Ulfric bit his lips hard to wake himself out of his stupor. This was neither the time nor the ce to sink into depression. He could whine all day long, but nothing would change. This war will still happen sooner orter. He has to harden his resolve and remind himself that he chose to be here. Clenching his fists and gnashing his teeth, he marched out of the medical bay and walked out of the barricade. His watchful eye gleamed as he inspected the battlefield. With a push of his heels, he turned into a streak of light that immediately went to the nearest injured soldiers. He picked up at least five and carried them to the medical bay to receive treatment. This was his duty as a rescuer. The more time he spent active on the field, the more people he could save. He just hoped that this war would end soon. ** "Darwin!" "I hear you!" Darwin responded as he twisted his body and waved his staff, leaving several bolts of lightning that shot towards the nearest foes. He then mmed the butt of his staff to the ground and mobilized his mana to cast a spell that pushed the aggressors back from them. Floyd appeared behind him; he has yet to stop shooting his bow ever since making their way out of here. Francis blurred into a being near them, followed by Elric. The bald leader raised his shield up high, releasing a golden radiance that bathed all of his team members. This golden radiance turned into a semi-transparent yellow shield that could survive a direct hit from a Demon Lord or a Demon King. "Where is she?" Francis asked in a serious tone. "Right here." Chrissy''s voice sounded nearby, just in time for her to respond to Francis'' question. Elric, without peeling his gaze away from the marching horde of demons, asked, "Are you done?" "Yeah." Chrissy nodded. "Let''s get out of here." "Alright, team! Move out!" Elric ordered. With hismand, Floyd chanted a short spell that raised the speed of the team. They moved as a unit while retreating; Darwin and Floyd shot at those that were trying to block their way, while Elric and Francis dealt with those they missed. Once they reached a certain distance, Chrissy suddenly leapt up and threw a bunch of ck roses behind them. The ck roses turned into a steak of light, which flew to their designated targets. They allnded at the same time, and when they did, something incredible happened. Fwooosh!!! A cloud of gray mist suddenly erupted out of nowhere, turning into a cloud of purple smoke a minuteter. It''s as if a chain reaction was triggered, and all of a sudden, there was a tall wall of that smoke in the middle of the horde. Because of the frenzy of the demons'' march, none of them were even slightly perturbed by the appearance of this smoke. They weren''t rmed either, because nothing happened to them when they made contact with it. But how can it be so simple? Why would Team Elric use the underground tunnelwork to prate deep into the enemy lines and risk their lives just to help Chrissy set up this massive-scale poison array? Of course, that purple smoke did something. It''s Chrissy''s creation; how can it be useless? The effect of the poison isn''t something that these dumb demons could easily sense or decipher. Just merely seeing it already gave them an affliction. which dulls their nervous response and poisons their bloodstreams. Dulling their nervous response makes them susceptible to carelessness, making it easier for the soldiers to kill them. The poison in their bloodstreams will be triggered once they''re injured, causing every injury that they will suffer from then on to be considered so lethal and extremely painful that it paralyzes them. With Chrissy''s ck Rose Cmity Physique, this poison was also considered a hex and a curse. Meaning that getting rid of it was close to an impossibility. Oh, and the best part? This poison, given time, will prate their souls. Meaning that even if the afflicted demons were to be reincarnated through the Soul Network and the Flesh Incubator, they would still suffer from its effects. No amount of rebirth will get rid of it. This was Chrissy''stest magnum opus. She calls it the ''Immotal Demon''s Bane'' and it represents her hatred against the demon race. She held nothing back from the creation of this concoction. All the spite, hate, disgust, and her wishes to eradicate them were used as fuel for the birth of this thing. A vindicative sneer appeared on Chrissy''s face as soon as she saw their enemies ignoring the purple smoke. She also instinctively knew that Erica was also seeing this and was grinning too. "That''s the eastern wall dealt with. We have three more sides to go. Let''s move," Elric stated as they activated the transportation array nearby. That''s right. The n was to set up this poison array on all sides of the wall. This was the mission that Fiona gave to Team Elric earlier. She didn''t require them to do this and merely suggested it; still, the team insisted on taking it because they knew the stakes. With the boys protecting her, Chrissy was confident that she could do this again and again. If people knew how sinister her methods were, they''d probably call her a witch. Chrissy didn''t care, though. If bing a sinister witch meant that she could save many lives and eradicate their oppressors, she didn''t mind bing one. Chapter 298: War: The Sin of Wrath Appears The war went on for longer. Salvos wereunched, skills and spells were thrown out, and soliders were engaged in a brutal melee to protect their home. The horde of demons was seemingly endless; the saving grace is that, for some reason, they seem to be getting weaker, especially after that tall purple fog amidst their rank appeared out of nowhere. Of course, at first, humans thought that the purple fog was harmful to them, but it stayed over there, so they couldn''t actually tell. Of course, the High Marshals are aware of where this purple foges from, and admittedly, they''re stunned. They would''ve never imagined something so incredibly sinister woulde from a human, moreso a girl. Fortunately, the girl was loyal to the race, or else... Speaking of the High Marshals, they still haven''t made a move, even after so long, because they were waiting. All of them are looking at the dark clouds looming over their home with solemnity. Despite being outnumbered and the rising casualties they''re having, they knew that they still had the upper hand. If this continues, humans will eventually wipe out the millions of demons that came to invade them. However, the real enemy has yet to show up, and they obviously know this. Just to be on the safer side and to make sure that they are at their prime to face that thing, they just sat behind the scenes for now and overlooked the entire proceedings of the war. Tech God Charles'' preparations are what truly gave them the edge here. With all of the modern weaponry he installed on the walls, the soldiers went crazy with their duty. With the seemingly endless supply of ammunition, they shot volleys after volleys of missles, cannonballs, ballista arrows, etc. So long as they''re being careful and the people below them are paying attention, the chances of them injuring themselves are very low. And because the shots could raze through multiple demons at once, the casualties of demons were far higher than humans had. If this were to continue, it would only take a couple more hours for humanity topletely wipe out the horde. Unfortunately, someone has had enough of this. Snort! A thunderous snort, which echoed throughout the entire continent, was heard. It was so loud and so fierce that it even caused a weak earthquake. Then, the dark and gloomy skies suddenly swirled in a horrific and apocalyptic way that made many soldiers weak in their knees. It was then followed by a ferocious aura, dripping with killing intent and corruption, that flooded the entire area. The aura was so dense that even the formation that''s protecting human territory was unable to prevent it from seeping in. If this corruption felt terrible for humans, it was the opposite for the demons, of course. To them, this was akin to a concentrated shot of steroids injected directly into their veins, making them stronger, tougher, and crazier. From the massive swirl of dark clouds came the true instigator of this invasion. A massive dragon, void of flesh and sinews. Its body was at least 100 kilometers long and around 50 kilometers tall. Its wingspan was so wide that it almost blotted out the sky. Its skeletal frame was wreathed with ghastly purple mes that burned brighter on its limbs and its wings. Looking closely, there''s also some of iting out of its mouth. The bone dragon''s hollowed-out eye-sockets had a pair of ghasly green will-o-wisps that coldly regarded the ant-like creatures beneath them, and on its chest, a massive insignia that nobody could interpret was engraved. ROOOOOOAAAARRRR!!! It released an earth-shaking roar that shattered the resolve and determination of every human soldier below. Even the ones behind the walls weren''t spared from its effects. It was a pure shot of terror that nobody was immune to, save for a handful of people. And because of this roar, the effects of demonic corruption increased, and it began turning people mad. "Oh, hell no, you don''t!" Erica fiercely spat. She spun her staff above her and mobilized her violet qi in waves. She then mmed the butt of her staff on the ground so hard that it left a web of cracks as she did so. Then, a massive magical circle appeared above the sky of human territory, releasing a holy radiance that made her look like an angel. "Divine blessings!!!" She solemnly chanted. The spell ''Divine Blessings'' was a prettymon spell that cancels out the negative effect on her targets and improves their attributes. While there''s no upper limit on how many people she could support with this, one could still imagine the sheer skill requirement needed to give this to more than 10 people (which was the minimum), much less millions. And yet Erica did it... With her support, all the negative effects of the bone dragon''s roar and demonic corruption attempting to take hold were cancelled. Everyone, save for the handful of people who were affected to begin with, felt their minds clearing up and their fears ebbing away. They all looked at the saint who made this all possible with barely disguised awe on their faces. Her spell also had a restraining effect on demons. All the bonuses they had previously received were neutralized by Erica''s spell. She alone negated the maddening attack of an entity thatpletely outssed her. She stood on top of the eastern wall fearlessly, unafraid of announcing her presence to the massive bone dragon that''s emanating the sin of wrath above. There is no doubt that she has established her prestige among everyone from here on out. "Fantastic work, Lady!!" Filius eximed next to her. He appeared like a ghost, but that''s not important right now. He wore a pleasantly surprised face because he was certainly not expecting this. Thisdy has surely hidden a lot from them. Unfortunately, now is not the time for questions. Filius rose to the air; he waster joined by his fellow High Marshals, Anthony, Raven, and Cassandra. The other High Marshals didn''te because they were needed more below than here. Old Man Jin, Lissandra, and Fiona also marched together with them. Gabriel, Charles, and the rest of the well-known, strong people of humanity stayed behind. "A pitiful attempt; how awfully sad." The deep and grating voice of the Undead Bone Dragon of Sin greeted the four High Marshals. "Finally out of your little hidey-hole, eh?" Anthony sneered. As they approached the wrath''s sin, aplete set of armor appeared on their bodies. Their sharp weapons also released a cold gleam, which mirrored their determination to bring this massive thing down. Looking at their appearance, the Undead Bone Dragon''s willowy eyes seemingly narrowed. It released a cold snort before saying, "You even stooped so low and used the remains of my kind for some meager protection. Truly pitiful." "What a hypocrite," Cassandra sneered. "You speak as if you and your kind never coveted our world and its resources. If you can do it, why can''t we?" "The weak and ignorant never deserve rich treasures," the Undead Bone Dragon spat. "Yet this weak and ignorant race has trapped you all for centuries," Raven spat back. "You yap about your false superiority, but despite your multiple attempts, you failed again and again to eradicate us. You call us pitiful, yet you rallied your troops all the way here from the farthest corner of this continent because you couldn''t endure it anymore." Raven drew his twin swords and released a flood of killing intent. He wore an expression of contempt as he taunted: "What''s wrong? Can''t stand our hospitality anymore? What a shame." The Undead Bone Dragon snarled in rage, the mysterious insignia on its chest ring with power in response. Its pure maddening rage drowned out the surroundings with the same affliction as well, a clear disy of its prowess as one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It opened its maws wide and released a breath of ghastly green mes with a corrupted source, torching the tiny and irritating creatures in front of it, but they were ready. Filius snorted in disdain and raised a hand. Behind him, an image of an extremely tall golden tree shed into existence. It released a verdant radiant filled with the aura of life and rained down giant leaves that coiled around his allies to protect them. Behind him, Lissandra also made a move. She raised her staff, and a curtain of sparkling silver energy rose like a tide beneath her. This protected all thebatants beneath them from the attack of the Undead Bone Dragon. Old Man Jin gripped his sword around the same time as Raven and Cassandra did. There were no words after that. The moment this hateful dragon attacked was also the moment this fight began. Old Man Jin, Raven, and Cassandra turned into blurs of motion and shed their killing intent. Fiona followed suit, followed by Anthony and Lissandra. Filius supported them from behind. As everyone watched their leaders engage with the massive cmity above, the soldiers on the ground let out throes of rage and continued this long and exhausting fight for survival. Chapter 299: War: Teaming Up against the Bone Dragon ROOOOOAAAARRRR!!! The Undead Bone Dragon roared in pain and anger. Ghastly green mes billowed from its mouth as it tried to torch the annoying pests that kept feigning and biting its body. Unfortunately, the breath of mes didn''t go very far. It failed to hurt anybody due to Lissandra and Filius''s protection. Old Man Jin ran on the air as if it were a t and solid surface. He leapt on the bone dragon''s spine and began hacking its joints without holding anything back. However, the hardness of this thing''s bones and the apparentck of flesh caused the old man''s lips to twitch in irritation. His sword was sharp enough to leave deep gashes, but aside from the toughness of the bones, it also had incredible regenerative properties that rendered his efforts useless. Fiona was there with him; she kept punching a particr area on the bone dragon''s wings in an attempt to bring it down. Each punch she sent resonated deep into the thing''s marrows, causing it great difort. Her face was particrly sinister, as she didn''t let up with her assault. She too discovered the absurd regenerative abilities of the bone dragon, so she couldn''t stop. While these two were at it, Raven, Cassandra, and Anthony sieged the bone dragon directly. From the sheerparison of size, they were truly like annoying flies to it. Raven had impressive crow wings pping behind him to assist him with his flight. He flew at the speed of sound, sending out feathers that embedded themselves on the bone dragon''s body and injecting it with a powerful corrosive acid, which, again, was neutralized by the impressive regenerative abilities of the foe. Cassandrapeted with the bone dragon using stormws. She summoned a typhoon that greatly inhibited the flight of the bone dragon, essentially caging it in one ce. She would also send down lightning from time to time, wanting to smite the creature down, but to no avail. And Anthony''s approach was more direct. He summoned humongous metal chains that appeared out of nowhere. These absurdlyrge metal chains had tapered ends, which pierced the dragon''s body. As soon as it attached itself to the creature, the sheer weight of chains brought it down. The chains then wrapped around its limbs, greatly restricting its mobility; he even wrapped the creature''s maws with the chains to prevent it from breathing more fire. Finally managing to bring the creature down to the ground, the High Marshals thought that things would be easier from here on out. But the creature proved them wrong. Ghastly green mes once again showed up. This time, the bone dragon didn''t breathe it out. Instead, the mes erupted from its body. It burned Anthony''s chains to nihility and even had a fierce bacsh that caused him injuries. Then, its regenerative abilities kicked in, and once again, the bone dragon regained its arial supremacy. The wrath''s sin mark on its chest red ominously, and everyone felt its domineering rage. The creature then folded its wings and spun several times in the air, rising beyond the clouds and forcing the humans on its back to retreat. It went out of everybody''s sight for a bit before it returned, crashing down like a world-ending meteor, and its target was obviously human territory. Everyone''s eyes were constricted upon seeing this. They instinctively knew they had to do something quick, or else it would be toote for them to save their home from certain destruction. That''s when Fiona suddenly appeared on top of the walls. She solemnly looked at the giant creature, who''s heading straight towards her like a fallinget. She firmly nted her heels on the ground and twisted her upper body to gain momentum. Time seemingly slowed down to crawl for her as she wound up her strength, focusing all of it on her knuckle-covered fist. Upon entering a certain distance away from the territory, Fiona suddenly disappeared from her spot and reappeared right in front of the creature. She released a heroic roar and put her everything with that punch. BOOOOOMM!!! The very fabric of space warped from the impact. All sound was absorbed and released seemingly at the same time. Fiona''s counterattack sent the creature crashing down in the opposite direction. The strength behind her punch almost shattered the eastern wall behind her, even though the impact happened a fair distance away from it. This just shows how mind-blowingly powerful that sh was. After receiving the attack, everybody heard the pained roar of the Undead Bone Dragon. That punch also shattered its skull, but once again, it was saved by its ridiculous healing rate. Fiona didn''te out unscathed from this. She was exhausted in both mind and body. It''s already a miracle that she could even stand in the air at this point. More importantly, her entire right arm was banged up from that punch. It''s clear that she herself couldn''t handle the output of strength she used earlier, and that resulted in this. Only a thin piece of her right arm bone remained, with bits and pieces of flesh. Seeing this, Filius immediately tried his best to heal her. However, both of them knew that this would certainly take time, something that they unfortunately do not have right now since they know that this battle isn''t over yet. That''s when a beam of violet light descended upon Fiona''s body. And to everybody''s amazement, her right arm began regenarating at an incredible pace. Fiona wore a look of disbelief, as did Filius. They then turned to the source of this light, and to their shock, it wasing from Erica, who resolutely stood still on top of the eastern walls, her eyes closed in concentration. What''s even more shocking is that, even as she healed Fiona''s arm, the magical circles above her never stopped firing magic missles and never missed. Within 30 seconds, Fiona''s right arm was restored to its peak; the only thing missing were her knuckles, which Erica sadly couldn''t regenerate. She then opened her eyes, looked at Filius, and said, "I can do this all day. Punch all you want, and I''ll fix you up as many times as you wish." Filius and Fiona cackled happily after hearing her ims. At this point, all doubts were gone. Her words were backed by action, not giving them any chance to refute them. They didn''t bother asking either, because she''s entitled to her secret. Seeing that she''s restored and knowing that Erica wouldn''t dare say these words to her without the skill to back them up. Fiona grinned fiercely before diving back into the fray. Filius remained behind them to control the damage with Lissandra. ** During the time that Erica was healing Fiona, the Undead Bone Dragon got up to its feet, feeling ashamed and angry, obviously. It never would''ve imagined that these tiny ants could erupt with such strength to neutralize their previous attack. It obviously underestimated them, which added even more to the shame and rage it felt. This was made obvious by the insignia on its chest flickering with intense light. This insignia held a deeper meaning than everyone thought. It wasn''t a mere tribal marking or a tattoo. This insignia was the source of its sin, the Wrath''s Sin. The more enraged the bone dragon was, the more power it could tap from this mark. Whether this mark could be neutralized or eliminated wasn''t something known for right now, though. But, despite the bubbling rage of the Undead Bone Dragon, it failed to recognize that one of the tiny ants it loathed happened to be nearby. It leapt up to its massive body under the radar, shrouded in an invisible mist. Looking closely, it was ady with long dark-green hair wearing a gorgeous jet-ck gown. She kept her body low and ran on the dragon''s spine until she reached the vertebra that connected its nape to its head. Then, she brought out a cauldron filled with jet ck liquid, which she unceremoniously dumped on that section of its body. As soon as its contents were emptied, she dissipated like a ghost, as if she were never there in the first ce. She did all of this without the Undead Bone Dragon noticing her at all. The only ones who saw her doing this were the High Marshals, and they obviously wouldn''t say anything. But they do wonder what exactly she dumped just now. Whatever it was, it didn''t seem to have any effect on the bone dragon, though. Old Man Jin didn''t care about any of this. Siezing the time where the bone dragon was still distracted, he raised his sword and cleaved down, slicing one of its wings to hopefully prevent it from flying once more. ROAAAAARR!! An agonized roar of pain escaped from the bone dragon''s maws, followed by a pitiful whine that nobody thought they''d ever hear from it. The bone dragon itself looked surprised, but the debilitating pain upied most of its mental faculties. "Well, that was easier than before." Old Man Jin himself was surprised as well. Then, thedy''s actions earlier surfaced in his aged mind. "Was it because of what she did?" Chapter 300: War: Chrissys Brew, No Leaving -- Others were stunned by what they saw. They all looked at Old Man Jin briefly with a wondering gaze; their thoughts were generally the same as his. It''s not like the old man wasn''t trying before. Sure, he wasn''t going all out, but he did put his back into his swings earlier; he just put an extra ''oomph'' in the one just now, yet the difference was too obvious, and it made them think that this has something to do with the cauldron of liquid that thedy earlier dumped onto the bone dragon. As for the dragon itself, it was puzzled too. But more than this, it was in agony. Never in its wildest dreams did it ever think that these ant-like creatures could inflict this much pain on it. That one particr old man with a sword was fierce, cleaving one of its wings just like that. What''s more, something strange was happening. Obviously, the Undead Bone Dragon knew the scale of its own regenerative capabilities, and under normal circumstances, it could''ve ignored an attack of that scale. Sure, the regenerative effect was still there, but this agonizing pain was foreign to it. The healing didn''t slow down, but the process felt extremely painful for the sin demon. ROAR!!! The Undead Bone Dragon roared with a mixture of pain, agony, and rage. The insignia of wrath''s sin red on its chest, but it brought more profound pain to it. The dragon didn''t know what''s going on; it could only think that someone, the humans in front of it, was the humans in front of it, was the reason behind this debilitating pain, and if it killed them all, then this pain would be gone too. "Be careful!" Raven Armstrong warned his colleagues. He felt the Demon King''s killing intent rising at an rming rate, the sheer density of which almost caused it to manifest into being. In response to this, Raven released a spell that caused the skies to darken even more. A ck fog appeared out of nowhere and swarmed towards the dragon. This ck fog neutralized the dense killing intent of the dragon, and at the same time, it also started corroding its body. Adding to this, Cassandra whistled and summoned storm clouds that rained down thick lightning bolts on the demon king. Anthony increased the lethality of this storm by adding shrapnels of metal that grated the body of the bone dragon. ROAARRR!! The Undead Bone Dragon writhed in pain. Its massive wings pped ferociously, trying to blow the attacks away while also dragging the dragon''s body away from this ce. On the surface, the attack looks ineffective because the innate regenerative abilities of the demon king made it look uninjured, but the sounds it was making told them otherwise. "Whatever that concoction was that thedy from earlier dumped into it might be what''s causing this." Lissandra made an educated guess. "It most likely increased the sensitivity of the demon king''s pain receptors, dialing it up to eleven. It doesn''t hinder its regeneration, but it sure did make it extremely painful." The others silently agreed to her conjectures, and she''s partly right. Chrissy''s special concoction was made with the Undead Bone Dragon in mind. She put extra ''love'' and attention into brewing it. This poison brew couldn''t indeed inhibit the regenerative speed of the bone dragon, but it sure did make it extremely painful. Using her profound understanding of poisonws, she bolstered the ''cause and effect'' rule upon the demon king. Regeneration without any side effects was just unfair, so she imposed an equivalent exchange on the thing. Sure, the bone dragon can indeed regenerate as quickly as it is injured, but the price for that was agonizing and maddening pain. One that bes more painful the greater the injuries it is trying to heal. And yet, even with this, the bnce was still not achieved; it''s still slightly tilted to the side of the demon, so the narws adjusted it and added an effect that lowered the toughness of the demon king''s body. That''s why Old Man Jin''s attack earlier caused that much damage. And following attacks after that will now follow this rule. But if it were just purely poisonws, it wouldn''t be as effective against the bone dragon, despite Chrissy''s profound attainments to them. What really sealed the deal was her unique physique, which added cursing and hexing attributes to her brew. These attributes are what truly damned the bone dragon. And the best part about this? Even at the smallest chance that this demon king were to be reimed and reincarnated one day, the effects of its brew would follow. There''s no escaping this, ever. Such is the power of curses and hexes. ROAR!! The fight against the High Marshals and leaders of humanity against the Undead Bone Dragon continued. Despite Chrissy''s damning brew, the ferocity of the demon king remained astounding. The profound pain it felt made it more enraged, and being the embodiment of the wrath''s sin, its rage made it stronger. Even as they teamed up with it, the bone dragon still ferociously fought back. It''s indeed way too strong, causing them to feel depressed. It is said that Star Traveler superhumans are roughly equivalent to Demon Kings, and that would be true if it weren''t for the fact that they''re up against one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Raven, Anthony, Cassandra, Fiona, and sometimes Lissandraunched volleys of attack again and again, but the bone dragon just tanked it all. No visible damage was inflicted on it because of its powerful regenerative capabilities. This could''ve been a lot worse if it weren''t for Chrissy''s brew drowning the demon king with maddening pain. None of thebatants could receive a direct attack from it. The longer they fight, the angrier it gets, and the angrier it gets, the stronger it bes. It''s the wrath''s sin after all. And this caused them to be at a loss. How were they supposed to deal with this? It''s not like they could somehow find a way to make it feel happy instead of attempting to kill it! That''s absurd! In addition, the maddening pain it felt caused it to disregard any form of tact. The bone dragon wanted to destroy everything indiscriminately. The consequences of doing so were thest thing on its mind. Of course, its prime target were humans and their homes. The only thought that dominated its mind right now was that by eradicating humans, the pain would also stop. This caused thebatants to start falling into a passive defensive state. The bone dragon kept on trying tounch its gigantic body into their home. To defend it, of course, they have to put themselves in between. It''s a good thing that Erica kept paying attention to their fight and was ready to heal them as soon as it was needed. At this point, she has restored their missing limbs about 10 times already. ROOOOOOAAAARR!! The longer the fight went on, the more desperate the bone dragon got. At some point, it snarled at them, saying, "YOU DAMNED ANTS! YOU''VE ANGERED ME!!" "Oh, really?" Fiona panted in exhaustion, sneering sarcastically. "Gosh, we couldn''t tell at all!!" Her colleagues looked stressed too, and it was obvious; even the soldiers below could tell, and it''s making them nervous. They''ve seen how many times the bone dragon tanked their attacks only toe out unscathed. They also saw how many times their leaders unhesitatingly threw their bodies in front of the dragon to prevent it from destroying their home. This proves how horrible this creature was. Despite the overwhelming rage it felt, a trace of rity sparked within the bone dragon''s mind. It felt uneasy all of a sudden, as if it were forgetting something important, but no matter how hard it tried to recall what it was, it just couldn''t. Seeing as nothing was working, the bone dragon decided to retreat for now. This isn''t its style, but it couldn''t deny the fact that these inferior locals prepared well. The demon army it rallied was almost gone, and the bone dragon itself was running low on energy. Once its reserves be empty, its regenerative capabilities will lose their effectiveness, and it might truly die here. Retreating was less shameful than dying once against the inferior creatures. The Undead Bone Dragon roared fiercely, and suddenly the space behind it swirled, turning into a passage that it nned to use as a means of escaping. Seeing this, the High Marshals were rmed. However, they were too weak to stop it. That said, they''re thinking too much. They have nothing to worry about because... Crack! BOOM!!!! "WHAT!?" The Undead Bone Dragon was dumbfounded after seeing the spatial passage it opened, which cracked and shattered into nothingness. The space repaired itself in a blink of an eye, and despite trying again, the bone dragon failed to exert any influence over the space around it. What followed was a sonorous and majestic voice that dered: "The human territory isn''t some ce where you cane and go as you please." "Since you dared toe, you might as well stay." "By my authority as the Sun Sage..." Chapter 301: War Conclusion; Sigh of Guilt "The human territory isn''t some ce where you cane and go as you please." "Since you dared toe, you might as well stay." A loud and sonorous voice filled with unquestionable authority and dignity echoed in everyone''s ears. "By my authority as the Sun Sage, I dere that no demons are allowed to disturb the sanctity of space and time anywhere within the Azure Terra Continent!" BOOM!! A loud thunderp shook everybody to the reality. The humans didn''t feel anything, but the demons sure did. They could feel something innate about them being taken away by an unknown force, and they''re powerless to resist. The Undead Bone Dragon felt this the best, as its gigantic body seemingly lost strength, causing it to fall down like a toppled building. It turns out that its flight was done through spatial travel too, and losing the ability to manipte space makes it unable to soar to the skies, which makes sense given its size. Anything that''s huge shouldn''t be able to fly, no matter howrge its wings were to begin with. The bone dragon was the most obvious one affected by that deration, but every demon within Azure Terra was surely affected as well; the effect just varies depending on their innate abilities. "IMPOSSIBLE!" The Undead Bone Dragon snarled hatefully. "HOW CAN A MERE HUMAN EXERT SOVEREIGNITY OVER PLANAR LAWS!? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF!!" "I grew tired of your incessant yapping," the same voice replied coldly. Then, under everyone''s awestruck gaze, the formation protecting human territory unfolded, and a brilliant illumination was released. Everybody saw a rising sun releasing an unrivaled radiance that washed away the cold and dark skies above. All humans felt itsforting warmth, and all demons felt its hateful re that singed their skin. Witnessing the vibrant radiance of the sun and feeling its domineering energy that burned all demonic corruption away, the Undead Bone Dragon''s pupils shrank in fear. That sun brought an existential dread to it, something that it had never felt before in its entire life. The rising sun then instantly doubled in size and power. It then fired a concentrated beam of sunlight towards the Undead Bone Dragon, who''s unable to escape in time. "AARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!" Unprecendented agony drowned the bone dragon''s entire being. This was worse than any pain it ever felt before or in its entire life. It was being burned alive by an element that''s inherently harmful to it, and its passive regeneration wasn''t helping at all, especially because of Chrissy''s brew. The most important part is that the insignia of wrath on its chest was disappearing under the direct torching of pure sunlight. This was the worst oue for the demon king because its strength mostlyes from tapping into the well of power within this insignia. Without him, the Undead Bone Dragon is no worse than any ordinary Demon King out there, one that a Star Traveler could face on their own. The sr re stopped after a while, and when the smoke cleared, everyone saw the miserable state of the once-proud demon king. It writhed on the ground; its body was riddled with numerous branding scars, and it wasn''t regenerating anymore. This was the first time that they saw that thing gravely injured; it''s also the first time they saw it showing obvious weakness. All of its previous bravado and pride were gone after a five-minute session under that sr re. Most importantly, the insignia on its chest waspletely burned off; all that''s left of it was a gaping hole that still tries to mend itself to no avail. And just to rub salt all over its wounds... "My people, I bless you with the protection of sunlight and the might of sunfire." Fwoosh!! As soon as the voice fell on their ears, everybody felt a soothing warmth pulsing through their bodies. A semi-invisible barrier of golden sunlight appeared around them, shielding them from the effects of corruption and protecting them from harm. They also felt the surging heat of sunfire billowing from within them, along with their instinctual knowledge of how to use it. "Demons that are killed through Sunfire are killed thoroughly, depriving them any chance of being reincarnated ever again. Use my blessings to end this war so that we can focus on the rehabilitation of not only our home but also this continent." Everyone instinctively knew that these were the final words of that mysterious Sun Sage to them for now, and that''s quite alright. His presence was still there, obvious by therge sun hovering above them, providing a warm radiance that illuminated the corruptednds outside their home. "KILL!!!!!" It''s unknown who bellowed this out, and it doesn''t matter. All they needed to know was that this voice was what brought them back to reality and sparked them to action once more. The collective killing intent of humans descended on the remaining demons, and it scared them greatly. They exploded with astonishing strength through the blessings of the Sun Sage. That, in addition to the ring sun, which obviously discriminated against demons, turned them into killing machines that shredded demons like they were some wheat to be reaped. Seeing this, the hearts of the strong men and women throbbed. They looked at the depths of their home with a burning gaze, sending their heartfelt gratitude towards that selfless being that changed the tide of this war. "He didn''t just protect and strengthen us," Filius stated solemnly, his eyes looking at people behind the walls. "This sun is also healing our injured men way better than any medics could; it''s even regenerating their lost flesh." That shocked them to the core, and upon looking at it themselves, it was indeed the case. Even the medics were dumbfounded by what was happening, and obviously, they did nothing to stop it. This was nothing short of a miracle, truly. Nobody could even imagine just how demanding this was to do; it''s most likely something that only the Sun Sage could possibly do. "Where the fuck do you think you''re going!?" Ftoom! Boom! Everyone was stunned. They looked over and btedly saw Fiona breaking the sound barrier in her movement, appearing directly above the Undead Bone Dragon, who''s apparently dragging its massive body away from this ce in a desperate attempt to escape. Both her arms were covered with billowing sunfire as she pounded on the poor bone dragon''s head, nailing it in ce. The rest also moved at this point. Lissandra waved her staff and summoned spears made of pure starlight and sunfire that pierced the demon king''s body and pinned it to the ground. Anthony once again summoned gigantic chains of metal burning with sunfire to prevent them from struggling. Old Man Jin sliced its wings off, Raven summoned hundreds of feathers that burned with sunfire to further pin it down, and Cassandra called forth lightning that''s as thick as a tree to smite it down. All of this caused more agony to the dying demon king, but more importantly, it got rid of any possibilities for it to escape. "Oh, buddy, we''re not done with you!" Fiona snarled at it. "Our dear Sun Sage ordered you to stay, so you will stay!" "Who''s the inferior creature now, bitch?" Cassandra fiercely spat at it. "Do we kill it now or...?" Anthony hesitantly asked. Raven then said, "No, killing it now is a form of mercy this beast doesn''t deserve." "I say we try to pluck out its soul," Old Man Jin suggested. "It''s a Demon King after all; that''s still a precious resource. It should be possible even though we''re not in purgatory." "Let me handle that." They all looked over and saw Gabriel, apanied by his retainers. He nodded at them before coldly referring to the beaten demon king. "Did he send you?" Raven asked. "Kind of. Ac was the one who notified me," Gabriel replied before taking out a container from his inventory. He then sighed and said, "I think he''s still not done with his seclusion, and knowing him, there''s no way he would sit still after knowing what''s happening." "I just hope that his forced action isn''t detrimental to his growth." Gabriel worriedly sighed as he held up some kind ofntern over the gaping hole in the chest of the bone dragon. They were silent as they saw how a pitch-ck clump of light flew to thetern as if it were sucked in. Thentern shook fiercely for a bit, making it seem like the soul inside was banging on the walls of its prison in an attempt to escape, but Gabriel just sneered and raised thentern to the sun, and the activity died down instantly. Seeing this, Gabriel kept thetern away and faced his colleagues: "Its remains still have value, I suppose; don''t throw it away. I''ll leave the clean up to you guys." The rest nodded to him and immediately went into action. With the leaders actively cleaning up the remaining demons behind them, the defeat of the demon army became certain. Cedric, who''s been watching all of this from beginning to end, closed his eyes and released a sigh of guilt before retreating to his room. Chapter 302: After the war -- Azure Terra Continent has returned to its usual dark and gloomy atmosphere; the only difference is that there were only a handful of demons roaming around. Humans pretty much cleared most of the demons roaming around this continent. Of course, there are still some around, but even if they all banded together tounch a desperate attack, at most, their numbers would only reach the hundred thousand; it definitely won''t go past a million, and this number could be handled by a few modern weapons pretty easily. Compared to the doom and gloom of the outside, though, human territory was bustling. They turtled up again with their formation and focused their attention on rehabilitation. It has been a week since the war reached its conclusion. The first three days were spent mourning for those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of protecting their home. They were treated as heroes and were honored properly. Their families received not only formal apologies from the army but also generouspensation. Some families epted the cruel and sad reality, some reacted rather ndly as if they didn''t care, and of course, some families reacted violently, ming the army personnel for not being prepared enough and not doing their best to protect their people. All of these were within expectations. After all, everyone has a different way to cope with loss. After the mass burial ceremony, the civilization began rehabilitating. They started slow, introducing their usual activities to pick up their usual routine. Once again, humans disyed their tenacity because it didn''t take long for them to return to their usual lives. All army personnel were given a two-week vacation after the war ended. This meant that the walls were unmanned right now, but there''s no need to worry. Their clean-up was pretty thorough after all, and the remaining demons were all stray animals who wouldn''t be able to find their way close to the territory, so it''s all good. Only a week has passed since the war for survival. The events are still fresh in everyone''s memories, and they''ve been a hot topic until now. A few particr people became famous online for their deeds due to the stories told by the soldiers themselves. The civilians were hidden behind the walls and couldn''t participate, so these stories could onlye from those who participated in the great battle. Garrick''s and Isabe''s names were mentioned quite frequently. The former was admired because of his absurd strength and ferocity when fighting demons; thetter was also the same, but moreso because she looked insanely attractive when doing so. Apparently, someone was brave enough to record scenes of the war while they were out there. It was done through the system too, which was rather surprising. After all, it was quite known that the system''s functions don''t work well outside of their territory. This caused some people to doubt the legitimacy of the clips uploaded online, but it was backed by a few witnesses who were soldiers themselves and were there to see it happen. Of course, the fight between the High Marshals and the Undead Bone Dragon was uploaded too. There were only a few a few short clips of it, but they were enough to disy just how terrifying the horde truly was. The relentless pursuit of the High Marshals and their selfless act of putting themselves in between the raging demon king and their home plucked the heartstrings ofizens. The one who received the most praise wasn''t them, though. It was Erica. There''s this one video of her showing just how absurdly powerful she was. It included the part where she began rising to the air as if she were ascending and began raining down magic missles on her foes. The video highlighted the sheer demand for skill needed to do the things she was doing, especially when considering that she has never missed at all. What''s even crazier is the fact that she was able to heal the leaders, restoring not only their missing limbs but also their energy and endurance. With her around, they were essentially immortal. Erica''s fame was only limited to the Starlight Royal Academy before, but now she''s a national star. Some even proposed that she be a high marshal too, since she''s strong enough to do so. Whether that happens or not depends on the army, and it wouldn''t happen now since they are on vacation. As for the people who essentially became online stars themselves, they didn''t care about this news at all. They were either resting or doing something more productive. The pirs of humanity were also on a break, just like the rest. They deserve this just as much as others do. However, they are used to being busy 24/7 due to the demands of their jobs, so they aren''t actually ''resting'' per se. Most of them secluded themselves for the time being, digesting the results of the fight and analyzing their ws. That fight made them realize just how insufficient their personal strength was in the grand scheme of things. They were star travelers who should''ve been able to easily take down a demon king, despite it being one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It should''ve been the case. They thought that they could do it, but the reality was way different than they expected it to be. Even after teaming up and exerting themselves again and again, their abilities werepletely insufficient to fight against one of the Seven Deadly Sins. The Undead Bone Dragon alone was enough to kill them hundreds of times; the only reason they managed to hold on was because Erica was there to patch them up to their peak state pretty much instantly, and because of Chrissy''s brew, that imposed a consequence on thetent regenerative capabilities of the bone dragon. The most important part is that they only managed to kill that thing after the Young Sage made a move. In short, they were useless. Their pride was ruthlessly crushed by the sin demon king, the strength they were proud of was rendered useless, and they were undeserving of their titles and positions. They might''ve won this war, but they were defeated in that battle. This is undoubtedly a setback that made them aware of their shorings. And considering that there are still two of the seven deadly sins on the other side of the world, it means that the war for survival isn''t truly over yet. If they remain stagnant like this, they won''t survive the next. This also revealed their over-reliance on the Young Sage. Truthfully, they should''ve been enough to handle all of that. There should''ve been no need for the Young Sage to do anything at all. Life has already been unfair to that child, and as adults, the most they could do is at least give him some breathing space¡ªa room to grow¡ªbut they can''t even do such a simple thing. In the end, the young man still had to briefly exit his seclusion despite his sensitive situation to save their behinds. What hurts the most is that reality, especially because he did solve their problems. He saved them again when it should''ve been the other way around. The worst part is that they still have no idea whether his forced action was detrimental to his growth at all. This is what really stung their pride. Star Travelers? Psh. More like useless paper pushers! It''s because of this that they entered seclusion with a burning determination. Experiencing this kind of setback isn''t the end of the world for them. This revealed their most ring ws, and they were not stupid enough to ignore them. They reacted in different ways in the face of this setback, but none of them will stop here. The Young Sage has given them time¡ªtime they can use to make up for their shorings. All of them knew that they had to be the real pirs of humanity moving forward. They can''t always rely on someone to save them, either. It just so happens that they now have the means to actually do this. With most of the demons on the continent gone, they could start expanding their territory. They could send more squads out to harvest resources, build outposts, and start cleansing and reiming the massive continent that should''ve been theirs to begin with. After this brief rest, their most important pursuit should be stable expansion. So long as they could cleanse morend to upy, Ac''swork of activities would expand too, and she would be stronger since this world was her body. This will be their priority moving forward. As for the demons on the Lost Continent, they don''t have to worry too much about them right now. The continent was quite literally on the opposite side of the world. A massive body of water separates the two continents, and while the sea has also been corrupted, the marine demons could only remain there. Only the avian demons could shuttle from one continent to the next, and that''s under the premise that they''re lucky. The Purgatory Realm still covers the world, so there''s no need to mention those who are outside of the world. This means that, at least for the forseeable future, another invasion of this size couldn''t possibly happen again. Chapter 303: Plans for the future "I know that it hasn''t been long since the war, but our job is far from being done," Filius stated to the army personnel who''re listening to him. "We have to seize this chance to expand our territory." "During thest moments of the war, all of you must''ve heard him. Yes, I''m talking about the Sun Sage. I won''t reveal his identity to you; all you need to know is that he''s been working with us closely and he''s had a hand in all of the massive changes that happened within our civilization. His contributions far surpass ours, even." "You all heard him dering a rule that states that no demons are allowed to disturb the space and time anywhere within Azure Terra. Let me tell you now that his deration isn''t only effective in that moment; it''s a permanent rule, and Ac herself confirmed this with us." Filius paused for a brief moment for his words to sink into everybody''s mind. The army''s vacation is over, and it''s their first day back at work. The very first thing they did was convene a meeting to let every important person learn about their next set of actions. "This means that from that moment onwards, no demons are capable of manipting space anywhere within Azure Terra. Any form of spatial travel is impossible, and this includes any invasioning from the outside." "His rule cut off any possibilities of the Demon Race directly sending troops anywhere in this continent. As for the demons in the Lost Continent, if they want to invade, they also couldn''t do it by teleporting here; they have to manually traverse the stormy and chaotic seas that separate us, and only a handful of them could do that." "It also means that, so long as we humans stay within Azure Terra, the Demon Race could no longer use our bodies as a tool for spatial passage to justify their invasion. ''Nodes'' are a history moving forward under the assumption that we all stay here, for now at least." His words stunned his colleagues. Some already expected it to be the case, but the idea sounded so good to be true that they subconsciously denied it. However, Filius spelling it out for them proved that they were right, and it doesn''t make it any less surprising. "I know that this will raise some concerns, so let me exin a few things first." "First and foremost, most of us here knew the ''Oath'' that Ac forced the demon race into, which changed our way of life. Your concern about this viting the contents of the oath is unfounded because the Sun Sage himself studied this oath and discovered many loopholes that the demons have been exploiting ever since." "Because Ac was too weak to retaliate against this exploitation, we could only suffer from it, but not anymore. The Sun Sage stated it himself, ''If they could exploit us using the rules, then what''s stopping us from doing the same?'' Don''t think that we''re stooping down on their level; it''s them who stooped down on our level." "The demons could still use us humans as spatial nodes to invade our world, but there''s nowhere in the oath that states that it has to happen within Azure Terra. Since the Sun Sage imposed the Space and Time ban on demons within this continent, that cuts off their chance to exploit this." "Of course it is possible for the ''Risks'' to learn this sooner orter. Don''t worry about this; Ac has already imposed new rules on their punishments. At the very least, this will make them less desperate." "The demons left roaming around this continent are strays, and their numbers won''t surpass a million. We can do a mass hunting operation to eradicate thempletely and make this continent truly free from demons." Stating this, Filius just can''t hide his enthusiasm. "It''s time for us humans to reim this continent. We no longer have to be imprisoned in this tiny corner of the world. If we don''t seize this chance, then we are wasting not only the Sun Sage''s hard work but also the efforts of our ancestors, who had given up their lives for our survival." "We can''t waste this chance because if we do, I don''t think we''ll ever receive another one. If we can''t even rehabilitate this continent into our home, then we deserve to be driven into extinction." "Now, we will move on to the division of duty; we''ll start with..." The ns for future development continued from there. The High Marshals began dividing tasks for the entire army to do. They have deadlines and expected results, with attached rewards and punishments. It could be said that Filius'' burning enthusiasm was infectious. It couldn''t be helped because this was truly a once-in-a lifetime chance, something that might never appear again if they missed it. Most of the people here still can''t believe that the entire continent was open for them to im. All their lives have been limited to the walls of human territory. They''ve been used to the idea that the outside world is scary and irrideemable; they even thought that this was the best thing they''d ever get forever and they should just work hard for it to stay that way. But now, the once-impossible thought is actually happening. Their world is about to be muchrger than it was before. They have an entire continent to explore and reim as their home. This walled civilization might just turn into the capital city or the ancestralnds for the future human empire. And isn''t this idea just too stimting? Who could resist such a future? And if they work hard enough, who knows? Maybe one of them here will be regionalmanders of their own territory! Forget about humans not having enough people to upy this continent; they could just lift the family size ban entirely! Hell, they could even give rewards to those who eagerly participate in the effort to repopte. Let''s see how many people could remain unfazed by that kind of temptation. It was also during this meeting that the reputation of the unseen Sun Sage was boosted through the roof. His existence revealed the sheer number of contributions he had made for the sake of humanity''s future. He''s the one behind the existence of the Essence Souls; he improved the outer world bases that the expedition teams use; he''s the one who invented the way to revert corrupted materials to their previous state; and he was also the one who invented a tool that could convert corruption into a neutral energy source that they could use. The Sun Sage was also the one who invented the formation that created the semi-invisible mist that isted their territory. It''s this miraculous creation that greatly lessened the burden on them since, as soon as it appeared, they no longer had to worry about constantly being vignt about guarding the entrance to human territory, allowing them to focus on more important things. It was also him who restored the lines within human territory, which essentially revived Ac and caused the Origin Energy Storm, which changed many lives moving forward. And most recently, he''s also the one behind the creation of the Heavenly Cycle Clocktower, which allowed them to see and feel what the real sun, moon, and stars looked like. Of course, he''s also the one who made it possible for the High Marshals to kill the seemingly immortal Undead Bone Dragon, stripped the demon races''s abilities to manipte time and space within human territory, and healed thousands of people at once. He forcefully ended his sensitive seclusion to support the war effort, and it''s still unknown if this was harmful to his personal development. Learning all of this was certainly enlightening. Everybody couldn''t help but admire this person they hadn''t seen before. No wonder the High Marshals were so protective of his identity, because who wouldn''t? His value was no less than all of thembined! The so-called Zodiac Saints aren''t even fit to lick his shoes! This dear Sun Sage of theirs worked hard to contribute to the race. His achievements were known to everybody, but his identity remained a secret. He wasn''t after fame; he just wanted them to thrive. He fought tooth and nail for this chance, so it''s no wonder that the High Marshals are urging everybody to seize it. And savor it; they will. As soon as the meeting was adjourned, everybody was mobilized. The effort to cleanse Azure Terra and make it a habitable ce for humanity starts now. The High Marshals themselves weren''t idle. As soon as the meeting was over, they flew out of the territory to n out future developments for the continent. All of them had antern hanging by their waist lit with golden light¡ªsunlight¡ªan element that''s inherently harmful against demonic corruption. All of this happened while Cedric, the emancipated Sun Sage, who apparently sacrificed his development, was inside his dimensional farm taking a peaceful nap with his girlfriends. Chapter 304: New Wall -- "Hnnnn..." Cedric stepped out of the room and stretched his body. He just woke up from a deep sleep, and his body felt a little stiff. He made his way to the living room and sat down on the couch, then a te of food and a cup of coffee floated to the table,ing from downstairs. Cedric unceremoniously began eating his breakfast as he basked in the morning light. After his breakfast, he took a quick shower and changed his clothes. He looked at their bed and saw that his girls were still asleep. He gently smiled, turned off the lights, and gently closed the door behind him so as not to disturb their peaceful sleep. "Alright, let''s start today''s work," Cedric muttered to himself. He took a step forward, and his surroundings immediately blurred. As soon as his footnded on solid ground, he already found himself in dark and gloomy surroundings. The stench of corruption assaulted his nose, the putridnd swarmed his vision, and the depressing sight caused him to sigh. He heard a roaring ssh behind him. Turning around, he saw the wild and chaotic waves of the sea. This seemingly boundless body of water sadly couldn''t escape the influence of demonic corruption either. The waters have turned ck and almost vicuous. If you look at it for long, you''ll see the shadowy and creepy visage of several underwater creatures swimming with the waves, seemingly unperturbed by the vigorous activity of the ocean. Trapped in that small corner of this continent, humans just couldn''t afford to pay any attention to this seemingly boundless sea. What lurks in the depths of this ce is probably a lot scarier than what roams thesends. Cedric was now at the edge of the Azure Terra Continent. If he braved the chaotic seas from here and managed to sail straight ahead, he''d end up on the shores of the Lost Continent after a month and a half. Of course, that''s under the assumption that the underwater creatures spared him and his ship. But he didn''te all the way here to sail to the Lost Continent. Forget about sailing; if he wanted to, he could arrive there in seconds. His goal here was something else entirely. Cedric blinked, and in that moment, his senses covered the entire. Within a literal blink of an eye, every movement on the continent became visible to him. He saw squads of soldiers leaving the safety of the walls, gathering, purifying, and harvesting resources. He saw other squads on the prowl to hunt the remaining demons that still roam thesends. He could also see dedicated squads who were stationed in areas near the walls, assigned the task of using sunlight to purify said areas, restoring their vigor and beauty. And finally, he also saw the strong men and women of the army flying all over the continent to survey thends and make appropriate ns for its future developments. Cedric didn''t bother paying attention to whatever''s happening outside of the continent since it''s not one of their concerns right now. He then looked beneath him and saw the coarse and ckened sands. A trace of pity appeared on his face as he thought that this ce could''ve been a gorgeous beach, but it''s sadly ruined by the demonic goop. Releasing another sigh, he turned his attention to thend. He flicked his sleeves, and all of a sudden, an earthquake happened. A massive rock formation protruded from below; its surface was covered with thick veins flowing with magma, releasing a scalding temperature. Flicking his sleeves once more, the rock formation became taller and taller until it reached an astonishing height of 1000 miles, which almost reached the skies. With a tap of his foot, Cedric appeared at the peak of this rock. He then stretched his hands out to his sides, and suddenly, the rock formation extended out, following the edge of the Azure Terra Continent. Cedric was building a new great wall. One that''s seemingly made out of ordinary rocks but is way tougher and more resilient than any material humans could find or create. With his mastery over the narws, which also include the earthws, this was a simple task for him. If he wanted to, he could even mold some random stone he could find all around him into a massive dome that covered the skies above. There''s no reason for him to do that, though. His actions were, of course, noticed by those who were roaming thend. After all, there was no way to hide the tremors that urred right after the massive walls were built. That said, the darkness of thend shrouded the activity very well, so even though they could feel it, they couldn''t urately discover its source. The walls Cedric created looked rough, jagged, and uneven. He didn''t bother smoothing it out; he could just leave it out to the army, which will eventually be stationed here. In addition to building this wall, he also carved a formation in its depths, which immediately took effect as soon as the walls were connected. Just like the ones that isted human territory, the formation he carved has a simr effect, just on a muchrger scale. This will make it more difficult for the demonsing from the Lost Continent or from the sea to find Azure Terra, making it easier for his people to enter a smooth development for the years toe. Cedric examined his work for a bit before nodding in satisfaction. Then he briefly turned his gaze above the skies, his vision seemingly prating the purgatory realm, staring straight at the gigantic spaceships of the spare pirates parked outside this world. A sneer appeared on his face as he looked at them. Since the end of the war, the fleet has been greatly rmed, and it''s normal. After all, they lost contact with one of the Seven Deadly Sins. They had no idea whether it was still alive or dead. They tried using some kind of device tomunicate with it, but they couldn''t reach their target anymore. They also discovered that they had lost sight of Azure Terra. It''s as if it disappearedpletely from their view. They couldn''t sense the ''potential space nodes'' anymore, making it impossible for them to send out more troops that are raring to cause destruction to thends. Such a shocking developmentpletely took them by surprise, and it happened so quick that by the time they were allowed to react, it''s already toote. Of course, there were some who tried to descend by force, and if this was a few years ago, this might''ve worked. Now though? That''s impossible, especially since Ac has restored a fair amount of her strength with her fusion with the Spiritual Dragon Veins. Cedric could sense that they''re still trying other things to restore connection so that they could continue monotoring humans, but so far, everything they did has failed. They onlyforted themselves with their hubris, thinking that weak and fragile humans could only hide but would never escape their eventual extinction. That kind of mentality is something that Cedric would like to see more of because it gives humans more time to develop. Cedric returned his gaze to thends of Azure Terra and began to think about possible things he could do to take advantage of humanity''s expansion. "Ah!" Cedric''s eyes suddenly brightened. "Yeah, I could create some secret realms and trial grounds!" Stepping away from the walls, he appeared in one of the nightmare jungles that''s now void of any demonic creatures. With a flick of his sleeves, the space around the jungle twisted, and it suddenly disappeared from view. Within the isted space, Cedric released his godly control over narws. He stripped the influence of corruption from thend down to thest particle. He gave it a new breath of life, which caused all sorts of flora and fauna to bloom. He purposefully manipted the gic structures of life around this ce, causing all sorts of mutations to appear. He changed the way thews worked in this ce and created all sorts of opportunities for those who were lucky enough to find this ce first. Of course, he also left some rules behind for them to follow and a set of punishments should they step out of line. After he''s done with this, he maniptes the space once more and just makes it unstable. He left a way in and out for people to discover and connected this ce to Ac''s spiritualwork. Now, this ce just needs a bit more time, and it will be teeming with all sorts of unique resources that humanity could use to increase their strength. Cedric did all of this within two hours. He dusted his hands after he was done and began walking away, seemingly undisturbed by the gloom and doom of the world around him. "Hmm..." He frowned as he marched away. "Where should I go next?" His eyes roamed around mischievously, and he discovered a dead volcano a few thousand miles away from where he was. "Ooh! A Trial by Fire sounds nice! Let''s go!" Azure Terra then turned into Cedric''s oyster. Chapter 305: Prime Earth Federation; Cardinal Regions Time flies, and soon it will be a year since the end of the war. Compared to the humanity ofst year, the humanity of today is several times more prosperous and stronger. If the current state of humanity were to face the exact level of threat they had faced a year ago, they wouldpletely eradicate every single one of them, including the Sin Demon King, within two hours. A lot has changed since then; the most obvious part is the wide open gates leading out to the great expanse of the Azure Terra Continent. Truthfully, after the initial stages of continental cleansing, if one were to apply for a permit to leave the walls and explore the world outside, the army would''ve allowed it. The idea wasn''t endorsed publicly, but there were certainly a few people here and there who wanted to take their chances. It wasn''t until three monthster that the news was publicized. The army announced that humans, be they from a military background or ordinary civilians, as long as they reached the nar Traveler Realm in strength, could apply for permission to go on an adventure beyond the walls and search for their opportunities. Said opportunities were obviously the ones that Cedric himself created for his people. The secret realms he made, as well as the unique trials he left all over the continent, have been found by the army. Actually, they were the first ones who sent people inside these ces and harvested the unique resources they offered. Since each of these ces had its own unique set of rules that must be followed, even the army couldn''t fully upy these ces on their own. And even if they could, they wouldn''t because others are just as qualified as they are to im these resources, as long as they''re lucky and pass the trials, of course. With this announcement, many superhumans, who didn''t want to be affiliated with any organizations, took the chance and risked the dangers. They applied for permits and left the safety of the walls to search for opportunities to increase their strength. Aside from finding the scattered secret realms and opportunity sites, the army also discovered the walls at the very edge of the continent. They marveled at the sheer height and mass of this wall. Compared to the walls they built back in human civilization, this one was obviously way bigger and tougher. Along with the discovery of this wall, the army also saw the state of the sea. Sadly, they can''t handle something of that size for now, so they could only ignore it. As for the bodies of water within the continent, though? They have a way to handle that, and they had Cedric and Charles to thank for that. Cedric''s filtering rune and Charles'' genius robotics created machines that greatly helped in expediting the cleansing of thend and waters of Azure Terra. By the 6th month post-war period arrived, Azure Terra''s surface had been cleansed. They just needed to get rid of the remaining corruption in the atmosphere and clear the ones that deeply seeped underground, and the continent will be free from itpletely. Since the opening of the walls, the continental division has been nned out by the army as well. They didn''t make itplicated; they divided Azure Terra into five regions based on the cardinal directions: the Eastern Region (which is also where the original human territory was established and could also be called the Ancestral Region from now on), the Western Region, the Southern Region, the Northern Region, and the Central Region, where the new army headquarters will be stationed. This also gave way to the establishment of the Prime Earth Federation, which will be the governing body of human territory from now on. Its founding members were, of course, those who''re already members of the army right now, in addition to a few other people. The foundation of the federation caused promotions left and right, which greatly thrilled the soldiers. Of course, this meant that they would be sent into different territories from now on and that they would be assigned the task of developing their respective territories, but this was understandable, and the potential rewards they could receive were far too tempting to ignore. With the mass development of humanity, the federation also announced that they''re lifting the ban on family counts. There was no need for it anymore since the gates had been opened. Actually, this was the federation''s subtle suggestion to the people to multiply vigorously because, truth be told, they are underpopted topletely upy Azure Terra. Another thing that the federation put emphasis on was the supply of basic resources, especially food. Previously, they could harvest the flesh of demons by purifying it. But now that the continent was almost free of demons, this raised concerns about food supplies. Fortunately, this problem has been taken care of by Cedric already. Well, he built the foundations to permanently solve this problem; it''s up to them if they can grasp it. Cedric created a secret realm, which he stuffed with all sorts of farm animals. He mutated them all and personalized habitats for them to grow in. Then, he elerated the time inside to hasten their multiplication. As a result of that, this secret realm was now filled with all sorts of wild animals, which he dubbed ''Fierce Beasts''. Hunting them poses a risk, but their meat is filled with nourishing properties that could help humans grow stronger. In addition to this, he also created secret realms that are filled with wild vegetation, weird crops, etc. Entering these realms means following their designated rules and regtions; the rewards are based on their abilities and a little bit of luck. He alreadyid the foundations, and it''s up to his people to discover how to take full advantage of them. Cedric wasn''t pessimistic about this, though. He''s human too, and he knows how resourceful they can be. Human creativity knows no bounds. Sooner orter, someone will try something wild, and if it seeds, everyone will follow it. Some would begin to improve it, and things would just snowball from there. Speaking of resources, another one that was put into consideration was the Demon Souls and Essence Souls. They are, after all, necessary to increase the strength of the protectors of the race. Actually, this was the first and foremost problem that Cedric solved. He has long built foundations to solve this problem, i.e., the revival of the leylines, and Ac, in extension, having the world fuse with the Spiritual Dragon Veins, the establishment of the secret realms, etc. All of this was done to slowly but surely make the existence of demon souls almost redundant. Since Ac fused with the Spiritual Dragon Veins, the density of energies within human territory has been rising exponentially each day, the concentration of which has be so high that if you look hard enough, you''ll probably see it. In addition to this, what most people don''t know is that the Ac has been converting the deeply seated corruption in her body into nourishment for herself and the human territory. Of course, humans could still use demon souls to increase their strength, but in modern times, only fools do that. Using Demon Souls for training produces a much weaker effect and poses more risk than its worth. There''s no way people would prefer this over Essence Souls, which are not only safe but also produce a greater effect on strengthening overall. Cedric also hinted at the possibility of creating essence souls without needing demon souls as a medium, and a tool to do this had already been created. Moreover, with the sheer density of the energies around, weaker superhumans could just train regrly, and they''d still level up even without consuming Essence Souls. In addition to the many secret realms that Cedric created and left behind, humans won''t have any shortage of ways to increase their strength. Actually, the demand for Tier Advancements had been significantly lowered because of these same reasons. In the future, it might even be eliminated entirely. Cedric''s influence has been all over the continent, and it''s impossible for his traces to be invisible. He also doesn''t bother hiding his activities too much because he doesn''t think that''s necessary. There were a few people who caught glimpses of him through their travels, and these reports reached the ears of the federation leaders. However, none of them confronted the Young Sage about it. During this past year, if they couldn''t even reach this conclusion before others could, how could they call themselves capable leaders? Of course they knew, and they had their own guesses as to why he''s doing this. But they never confronted the sage about it. Why? Because in their minds, Cedric will never do anything that would harm the race. Time and time again, he proved that all he wanted was to help. He''s not doing it for fame, nor is he doing it to prove his power or im a position. He''s simply doing it because he could and because he wanted to save the world and its people. Following his lead never harmed anybody, so why should they stop? Chapter 306: North and South The Northern Region... About a year ago, this ce was just like any other on the continent: dark, gloomy, depressing, and filled with demons and death. Thest human who stepped foot into this ce was someone from the ancient era, the one that came before the Superhuman Era; after that, nobody else came even close. Now, though, the difference was like night and day. The dark and depressing atmosphere was gone, revealing a massive mountain range whose peaks almost pierced the skies. A thick nket of snow covered most of it, making the environment really cold. It''s as if somebody cast an eternal winter spell in this area. Despite its coldness, the northern region held a kind of beauty and elegance unique to it, making the travelers evidently drawn to it. There is life here. There are trees that have evolved to endure and thrive in the cold environment, patches of snow grass, winter animals, and so on. Of course, this kind of environment holds innate dangers too, since it does not discriminate between friend and foe. In the face of the ice, frost, and snow, this perpetual winter treats all life equally. About six months ago, the seed of a new civilization blossomed here. A group led by Raven Armstrong of the Prime Earth Federation arrived at this ethereal ce and stationed themselves here. The freezing temperature of this ce was nothing but a fresh breeze of air to these war veterans. They came here toy the foundations for the federal base of the Northern Region as well as to n out the future development of this area. They have to n out where the base will be located, how to build the borders, where to build cities, what to name them, etc. Of course, there were also people here who came to study the ecology of this ce since they had never seen anything like it. This ce was truly miraculous. Most people did not expect that this ce would be like this once it was cleansed of demonic corruption. To them, this was nothing short of a miracle. Raven Armstrong, the High Marshal who''s previously assigned to the Northern Defense Wall and now promoted as the 1st Marshal of the Northern Region, thought so too, but he knew that there''s a deeper story within the development of this area and that the footsteps of the Sun Sage were all over this ce. He does agree that this ce is a miracle, though. In his initial inspection of the region, done by flying all over the ce, he discovered the traces of life and ecology in this ce. He saw all sorts of vegetation that evolved to thrive in this perpetually cold environment, as well as creatures that could seriously give stray demons a run for their money: snow foxes, pr bears, ice trolls, yetis, snow owls, eagles, etc. He knew that these were the Fierce Beasts of the North, existences that were purposefully left here to make this ce more ''lively''. Raven also discovered natural resources such as clear snow springs filled with cold spiritual waters and snow lotuses, winter flowers that are considered Tier 9 alchemy ingredients, mineral lodes located at the depths of the mountains,. And most importantly, three secret realm entrances, which he unhesitatingly marked as a priority on his task list. Later, he would learn that these three secret realms were called the Winter Trials, the Imperial Ice Pce, and the Endless Hail. He would also discover that not all three would be open at the same time; each one has a designated period where they would ept visitors or challengers; outside of those times, they are closed and could never be forced open. Amongst the people who came here, aside from Raven, who''s incredibly enthusiastic to start building the Northern Region, Isabe Frostwind might be the only person who''s just as enthusiastic as he was, but for an entirely different reason. She''s home. It''s as simple as that. The moment she took her first step into this ce, this idea sprouted in her mind. The way she shivered in excitement as she felt the first cold breeze of air blow her veil, it''s as if this ce was weing her and warmly embracing her, which is ironic given how cold the environment was. Like the people who came here with her, the coldness of this ce didn''t bother her, and she felt certain that it never would. Every inch of her body was celebrating as he went deeper into this ce. Her eyes held a child-like wonder and excitement as she surveyed the area. Thankfully, her face was covered by a veil, or else her expression would''ve caused all the men around her to be her loyal and die-hard suitors. When the fierce beasts of this ce were either afraid, felt threatened, or became agreeable when they saw humans, they behaved rather friendly when it''s just her. Even the ferocious Ice Trolls be as meek as a butterfly when she''s around. She felt as if this ce was created specifically to be her home. Whether this was a coincidence or on purpose, she didn''t care. All she knows is that she will live here from now on, and unless she was ordered to or was exiled from this ce (which she just knew would break her heart into pieces), she will never leave at all. ** Just like High Marshal Raven, High Marshal Cassandra has also been sent to her new station, which is the Southern Region. Unlike the seemingly perpetual winter of the north, the southern region has a diverse climate and ecology. There''s this one ce she named the Lightning Peaks because it''s constantly struck by lightning, day and night. There''s also the Storm Canyon, the Great Frigid Waterfall connected to the Icy Pond Lake, and the Storm Valley. She, too, discovered all sorts of natural resources tucked away in the depths and corners of this region. There were even ones that specifically called out to her, making her feel an irrisistable urge to harvest them. Cassandra shared Raven''s enthusiasm to develop this region as soon as she can and bring in more people to popte this ce. Her thoughts whirred as she nned where to build cities, roads, and infrastructure to maximize the natural resources around these parts. Of course, this ce also had its secret realms. It only has two, but the resources they offer don''t lose out to regions that have more secret realms. First was the Heavenly Tribtion Lake, a ce of pain and pleasure. This ce has the benefit of tempering one''s physique with pure thunder and lightning energy, making it stronger and tougher. However, since thiske was constantly struck by lightning and the waters were energized by thunder, this process will obviously be painful. The only exceptions are those who were born with a blessed physique that could somehow negate the pain of tempering. In the depths of theke were lightning and thunder crystals. These are natural resources that are formed by the sheer density of elemental concentration in this ce. The deeper one goes, the better the quality and size of the crystals they can get. The crystals could be used as an energy source and have a physique-tempering effect as well; they''re milder, meaning they''re less painful to refine, unlike soaking directly in theke. However, using these crystals as a substitute will have a weaker effect than the former method of tempering. The other secret realm was aptly called the Howling Depths. It''s a ce that leads to a massive tunnel that constantly bellows stormy winds, causing a howling sound to constantly be emitted from the mouth of the tunnel. The deeper you go, the fiercer these winds be. It''s obvious that people might die if they''re careless here. But beyond the dangers of this ce, it is a great proving ground for hot-blooded warriors. Braving the stormy winds from the depths of this ce could refine one''s instincts and intuition. Also, there is aprehensive rewarding system ced here that will bestow rich rewards on those who perform well in the trials. The Howling Depths is a ce where risks and rewards are equal. Making it a suitable choice for those who crave difficult challenges to triumph and are daring enough to go. Among the first batch of people who entered this ce was Garrick Stoneheart. At first, he wasn''t expecting much. He just wanted to travel the continent to see new sights now that it was safe and his first destination happened to be here. And what a surprise this turned out to be! After a swimming session on the Heavenly Tribtion Lake and a fierce sh against the stormy winds of the Howling Depths, Garrick doesn''t want to leave anymore. To him, the Southern Region was an endless treasure bowl where he could unleash hisplete ferocity and receive an equal response. The best part is obviously the way he could feel himself getting stronger with each passing day he spent training, due to the special environment of this ce. The Southern Region was unlike anything he had seen before, and with the benefits he has received so far, it''s no wonder why he didn''t want to leave. Chapter 307: West and East Compared to other regions, the Western Region probably has the richest nature and most diverse ecology. This ce is filled with rainforests, jungles, swamps,kes, rivers, caveworks, mountains, and so on. The sheer richness of nature here even made High Marshal Anthony a little hesitant and difficult to build human societies due to his fear of ruining this ce. But what has to be done must be done. Besides, all it needed was very careful nning and consideration toplete his task. They have time to spare now, so this wasn''t a problem. The richness of nature''s bounty here provoked the interest of many scientists and superhumans who have a deeper connection with nature. All sorts of flora and fauna grew here, and the diversity of fierce beasts local to this region was rich too. Because of the teeming life here, the energy density of the Western Region was obviously higherpared to other regions, but it''s also more chaotic. However, this chaotic mixture of energy wasn''t really harmful to humans. Compared to demonic corruption, this chaotic energy was still mild and only a little bit more challenging to filter. Like other regions, the Western Region also has secret realms, and it has four. They are the Mysterious Cave Dungeons, the Deep Swamp Trials, the Hidden Cloud Pce, and the Wild Western Garden. The Mysterious Cave Dungeons are located at the core depths of the cavework that spans throughout the entire Western Region. Getting here was the first of many challenges they must ovee. This secret realm was located behind a rather inauspicious door that is easily missed if one doesn''t pay close attention. Behind this door lies a wide and expansive dungeonwork filled with winding and confusing paths, deadly traps and foes, and, more importantly, rich resources that are waiting for the fated person to arrive. The Deep Swamp Trials on the other hand, were something that not many people would be fond of entering because of their unique requirements. To enter, one must go to the core of the deep swamp located near the core of the region and allow themselves to be swallowed by the swamp. One must know that resisting too much will trante into an unwillingness to enter the secret realm. This, in addition to the strange creatures that live within the swamp, makes the entry trulyplicated. And this isn''t even mentioning the disgusting waters that would certainly get everywhere once you submerge in them. But if one could endure all of this, they''d be granted entry into the secret realm. They''d arrive at a trial space that has aprehensive, challenging system where they would be rewarded ording to their performance. There are unique resources that could only be found here, plus the way out of the trial space isn''t as bad as getting inside. As for the Hidden Cloud Pce, unless one could fly, they could forget about entering it. Having someone take another person inside doesn''t count as legal entry either. The Hidden Cloud Pce is located directly above the Western Region and is only essible to those who could fly high up in the skies. The entrance is hidden at the depths of massive clouds that remain stationary all year round; however, it''s not always open. Like what was mentioned, the proper way to enter this secret realm was to search for the entrance at the right time and ce through personal flight skills. Those who are carried by another person through by any means will never see the entrance, and if the person carrying them enters the trials, their plus one will be left behind. This was the iron-d rule of this secret realm. Upon entry, the challengers will be greeted by a set of stairs that seemingly go beyond the skies of Prime Earth. What they need to do is climb up the stairs; it''s as simple as that. However, the higher they go, the more difficult it is to progress because of the equally rising pressure they have to endure. So far, nobody truly knows how high the staircase goes. Even Anthony, who personally entered this secret realm, stopped at the 99th step and couldn''t go past it. The resources one could find here aren''t as unique or as rich as in the other secret realms, but the pressure they must endure by experiencing the trial forges and tempers their mind, body, and spirit, which is the most valuable reward given to the challengers of these trials. And finally, there''s the Wild Western Gardens... It''s essentially a zoo where you can pick a certain Fierce Beast monstrosity to fight. If you win, you not only im the trophies of your prey but also get points you only spend within this trial space to get resources that couldn''t be found anywhere else. The entrance to this ce is hidden in the core depths of the Western Wilderness, a vast rainforest filled with all sorts of dangerous, fierce beasts, canivorous nts, toxic environments, and so on. Anthony knows that he''ll have so much work to do if he wants to aplish his task, but he''s not going to give in to the pressure. This kind of development is necessary for the race and his personal development. If it means losing some sleep and rest for him toplete his goals, then so be it. He''s no stranger to being overworked anyway. ** The Eastern Region was easier to developpared to the other regions, mostly because humans are more familiar with the area. After all, this is where they''ve been all this time, and there have been many expeditions that have allowed them to essentially know what they could expect, making it easier to n out its future development. Filius was destined to remain here, and unlike his colleagues, he doesn''t have to go that far. However, this doesn''t mean that his workload isn''t as loaded as the others. He doesn''t have to touch the current civilization now, which, by the way, will now be called the Ancestral Metropolis given how the first batch of Superhumans chose this ce as their home. Even though centuries have passed since then, they still have to respect their decisions, hence the ''Ancestral'' tag. That said, the Ancestral Metropolis only upies a rather small portion of the Eastern Region. There''s still so much room to fill. Unlike other ces, the Eastern Region doesn''t have many strange scenes. It couldn''t bepared to the richness of the Western Region''s nature, the diverse climates of the Southern Region, or a unique charm like the snow-capped peaks of the Northern Region. What it has that other regions don''t have is dense energy concentration and mysterious luck and fortune. This ce is, after all, where countless heroes and sages were born. This is where the previous era of humans settled down to wee the arrival of the Superhuman Era. It has seen the rise and fall of legends, and it has long been steeped in the dynastic energy that has been ruthlessly suppressed by demonic corruption. However, since the continent''s essentially free of corruption by now, this will recover eventually and disy its true might and value. And don''t forget, the person who ushered in this massive change, their very own legendary Sun Sage, was born here as well. That in itself held a more profound meaning for everybody. Like other regions, the Eastern Region has three secret realms that Cedric left behind. They are the Eastern Sun Pce, the Lunar Jade Gardens, and the Law Communion Hall. The Eastern Sun Pce is located at the depths of an active volcano, which is now called the Red Furnace Volcano. The entrance to the secret realm was only open when the Red Furnace Volcano did a mild eruption, which happens every year and spans for an entire week. As for the Lunar Jade Gardens, they are located on the Ancestral Metropolis. More specifically, it''s at the Starlight Royal Academy, guarded personally by Headmistress Lissandra. Only she knows when it opens and closes. This was Cedric''s personal gift to her after he graduated from the academy. After all, Cedric has learned everything this ce could offer, and since the academy gave him a new home and had be the witness to his rise, gifting them this secret realm could be considered a settlement of karma. And finally, the Law Communion Hall. Yes, in the end, it has turned into a secret realm, and it has probably be the most sought-after secret realm for people to enter. The Law Communion Hall won''t ept everyone who stumbles upon it. Actually, stumbling upon it was practically impossible, given Cedric''s arrangements. Instead, the hall sends out invitations, and only those who are lucky or have contributed the most to the race will have the chance to seek an audience in the hall. The invitations are bound to those who receive them and cannot be traded. Those who receive it could either choose to respond to the summons or ignore it. The decision is up to them; the hall will never force anyone. And finally, we have the Central Region... Chapter 308: Central Region, Breakthrough The Central Region was the ce where most of the development efforts of the army were focused, mostly because it would be the center of their operations throughout the entire continent. Unlike other regions, this ce doesn''t have any secret realms, and that''s on purpose. This ce would essentially be the federal army''s headquarters. Sure, having a secret realm or two might elerate the strength improvement of their soldiers, but that would remove their reason to explore other regions. Soldiers need to visit other ces to keep everything in check and maintain the security of the entire continent. Having no secret realms here doesn''t mean that the Central Region''s influence would be low. This ce, after all, was destined to be the center of the federal army''s activities for the entire continent, so it will definitely see a lot of traffic. More importantly, this ce will also be the core ofponents that will protect the continent from any invasion, allowing humans to develop steadily in the next few years. Cedric has alreadyid the foundations for this. First, the massive formation left on the walls at the edge of the continent converged here, more specifically at the deep underground cave of the Central Region. With this connection, a massive dome covered the entire continent. This dome not only protected them from any attacksing from the outside but also maintained the continent free of demonic corruption. At the same ce where this formation covered, one would see a mystical tree... This tree gives off an impression of immensity; it''s also awe-inspiring. Physically, it''s only a couple dozens of meters tall, but looking at it makes one think that it''s gigantic, so much so to the point that it grew beyond the world. Standing directly beneath this tree and looking at its branches, one would witness a mystical sight of a vast cosmic vision, which makes one think that this tree has a universe of its own and that its branches can directly connect to other worlds. Suns, moons, and stars¡ªthese heavenly bodies are like fruits hanging on the tree and ripe for picking. They also give them the impression that they don''t stay in one ce. It''s as if these things follow a certain profound cycle. This tree was none other than the Sacred Celestial Tree, which Cedric transnted here. Since the continent is now free of demons and their corruption, one Heavenly Cycle Clocktower can no longer support the day and night cycle for the entire continent alone, so he left this here instead. The Sacred Celestial Tree is rooted directly in the Spiritual Dragon Veins of the Central Region, meaning that it''s getting the appropriate amount of nourishment for its growth. Cedric doesn''t need to look after it, and in the instance that it does need attention, Ac was there to do it instead. Its abilities are not just limited to governing the day and night cycles. The Sacred Celestial Tree can indeed connect to other worlds and serve as a channel that could not only ferry people from one world to the next but also give and take energy as well. It''s capable of doing more, but this tree hasn''t grown up to a stage where it could disy those, so there''s no meaning in discussing it now. Having the Sacred Celestial Tree be responsible for the day and night cycles of the continent doesn''t mean that the Heaven Cycle Clocktower has be redundant. This clocktower works in sync with the tree. Additionally, it also channels sunlight, moonlight, and starlight energy into the environment more intimately than the tree could, so it is still useful. The space and time ban was still active, but it only affected demons. Humans still have the freedom to safely manipte space and time within Azure Terra, so long as they have the means to do so. This point was something that the army most certainly didn''t miss. Unlike before, where the mere act of using the inventory poses high risks for humans when roaming the continent, humans could now freely use space- and time-rted skills and abilities to their advantage because the Sun Sage haspletely eliminated the risks. They could buildrge transmission zones without being afraid of demons pouring out of the tunnels they made. They could use ancient formations that elerate time within a certain area without the fear of being noticed by the enemy, etc. The benefits of this don''t need any further exnation. One could already see its advantages just by learning how quickly the army created the federal headquarters in the Central Region. Now, their efforts are focused on building roads, nning out cities, and establishing the new order for the mass development of the continent. And even with their busy schedules, the progress of their cultivation wasn''t stagnant at all. With how rich the spiritual energies were around, especially with the constant nourishment of the Spiritual Dragon Veins, even the simplest act of breathing was a form of cultivation for many. Because of this, many people are experiencing breakthroughs at the same time each day, and this has increased the overall strength of the army. Also, with the continent free from demonic corruption and Ac recovering greatly thanks to Cedric''s help, the Ac System could be used anywhere on the continent now. Using it outside of the Easter Region no longer poses risks or dangers to humans because of the Sun Sage''s arrangements, and it certainly made many people''s livesfortable. Only a year has passed since the war, yet humans are already disying their adaptability and resourcefulness. While this was mostly because of Cedric''s influence, the efforts of the race aren''t any less than his own. All he really did was give them a chance; the rest was up to them. So far, they''re proving their worth, which made Cedric happy and ted. At this speed, 10 to 15 years is enough to stabilize the development of the continent. Things will move faster after that point. ** Returning to the present, Cedric was currently at his dimensional farm. He''s alone here for now; he asked the girls to vacate for a while because he had something to do. The girls understood it and are currently visiting other regions at their leisure. As for Cedric, his focus was on his breakthrough. Yes, after a year and some months after his return from the Tower of Prodigies, his energies have sublimated and been primed for a realm breakthrough. Swoosh!! A fierce energy storm swirled around him. Cedric sat cross legged in the air, bing the eye of this storm. The skies above the farm darkened omniously and crackled with thunder. The elements raged around him and all sorts of profound phenomena urred around him. Cedric''s body released a blinding brilliance that couldpete with the sun. On his body, a set of profound veins and apertures that shone extravagantly could be seen. Therge energy storm was being funneled to these apertures, Cedric was now like a whale swallowing air. BOOM! A thunderous explosion erupted from the depths of Cedric''s body, causing him to visibly shudder. His sharp and angr face wore a deep frown as he sharpened his focus even more. BOOM BOOM BOOM! More explosions urred and when thest one echoed, it was apanied by a lightning strikeing from above smiting his body. Cedric''s body then began ascending to the skies, seemingly challenging and provoking the heavens, this resulted into more lightning bolts raining down on his body but aside from a visible difort, it caused no other effect on him. After nine weak and nine strong lightning strikes, Cedric''s body released a pulse of energy, which dispersed the gloomy clouds above and silenced the energy storm. This act restored the peace and sanctimonous atmosphere within the dimensional farm. Cedric''s eyes remained closed, but his expression was now peaceful. Right now, he''s just consolidating his new realm, and he''s taking his time to do so since there''s no more threat to him. 1-starary Sage Life Evolution,plete! As he settled down the raging energy coursing through his body, his mind was mostly busy digesting profound insights one after another. Reaching theary Sage realm of life evolution increased his control and sovereignity overaryws to a whole new level. If Cedric wanted to, he could cause the demise of all life on this with just a single point of his finger or just by looking at it. Not that he''d do something that drastic, of course, but just so you know, he definitely could. More importantly, as his proficiency over narws reaches the point of true perfection, it bes his foundation for hisprehension of grand srws, which will eventually be important once he reaches that stage. For now, though, it''s enough to know that Cedric was a god on Prime Earth. With his level of strength, he alone was enough to ensure the prosperity of humans for the next thousands of years. But of course, Cedric won''t be satisfied with just that. Not when he obviously knew that he could achieve so much more. However, just like many things in life, that''s going to take some time. And it just so happens that time was on his side... Chapter 309: Lady Envy complains "Where the hell is it!?" A pitched snarl sounded out. This question came from a demon with a female humanoid body. Her skin was a mixture of brown and gold in color, decorated with ck veins that ran all over her body. She has a pair of wings that arerger than her body. They look like moths''s wings, and whenever they fluttered behind her, they would leave a dark golden dust in their wake. Her eyes also looked strange; it''s like she has a pair of dragonfly eyes instead. "There''s no way I remembered the location wrong! I''ve been there before! That stupid skeleton dragon might be dead, but its little hidey hole shouldn''t be difficult to find. Why can''t I sense it now? What happened?" The female demon wondered and felt irritated. She''s been flying for a couple of days now, but she has yet to find her destination. This was surprising for her since she followed the same path she took before, but she''s yet to see the beach of the continent or any traces ofnd, for that matter. Her flight path hasn''t deviated; she''s sure of it. She might have been flying subconsciously, but there''s no way she could get lost; she''s way too good for that. "It must be the humans then!" She hatefully spat. "Hmph! Those little crickets sure have a lot of means of preserving their existence." She then looked above, ring at the gloomy skies above her, and screamed: "I''ve told y''all to eradicate them to not waste time! Had you listened to me, we wouldn''t be here for this long, but no! You sons of bitches insisted on ying with your food!" "Look what that did! We''ve given them too much time to grow! And now they''re bing a real headache! They could even hide from us now even though this entire is under our surveince! Hmph!" "And now you''re troubling thisdy to investigate? How''s this my fucking problem? I didn''t want to be here, but now I''m essentially trapped! Thatzy piece of shit Sloth refuses to help me either!" "I should''ve remained on the ship! I could''ve been in so many parties! Hooked up with a lot of hotties! Ate so many sweets! But no! You bitches sent me here to suffer! Fuck y''all!!" Thedy''s wrath and scolding caused the seas beneath her to turn more violent in response to her emotions. The waves stacked up so high that they almost swallowed her, but strangely enough, not even a drop of waternded on her despite this strong turbulence. "We deeply apologize for troubling you, Lady Envy." A static voice sounded in her ears,ing from the chip installed on her earrings. The voice on the other line sounded hazy and static, but it didn''t hide the deep and gritty tone of the speaker. Hearing this voice caused Envy''s expression to freeze before morphing into delight. "Rom''er, is that you?" Envy asked in mild disbelief. She then heard a deep chuckle from the other line, which sent shivers down her spine. Her heart sped up, and she felt her loins getting hotter. "Yes, Lady Envy. It''s me. I''m back from my vacation. I missed hearing your voice, even though it''s mostly full ofints." "O-oh, haha." Envy swallowed nervously, wearing an awkward expression. Despite her skin tone, she blushed in embarrassment and looked bothered all of a sudden. She began fanning her face and twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers. "I''m sorry, I really didn''t want you to hear all of that. I''m just¡ª" "I understand, Lady Envy." Rom''er, the voice on the other line, interjected with a cating tone. "You don''t have to exin. I understand your frustrations. I''d probably feel the same if I were in your shoes." Envy dreamily sighed, her expression turning fond as she slowly got lost in her daydreaming about the man talking to her on the other line. "...I miss your touch," she whispered softly. She then heard a harsh cough on the other line, which startled her awake and caused her to feel ashamed once more. "Uh, can you tell me what exactly you discovered so far, Lady Envy?" Rom''er sounded professional now. Hearing him ask this caused Envy to recall the troublesome task they gave her again. A trace of displeasure appeared on her face as she whined: "I discovered nothing... and by that, I mean, the Azure Terra Continent disappeared somehow." She replied, "I can''t sense it anywhere. I''ve followed the same path I used to locate it before, but I couldn''t find it." "I also tried sensing Wrath''s little hidey hole as a pin to point me in the right direction, but that disappeared too. I''ve been flying for days now, but I still can''t find any traces of humans anymore. I''m at a loss, and...well, you know me, my patience has never been that long." "I see..." Rom''er hummed in response. She vaguely heard some clicks and scribbling sounds from his side, making her think that he was probably documenting her statement. "In your opinion, did the continent and the humans truly disappear?" He asked. Envy sighed and replied, "No. I don''t think so." "The humans most likely did something to hide from our senses. It startedst year when we lost contact with Wrath." "I refuse to believe that they have the ability to relocate the entire continent. They must''ve used other means to hide it instead, like a formation or something." "Whatever it is, it could either mess with my sense of direction or could iste space. My gut tells me that it''s thetter because your people previously rmed us that you can no longer monitor the humans who could turn into potential space nodes." "You guys also told us that you too can''t locate the continent anymore. To me, this sounds like the humans discovered a way to manipte space way better than any of us could, and they caught us off guard." "Now, they''ve be too troublesome. Since we can''t bother them anymore, they will certainly enter a period of stable development, which is bad news for us because, time and time again, they are proving to be highly adaptable and capable creatures." Despite Envy''s innate haughtiness and arrogance, she is also one of the wisest among the Seven Deadly Sins. While she still looked down on humans, deep down she admired their tenacity and will to survive. She''s also envious of their innate talents; that''s why she kept on repeatedly demanding that her people eradicate them once and for all. It''s not just because she didn''t want to be trapped in this world anymore. It''s because she thinks that if they give humans time to develop, they will eventually grow into something that demons could no longer handle, even if they were to use their entire strength. They''ve long since hated demons for oppressing them. Negotiations or diplomacy were longer options. Once humans get their chance, they will certainlyunch a devastating attack against her people and will inflict just as much pain and misery as they have received. Sadly, unlike her, the majority of the demon race refuses to believe that humans are capable of bing strong. Their pride and arrogance run deeper than hers does. "I will ry your words to our leaders," Rom''er replied. "Tch. Don''t bother," Envy sneered. "This isn''t the first time I''ve told them this. It''s useless; they won''t listen to my logic. They are too arrogant for that." "Besides, why would they listen to someone who''s essentially an exiled demon? None of those old pieces of shit treats me seriously. Save your efforts. Let the humans teach them this lesson instead. By the time that happens, I''d already be dead anyway, so I don''t care anymore." "Envy..." Rom''er sounded sad and empathetic just now. Envy smiled sadly as she flew back to the Lost Continent. She couldn''t care less about searching for a way to discover Azure Terra anymore. "It''s okay. I already epted my fate. I can''t defy the Demon God''s orders." Envy''s eyes were lost for a moment. Scenes of her past, which led to her current fate, yed out in her mind. Her being sent here wasn''t an ident at all. It was a punishment for her''sins'' of being too decadent and willful. Her being trapped here, losing ess to all of the nice things she used to enjoy back when she was still on the gctic ship, was her sentence. And it''s all because she just offended someone she shouldn''t have. "Okay, that''s it," Rom''er dered on the other line. "I''m expected to write a report anyway, so I''ll do that. Whether they take it seriously or dismiss it again, just like they always do, doesn''t concern me anymore." "Right." "Ahem, uh..." Rom''er sounded hesitant before whispering. "K-keep your lines open. I will, uh...call you, after my shift." Envy''s eyes brightened in delight. "Really?" "Yes, really." Rom''er chuckled softly. "I''ll end this call now. I''ll talk to youter." "Mm''kay! Bye~" "Bye, my tight little butterfly." "Hnnnn~!!" Envy''s eyes rolled, and she nearly fell to the sea after hearing Rom''er call her by that naughty pet name. "That''s so unfaaaaaaiir!!" Chapter 310: Huge Ship, Big Palace, and Demon Prince Among the sea of stars, a massive ship could be seen hovering above a decent-sized. The ship was almost as long as the diameter of the beneath it. It''s hard to tell how exactly it was made and what kind of materials were used for its creation; it''s also unknown just how expensive it was and how long it took for this entire thing to be made. Looking at it closely, it''s truly unique. It followed a somewhat primitive and evil theme, but the interior was systematic and modern. As for how many creatures lived within, well, who knows? Though such arge ship should definitely be able to support millions, if not billions, of lives, right? Aside from thisrge ship that could sail among the stars, it was also nked by smaller ships that had other functions. Most are suited forbat, and a few were specifically made for resource plundering. One thing to note about this is that, be it the main ship or the smaller ships, they leave a trail of dark and infectious miasma behind. You''d see this trail present all over the nearby asteroids ands, especially on the one that''s directly underneath the ship. With howrge this main ship was, anybody could easily get lost in it. They would definitely need a guide or a detailed map if they wanted to explore its entirety, and going by foot would certainly take time. But if there''s one ce that could not be mistaken and held significant importance to the ship, it would undoubtedly be the pce that is built at the helm. That stands out the most. The dark miasma was concentrated there. One could even say that it''s the source of it. The density of it almost obscures the pce itself, but it makes no effort to hide the sheer majesty and undeniable authority it represents. This pce was huge, but that''s not our main concern for now. In thergest hall within this pce, a few figures could be seen having a feast. Several demons of all shapes and sizes could be seen eating their fill. The hall was filled with boisterous noise, and all kinds of depravity and sin are present here: stomach-curdling meals, filthy whores jumping from one person to the next, creatures fighting and killing each other, maddening music, etc. The hall was filled with the stench of blood and corruption that seeped into one''s marrow. Even the most battle-hardened veterans of humanity would easily fall into depravity if they were ced here. But despite this rather chaotic scene, there''s just no denying that everyone in this hall was among the most dangerous demons that the Demon Race had. Each one, if ced on Prime Earth, could easily shatter the confidence humanity has built so far. Their might would make the Undead Bone Dragon look like a whiny child instead. Click Click Click The sounds of heels cking weren''t very loud, but for everybody present in the hall, it was an unmistakable sound that they''re all so familiar with. The moment they heard it, all the chaos and depravity ceased. It''s as if everything that happened a few moments ago was nothing but a mere visual illusion that faded when the sounds of the cking heels were heard. Everybody sat in order in front of a long table. Everyone wore a disciplined expression as they waited for the arrival of the person they''d been waiting for. The giant walls at the other end of the hall opened widely, revealing a stout figure nked by hulking creatures that eyed everyone else like they were prey. Theserge creatures were obviously guarding the smaller demon¡ªa weird sight, but one that everybody in the hall was used to. Frankly, they couldn''t care less about the big and dumb creatures; it''s the little ones that they were most wary of. The stout demon, in reality, isn''t truly that short. Everyone else was just big. This demon took on a humanoid shape and is about 7 feet tall. He seemed to be a male creature. His skin was ck as coal, which has visible golden veins; he has short and unruly hair, sharp brows, and a muscr physique; and he''s wearing formal attire that enhances his ss and represents his status. His defining feature was his eyes, which looked like a pair of moons shrouded in crimson, as well as the horns on his head, which seemingly followed the shape of a crown. He strode past the silent and disciplined demons, who seemed to not even dare breathe loudly in his presence, nked by his two dumb but loyal guards. Upon reaching the other end of the table, he unceremoniously sat down and said, "Greetings, everybody." "Greetings, Demon Prince." Everybody in the hall was greeting in unison, their voices filled with respect, awe, and fear towards him. The Demon Prince smirked in response and gestured for everyone to sit down. His face then morphed into sheer indifference, which many obviously noticed and caused a shiver down their spines. Some even began feeling nervous for some reason. "My dear father, the Demon God, is still in seclusion, so he can''t be with us for now. I hope all of you understand," the Demon Prince stated with an indifference tone. "Well, this isn''t new for any of you, so it''s just the usual. If anybody has something to report, feel free to speak." Tap Tap Tap The Demon Prince drummed his finger on the table softly. But because of how silent the halls have be, everybody could hear it, and their hearts almost synchronized with the sound. "Ahem!" One of the demons on the far end of the table cleared his throat. He stood up from his seat but almost fell down when the eyes of the Demon Princended on him. The charcoal-skinned demon didn''t even do anything other than state, yet it still terrified the other party. "I''d like to report a summary of the recent developments from our exiled agents on Prime Earth." "Oh?" The Demon Prince raised a brow. A smirk appeared on his face before he ordered, "Speak. I''d like to hear more about it." "Yes, your highness!" The other party then began his summary. His report mainly focused on the developments this past year. Actually, this demon was quite strong. He''s actually a Demon Emperor and is responsible for rying orders from the main ship to the exiled agents on Prime Earth. But even with his impressive authority and strength, he acted meekly and cowardly in the presence of the Demon Prince, which shows the sheer disparity between them. His obvious wariness and fear of the Demon Prince didn''t arouse any mocking from his fellow demons, though. Mostly because they could rte to what he feels. Since the Demon God was in seclusion, the Demon Prince became in charge. But even though this was the case, the prince actually doesn''t show up often either, mainly because he''s immersed in his training and doesn''t have any time to spare on other matters. The length of seclusion varies a lot, so for the most part, the tasks that originally fall under his responsibilities are passed down to his subordinates. "...upon further investigation done by Lady Envy, Azure Terra has been hidden from their perception as well, making it unlikely for our agents to investigate even further," the subordinate reported before swallowing nervously. His report was filled with negative developments, so he had every right to be terrified. Despite this, though, he waspletely transparent about his task and didn''t dare lie in front of the prince or make false assurances. Everybody in this hall knows that what the Demon Princes hate the most are liars and pretenders. "Hmm, how very amusing." The Demon Prince sneered as his pair of round silver eyes nced beneath him as if he''d been coldly regarding the right under the ship. His eyes thennded once more on his subordinate, who couldn''t hide the way he shivered like a leaf. He was then asked: "How will you remedy this situation then?" The subordinate nched, despite his darkplexion. He swallowed nervously before replying: "This ve ns to send more capable people to reinforce our exiled troops using the loopholes in the forced oath. We have already prepared the necessary equipment to assist in unraveling the formation that hid the continent. And if possible, we will also try to hinder their progress and move on from there." The Demon Prince wore an indifference expression to his ns and replied, "Good enough, I suppose. I''ll leave it to you then. If any of you have a better idea to implement his n and disrupt their development, don''t hesitate to discuss it with him." After saying this, the Demon Prince stood up from his seat, and he was once again escorted by his loyal dogs. "I''ll be busy for a while; don''t disturb me unless it''s an emergency." After saying this, the Demon Prince left the hall at a brisk pace. Once he''s out of there, he feels a bit irritated. His eyes then seemingly passed through several walls andnded on the sealed doors that led to his father''s seclusion room. "I really don''t understand why you''re so obsessed with this world. What does it have that arouses your greed so much? This isn''t like you at all." The Demon Prince had aplicated expression before walking to his personal chambers. Chapter 311: Development, Pending Decision, Changes 10 more years passed in a blink of an eye, and humanity was no longer the same. A lot has happened during this time, but to summarize it in one word, it would be ''development''. This has been the race''s main focus ever since regaining control over the continent. The poption greatly increased during these years because of the dismissal of the family size ban. But even with this, there is still plenty ofnd and space to fill. To most people, these past 10 years were probably the longest peace they''ve ever known. Their world became bigger; they no longer had to be afraid of any invasions and could just focus on developing themselves. It''s because of this peace that humanity''s innate talents blossomed even further. The Hell Dives are still a thing, but they''re no longer as daunting as they used to be. The challenges are stillprehensive and somewhat random, but they now follow a certain criteria that makes them more flexible and forgiving for unfortunate people. Unlike in the past, there''s little to no ''consequences'' for failing Hell Dives anymore. Humans no longer have to worry about bing a tool for demons¡ªa spatial passage for them to invade this world. That''s a thing of the past now. At most, repeated failures in the Hell Dives would alert the authorities and force them to enroll in abat ss for assistance. Constant failure is no longer a life-threatening matter, but it''s still a requirement. Even with humanity''s current developments, they still can''t get rid of the Hell Dives. Not even Cedric could do this, so how can they? This forced ''oath'' is effective until the other race is thoroughly defeated, so even if they want to remove it, they can''t. Visit m,v le,mpyr today Besides, the battle was still far from over. The Hell Dives is a fairlymon way to hone theirbat skills; it''s also a way for them to earn Essence Souls to either strengthen themselves or to use as currency. In these modern times, their Hell Dive records also serve as a testimony to their skills, aptitude, and discipline. The army, for example, has a requirement for potential cadets to have at least 50 consecutive Hell Dive clear streaks before epting someone. The reason for this is because bing a member of the federal army was one of the very few ways to get ess to cultivation techniques, which not only extends one''s longevity but also makes them way stronger than ordinary superhumans. Another way is to join newly established organizations like sects, schools, etc. Of course, they have their own requirements for these matters too. This was the way the Hell Dives still remained a necessity for humanity''s everyday lives. Of course, humanity''s development during this past decade had some inevitable hups here and there. It is an expected thing which they could only solve as it arrives. There''s the issue of poption count as well as regional development. The problem of fierce beasts bing stronger and reproducing a little too fast was one of those too, andst but certainly not least, conflicts of interests. Without the threat of demons unifying everybody into a single body to resist the invasion, the raging emotions andtent differences between opinions unfold, causing tensions and frictions amongst factions that eventually cause division. This bes even more obvious with the establishment of the cardinal regions and people climbing the federaldder. It seems that this was human nature taking its toll. This isn''t something Cedric could or was willing to solve. He can save them from demons, but not from themselves. Fortunately, the overall trend was still positive. The rising tensions, conflicts, and power grab didn''t have too much effect on the grand scheme of things. The pirs of humanity are always watching anyway, and they are ready to intercept or nip the problem in the bud once it appears, so Cedric doesn''t have to worry too much. As humanity enters its mass development period, it''s inevitable that loads of resources will be needed. It''s also inevitable that the amount of resources needed for steady development will be mind-boggling at some point. Once again, humans had to thank Cedric for his foresight because his arrangements gave them ess to more resources to support this growth period. The changes he made on the continent and the addition of secret realms allowed humans to prosper even more. During the past decade, Ac has also recovered greatly. Through her fusion with the Spiritual Dragon Veins and Cedric''s care, she''s recovered to 75% of her health. On the surface, she still looks unwell. Her actual body, Prime Earth itself, still looked mostly corrupted; the Lost Continent is still crawling with demons and steeped in demonic corruption. The seas, oceas, and rives outside of the Azure Terra, as well as the underwater creatures, are also suffering from the taint of corruption. But that''s just on the surface. Azure Terra, albeit hidden, has been freed from corruption for more than a decade now. Furthermore, with the little care that Cedric left on the Spiritual Dragon Veins, demonic corruption that had prated deep into Prime Earth turned into Ac''s nourishment instead. She has been absorbing corruption since her fusion with the new set of veins, and with Cedric''s arrangements, not only was this process safe, it has also improved her rate of recovery, allowing her to remain conscious and healthy. The situation on the surface of the world was nothing more than a facade she used to continue fooling the demons, limiting their aggression, and buying more time for humans to develop. Aside from this, with Cedric''s permission, Ac has also started giving hints about therger world out there. See, even before the remation of Azure Terra, some of the experts of humanity were already aware of the gxies parked right above their world. This has been made obvious by the way there''s a seeminglyendless horde of demons rearing to destroy their world,ing out of nowhere. With how many times they''ve experienced invasions, how could they possibly not realize this? But it''s also this idea that limited their vision, and nobody could me them for this because the demons brought them an existential dread. However, with Cedric''s presence, humanity''s survival was guaranteed. Of course, he wouldn''t take the initiative all the time, but at the very least, they could charge ahead fearlessly. Cedric didn''t want to stop humanity''s fate here, though. This war for survival was nothing more than a conflict of interest to him. What he really wants is to bring his people into the alliance and open their eyes to what real prosperity looks like. But this can''t happen overnight. He can''t just unceremoniously drop this on them because they''d probably react way worse than he did when it happened to him. His idea was to slowly give them hints through Ac. Nothing too drastic; just a little hint here and there. He won''t go out of his way to exin it for now since that''s inadvisable, so for now, this was enough. As for how long it will take for them to piece this information together on their own, that''spletely up to them. Cedric has alreadyid the foundations; the rest is up to them. Right now, Cedric''s more concerned about his next move. He''s thinking about returning to the Tower of Prodigies to take the second stage of his trials. Cedric has done everything he can to help his people for now. In reality, he could''ve gone there as soon as he was doneying down the foundations for the new stage of development for humanity which was ten years ago. The reason he didn''t was because he wanted to see if his people would actually seed in doing so. He wanted to witness the initial sprouting of humanity''s new era and be there just in case something went wrong. Truthfully, this was a waste of time. Why? Because of the time difference within the tower. He could''ve taken the second stage of the trials, cleared it, and then returned, and only an hour will pass here. He didn''t need to postpone it for an entire decade at all. But you see, he already experienced the trials once, and they left a profound scar on him. He knew that each time he leaves for the trial, he returns as a changed man. His attitude, mannerisms, and appearance might stay the same, but his mentality will certainly be different. This was evident in how he essentially turned into a stranger to other people he used to know, such as the other members of Team Elric, the High Marshals, his subordinates, etc. He only shows his real self in front of his lovers. He''s afraid that, as he spends more time in the trials, he''ll eventually turn truly indifferent about his people and this world; that he will turn into a person who only cares about himself and the people close to him. Even at the height of his power, he''s not immune to this kind of change. In fact, the stronger he gets, the more difficult it is for him to resist it. Chapter 312: Domestic Morning, Worries, and Comfort Cedric stared at the ceiling, lost in his train of thoughts, while on the bed with his girlfriends. His expression remained cid, so nobody could tell what he was thinking. Chrissy saw him in this state and couldn''t help but feel a little lost. Throughout their rtionship, the number of times she found Cedric being like this could be counted on one hand, and all of those times will be followed by an important decision. Cedric was so out of it that he didn''t even notice Chrissy''s subtle movements. He also didn''t notice her gently waking up Erica, who was sleeping on the other side of the bed. Erica was woken up from her peaceful nap and was notified by Chrissy. She frowned and looked at Cedric to see what she meant, then her expression was reced by subtle solemnity. She briefly made eye contact with Chrissy; they conversed with gazes before Erica snuggled deeper into Cedric''s embrace, which finally shook him out of his daydreaming. "Oh, you''re both awake," he muttered, nting a kiss on their foreheads. "What do you want for breakfast?" "Omelette and coffee with extra cream, please." Erica sighed blissfully in his arms. "Ceasar sd and orange juice for me," Chrissy replied. Cedric chuckled and said, "Alright,ing right up. Why don''t you girls take a shower first? I''ll wait for you downstairs." "I don''t want to," Chrissy whined, sinking deeper into his warmth. "It''sfy here; let''s have breakfast in bed, then go back to sleep." "That''szy." Cedric rolled his eyes. He then looked at Erica and asked, "You want that too?" "Mnnn." Erica nodded, not even bothering to open her eyes. Cedric shook his head and epted their request. "Okay, breakfast in bed it is." He himself didn''t bother to get up; he just used his mental power to prepare their meal instead. Downstairs, you''d see all sorts of kitchen utensils floating around as if they were picked up by invisible hands. The fridge opened, and ingredients were taken out to be prepared ording to the recipe. Appliances were turned on and used to prepare their food as well. After about 15 minutes or so, the door to their bedroom opened and a cart with a freshly prepared breakfast rolled in. The door closed behind it, and the smell of food roused all three of them into wakefulness. Cedric made the dishes float from the cart to the bed; he also summoned a small table, which he ced on the bed where he could put the dishes. They then had breakfast while watching the morning broadcast online. The atmosphere was peaceful and domestic. This kind of ordinary peace was something that all three of them cherished and appreciated greatly. With their busy schedules, Cedric always makes an effort to spend a little bit of time with them. Most of the time, the atmosphere is just like this, and it''s precious. It''s these little things that made the girls unable to separate from him. It''s a shame that they can''t always have this kind of lifestyle, though. To achieve their goals and dreams, they have to work for them. Humanity is in a period of steady but fast development, and as the future pirs of the race, they have responsibilities to attend to. Because of this, times like this where they could just peacefully stay in bed and bask in each other''s warmth are rare. So, whenever they can have it, they appreciate and treasure it a lot. True to their word, they stayed in bed after breakfast. The news broadcast was the only noise that''s disturbing the silence of the room, but it didn''t cause their peace to disappear. If anything, the endless yapping of the newscaster just added to the ''ordinariness'' of the atmosphere, creating a rather rxing atmosphere. Cedric''s eyes were on the news, but his mind was somewhere else. His thoughts were drifting again, as was obvious by his empty gaze. Erica and Chrissy looked at each other; the former sighed, and thetter shrugged. Chrissy then ran her soft and delicate fingers under his shirt. Her slightly cold hands caused Cedric to visibly shiver and return to reality. He raised a brow and looked down at her. He was about to say some teasing words, but hepletely forgot about them once he saw the look on her face. Cedric looked as if he were being caught doing something bad. He tried looking at Erica and discovered that she too held an using gaze at him. A wry smile appeared on his face as he defeatedly rested his head on the pillows and stared emptily at the ceiling once more. "Come on, talk to us," Erica grumbled as she patted his chest. "Yeah. You''ve been distracted since we woke up; your thoughts were so loud, but we can''t understand them unless you exin them to us. What''s the matter?" Chrissy asked. Cedric feels guilty now. It''s strange how they could easily see through him. They just understand him so well. "It''s nothing much, really..." he muttered. He then looked outside the window and sighed. "I just think that, since the continent has essentially stabilized by now and our development is stable enough, I found myself having nothing much to do." There''s a period of silence after he said that. "Like, Ac''s healthy enough for now. I can''t help her heal any more than her current state because that would show some visible changes that will alert the fleet outside." "Azure Terra has been hidden from their eyes; unless the Demon God personallyes down, it''s practically impossible for the rest to disable the veil I used to hide it away." "The Lost Continent is still the Lost Continent. Even though I could tell that they''re sending more troops to increase their numbers there and they''re using all sorts of ways in an attempt to crack down on my enchantments, their efforts are useless. I also don''t feel like personally going there to interfere with whatever they''re going on." "The same can be said with our people." Cedric paused. "They don''t need me to hold their hand and show them what to do. And even if they do, I won''t because the race can''t be too reliant on me." "I could go into seclusion, but even if I spend a very long time doing that, my progress will be limited by the quality of energy avable here. My demands can''t meet the current supply of Prime Earth even with the Spiritual Dragon Veins in effect, especially now that I''m at the nar Sage Realm." "So, I was thinking that..." Cedric paused for a good while. The girls didn''t interfere with his thoughts and just stayed silent, waiting for his next words. "I''m thinking that maybe I should go back to the tower?" Cedric wondered out loud. "I don''t know how long I''ll take to get there, but I do know that only an hour will pass here." Cedric smiled wryly. "But I''m also a bit...sacred, I suppose?" "Sacred of long-term seclusions because I know that it will dampen my emotions and change my mentality. Even I, with my current strength, aren''t immune to the side-effects of loneliness." "I say this mostly because I don''t do things halfway." Cedric stayed. "If I return there, I won''t return unless Iplete or fail the second stage of trials. Only an hour will pass here, but for me, it''s not the same." Cedric then looked at them with a sad smile on his face and said, "I just don''t want to return and discover that I don''t feel the same towards you two anymore. I don''t want to return and suddenly feel like you''re my shackles that I need to get rid of for me to be truly free." "I don''t want to forget about all of this, and I don''t want loneliness to change me too much." There''s a period of silence in the room after he said all that, only disturbed by the incessant yapping of the newscaster. "Well, maybe that''s one of the challenges you must face aside from the trials too," Erica pointed out. "Like, you know...a test of character or something, I think?" "Yeah, I think so too," Chrissy chimed in. "If it''s not, then you can think of it as one. Anyway, I''m sure you can get through it. You''re you, after all. You''ve created miracles before; something like this might scare you, but it won''t defeat you. I''m sure of it." "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence. I really needed that." Cedric chuckled. "You got this." Erica cheered him on. "Your goals are way too grand for something like this to stop you." "And if it everes down to that, just return here before it''s toote. If you dare to forget about us, we''ll just remind you of the simple fact that you can''t live without us anymore," Chrissy confidently stated. "It''s nothing a whole lot vigorous love-making can''t fix." She giggled as she snuggled in his embrace. Erica smacked her arm out of naughtiness, while Cedric justughed out loud. Stay with us at m.v.l.e.mpyr Yeah, with them being like this, what was he so worried about? Chapter 313: Return to the Tower Wee back to the Tower of Prodigies, Dawnbringer!] A little bit of excitement, nervousness, and helplessness surged in Cedric''s body as the cheerful but mechanical voice of the system echoed in his mind. "I''m back," he whispered as he stood in the empty reception area of the lobby. If it weren''t for the voice of the system greeting him upon his return, he would''ve thought that he was back at his penthouse at the Starlight Royal Academy due to the sheer familiarity of the things he could see here. Sighing to himself, he nced at the doors that led to the trials, but only for a short moment. Then he made his way to his room. Upon getting there, a strange expression appeared on his face. He didn''t know why he was expecting a change to happen somewhere around here after passing the first stage of the trials, so he felt a bit disappointed when he discovered nothing. Shaking his head, he made his way to his hut. The ce still looked the same as if he had just left a few hours ago. Well, considering how weird time flows in here, that might very well be the case. He could even see traces of his own activities here, still fresh. Sitting down on the chair, he closed his eyes and rxed for a bit. Since he just returned, he had no ns on starting the trial right away. His thoughts wandered for a bit... After he opened up to his girlfriends, he still spent a whole week with them before returning here. Actually, he didn''t tell them when he''d be returning. They just know that he''ll return soon, but not exactly when. Cedric''s never been good at goodbyes. He didn''t want any drama for this, so he didn''t think it was necessary to inform them when exactly he''d be returning. Beforeing here, he told them that he had something to do. They probably didn''t think that this was what he meant. Win or lose, only an hour will pass there anyway, so any further drama was unnecessary. With a sigh, he opened his eyes. He absent-mindedly recalled the mechanics here at the tower. He''s at the 41st Lobby along with nine other challengers of the tower. The trials of the tower are divided into the trials of body, mind, and spirit. Because Cedric registered his identity during his first time arriving here, the difficulty of the trial is set to dynamic difficulty, meaning that the trial willprehensively study his progress and adjust the difficulty of the trials ording to his performance. Of course, this difficulty offers the richest and mostprehensive rewards as well. The Tower of Prodigies was something built by the Six Leading Races of the Divine Council, who took the Primeval Sacrlet Dust Realm as their territory. Of course, the Sr System, where Prime Earth was located, is included in his realm too. This tower was made for the sake of attracting more forces to join the alliance. Any member of the Six Leading Races¡ªthe Wise Dragon Race, the Mystic Fae Race, the Primal Beast Race, the Ancient Titan Race, the Divine Celestial Race, and the Holy Spirit Race¡ªisn''t eligible to enter the tower because it isn''t made for them. The tower only sends out invitations to prodigies of the thousands of ns and races found within the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm; there is no other method of entering. The ones that send out these invitations are mostmonly the guardians of the tower. If there are others who could, then Cedric has no idea who they are. Big Han, the ancient giant who happened to discover Cedric during his lucky chance, was the one who invited him here, and he hasn''t seen him since. He probably doesn''t even remember him anymore. Thest time he was here, the contents of his Trial of Mind were to resist the temptation of the Ancient Stone, and it''s also this stone that has given him a lot of useful techniques, most of which Cedric hasn''t disyed in his world yet because he just has no targets to practice with. As for the Trial of the Body, it''s like a more terrifying version of a Hell Dive. Everything, including the world itself, was his enemy. To pass the first stage, he quite literally had to survive the world self-destructing beneath him. Andst but certainly not least, was the trial of spirit. Here, he had to endure a frightening pressure that also affected his soul. This trial poses the greatest risk to him because of his shorings. However, through his diligence, he eliminated this weakness and passed the trial as well. "System, show me your profile." [As you wish, Dawnbringer.] ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 34 Race: Human LE: 1-starary Sage Lifeform Potential: A+ Achievements: Trial of Mind (1st Stage): Cleared; Trial of Body (1st Stage): Cleared; Trial of Spirit (1st Stage): Cleared Points: 7,000 ** "34 years old, sheesh!" Cedric mirthlesslyughed at himself. Time passed by so fast that he''s already this old. If it weren''t for the system rudely disying his actual age, he wouldn''t have been reminded of it at all. If his parents were still alive, they''d probably be feeling anxious by now since, typically, people of his age would''ve already started a family. They''d probably be asking him and his girlfriends for their grandchildren to pamper already. Despite this, however, Cedric looked as if he were just turning 20 this year. He wouldn''t really show any signs of physical aging unless he purposefully allowed his body to, or until he reaches the final 10% of his total longevity. As for having children, he has already discussed it with Chrissy and Erica. They decided that until the threat of the Space Pirates was gone and Prime Earth''s sr system was stable, they wouldn''t have kids. They''d get married first, but raising kids is a serious matter, even for them. They don''t want their children to grow up in a world still threatened by space pirates. Cedric had the strength and the foundation to end this all in his era, so they''re in a rush. Original content from M-VL-em|p,yr None of them have to worry about being ''too old'' to have kids, either. Yes, it''smon knowledge that stronger people face more difficulties with having kidspared to the rest, but at their roots, they''re humans. Their reproduction rate was far more impressive than that of other races. Additionally, Cedric had to literally invent a spell that would eliminate his chances of identally impregnating either of his girlfriends because his ''youthful vitality'' was too fucking strong, especially after returning from the trials. If he really wanted both of them to be pregnant, all it would take was one load without him holding back. And his girls know this too, so really, there''s nothing to be worried about. So, no kind until the demons are gone and Prime Earth''s sr system is cleansed of filth. Moving on... He has 7,000 trial points left. He previously had 17,500 points, but he spent a total of 10,500 to buy all sorts of things to make his people and his home stronger. Everything he bought was put to good use; how else would humanity develop that fast during the past decade if he didn''t do anything? The trial points he had left were enough for emergency use. He didn''t need to spend points on food or water because they are given an endless supply here. Hell, he even took advantage of his fellow challengers by exchanging resources with food recipes. He still feels guilty about it, but he''d certainly do it again if given the chance. Dismissing his profile page with a mentalmand, Cedric shifted his gaze outside. His personal dimension still feels asforting as ever. Even after supplying all sorts of miraculous things to Prime Earth, its atmosphere still can''tpete with what''s current around him. And because he''s all alone here, he doesn''t have to worry about draining too much energy. That will never happen here, and that means that he could cultivate and practice to his heart''s desire. Cedric stood up and stretched his body. He then changed into a fresh set of training clothes and stepped outside. He began warming up his body. After that, he summoned the sword case. He took a single training sword out and held it firmly. He closed his eyes, briefly recalled the Sword Master Chapter of the Myriad Sword Catalogue, and then began shifting through its motions. Cedric was refreshing himself through practice. No, this doesn''t mean that his skills have gotten rusty or still need some polishing. He has, after all, already mastered this technique. All this was just a practical review of the skill. His moves, stances, timing, and intent are all still perfect. This was just to re-acquaint himself with what''s toe. Cedric hasn''t had a good fight since he returned to Prime Earth. The move he made during the war might sound miraculous to others, but for him, it''s no different from raising his hand. Now that he has returned to the tower, especially at the Dynamic Difficulty, he''s bound to face challenges. Knowing this, it''s not a bad idea to warm up his body and refresh his skills to prepare himself for what he''s about to experience. Chapter 314: Trial of Mind; 2nd Stage Within Cedric''s personal dimension, he stood in the middle of an open field with his hands behind his back. His back was ramrod straight, and his eyes let out a sharp gleam of focus. Around him, shes of light danced. Don''t be mistaken; these lights might look pretty, but they''re extremely lethal. A small graze from a random one was enough to kill Prime Earth''s strongest experts. In truth, these lights were swords that came out of the sword case. There are at least ny-nine of these swords shing around him. Some flew in a predictable pattern, while others were either elusive or just straight-up confusing. Additionally, each sword carried a unique power with it. Some were wreathed with mes of varying colors and temperatures. There were swords that turned into raindrops with a frightening prative power; others swung around and caused a tsunami that could reset civilization to the Stone Age. There''s a sword that looks ordinary but has the weight of a star. There''s one that was covered with sharp shards of condensed boulders. One sword crackled with lightning and thunder, and another one was releasing potent life energy, causing the vegetation around it to grow wildly. To put it simply, each sword that''s flying around him represents Cedric''s attainments over nar Laws. All 99 swords are under his perfect control; not a single one would swerve even a milimeter away from his intended route. This shows his sheer mastery over the Sword Immortal Chapter of the Myriad Sword Catalogue. Sigh... Letting out a long breath, the swords around them froze in the middle of their movement as if time had stopped. With a single thought, every sword around him returned to its original form and went back to the sword case in an orderly manner. Casting his gaze to his surroundings, he saw that the environment was already repairing all the damage he had caused just now. He took a step forward, appearing on the spiritualke to take a brief rest. He unceremoniously discarded all of his clothes and soaked in theke. He closed his eyes and emptied his thoughts for a bit. Before ending his rest, he briefly scanned his body, and his cultivation was reflected in his mind''s eye. 7 out of 9 Extreme Sun Apertures burned intensely with energy, signifying his firm step on thete stage of the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex. With how much energy he had in his body, he could''ve kept that previous formation of 99 swords all day long without sweating. Moving his gaze away from the ring apertures, he looked closely at his physique. Allyers of his skin, every fiber of his muscles and tendons, his bones, and his marrows were all steeped in Baleful Astral Qi. Despite the energy being dangerous or straight-up lethal for consumption, the Fiend Celestial Scripture took advantage of it and maximized its benefits. Of course, the risks have never been absent, but that''s nothing a little caution couldn''t prevent. And with Cedric''s current achievements, he''s just a few steps away from reaching the perfection of this cultivation technique. That said, the following steps are akin to a steep mountain hike. He would need to umte a lot and ensure that his foundations remained extremely stable if he wanted to reach the final stage. Then, there''s the Astral Sovering Sutra, which caused every single part of his body to be steeped in spiritual energy. Honestly, making any further progress in this will take the longest out of his current cultivation techniques because of their steep requirements. Even with Cedric''s current willpower, the induced psychosis he had to endure just to cultivate this technique was frankly maddening. He could only rely on steady umtion and constant practice to continue cultivating this. That said, the benefits of this sutra couldn''t be any clearer to him. It''s because of this technique that his mastery over the narws reached this stage. It allowed him to sink deeper into his meditations, essentially harmonizing perfectly with nature, allowing him toprehendws more intimately. The induced psychosis sharpened not only his willpower but also his focus and concentration. It is said that once he reaches the perfection stage of this technique, his aptitude (ording to the alliance''s standards) will see improvement. As to how much that would be, it depends on his fate and luck. Cedric didn''t really think too much of this. It''s just a rumor, after all. If it''s true, great! If not, that''s okay too. Cedric has already epted reality and understands his worth. Stay connected with m-vl_em|p,yr Peeling his attention away from the foundations of his current cultivation, Cedric once again sank into rxation. After a couple of minutes, he left theke, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and made his way out of the room. Upon arriving at the hall leading to the reception area, he discovered that nobody was still around. Cedric didn''t mind this too much. Instead, he just made his way towards the doors that led to the trials and stopped at the one in the middle. [Do you want to start the second stage of your trials, Dawnbringer?] "Yes," he dered. [Please choose the trial that you''d like to experience first and enter. That would signify the start of the second stage of trials for you.] Cedric didn''t speak. Instead, he ced his hand on the doors that led to the Trial of Mind. Just like thest time, he''s starting with this. As soon as his hand made contact with the doorknob, he found himself being transported to another ce. When the transportation ended, he discovered that he''d arrived at a rather strange ce. He was in a huge space that contained a single structure that filled his vision. Here he saw a flight of winding stairs that led to a steep mountaintop. He squinted, trying to look at what''s at the top, but to his mild surprise, he saw nothing but a thick fog. That''s when the system voice echoed in his ears, followed by several system alerts flooding his vision... ** [Trial of Mind: 2nd Stage] ?? Instructions : Climb the flight of stairs that leads to the mountain top. Upon getting there, you will see an Ancient Stone Steel that contains a martial art. Your task is to learn it and reach the Intermediate Stage of Mastery with it. : This section is divided into 9 levels. Meaning that you''d have to climb nine mountains in total to receive the entire technique. Whether you learn everything at once or do it step by step is up to you. : You have 150 years toplete this task. You cane and go as you wish. ** Cedric blinks after receiving the message. He dismissed the system alerts and nced at the flight of stairs, tracing it carefully until he reached the foggy peak. "So, there''s eight more mountains beyond this one?" Cedric wondered to himself. "I''m guessing that the others are taller than this one in front of me." He then shook his head and took his first step on the flight of stairs. Immediately, he felt something that caused him to raise a brow. He ignored it for now and continued climbing up. Cedric took a total of 19 steps up the stairs beforeing to the first turn of the 20th step. As soon as he got there, a phantom appeared in front of him. It was a blurry shadow that felt twisted beyond reason. It snarled and reached out to him, intending to tear him apart. Cedric felt a buzz in his head, but it did nothing to disturb him. He merely raised a finger, sending out a beam of concentrated light, to deal with the mad ghost. It dissipated as soon as it was hit, and Cedric moved along. "Tsk, I knew it." He already anticipated that there would be troubles along the way. This was a trial, after all. If things were truly as simple as that, then he''d be disappointed. Not that he''d say this out loud, though. What he doesn''t know is that his actions just now were extremely domineering. He wasn''t the first one to receive this kind of trial. In fact, many hade before him, but none was as rxed as he was, even at the first section of the staircase. The sensation he felt as soon as he began climbing was, in truth, a mental disturbance. Typically, it would induce a sharp headache in the challenger, but Cedric barely felt it. And it was most because of his achievements with the Astral Sovereign Sutra. Compared to the induced psychosis he had to endure when cultivating it, this little mental disturbance was like a breeze of fresh air to him. All of this, including the fact that this should''ve been more challenging because Cedric''s on the dynmic difficulty of the trial, made his previous actions truly domineering. If the operators of the trials were to see this, they would''ve been speechless and doubtful if the settings of his trial were actually correct. None of this concerns Cedric, though. His focus was on climbing this mountain and reaching the top to see what kind of technique awaited him at the top. Chapter 315: Sword Scar Swoosh!! "Argh!!" The pained and unwilling wail of the dissipating enigma echoed in Cedric''s ears, causing him to raise a brow. "They''re starting to turn more and more real." Smoke dissipated from his fingertips as he continued his way up the first mountain. The shadowy enigma just now should be thest one he should deal with beforeing to whatever''s waiting for him at the first mountaintop. But even if there''s still one more, it won''t be a big deal; Cedric will handle it all the same as thest ones anyway. During his hike, he paid attention to the shapes and behaviors of the shadowy enigmas he met. He guessed that these things should''ve been residues of the challengers who either found this mountain hike very threatening to their lives or straight up failed. He could sense some kind of enchantment around this area that may or may not be responsible for that. As for how exactly it works, he had no idea. That thing was too advanced and hidden for him to analyze. Cedric eventually stepped foot on the mountaintop. He paused for a bit and hummed when his guess turned out to be right. No other shadowy remnants appeared here, so he continued. Interestingly enough, the fog that prevented him from seeing this sight from below dissipated as soon as he stepped foot here, which, he guessed, might''ve been done on purpose. An upright rectangr stone steele appeared in his sight as soon as he walked in. Aside from the limited space and very sparse patches of grass growing on top of this mountain, this was the only thing worth attention here. The rectangr stone had a smooth and shiny surface. It must be at least 10 feet tall and have but one feature that attracted his attention. "A scar...left by a sword?" Cedric hummed to himself. He approached the stone and steel closer, and when he did, his eyes became focused on that sword scar. The sword scar filled his vision and upied his mind. Cedric became automatically focused on it despite being on guard. Right now, he couldn''t care less about anything else aside from this thing. A vision urred to him as he continued observing the profundity of the sword scar on the stone steel. He could see a blurry figure, and the longer he stared at it, the clearer the picture got. Unbeknownst to him, the vision warped in a way as if he were in the same time and space as the person he''s watching. When the vision became clear, he discovered a man practicing his sword swings. That deep purple skin left a deep impression on Cedric, making him realize that this man might look and behave like a human, but he is not. The man was wearing a loose crimson robe with golden hems tied to a ck belt. His pants were of a simr color, and he''s not wearing any shoes. The man was simrly immersed, but not in the same way as Cedric. He''s immersed in his sword, and Cedric is immersed in his actions. The sword in the man''s hand was as ordinary as it could get, but as he used it, Cedric could feel a life-threatening sharpness that was barely concealed in it. Whoever this is, he just repeatedly and faithfully repeated the same move over and over again. It''s an overhead sword swing, as simple as that. Although this move looks as simple as that, Cedric could sense a profound charm in it that just couldn''t be exined with words. The longer he watched, the deeper he fell into his trance. In his immersion, Cedric forgot about everything else: his name, age, race, his lovers, his world¡ªeven the memory of him actually undertaking the trial of mind was forgotten as well. Anything that has nothing to do with what he''s currently watching was discarded and forgotten by him temporarily. He had no idea how much time he had spent here already. It could''ve been mere minutes or years; whatever it is, he doesn''t care either. After some time, an inexplicable thing happened. He didn''t know when, but he suddenly found himself standing beside the purple-skinned man. He too was holding an ordinary sword and was performing the same overhead swing as him; their movements were so in sync that if you looked through them at a certain angle, you''d see no difference. But even this discovery has been ruthlessly ignored by Cedric. He just noticed it andpletely forgot about it the next second. His mind was resolutely immersed in his performance; anything that didn''t have anything to do with it was bound to be ignored or forgottenpletely. In this act, Cedric could feel its profundity the best. The way he gripped the sword, the stance, what muscle groups were engaged while performing the swing, the depth of the technique itself¡ªeverything was slowly being revealed to him, and hepletely devoted himself to studying it, even going as far as engraving it in his memory. Eventually, a certain feeling came to him. It was faint at first, but it caused his eyes to brighten up. Hetched into that feeling, and soon hepletely grasped it. "Ah...I see. I get it now." He whispered so softly. As he performed another overhead swing, a mystical scene happened. The ordinary sword in his hand left a trail of silver scars in its path. It became so sharp that it sliced through any possible resistance like a hot knife through butter. The strange part is that this move seemed innocuous. Like, it wouldn''t hurt a fly. It was slow, telegraphed, and very basic. But if anybody were to receive it, their suffering would''ve been assured in the face of this seemingly innocent sword swing. It doesn''t matter if they were prepared for it or not; if this hits them, it is almost guaranteed that they will be injured. It''s because this seemingly slow and basic overhead sword swing slices through all forms of obstacles; it goes through armor, barriers, walls, etc. It defies supernatural forces like invulnerability, conceptualws, distance, time, and space; it could even defy luck as well. This was the true hidden edge behind this simple sword swing. One that Cedric couldn''t extricate himself out of and wouldn''t want to even if he could. Not until he mastered it, at least. The strangeness didn''t end there either... Experience the unknown on m_vl-em,py-r At some point¡ªwho knows how long¡ªCedric became the sole person in this dimension. He had no idea when the purple-skinned man disappeared, and he couldn''t care less either. He continued performing the sword swing, unaware of anything else aside from his practice. The longer this went on, the more simple his sword swings got. At some point, his performance became exactly the same as that of that of that purple-skinned man. His sword swings got faster too, but in the eyes of others, it would look like he''s performing at the same speed. With how simple his practice was, this scene could easily be ignored when ced amongst the crowd. Cedric was so focused and devoted to his sword swings that it became his second nature. His immersion caused his actions to resonate and blend with nature, making him part of it in an inexplicable way. Click! This sound came out of nowhere. It was so barely audible that if it happened anywhere else, nobody would''ve heard it. But with how silent everything in here was, it might as well sound like cathedral bells ringing ominously over a city. Cedric jolted from his immersion. rity swarmed in his mind, and he started recalling everything. He sharply inhaled, and his movements have stopped. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in front of the ancient stone structure again. As he stared at the sword scar again, he discovered that the charm he saw earlier wasn''t present anymore. It''s as if it had never been there to begin with. Cedric didn''t think much of this. He closed his eyes again and reviewed what just happened. As he recalled how he devotedly swung his sword, he could feel his muscles tensing in a very familiar way. He opened his eyes and discovered that somehow he''s actually holding a sword. ''Did I unconsciously practice in reality as well during my immersion?'' He asked inwardly. He stopped hesitating, went into a stance, and was briefly stunned by the familiarity he felt. He took a deep breath and ignored the feeling. He simply allowed himself to ease into it and began performing the same overhead sword swing. Swish! To his exhration, he actually did it. The feeling, the familiarity, the same exact move¡ªit''s as if he had known how to do it for centuries now. The feeling was so miraculous that it caused his heart to thump wildly in his chest. Only those who went through the same experience as he did would know the sheer might of this seemingly innocuous sword swing. And knowing that he could do it made him extremely happy, of course. Grumble~ Cedric blinked and rubbed his stomach. He sighed and ced his sword away before inquiring: "System, how much time passed in my immersion?" [Your immersionsted for six months, Dawnbringer.] "Damn! So that''s why I''m hungry." Cedric unhesitatingly left the trial space, not even noticing the new flight of stairs that leads to the second mountaintop that appeared after he sessfully replicated the sword swing just now. Chapter 316: Nameless Sword Technique "Oh, Dawnbringer! You''re back!" Cedric looked at the person who spoke and saw Moss Lady smiling at him. "Oh, hey! Yeah, I''m back. Long time no see, for me at least." He replied in good-nature. Moss Lady, ording to what Cedric learned, was a Forest Pixie¡ªa unique race that appears only in ces where life is abundant and has a dense spirituality. That tree bark-like skin on her and her gorgeous pair of dragonfly wings still left a deep impression on Cedric, no matter how many times he saw them. "Have you taken care of everything back at home?" Moss Lady curiously asked. "Not really," Cedric replied with a sigh as he expertly moved around the kitchen. "I mean, things are fine. My home is currently in a period of steady development, and I suddenly found myself having too much free time in my hands. I figured I might as well return here and make actual progress, you know?" "My, how rtable!" Moss Lady chuckled almost seductively. Whether she''s doing this on purpose or not, Cedric doesn''t know. Ignoring this would be the smartest choice, he thinks. He''s already in amitted rtionship, after all. "Am I still the most recent addition here, or did someone newe?" Cedric asked. "Nope, it''s still you." She replied, "Hey, it''s not that easy to gain qualifications to be here. Besides, the ones giving out the invitations are, most of the time,zy. They couldn''t care less whether they miss a budding genius or not. After all, it''s not like any of us would create great waves when we eventually join the alliance." Cedric could hear a hint of resentment and mockery in her voice, but it''s well concealed. Once again, he chose to ignore this and just hummed in agreement. He made food for both of them. Moss Lady was, after all, one of the people whom he charmed with his culinary skills. She was the source of the seeds he brought back home, so if he could trade with her more, Cedric obviously wouldn''t miss the chance. "Here''s your Caesar sd with poached eggs," Cedric stated as he sat down on the table with her. "Oh, yay! Thank you," Moss Lady replied, immediately digging in. Cedric actually thinks that this is strange. In the past, he tried serving Moss Lady some beef stew, the same one that the others liked too much, but he learned that she didn''t like it. However, weirdly enough, she loved sds. He thought to himself, ''Isn''t this considered cannibalism? '' But, of course, he''s never pointed this out. She''s ady, after all. Plus, he didn''t want to offend one of his clients. They talked about some random things; no trade was made during this time, and that''s fine. Cedric just returned after all. After sharing a meal with her and eating his fill, Cedric made his way back to his room to digest not only the food but also his recent gains. He soaked into the spiritualke and thought to himself, "It took me six months to learn a single move." "From what I understood so far, there''s eight more moves after this. All nine moves make up the entire sword technique, of which I don''t know the name yet." Because he had no idea what the name of the sword technique was just yet and he only learned the very first move, he could only call it the ''Nameless Sword Technique''. The memory of his recent practice was still fresh in his mind. He could even feel it in his bones. If it weren''t for the fact that he mastered the Myriad Sword Catalogue, he''d probably have a more difficult time learning this. Obviously, the Nameless Sword Technique was far more profound than the Myriad Sword Technique. This was made obvious by how lethal that single move he learned was, as it transcends all forms of defense and could even ignorews. Cedric was really curious as to who made this technique. Was it that purple-skinned man? But after some cursory search using the tower''s system AI, he found nothing, so he could only drop it for now. As for his progress, of course he has learned and replicated the first move perfectly. He entered the state of enlightenment, which helped a lot. The whole processsted for six months without any pause. Actually, it''s a miracle that he''s not yet tired after that; he''s only hungry. But now that he''s full and has the leisure to rx, Cedric can feel its toll on his body. His eyes were drooping as he soaked in theke. He underestimated his exhaustion. Fortunately, he''s in a safe and secured location, or else this could''ve been fatal to him. Cedric didn''t fight this feeling. He allowed himself to fall asleep, not even bothering to go to an actual bed. He just stayed in theke with his lower body soaked and fell asleep right there. His sleepsted for an entire week, and even after that, he still feels drowsy. He only woke up to eat once; he ate what he''d got on his inventory and fell asleep again right after. It wasn''t until he woke up the second week that he no longer felt tired. It''s also then that he discovers that, aside from having recovered from his exhaustion, his cultivation also progresses while he''s asleep. He reached thete stage of 1-starary Sage Life Evolution, just a step shy of reaching 2 stars. The 7th Extreme Sun Aperture on his body looks nearly the same as the previous ones. He just needs to umte for quite some time, and he''ll be ready to open the 8th aperture. This brought a smile to his face. If he had remained on Prime Earth, this kind of progress would''ve taken years. This just shows the sheer difference between the worlds. He ate whatever he had once more and threw himself into his training routine. Stay connected with m v l e mpyr ** Time passed by, and soon it would be the 10th year since Cedric returned to the tower. Cedric still looked rtively the same, but the air of calm and gentleness around him became even more obvious. His eyes, though, looked a bit dull. Probably because of the loneliness he felt, but this was nothing new to him. In his personal dimension, Cedric held an ordinary sword in his hand. He assumed a stance and began practicing the nameless sword technique. Swoosh! It started with a seemingly benign and innocuous overhead sword swing. He then twisted his grip on the sword and continued to make a horizontal sweep, dragging the sword''s edge in a perfect arc around him, which then turned into a forward stab and a rising sh. Cedric performed all four moves without any hint of instability; each move was connected to the other. And strangely enough, he performed it so fast that it gave the illusion that he didn''t move at all. Even after 10 years since he returned, Cedric still has no idea what this sword technique was called, so he stillbels it as the Nameless Sword Technique. He has learned four out of nine moves so far, and that took him an entire decade to do. Whether this was fast or not, Cedric has no idea. Even if he does, he probably wouldn''t care. As expected, Cedric couldn''t rely on entering the enlightenment state whenever he encountered the stone steel. Experiencing it on his first contact was a blessing; entering this state again at the second one was a miracle. After that, there were none. He had to do it manually, like everyone else that came before him. Fortunately, the enigmatic shadows he encounters on his climb aren''t strong enough to give him a headache just yet. He could still easily deal with them with a simple point of his finger. The only difference is that they''re looking more and more real each time he encounters them. As usual, Cedric remained true to his purpose here. Aside from asionally saying hello to his fellow challengers, his destination was only either the trials or his room. It''s not like there are other ces here he could go to anyway. He had a few trades with them here and there, which obviously made him happy because he received more of their trash, which is treasure for him and his world. With the few items he has received so far, this trip has already been worth it. Of course, Cedric doesn''t have any ns to return just yet. How could he when he''s not yet done with his trials? Moreover, even though his progress has slowed considerably, it''s still there, so why should he return right away? With a sigh, Cedric ended his practice for today. He changed into a fresh set of clothes and made his way out of his room. Nobody, aside from him, was around again, and that''s normal. He went up to the doors that led to the trials, but instead of entering the one leading to the trial of mind, he went to the one that leads to the trial of body. Upon entering, he felt the familiar sensation of being transported. When it ended, he found himself standing in a dojo with a man wearing a strict expression looking at him. "Here to receive a beating again, Kid?" Chapter 317: Trial of Body: Master Ye "Here to receive a beating again, Kid?" Cedric smiled wryly upon hearing this. He has heard these exact same words hundreds of times now, at least, and they still sound as offensive as the first time. But he didn''t dare to be negligent or impolite. He never did and never could. Cedric was familiar with experts like this man having some strange and/or unique attitude. "I''ll trouble you again, Master Ye." Cedric politely replied with a curt bow. "Tch, how boring." Master Ye, the man Cedric has to face in the second stage of the Trial of the Body, clicked his tongue. His gruff appearance, stocky body, and rough voice sure made him seem intimidating. This Master Ye isn''t human, but he does resemble one very closely. Cedric guessed that he''s from the Dwarven Race, who, just like the Forest Pixie Race, are born from worlds that have abundant life and spirituality. The surface of the dwarf''s body looked like dry soil, filled with cracks that left trails of dust whenever he moved. The most defining trait of dwarves was this, along with their pointy ears and the absurd amount of body hair they have. Master Ye groaned as he stood up from his seat. He then stomped his feet, and almost immediately, the dojo they''re at exploded into bits, revealing the strange situation outside. Sigh... The sight of the endless velvet nket of outer space is something that Cedric just can''t get used to. It''s so pretentious too, because who would''ve guessed that the dojo earlier turned out to be floating somewhere in outer space? The fact that Master Ye most likely set this up himself just bolstered the idea that experts truly have weird tastes when ites to having fun. "Whenever you''re ready, kid," Master Ye gruffly stated. Cedric nodded solemnly. He then took out his sword case and pped it. It vomitted 99 swords that shed with colorful lights, arranged in a neat formation around Cedric. The 100th sword was firmly grasped in his hand. As for Master Ye, he''s holding a solitary greatsword that''s almost as tall and wide as he was. They measured each other with a strict gaze, and without any prior warning, they shed. Boom!! A fight at this level was disastrous. This much was obvious just from their initial sh alone. The very fabric of space was torn asunder, the elements howled, and a great turbulence that could ruin worlds appeared, yet none of them were affected. Cedric''s flying swords turned into streaks of light. Each one contained his insights about narws and is very dangerous on its own, even more so when used in conjunction with the rest. But Master Ye isn''t some random pushover either. One would get that impression with his physical appearance, but that couldn''t be any farther from the truth. "Hmph!" With a cold snort, he stomped his foot and swung his greatsword hard. His swing was followed by devastation. Not only did the force it generated deflect all of Cedric''s previous attack, it also transcended the might of his techniques and was swiftly sweeping towards him. But Cedric wasn''t afraid. He couldn''t run because there''s simply no room for him to do so. The correct way to respond to this is through direct confrontation. He raised his sword and performed the first sword swing of the Nameless Sword Technique. And with his mastery over it, Cedric was able to ovee the iing tide of raw strength that attempted to swallow him whole. "YAAARRGGHH!!" Master Ye bellowed in response, and instantly, his stocky body became covered with lightning pythons. Thunder crackled ominously around him, and space around him vibrated due to the impact of this skill. In a surprising burst of speed, Master Ye instantly bridged the distance between them. However, Cedric was prepared. The greatsword meets the longsword. Their sh caused sparks that warped time and space around them, and the struggle that followed caused both of them to grit their teeth. Swoosh! Swoosh!! While Master Ye might have blown away the flying swords earlier, none of them were down for the count. Cedric''s connection with the flying swords wasn''t severed, unlike his first few attempts. They all came flying back, intent on lodging themselves on the back of Master Ye, turning him into a dwarven porcupine. However, the lightning pythons surrounding him moved as if they were intelligent. They formed a thick shell of armor crackling with thunder around their master, preventing the edge of the swords from moving an inch deeper into his body. With a loud grunt, Cedric mobilized not only his Nine Suns energy but also the Baleful Astral Qi in his body. His muscles bulged, and he erupted with a greater force that allowed him to win the struggle between them. After deflecting the greatsword and causing Master Ye''s guard to open up, Cedric twisted his waist and performed the second swing of the Nameless Sword Technique. Master Ye''s pupils shrank, and with a surpising burst of agility, he kicked his stout legs to flip backwards, nting the sword beneath him to intercept Cedric''s swing. However, he couldn''t have imagined Cedric turning his swing into a feint; halfway through his swing, he forcefully changed the trajectory of the sword and moved to the fourth swing of the Nameless Sword Technique, which was a rising sh. Master Ye sensed this and scoffed. Inwardly, he scolded the brat for being too cunning, but he also respected hisbat instincts. He didn''t avoid the blow, even though he could''ve. He allowed himself to be injured because, whether he''d like to admit it or not, he''s fond of this kid. Cedric''s sword lodged itself into Master Ye''s shoulder joint, causing the old dwarf to wince in pain. True to the nature of the Nameless Sword Technique, it ignored everything else, even that ominous lightning and thunder armor on Master Ye''s body. Blood flowed from the wound, and Cedric withdrawn his sword just in time before Master Ye could reach out to it. ''Yeah, nope. Not falling for that again.'' Cedric groaned inwardly. Of course, Cedric also knew that Master Ye could''ve avoided this injury. This isn''t the first time this happened, and he had seen what would happen after that. This isn''t the first time he fought against this old dwarf, after all. Cedric was way past the point of wondering why the old dwarf didn''t evade it. Moreover, he doesn''t have the luxury of wondering when he''s engaged in an increasingly tough battle. He knows that Master Ye will punish him severely if he dares to be distracted during their fight. It happened before, and it will certainly happen again. Seemingly stimted by his injury and Cedric''s decisiveness, Master Ye grinned before increasing the tempo. Cedric sensed this and responded in kind. From there on, the devasting fight between them continued. ** [Trial of the Body: 2nd Stage] ?? Instructions : Face the examiner (Master Ye) in a hearty battle. : Defeat orst for at least 24 hours straight again the examiner to pass this trial. : Trial points rewarded will be based on the examiner''s analysis and judgment of the challenger''s performance during the trial. : You have 150 years toplete this trial. ** Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr Around 12 hours after the start of the fight, Cedric finds himself dying. Master Ye''s greatsword was deeply embedded in his body as the strange old dwarf unceremoniously sat beside him, huffing and puffing clouds of smoke. Aside from the obvious injury that''s causing his life to gradually ebb away, Cedric was also missing an arm, a leg, and an eye. His body was riddled with gaping wounds from the battle, and his flying swords have long turned into stardust. Master Ye wasn''t unscathed. Both of his arms were gone, but that sure didn''t stop him from swinging his gigantic sword around. He used his mouth to do so. His body was also riddled with scars that just refused to heal, even with his powerful physique. However, it''s inly obvious that he still has some fight left in him and that he won this fight. He wouldn''t be having his cigar of victory if that weren''t the case. "Is this really necessary?" Cedric asked faintly. His voice was hoarse, sounding so casual despite his dying breath. "No. But it''s fun this way." Master Ye responded rudely by blowing a smoke on his face. "Anyway, you did good this time, Kid. But you have to work on your stamina. You can''t make any woman happy with that." Cedric cursed the obsessive dwarf inwardly. Master Ye sent him away with a kick, causing his consciousness to fade. After an unknown period of time, Cedric woke up again. This time, he found himself right outside of the trial doors. He got up and released a semi-frustrated sigh. ''That rude old dwarf sure is fierce.'' Cedric muttered inwardly after stading up and dusting himself. Despite feeling exhausted, Cedric was rxed because, at the very least, he could annoy the old thing again and again to home hisbat capabilities. This kind of growth made his suffering worthwhile. But even with this, he''d only go there once every three months. He needs time for other things, after all. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 318: Trial of Spirit: Pit of the Abyss Cedric is currently caught in a dangerous situation. No, it isn''t a physical danger. It''s a spiritual danger. His spirit was currently floating in the void, where he couldn''t see, hear, taste, smell, or feel anything. Everything, except for his ability to think, was gone from him. Anyone who fell into this kind of situation would''ve despaired by now, and that couldn''t be med on them. After all, this was truly a very frightening experience. Even more so for Cedric, who used to rely on his senses for everything. His vision is what literally propelled his career as a superhuman to skyrocket. Losing it all of a sudden was enough to make him panic, despite his willpower being sharpened to an inhuman degree. It didn''t start like this, though. When he first came here, his vision was limited. But the longer he stayed here, the more limited he became. His senses gradually disappeared one by one, starting with his sense of sight. Twelve hourster, all that remains is his ability to think. This is what he must face if he wants to pass this trial. ** [Trial of Spirit: 2nd Stage] ?? Instructions : Jump into the Pit of the Abyss andst for 24 hours straight. : Please be aware that,pared to other trials you''ve experienced so far, this one has risks that could leave a permanent scar on you. : The tower''s staff wouldn''t be held responsible for your overestimation of your abilities. : You have 150 years to clear this trial. You maye and go as you please. ** When he first saw the contents of the second stage of the trial of spirit, Cedric was rather surprised. He wasn''t expecting the real dangers to appear this early. ording to what he learned from his fellow challengers, the Tower of Prodigies, especially at the dynamic difficulty, will dish out trials to push challengers to their absolute limits. The further they go, the more dangerous it gets. However, the rewards they receive for clearing the increasingly dangerous trials be richer too. Some said that those who performed excellently would receive membership in the alliance, and that''s just the start. Once they be members of the alliance, more opportunities will open up for them, especially since they came from the Tower of Prodigies. However, these friends also told him that, usually, the risks only start when one reaches the third stage of the trials. Obviously, this doesn''t apply to Cedric since it''s already like this on his second stage of the trials. ''Last for 24 hours straight in the Pit of the Abyss.'' Honestly, these requirements look and sound easy to meet. When you experience it, though, it''s enlightening to see how wrong that statement bes. The first thing that came was the panic of slowly losing your senses. All manner of resistance was futile in here. The abyss will slowly but surely swallow everything you know until you''re left with only your thoughts. When it reaches that point, your perception starts bing blurry; the first thing to go was your sense of direction. Up, down, left and right, forward and back¡ªthese be meaningless here. You''d find yourself trapped in a shell of your mind, unable to feel anything outside of it, no matter how hard you tried to. Cedric never experienced ustrophobia until now, and it honestly fucking sucks. Whates after losing a sense of direction is the loss of one''s perception of time. Seconds seemingly stretch on for days, and minutes turn into years. Cedric has no otherpanion other than his thoughts, and even that was starting to leave him behind. It''s this very concept that caused his performance on this trial to wildly fluctuate. The longest record he had was 15 hours, which, to him, passed by quickly. But when he did his best tost for as long as he possibly could, staying at the pit for what felt like years, to his surprise, he onlysted for 13 hours. Honestly, he felt like this trial was messing with him. He felt mad and thought that this was unfair. He wanted to file aint and demandpensation for this unfairness. He ended up not doing any of that because he discovered another frightening aspect of this trial. No, this isn''t a trap. Even if it was and he falls for it, he could only me himself. What he discovered is that, because of his constant exposure to the abyss, he''s bing irrational, meaning that this trial is also eroding his sanity. And my, isn''t that just fucking scary? As if losing everything else wasn''t enough to make this trial unsavory. Even with Cedric''s audacity, this was extremely risky for him. It was here that the system''s warning finally dawned on him. Yes, constant exposure to this trial and carelessness will certainly leave a permanent scar on his psyche if he isn''t careful. That''s why Cedric only goes to this trial once a month. Fortunately, he discovered the side effects pretty early, allowing him to build a guard against them. Cedric also began recognizing patterns and searching for hints to lessen the effects of the trials on him. With his constant nning and sharp awareness, Cedric was able to discover a few ways to do this. However, the most effective method turned out to be so simple. Just cultivate while you''re inside the pit! Specifically, the Astral Sovereign Mantra. Cedric actuallyughed after trying this. He didn''t expect that there''d be a day where he''d be so thankful for the psychosis thates with practicing his technique. At the very least, in this way, he hadpany while the pit attempted to devour his thoughts as well. Sure, the psychosis brought him a sharp headache still, but the pain keeps him alert and awake. He even started enjoying thepany of the harsh whispers of insanity as the abyss continued swallowing everything about him. And to his absolute delight, practicing the Astral Sovereign Mantra here has increased efficiency. It''s as if this ce was tailor-made for it. Cedric was already enjoying the benefits of having twice the results with half the effort just by being in the tower. Unexpectedly, this became even more prominent when he practiced the mantra in the Pit of the Abyss. His progress on the Astral Sovereign Mantra was quickly catching up with his other cultivation techniques. And this obviously made him happy. But even with this discovery, Cedric remained prudent with his advances. He never becamecent and maintained his usual schedule of entering the trial of spirit only once a month since this concerned his safety. He never treated this method as a foolproof way to neutralize the risks posed by this trial. Unless somebody from the tower''s staffes forward and confirms this, he will never lower his guard. So, for thest decade or so, this has be Cedric''s routine. Aside from asionally entering the trials now and then to test his progress, he remained secluded in his room, focused on his training. With his progress with the Astral Sovereign Mantra, he sharpened not only his willpower but also his spirit. He''s bing more and more unfathomable. Sure, he still misses his girlfriends dearly, but it''s not to the point of causing him depression. His focus and concentration have been sharpened to such an absurd degree that he''s able to remain sufficiently calm even as he directly stares at his approaching death. He even bravely stated at the abyss as it looked back at him. The trials he''s facing are forging him and turning him into a true expert fit for the alliance''s standards. However, Cedric cleverly hides this side of him and makes himself appear like an ordinary mortal as a form of humility. He''s not only sharpening his skills and improving his life evolution here; he''s also cultivating his character and personality. While his fellow challengers, with his limited interactions with them, were unable to discover anything different about him, his changes couldn''t escape the eyes of the tower''s staff. And honestly, they''re bing more and more optimistic about him. See, their job isn''t just to invite and monitor the challengers while also maintaining order inside the tower. They''re also judging the challengers based on their performance. They have certain criteria for judging, and depending on the results, the endorsement they could offer varies. So far, Cedric has hit some really lucrative criteria on their list, but it''s too early for them to send out offers. However, it is also because he''s marking this criteria this early on in his trials that they''re bing more and more optimistic about him. In their eyes, challengers like him are rare. Because of his performance, more people are starting to pay attention to him, and he doesn''t even know it. But even if he does, so what? It''s too early for him to consider anything else aside from clearing the trials he''s facing right now. So, even if he knew that the staff were paying attention to him, that''s all there is to it. It neither helps him pass the trials nor gives him any immediate benefit, so why should he care? Completing the trials and, preferrably, performing way ahead of the requirements so that he could receive more trial points were his priorities right now. Chapter 319: Groupchat, Challengers A few more years passed in Cedric''s trials... His progress consistently increased; he could now fight against Master Ye for 15 hours straight, and he could also endure staying at the Pit of the Abyss for more than 16 hours. As for his progress with the Nameless Sword Technique... Swoosh! That''s what he''s focused on right now. He''s on the verge of mastering the 7th move, meaning that he has already climbed the 7th mountain on the trial of his mind. Sure enough, the farther he goes in his practice, the harder it bes. Although the Nameless Sword Technique looked extremely ordinary and basic on the surface, it''s actually very difficult to learn and do properly. Cedric can''t rely on his luck to enter the state of enlightenment again. That state isn''t something that wille just because one wishes for it to happen to them. Cedric actually had to pause in between as heprehended the Nameless Sword Technique. He couldn''t do it in a single go anymore because the state of enlightenment eluded him. He has to learn it manually and practice it on his own. Only after perfecting thest move is he able to move on to the next mountain. Beep! Cedric suddenly heard an alerting from the system. He nced at it briefly and saw that it wasing from a rather unimportant function of the system, so he chose to ignore it and focus on his practice instead. Beep! Beep! He snorted after hearing two consecutive alerts again. He muted the notifications to prevent himself from being disturbed by his practice, then he dismissed the system and focused. Without any distractions, he was able to immerse himself in his training. Hours passed just like this; it''s only when he felt strained all over his body did he stop and soak in the spiritualke to rest. Summoning the system interface again, his eyes nearly bulged upon seeing at least 99+ chat alerts waiting for him to check. A wry smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Gosh, they''re being noisy again." Since he''s resting anyway, he decided to check it out... ** [41st Lobby Groupchat] [Howler]: ...and then bam! I eviscerated him! Ha! You should''ve seen his face after I did that! [Backpack Fatty]: Ooooo! Amazing! Amazing! [Howler]: Oh, hush you! You''re making this brother blush! [Eunuch Wei]: Gross. [Howler]: Shut it, dickless! [Eunuch Wei]: FUCK YOU!? [Backpack Fatty]: HAHAHAHAHAHA [Morning Wood]: Truth hurts, Eunuch Wei. [Moss Lady]: scoffs Boys... [Hermit]: You brats are fucking loud. Quit it. [Howler]: You can mute the chat, old man. Just like Dawnbringer did. It''s not that hard. [Backpack Fatty]: Yeah! What he says! [Morning Wood]: Yeah, Dawnbringer did that. [Dawnbringer]: Yeah, I did. [Howler]: speak of the god damn devil. [Backpack Fatty]: hey, Dawnbringer! [Moss Lady]: hey, handsome! [Hawkeye]: OMG! Hi, hello! Long time no chat, Dawnbringer! [Morning Wood]: Hi! [Dawnbringer]: Hey, everyone. Sorry, I have been a bit busytely. [Howler]: damn it! Even in the chat, he''s handsome! This brother is envious. [Eunuch Wei]: more like hairy and gross, but sure, whatever you say. [Howler]: Shut up, penisless. Your opinions are invalid if you don''t have balls! [Backpack Fatty]: AHAHWHSHAKSKDHSJS [Morning Wood]: penisless AHWUAHEHAHAJAHAHAJA [Eunuch Wei]: Howler, you and me, outside. Let''s fight. [Howler]: You''re on, sackless! I''ll fuck you up! ** Cedric chuckled as he read the war of words going on between Eunuch Wei and Howler. "The chat is always lively when these two are online." Truthfully, Cedric never expected that there would be a group chat here. It''s so refreshingly familiar, and it helped him stave off the loneliness he felt. Even the way others used it was very familiar to him. Cedric was added to the chat during his trials. The system informed him that since he''s able to join, he''s able to reach the halfway point of his trials. Apparently, that''s a requirement. Of course, he was greeted very warmly by his fellow challengers. And much like in his home, the chat allowed other challengers to disy their colorful personalities that are, otherwise, unseen on the surface. With the time he spent inside the tower, he has already met all of his fellow challengers once or twice. Howler, the Werewolf, Backpack Fatty of the Mountain Giant, and Moss Lady of the Pixie Race were the ones he saw the most. [Eunuch Wei] is from the Holy Angel n. He''s the one that closely resembles a human if you remove his three pairs of wings, and that golden halo hovering above his head. Despite his rather elegant and sacred appearance, Eunuch Wei has a potty mouth and rash behavior. As for his ''Eunuch'' title, that concerns something about his n''s traditions. Something that Cedric obviously couldn''t pry too much. Howler was the least shy about using it as ammunition. [Morning Wood] is a Forest Ent. He and the Moss Lady are actually from the same realm. He''s a sentient tree that has an expressive face on the trunk of his body. The reason behind his nickname was because his power is at its strongest during the daytime¡ªat least that''s what he says. Backpack Fatty says that the story is more obsence and has something to do with that stiff branch that grew on the lower half of Morning Wood''s body. The cement was rather ''coincidental'' too, making it look like it''s always up for action. [Hermit] was a gnome¡ªa race of underground creatures that hated the sun for some reason. They''re one of the few races that could dig deep into the core of their world and make full use of it. Seriously, they are extremely talented in their craft. The only downside about them is that, for some reason, they''re unable to live on the surface of their world. Making them a very elusive race. This gnome in particr has a foul temper. He dislikes social interactions the most. In addition, he also disliked looking up to creatures that were bigger than him, which roughly refers to everyone else since gnomes are tiny creatures. If it weren''t for the tower''s considerate system, people could''ve easily stepped on Hermit since he''s only big enough to fit one''s palms. [Hawkeye] is from the Harpy n; her world is actually connected to Howler''s. She''s a pretty naive and innocent girl on the surface, but she''s an extremely terrifying hunter. Moss Lady identally revealed that she''s apparently the youngest princess in her n. Cedric became closer to all of these people, especially after joining the chat. And yes, this includes Hermit, despite his snobby attitude. Of course, Cedric''s rtionship with them hasn''t gone to the point where he''d just casually reveal things about himself and his world. At most, he told them about himself and the state of his world, but he never went into detail. His closeness with them was mainly caused by the trades he made with them. Progress-wise, Cedric is at the bottom of the list, and it''s mostly because he''s new here. Howler, Backpack Fatty, and Moss Lady reached the 4th stage of their trials. Hawkeye and Morning Wood are at the 5th, Eunuch Wei is at the 6th, and Hermit is at the 8th stage of his trials. Yep, that foul-mouthed and snobby gnome is that fierce. He might only be palm-sized in actuality, but he''s extremely resourceful. He could make all sorts of things that could help him progress at blistering speed at the tower. What''s even more surprising is that he wasn''t the first one to arrive here. It''s Eunuch Wei. Actually, Eunuch Wei could''ve progressed much faster too. Unfortunately, his mentality is far inferior to others. He couldn''t stand long periods of seclusion. He couldn''t endure the loneliness and often left the tower to return to his world. It''s a pity because the Holy Angel n is far more giftedpared to the Gnomes. Cedric was told that his progress was actually fast. They said that they were expecting him to join this chat soon, but certainly not that fast. Even Hermit himself said that his mentality was far more stable and his willpower was sharperpared to Eunuch Wei. Morning Wood, Howler, and Backpack Fatty often tease him with thedies, saying that his appearance and schrly aura were fatal to them. They would often say that Moss Lady and Hawkeye daydreamed about him most of the time. Of course, Cedric never took this seriously. Moss Lady already discovered that he''s in amitted rtionship, which surprised him at first, but heter just epted it for what it is. This isn''t to say that Cedric didn''t find them attractive. Sure, they look different, but it''s not about that. It''s about being faithful since his girls trusted him to not do anything behind their backs. Cedric continued paying attention to the chat, chuckling and saying something every now and then to participate. He mostly enjoyed Howler and Eunuch Wei going after each other''s throats with words. It''s all good fun, though. They don''t actually hate each other. If anything, Howler and Eunuch Wei have the closest friendship herepared to the rest. Once he''s well rested, though, Cedric muted the chat and threw himself into training once more. Chapter 320: 145 years Dozens of years passed by in Cedric''s solitude and training, and soon, it would approach the time limit. Currently, Cedric can be found in deep meditation within his personal room. His figure was floating in the air as if lifted by an invisible force and a gorgeous lotus bloomed with him at the center beneath him. This lotus isn''t something that Cedric created on his own. It''s also not a treasure that he bought, which could either aid him in cultivation or something else. No, this lotus manifested on its own. The reason it manifested was due to a couple of reasons that happened to coincide with each other. First, Cedric''s in deep meditation. He has blended perfectly with nature and reached a state where he''s no different from it. One has to know that this is something that ordinary people could reach. It requires devotion and perfect control over one''s self, and that''s just the pre-requisites. The more technical ways to enter this state are unknown to people. Another reason was because of Cedric''s achievements and mastery over conceptws. Unlike most life evolvers, who pick one or two conceptws to master andter study the rest, Cedric dipped his toes into the deep and immersive waters of the nar Laws as a whole. Yes, at first his foundations started with Fire, Astral, and Spacetime Laws, but as he spent time in the tower, he was exposed to grander conceptws, and he bravely studied them as a whole. This was a very bold move. Even those who were born in worlds that''s included in the Divine Council wouldn''t dare do something like this because anyone could easily get lost in its depths. There have been countless people who tried to do so, but only a handful seeded. Fortunately, Cedric''s efforts were rewarded. Even then, he knows when to advance and retreat, allowing him to achieve something that not many people could do. With his mastery over the nar Laws, it could be said that so long as he''s within a world that he refined on his own, he''s technically invincible. There, he''s a nar Lord or a God. And while he''s only renting this dimension for the time being, it could perfectly assimte what that''s like, and in this state, he''s the darling of this world. Everything that moves here only does so because he allows it to. It would only take one thought for him to bestow life on something and another thought to take it away. This, on top of the previously mentioned special state he''s in, made Cedric no less than a divine being. The lotus blooming beneath him was, in truth, just a natural phenomenon that urs when someone reaches this stage in their cultivation. That said, while this lotus might seem special to the eyes of others, if the people in his world were to observe them, they too would receive enlightenment over some random thing. This lotus contains and disys Cedric''s sheer mastery over the narws too. And for people who don''t have enough exposure to it, it''s obvious that witnessing this miracle would be beneficial to them. Cedric has been in the state for an entire year now. His thoughts were currently immersed in this special state, but a tiny part of his consciousness remained awake, and its function was to pay attention to the time. Now that the time limit imposed on him by the tower toplete the second stage of the trials is fast approaching, he doesn''t have as much leeway to simplypletely immerse himself in meditation. He had to be cognizant of how much time passes at this point, lest he miss his chance toplete the trials. After a couple of days, that small part of Cedric''s consciousness that remained awake suddenly buzzed to wake him up. A long sigh escaped Cedric''s lips; his breath turned misty and transformed into a serpentine dragon that dissipated as soon as it took shape. It almost seemed that he had been holding that breath all this time. The lotus beneath him dissolved into nothingness, leaving no traces of it behind. He unfolded his legs, which emitted a crisp sound due to his joints popping. When his foot made contact with the ground, a sense of presentness washed over him. As if waking up from a long nap, Cedric yawned and stretched his body. This caused an intense shockwave, one that''s strong enough to leave a web of cracks that extended for miles with him at the center. What''s absurd is that this shockwave was caused by his joints popping all at the same time, coupled with his strong heartbeat and his loud yawn. It''s as if Cedric was a ferocious primordial beast that woke up from its hibernation¡ªtruly bizarre. Cedric acted as if none of this concerned him. Despite waking up from his deep meditation, he still felt drowsy. However, he also knew that he had to wake up. Therefore, he dragged himself back to his hut. The damage he caused to his surroundings was all forgotten and healing already as he walked away. In his hut, he had a simple meal. His actions made it seem that he''s on autopilot, and that''s not entirely wrong. Cedric''s mind was still rtively empty. Not much is going on in there. After consuming food, Cedric humped into the crisp and cold waters of the spiritualke. But even the coldness of theke wasn''t sufficient to actually wake him uppletely. Cedric allowed himself to sink to the very depths of theke. He simply lied down at the bottom with his eyes open. The water pressure and his inability to breathe didn''t seem to bother him too much. He spent quite some time like this, and after that, with a simple kick of his heel, he was propelled to the surface of theke. The spiritual waters gushed out like a geyser. Cedric swam until he reached the shore and stood there with that same gaze as before. This scene has a heart-racing aesthetic that has a fatal attraction to those who are interested. Cedric''s thick but short blonde hair was absolutely drenched and glossy, forming gorgeous locks that highlighted his features. His wide shoulders, narrow waist,pact muscles, and rigid lines that emphasized his masculinity were made even more exaggerated by how the waters flowed in them. His fairplexion glistened under the re of sunlight, and the veins on his body were prominent and pulsed with vigor. And then there''s his eye... A pair of golden orbs shone with splendor; they''re like a pair of suns, making it hard for anyone to maintain eye contact with them. Actually,pared to their usual appearance, his eyes right now are more dull simply because he hasn''tpletely woken up yet. Cedric unceremoniously walked out of theke in his birthday suit. Any woman who sees him in this state will find themselves unable to look away. If it were his girlfriends, they would''ve gotten their hands all over him already. There''s no such scene right now since he''s alone, of course. Cedric dried himself with a towel and wore a fresh set of clothes. He sat on the bed with a nk look on his face as he cleaned his ears. By now, he''s at least 75% awake, and his mind is starting to be more and more active. He looked outside the window and muttered, "I only have five more years left toplete the second stage." Once he got used to long periods of seclusion, time seemingly flowed faster for him. Unknowingly, 145 years have passed since he returned. He doesn''t have much time left. If he wants to retain his qualifications here, he mustplete the trials soon. If other challengers were in his shoes, they would''ve most likely been sweating and panicking by now. Five years might seem like a generous amount of time left, but it''s really not, especially given how challenging the trials were. The reason why Cedric himself isn''t panicking is because he has simply no reason to. Truth be told, if it''s just passing the trials, he could''ve done so about 50 years ago. He already has the qualifications for that long, but he simply decided not to do it yet. He opted to remain here and squeeze more benefits rather than rush out. It''s not that he doesn''t miss home. He does. He just wants to gain as many trial points as possible so that he has more to spend on gifts to take back with him. And if that means postponing the conclusion of his trials for a couple more years, he wouldn''t hesitate. Especially considering how time flows here and outside. Whether he leaves this ce early or stays until the end, only an hour will pass on Prime Earth. Since this was the case, then why not endure a little bit more to gain more benefits? But since he only has five more years left and he knows that any progress is practically impossible anytime soon, he figured that he might as well conclude it here. Upon making that decision, Cedric began walking out of his personal dimension Chapter 321: Master Yes Defeat Yerik Makarov was born and raised on Dune and is the Chief Grandmaster of the Imperial Dwarven Ministry, serving under direct orders from the Dwarven Emperor himself. While Dwarfs aren''t as popr or as strong as the six leading races of the Divine Council, they are fairly well known for their craft. Whether it is ancient mechanisms that deal with magic, runes, bellowing forges, and so on, or modern machinery like circuits, scientific breakthroughs, and advanced technology, the Dwarven Race could handle them all. And unlike the Gnomes, Dwarfs could live above and below the surface; they could even live under the sea and harness the power of nature with their craft. To top this all off, dwarfs are also incredible fighters. They are known to take down creatures that are at least three times their size with no issues, bare-handed. Because of their innate excellence, they are in a perpetual warring state to fend off other races or space pirates from either stealing their things or enving their people. They could''ve had it easier if the Dwarven Emperor lowered his pride and epted the offer of the Wise Dragon Race to serve as their vassal race. But that''s enough about the Dwarven Race for now...what matters right now is that Yerik is having the fight of his life. ng! ng! ng! Boom! Boom! Boom! Steel meets steel, grit against grit. Yerik swung his collosal greatsword with all of his might to fend off a mighty enemy. As they fought in outer space, especially with how intense their shes were, it''s unknown how many celestial bodies were destroyed by now. This fight has been going on for a while, after all. The fact that Yerik himself vaguely remembered crashing onto a or an asteriod a couple of times by now seemed like a distant matter to him, like it''s been so long since it happened that he almost forgot about it already, but in truth, it''s only been a couple of minutes. Yerik was sweating. His breathing wasbored, and as time went on, his weapon felt like it was bing heavier, making it more challenging to wield. Despite his exhaustion, the rity and crisp concentration in his eyes remained obvious. He''s also bleeding from head to toe caused by the numerous injuries he suffered from this ongoing battle, but he couldn''t care less about these right now. Oh, how he wished that this moment wouldst forever. Boom! ng! Boom! Yerik''s dwarven blood howled in glory as he shed against this mighty enemy. His bloody lips wore a permanent grin, which made him look ferociously scary. His collosal greatsword shone with splendor, cracking with thunder and lit with lightning. The runes on his armor shone with a blinding radiance as they increased his strength by consuming the blood he''s shedding. Yerik''s sheer power shrouded his entire being; his hair and beard started floating up due to the sheer might he exuded. But his enemy was unmoved. This mighty enemy wore a nd expression. His pair of golden eyes, which seemed like twin suns, remained locked on every single move Yerik made. It''s as if this pair of eyes knows and can predict everything he''s about to do. Yerik felt naked under this gaze, and it''s causing his battle-hardened instincts to be greatly rmed. Yerik has longed to gouge those eyes since the start of this fight. He had tried too many times by now, but all of his attempts ended in failure. The worst part is that, at each failed attempt, he was properly punished by his mighty enemy. The fact that Yerik''s limbs are still intact after all of those punished attempts was a miracle on its own. And Yerik knows this too. Aside from those unnerving eyes, this enemy is also disciplined, cunning, and venomous. As if predicting all of Yerik''s moves wasn''t enough, this enemy also knows how to grasp his chances to properly punish every opening on Yerik''s guard. Even when Yerik tries to purposefully show a w to bait him out, this enemy won''t fall for it. He would make it seem like so and then name a surprising switch-up at thest second, at the very same moment that Yerikmits to his attack, to catch him off guard and punish that as well. It''s so hateful, vile, and sinister. Yerik loves it so much. When was thest time somebody pushed him this far? Who was thest person who made him feel so desperate? Honestly, Yerik couldn''t remember it anymore. He''s been alive for too long; he''s been in service since he learned how to make and swing a weapon. Even the Dwarven Emperor couldn''t make him feel this desperate. That brat grew up under his care and has an amazingbat aptitude, but he would never surpass Yerik in terms of experience and skills in his lifetime. His fame as the Grandmaster of Arms back home promptly eliminated all chances of him getting some stimtion inbat. His reputation was astounding and too fierce for any of his people to challenge, so nobody did. He could only pin his hopes on the invaders that attack his home, but even they are afraid of him. This caused Yerik to be lonely. It even came to a point where he all but abandoned his trusty collosal greatsword. But now, it''s different. Oh, so different. Initially, he applied as the tower''s staff to stave off his boredom. I was hoping that, at the very least, the hopeful brats that he encounters could entertain him now and then. In a sense, he got his wish, and he''s satisfied so far. But none of the brats he encountered in the past were as determined and ferocious as the one he''s facing right now. Boom! ng! Boom! 145 years¡ªto Yerik, this isn''t a long time. His meditationsst for decades on a regr basis. But in this short period of time, he witnessed this brat go from inexperienced to a terrifying monster. What he admires the most about this brat is his consistency. Every month or so, this brat will bother him and ask for a fight. Yerik easily backhanded him to nihility during the first few fights, but before he knew it, he found himself holding his colossal greatsword again to fend off the brat''s sinister tactics. This guy was sharp and extremely determined. Usually, challengers of the tower like him be too affected by constant failures. It''s usually because their lives have been too smooth that the seed of invincibility germinates within them. Once they experience a setback, they don''t know what to do. But not this one... Yerik initially thought so too, but this brat kepting back. Aside from the obvious loneliness reflected in his gaze, it''s clear that the previous failures did not bother him at all. This made Yerik realize that this brat isn''t a stranger to this. And after a brief inquiry with his fellow staff members, he learned that the brat was truly consistent. He knows how to pace himself well and has worked hard to polish his weaknesses. Sure, his aptitude might not be the best, but his work ethics and consistency could put even some of the more popr geniuses from the Divine Council to shame. It only took 145 years for this brat to turn from a loser to a terrifying monster. Of course, one could say that the reason why this brat could push Yerik this far was because he had time to analyze him greatly. If this was a matter of life and death and they met for the first time on a real battlefield, Yerik would trample this brat under his boots. But that''s not what''s important here. Yerik himself didn''t care so much about that. What he cares about is this fight. He doesn''t care about the process; the results are what matter to him. And the fact that this brat grew to an astounding warrior this quickly and was able to push him this far was enough for Yerik to remember him. Despite cursing the brat for being so sinister, striking at ces that he''s most vulnerable at, and leaving lethal injuries on his body, the fact that he made Yerik feel the thrill of real battle once more after so long was enough for Yerik to be grateful to him. He''s truly looking forward to the future growth of this brat. And if it''s possible, maybe they could do this again in the future. ng! BOOM! ng! But as they say, ''No banquetsts forever''. Yerik vomitted blood, and his consciousness blurred. He looked nkly at the sword wedged into his heart, then at the brat who slew him for the first time. He felt mildly annoyed, not because he''s dying but because this marks the end of this glorious fight. "Good fight, Dawnbringer," Yerikboriously praised, tapping the arm of the golden-eyed challenger. "It''s all thanks to your tutge, Master Ye. I hope we can do this again in the future." "Oh...I hope so too." Yerik smiled as his eyes and consciousness turned blurry. He would, for sure, dream about this fight for a very long time. Chapter 322: 2nd Stage of Trial; Conclusion "Ow! Ow! Can you be a bit gentler?" Eunuch Weiined with a wronged expression. "Tch. You''re a big boy; you can handle this. Come on, stay still." Cedric rolled his eyes as he continued filling out the tattoo design with ink. Next to them were Backpack Fatty, Morning Wood, Moss Lady, andst but not least, Howler, who looks incredibly smug as he watches what''s happening despite his upper body being covered with bandages. What is happening and how did the situation be like this, you ask? Well... "Don''t look so smug, you son of a bitch!" Eunuch Wei red at the bandaged werewolf. "Says the one who keepsining about getting a mere tattoo! You''re the one who keepsining about the pain as if Dawnbringer''s stabbing you repeatedly!" Howler sneered at him. "Hey, it''s not my fault that my skin''s sensitive!" The poor angel cried without tears. He then looked at his right thigh, which was slowly getting inked with a warped expression. "Shit, Boss is gonna kill me for this! I hate you, Howler! I shouldn''t have made that bet with you." "Cope, Mald, and Seethe, bitch! I don''t care," Howler replied coldly. "Besides, you were the one who came up with this shit. If you didn''t want to suffer like this, you should''ve tried harder to defeat me." It''s no secret to all of the challengers of the 42nd Lobby that Howler and Eunuch Wei like to aim at each other''s throats. It''s nothing too serious at the end of the day, but they keep on testing each other''s limits. Simply put, both of them have too much pride and ''masculinity'' to prove, and their personalities often sh, yet at the same time, they understood each other the most. This whole thing started off as a joke, whichter escted into a fight because both of them are too proud to back down. Eunuch Wei challenged Howler into a fight, saying that if he won, Howler must pay respects to him and call him ''Father'' for the rest of his stay at the tower. If Howler wins, Eunuch Wei will agree to have a ''beautiful'' tattoo of Howler''s name on his thigh, one that he must keep for at least 100 years. Well, judging by what''s happening right now, it''s clear that Howler won the fight. Eunuch Wei can''t shamelessly back out because the fight was witnessed by everyone. Yes, even the grumpy Hermit came out of his tunnel to watch the entire fiasco. Eunuch Wei initially had the best chance of winning this fight. He had aerial supremacy because of his wings, and his ''Angelic Domain'', which not only purifies foreign energies but also increases his power and weakens his enemy, was a deadly weapon against Howler. However, Eunuch Wei was too arrogant. Hended on the ground, removing his aerial supremacy, just to continue mocking and provoking Howler, and that sealed his fate. It turns out that Howler had a skill that binds people to the ground for a brief period of time. Eunuch Wei was caught and abused the moment Howler had his ws on him. Eunuch Wei fought back, and he managed to injure Howler severely, but he underestimated the madness of the werewolds who smelled blood. In the end, Eunuch Wei''s wings were ripped off his body, and he was beaten to the point of surrender. And this brings us to the present, where Cedric offered his service free of charge to design and tattoo Howler''s alias on Eunuch Wei''s thigh. Pat Pat! "Alright, I''m done," Cedric stated after patting Eunuch Wei''s tattooed thigh. "Ow! Asshole!" The poor angel red at him, but Cedric didn''t take it seriously. The rest came over and saw the final results. ''Howler'' was tattooed on Eunuch Wei''s thigh in bold, italic, and cursive. Cedric even added some heart emojis and flower petals to some letters just to prove a point. It still looked rtively dirty, but once it''s clean, there''s no doubt that it will look awesome. It was a bit humiliating for Eunuch Wei, but awesome. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Howlerughed madly as he patted Cedric''s shoulders. "Good, good! What a good tattoo!" His reaction earned a few giggles from other challengers too. Meanwhile, Eunuch Wei looked as if he''d been mourning his lost reputation. He''s so closed to crying, too. This was truly embarrassing for him. Cedric himself didn''t care much. He returned to the kitchen to check on the food he''s making and was d that he''s just on time. The food is done, and it''s time to eat. The smell wafted all the way to the living room, causing everybody to feel hungry. Cedric brought the goods with him, along with tes and utensils. He shared food with everyone, and they had a pleasant lunch. After their meal, they all rxed for a bit in the lobby. That''s when Moss Lady suddenly asked: "I heard that you n on returning home, Dawnbringer. Is this true?" Cedric blinked, not really expecting the sudden inquiry, but didn''t mind it too much. "Yeah." He nodded in reply. "I''m done with the second stage of the trials, and I dearly missed my girls, so I''m returning." Most of the challengers hummed in response. "Time flew by really quick, huh?" Howler said. "Before we knew it, more than a hundred years had passed by already." "I actually thought that you''d finish way earlier." Backpack Fatty chimed in. "Your trials must be really challenging, then." Cedric didn''t respond. It''s true that he could''ve finished way earlier than this, but he personally didn''t want to. He saw no advantage in rushing through the trials. If anything, he thinks that doing that will only bring more harm to him than good. There are time limits imposed in his trials; it gives him pressure but also gives him a concrete time frame to work on. By staying aste as he possibly could beforepleting his trials, he could squeeze more benefits inside the tower. ** [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 34 Race: Human LE: 1-star Grand Sr Warrior Potential: SSS Achievements: Trial of Mind (2nd Stage): Cleared; Trial of Body (2nd Stage): Cleared; Trial of Spirit (2nd Stage): Cleared Points: 10,000 ** 1-Star Grand Sr Realm Life Evolver... This roughly means that Cedric''s strength has reached a point where he could potentially explode with enough power to seriously damage a sr system. His might is no longer limited to aary scale but to an entire sr system scale. Reaching this level of cultivation also meant that Cedric must now begin mastering grand sr conceptws, which were at least several hundred times more difficult thanprehendingary conceptws. He hasn''t learned much this time, just the nameless sword technique. But this one thing was enough for him to walk unrivaled on Prime Earth. Cedric has also formed the Nine Extreme Suns Physique after reaching the perfection stage of the Nine Suns Empyrean Codex. He made the same progress with his other cultivation techniques, such as the Fiend Celestial Scripture and the Astral Sovereign Mantra. Reaching the perfection level on all of this changed him. It allowed him to upgrade his aptitude to SSS level, which was only a step away from the ultimate rating of EX. But even this half-step seemed to be an endless chasm that could not be crossed through simple means. Actually, Cedric shouldn''tin. It''s already a miracle that he has upgraded his aptitude to this level. One must know that even by the alliance''s standards, an SSS aptitude rating was extremely rare. What''s even rarer is going from an A+ rating to the SSS rating; this almost never happens. With his upgraded aptitude, Cedric felt that it became easier for him toprehend the Grand Sr Laws. But that doesn''t mean that he''ll be mastering them anytime soon. He earned a lot of points after disying an above-standard performance after clearing the second stage of his trials. Most of them were spent on gifts that he intended to take home and use to improve humanity''s living conditions. Of course, he also didn''t neglect his personal growth. The cultivation techniques he cultivated to perfection will benefit him even at the peak of the Grand Sr Realm, but if he wants to transcend it, he must start practicing a technique that could take him there. He had just the right amount of trial points to purchase one that fits his requirements, one that he''d keep in the inventory for now since he can''t use it just yet. After spending some more time with his friends, Cedric bid farewell. He kept a disciplined expression, but deep down, he was feeling really impatient. He only spent more time with them out of politeness; in truth, he was already itching to go back home. His fellow challengers sent him away, looking a bit despondent as his figure disappeared as he left the tower. They have no idea how much time will pass until he returns, and even if they do, so what? Once Cedric was gone, they all returned to their rooms and continued with their trials. Chapter 323: Return Cedric experienced the same feeling of transmission on his return; his surroundings blurred, and his consciousness felt as if it were being pulled into apletely different ce. His eyes shed with a brief golden radiance upon his return to his body. When the feeling subsided, his face morphed into a wry smile. ''I''m back.'' He muttered inwardly. ''And I feel weak.'' The difference between theary Realm Life Evolution and the Grand Sr Realm Life Evolution became extremely obvious to him. At his current strength, he wouldn''t even be able to perform the entirety of the Nameless Sword Technique due to how demanding it was with one''s mastery over the conceptws. He could force it, but he could only do it once, and he would also face harsh bacsh if he did. ''It would take at least an entire year for my real cultivation to synchronize in reality. It''s fine though; nothing much should be happening anytime soon here.'' Cedric guessed in his mind. Upon leaving the tower for the second time, he still received the reminder from the system AI that he should return before he reaches the physical age of 100 years old if he wants to keep his position and qualifications there. Yes, the stiptions remain the same as before. Cedric had no idea why, and he''s overly concerned about it. As he is now, 100 years is nothing to him. But since he has returned to Prime Earth and had to pay attention to the affairs concerning his people, there''s no way he''d miss it. Releasing a long sigh, Cedric stood up. His eyes roamed the dim cave he''s in. He briefly scanned the ce and sensed the guardian golem, Granitas, slumbering yet also alert. ''Ah, that reminds me...'' "Granitas,e out and meet me," he ordered. The golem stirred awake and appeared before him in a kneeling position. He greeted Cedric and awaited his order. Cedric didn''t say a word for now, but he did take something out of his challenger''s inventory. Swoosh! Another golem appeared right beside Granitas, behaving in a simr way to him. "Guardian Golem: Rocky, here to serve you, Master." Cedric nodded and replied, "Wee to my home, Rocky. Beside you is Granitas, the first guardian golem I left as a security measure to protect this ce. You two will now work together to guard this ce for me." "You two are thest line of defense just in case I am upied with other things. Unless this continent and my people face the threat of extinction from invaders, you are to remain hidden. The only people that know you exist are Ac, the embodiment of this world''s consciousness, me, and my girlfriends. You understand?" "Yes, Master," Granitas and Rocky replied piously at the same time. "Alright, you may go and make arrangements on your own," Cedric said, dismissing both of them. Just like Granitas, Rocky is also a guardian golem he got from trading with Backpack Fatty. Rocky is also the strength of a 5-star Grand Sr Realm Life Evolver, just like Granitas, making both of them the perfect bodyguards for his home. Seeing both of them disappear from his sight to get to know each other somewhere else, Cedric turned his attention elsewhere. With another brief scan, he made a very strange expression all of a sudden. With a snort, he snapped his fingers, and all of a sudden, ady appeared before him, looking startled. Thisdy was wearing a dolphin onesie and a pair of pink furry slippers. She was also wearing a pair ofrge rimmed sses, and the corners of her lips were dusted with bits of chips as she held a gaming console. Upon noticing that her surroundings changed all of a sudden, she looked like a frightened rabbit. Then she saw Cedric looming over her with a raised brow and wearing a ''are you kidding me'' look. It was then that she realized what was happening, and she suddenly blushed in shame. Cedric rolled his eyes after seeing her produce a mist that obscured her figure. When the mist dissipated, thedy transformed into an ethereal and dignified fairy, wearing a gorgeous white dress adorned with golden vines. She''s also wearing a leaf crown on her head. She wore a dignified yet kind expression as she faced him. "Oh, please. Stop being so pretentious." Cedric frowned in irritation. "I already caught you in the act, you nerd!" Poof! A dust cloud forced her to revert to her previous appearance. The once dignified fairy now looked the same as before and was now wearing a wronged expression. "Why must you ruin my fun like this?" Acined with a tiny voice. Yes, that''s right. Thisdy here was none other than Ac, the embodiment of Prime Earth''s consciousness. "...you know what? Forget it. At the very least, you still know how to pay for rent, bills, and taxes. I won''t ask why you behave like this. I''m not really interested." It may be because all she knew was pain since the Demon Race appeared, or because she was curious and had fallen into this rabbit hole,pletely unable to extricate herself out of it. It may also be both. But Cedric isn''t one to overly judge. As he said, at the very least, Ac behaves like a normal person. She''s not really taking advantage of anyone, nor was she hurting them. She pays her bills, rent, and taxes on time and also acts like awful citizen. She''s behaving like an introverted gamer nerd, and that''spletely fine. "Here, this is for you." Cedric gave her something that looked like a credit card. Seeing this, Ac raised a brow and asked, "A credit card? You''re giving me money? What? You wanna be my sugar daddy, or something?" Chop! "O!" Ac nursed her head after receiving Cedric''s hand chop. "Your imagination is bing too colorful." Cedric rolled his eyes at her. "No, this isn''t a credit card. It just looks like one, but it''s not." "It''s a job application form for beings like you," he stated. "Huh!?" Ac was shocked, and nobody could me her. "You want me to apply for work? That''s absurd!" Cedric looked ndly at her and said, "I bought this from the shop of the Tower of Prodigies. It could only be used by world spirits like you." "With this, you can apply as a staff there. They will train you, give you resources, and won''t restrict your freedom too much. It will also allow you ess to information about the Divine Council as a whole." "I don''t exactly know much about the benefits, but with the sheer difference between our world and theirs, I can''t imagine the sry being worse. You''ll be helping us and yourself by going there." Hearing all of this from Cedric, Ac was, of course, very shocked. She wasn''t expecting him to do this for her. From his words alone, she knew that she had just returned from the tower. He wouldn''t have been able to take something this valuable if he hadn''t. This means that, once again, Cedric experiences bitter loneliness for an untold period of time just to fight for a chance. Of course, the offer was really tempting for her, on top of being weird too. She never imagined that a being such as her could apply as staff in the Tower of Prodigies. She felt that Cedric was right when he said that by going there, she''d see a much broader world. She''d be able to learn and experience things that she had never had before. Being the World Spirit of Prime Earth, she knew everything about it already. The only entertainment she has is the same thing that her citizens invented. By going there, she could explore and witness more. Who knows, maybe she could even be more than a world spirit after spending some time there. "Of course, this is a big decision. I won''t force you if you really don''t want to go. Living like this isn''t so bad, after all," Cedric stated. "Just return the card to me if you made this decision. It''s expensive after all. I could ask for a return once I go back there so that I could use the points for something else." "But if you decide to go, just sink your perception into the card, and it will guide you through the process." "Give it some thought and tell me once you''ve decided. Whatever choice you make, I''ll support you." Ac remained silent after hearing that. She knows that Cedric never meant to make her feel guilty, but she still does. After all, she''s not his responsibility. In fact, most of the burdens he''s carrying weren''t meant to be his in the first ce, yet he still carries them. Cedric walked past her, and before disappearing, he said: "Wipe your face, at the very least. I can still see chip dust on the corners of your lips." "Also, you might wanna return now. Your in-game right? I can hear your teammates ming you for inactivity." It was hisst words that shook Ac out of her stupor and gave her a real sense of crisis. Chapter 324 : Observing, Dilemma, Hall Improvement Cedric''s vision prated the clouds and the purgatory realm itself. His perception extended way past Prime Earth. This allowed him to see the general situation outside, such as the space fleet of the Demon Race parked right above the, the orbital position of Prime Earth, and the trail of corruption they left as they only harvested the resources of other celestial bodies nearby without any care about the consequences. The limit of his perception was just barely enough to observe the sr system, in which Prime Earth was included. Of course, this was a very challenging thing for Cedric to do in his current state, but he''s still able to do it. The best part is that the space pirates remained unaware of his movements. Cedric did all of this as he chilled at home, enjoying a cup of coffee while watching some randow shows online. Retrieving his perception, Cedric released a sigh andmented that there''s still so much to do. Even at his current level of strength, he just can''t extricate himself from worldly affairs. He simply cares too much to ignore all of this. It''s so tempting to just go ahead and eradicate all of his problems at once. It doesn''t help that he had the capital and the strength to do so. What''s stopping him from doing just that is the fact that if he does it, the growth of his people will stagnate, and they will be too reliant on him for everything. That kind of mentality wasn''t something he wanted them to have, especially since he''s nning to introduce them to a muchrger world. His girlfriends are still out with their friends and arepletely unaware that Cedric just returned from the tower. Truth be told, Cedric really didn''t want to tell them either since, aside from him getting way stronger than before and the gifts he bought for them, nothing much has truly changed. He spent more than a hundred years there, only for an hour to pass here, and he made it. He didn''t want to worry them about his mental state because, honestly, he''s fine. He''s grown used to it by now. Cedric missed them greatly, yes. He wanted nothing more than to hug both of them now and spend all day, or weeks, with them in bed just to make up for all the loneliness that he felt. However, after experiencing difficult trials at the tower, Cedric has honed his patience and has be very disciplined. He has endured years of loneliness already. He could certainly wait for a few more hours. Other than these, Cedric also refreshed his memories about the current developments of his people... Nothing much has changed since thest time; only an hour has passed since then. The continent is still developing quite nicely. It has been divided into five regions: central, northern, southern, western, and eastern. Everyone was still adjusting to the fact that their world had just be several timesrger. However, this caused Cedric to be in a little bit of a dilemma... "I could do better," he muttered to himself before groaning in annoyance. See, he''s started to see a trend here; each time he returns from the tower, he inevitably bes stronger and more capable. Because of this, his perception changes, and he''spelled to improve things simply because he can. Before he returned to the tower, he thought that his previous arrangements were good, or at the very least, the best they could have at that current moment. The continent was divided resonably; there''s a bunch of secret realms here and there; the continent is also protected and hidden; and his people only needed time to adapt. Now that he has returned after his long-term seclusion, Cedric sees things differently again. He could see many shorings in his previous ns and waspelled to change them ording to his current standards. It annoyed him so much because he knows that he''s forcing it now. His people aren''t him. If he meddles too much, they won''t be able to keep up. He''s aware that he''s being too impatient right now, and that''s why he could only keep himself steady. "At the end of the day, time is both my ally and enemy." Cedric shook his head after taking a sip of his coffee. "I really need to chill, rx, and stay patient. There''s no need to pressure them; so long as I''m here, this world is safe." ** A week has passed since his return. Cedric got up from the bed and smiled wryly after smelling the unpleasant scent lingering in the room. He''s breathing was even, but his entire body was drenched in sweat and other fluids. Beside him were his girlfriends, who, every now and then, still quivered from overstimtion despite being in deep slumber. He could even see some white fluid still trickling down their cores. A sense of shame wormed its way into his heart. He smiled apologetically as he brought a basin of warm water and a towel from downstairs. He carefully and gently cleaned them up, making sure that their rest wasn''t disturbed by his activities. His smile became even more strained as he saw how their bodies instinctively reacted to his touch. ''Yeah, I definitely overdid it.'' He muttered to himself. He cleaned them up as much as he could and covered them with the thick duvet. He also lit up some scented candles that help them sleep deeper while also using some substances that will ensure they wake up energized and recovered. In the end, he has yet to reveal the fact that he just returned from the tower. But with how he kept them in this room for an entire week, only giving them the mercy of eating and bathroom breaks in between, they could probably guess it. Well, what can he do? He missed them way too much. If it weren''t for the fact that they nned for their future family, they would undoubtedly be pregnant by now. Cedric got up carefully from the bed and showered to clean himself. He then changed into a fresh set of clothes and left the room, making sure to be as silent as possible to not disturb their rest. He went to the kitchen and made himself some food. He also made some for his girls and left them in the fridge so that they could heat them upter. After peacefully having his brunch, he promptly disappeared from home and appeared at the Law Communion Hall. Don''t miss out on m-vl-em-pyr "Oh, Boss! You''re here!" Elder Eon, whose real identity was the Law Communion Sword, greeted him after seeing him. If others were here, they would''ve probably gawked at his behavior. In front of other people, Elder Eon was a solemn and deeply mysterious expert who had no time for nonsense. He is cold to everybody, regardless of their identities or backgrounds. People challenged him before, and all of them fled with their tails tucked between their legs, embarrassed and deeply humiliated. Those who dared to offend him for the second time were never seen again. This made Elder Eon''s reputation soar. Many have tried extending an olive branch to him, trying to court him for their purpose, but all of them were coldly rejected. To the eyes of others, Elder Eon was an expert of mysterious origin, one that they could never afford to offend. But in front of Cedric, who obviously knew about his true identity, Elder Eon acts like a rascal,pletely and utterly different from how he acts in front of other people. The sheer difference in treatment was too overwhelming. "Yes, I''m here to improve you a bit. Take me your body," Cedric stated, going straight to the point. "Alright. Follow me." Honestly, Cedric could''ve just gone there by himself. After all, it was him who brought Eon here. As far as Eon was aware, Cedric owned him, and he could do whatever he wanted, and Eon could only acquiesce to his wishes. But Cedric obviously wouldn''t do that. In his mind, there''s no need to go that far, and showing some level of decency never hurts, even for a person of his caliber. Eon led Cedric to the sealed room where his real body was located. Upon seeing the massive sword suspended in the air, releasing wisps of energy containing narws, Cedric sighed. "I''ll widen your channeling array so that you can begin filtering Grand Sr Concept Laws; is that okay with you?" He asked Eon. "Grand Sr level already!?" Eon looked thrilled as he immediately guessed the implications behind Cedric''s request. "Yes, yes! Of course! Shit, you''re way too fierce and awesome. This brother is pleased!" Eon gave him a thumbs up, causing Cedric to chuckle a bit. But since Eon was alright with it, he immediately began implementing his idea. Obviously, Cedric was far from mastering Grand Sr Concept Laws, but if he were just making some changes to the original arrays on the Law Communion Sword so that it could start channeling Grand Sr Concept Laws to the hall, he could still easily do it. The earlier he does this, the longer it could umte. Therger the umtion, the more help it could give to his people, so why not do it right away? Chapter 325 : Sea Demons Cedric stood at the great wall he built to protect and hide Azure Terra. There were soldiers stationed here, patrolling and doing their duties. Some were busy discussing important matters for future development, while others were focused on creating or moving stuff around. Despite the hustle and bustle of this ce, nobody noticed Cedric''s presence. It''s not like he has hidden himself; he just naturally blends well into the background, which makes him easy to ignore. Cedric wasn''t paying attention to their activities either. His focus is directed at the roaring sea, just a few kilometers away from the wall. Everyone could hear the turbulent and chaotic waters from the walls, a testament to their natural power. The waters were stained by corruption, and if you stared at them long enough, you''d start seeing nightmare-inducing shapes and sizes appear amidst the waves, looking as if they''re going to jump out of the water and start a massacre. And that''s not really an illusion... There had been times when the soldiers stationed here were rmed by underwater creatures suddenly jumping out of the waves. They would almost march straight towards the walls with their maws wide open. Andpared tond demons, sea demons are far more terrifying. Just in terms of appearance alone, sea demons were a lot scarier already. Fornd demons, at least, you could still see where they originated from: pigs, cows, dogs, tigers, insects, etc. But for sea demons? The demonic corruption as well as the harsh environment of the sea warped their appearance greatly, turning them into iprehensible monsters that could freely switch between legs and fins as naturally as breathing. Additionally, sea demons remained rtively undisturbed for a very long time, allowing them to grow and prosper on their own. It has only been a decade or so since humans reimed the continent and were able toy their eyes on the sea. Meaning that nobody has any idea just how many horrors were waiting for them down there. The leading figures of humanity obviously realized this already and had been making efforts to change it. Their progress isn''t bad, especially now that they have ess to more resources andnd. But currently, what they have isn''t even close enough to truly deal with the horrorsying in wait at the depths of the sea. Ssh! Ssh! The unmistakable sound of exploding waves rmed the soldiers, who were originally focused on their task. And as if on instinct, the person closest to the rm unhesitatingly punched it. Weng! Weng! Weng! The sound red all over the eastern walls, rming soldiers into activity. Everybody dropped whatever they were previously doing to respond to the iing threat. And they were right to do so because, from the tall waves over at the beach, at least hundreds of sea demons appeared. Cedric watched as most of themnded on t ground. They pped for a bit, and then they began growing legs. Most of them looked like an abomination; others were not so much but still looked rtively disgusting. Onemon thing the sea demons have is dull gray eyes. After all, the light of day, moonlight, and starlight could only extend as far as the edges of the continent. Sea Demons have long since evolved in a way that allows them to survive theck of light underwater and the demonic corruption that stained the seas. As he observed their behaviors, Cedric could tell that these sea demons hated and were afraid of the lighting from thend. It''s obvious from the sounds they made as they marched towards the walls as well as the look in their eyes. It might be an instinctual reaction by now since they''ve gone so long without it. Moreover, their instincts had been warped by corruption the longest, and demons hate sunlight the most. It didn''t take long for the soldiers to take their positions after hearing the rm. They moved with calmness and precision, as if they''d been conditioned to do this by now. Everybody could hear the skittering march of the sea demons as well as the screeches they''re emitting. After they reached a certain distance, some sea demons began throwing their pitchforks towards the soldiers; others began vomiting out projectiles or something simr. The soldiers weren''t shocked or afraid of this scene. They responded by simply shooting these attacks down before they made contact. Others unhesitatingly unload salvos of ammunition towards the freaky sea creatures, uncaring about what happens to them afterwards. As he watched this scene, Cedric sensed something that caused his brow to rise. At the very far back of the marching line, he sensed a particrly strong sea demon. "A seahorse?" Cedric softly muttered to himself. This description was very generous. Anyone who knows what seahorses look like would probably tell him that he''s wrong, but he''s really not. Well, first and foremost, it has legs. Seahorses don''t have legs, but this one does. Cedric saw it growing aftering out of the water. What gave it away were its wide, open, and dted gray eyes, as well as that trumpet-like mouth, the body tes that sectioned its body, and the dorsal fin that starts from its head all the way to its tail. Its figure was shrouded in darkness, and for some reason, it is holding a pitch ck trident. "Boys! We''ve got a Sea Demon Lord this time. Prepare the cannons!" Someone from the scout division yelled at hisrades. Nobody dared to slight or doubt this warning. These people had been working with each other for a long time and had learned to trust each other. If the scouts said that there''s a Demon Lording, then a Demon Lord is reallying. With this warning, the cannons were revealed. Its the same ones that Tech God Charles recently developed. It debuted in the war for survival about a decade ago and has been improved since then. Now, it has be easier to use and lighter too. Charles also discovered a way to lessen its need for resources without lowering its power. As if responding to the threating, the Seahorse Demon Lord released a pierced shriek. This was followed by an energy as dark as ink covering its entire body. When this dark energy touched its subordinates, they instantly turned mad with power. It''s like receiving an injection straight into their veins and into their brains, eliminating all signs of intelligence in them in exchange for raw strength. The Seahorse Demon Lord itself looked mad with power too. Its aura descended on the soldiers at the walls, but none of them looked shaken. The frightening aura of the seahorse was akin to snow under the re of sunlight upon making contact with the walls. It''s as if there''s something there that''s fatal to any form of corruption. Boom! BOOM! BOOM! Obviously, the soldiers have long since gotten used to this kind of scene. This isn''t their first tango with sea demons, after all. They knew that, under the protection of sunlight, demonic corruption could only ever dream of affecting them. That''s why they''re fearless. Those who are trained to use the ster Cannons unhesitatingly disyed the results of their training and began shooting the demon lord in response. Energy rays rained down on the horde of sea demons, ripping them apart mercilessly. These energy rays also harnessed the power of sunlight and its purification properties, making them extremely lethal to demons. The Seahorse Demon Lord did its best to avoid the threatsing after it, but it was of no use. There''s just too many projectiles, and the soldiers who were trained to use the ster cannons all had good aim, so how could it escape unscathed? By the time the soldiers ended their first round of bombardments to reload, the Seahorse Demon Lord was in a state of embarrassment. All of its previous arrogance disappeared without a trace; its entire body was injured from head to toe; even its trident was broken into pieces. It was terrifying. With what remains of its intelligence, it deeply regrets ever stepping foot on this beach. Who could''ve thought that humans have grown so scary? What''s even more hateful is that the injuries it sustained prated its soul, making it even more painful. With what little strength it had remaining, it dragged itself towards the safety andfort of the billowing waves, desperate and clinging to a small hope of survival. Pshew!! But one concentrated shot dashed its hopes. The shot sted its brains out, ending its life permanently. Its soul was burning with sunlight, unable to experience rebirth or reincarnation. A bright golden me engulfed its body, and with its fading consciousness, thest thing it heard was the cheers of the humans stationed at the walls. "Nice shot, Dude!" "Alright boys, target eliminated. Check for any survivors and clean up. Send out some cadets to harvest the remains; we''re having a seafood boil for dinner!" "Wooooo!!!" Cedric smirked as he listened to the vigorous cheers of the soldiers. From start to finish, he remained a watcher. They never needed his help after all. ''Yeah, that''s how it should be. They''d be fine on their own.'' Chapter 326: Stroll -- The Lost Continent is a ce that was once home to humans but is now dominated by demons. Even if humans were to step foot into this ce once more, it''s impossible for them to find any traces of the old civilization left. It has been a very long time, after all. And the continent has long since fallen under the corruption of demons. ording to ancient history, Azure Terra and the Lost Continent were the two great continents of Prime Earth, yes, but there were smaller inds out there somewhere in between. In addition, the Lost Continent wasn''t originally that far from each other. History bes blurry at this point because there isn''t any information as to why the Lost Continent ended up on the other side of the. As for the smallerndmasses, well, they''ve been swallowed by the raging seas at this point, sunken to the depths of the oceans. With how turbulent and scary the waters of Prime Earth have be after the demonic corruption, it''d be a miracle if these smallernds were still able to exist. Currently, Cedric was strolling thends of the Lost Continent. He looked as if he''d been walking in his backyard. He didn''t mind the putrid strench of corruption or the number of demons crawling in here. He walked in the air as if it were a t surface while observing the scenery below. Truth be told, there was absolutely no need for him to be here. He just needed to barely try, and he would see everything he wanted to see anywhere in this world, no matter where he was, thanks to the absurd range of his perception. But he''s bored, and the scenery of Azure Terra has grown old to him. His girls were busy with other things, and he absolutely had nothing to do. He didn''t feel like cultivating either since he would hardly make any progress in this world, so he decided to stretch his legs instead. ''Uh, huh, just as I thought...'' Cedric mused to himself as he continued surveying thends below. ''The army''s going to have a more difficult time reiming this continent.'' The sheer number of demons he saw here was one thing. What truly hinders any possible advances in the near future is the environment here. Just like the seas, the Lost Continent had been corrupted and was left undisturbed for far too long. This resulted in a steady development that allowed the demons to truly convert this continent into a hellish ce. No regr human could ever possibly hope tost for an entire day in this wretched ce, even if they were given all the modern equipment to stave off the influence of corruption, simply because the level of corruption here was at an entirely different level. At the very least, Azure Terra was under Ac''s subconscious protection even while she was injured and asleep. The efforts of humans also slowed down the ns of demons to further develop, which also prevented thend from bing too corrupted. The Lost Continent didn''t have this kind of protection, though. It also drifted too far, making it impossible for humans to do something about its situation. Whether it''s above, below, or in between, the level of demonic corruption here is truly maddening. Cedric could see towers that produce even more corruption to dissipate amidst thends; he could see the depravity and insanity of the demons roaming at the surface. Mountains have turned into nests, rivers were stained with blood and corruption, trees and nts were spared and demonized, and even the very soil couldn''t escape. Cedric fought the urge to just sink thisnd to the bottom of the ocean once and for all. Honestly, having one Azure Terra is enough for humans right now; they have no need for a ce like this. If the need arises, Cedric is fairly sure that he could just make a new continent for their use, so really, there''s absolutely no need for the Lost Continent''s existence. He held himself back from doing this, though. He''s tempted, but he knows he couldn''t. Cedric knows that this will be the ultimate test for his people. If they could reim this continent as well as the seas without relying on him too much, it would be beneficial for his long-term ns for them. As for the pirate fleet outside, it''s no big deal. So long as the Purgatory Realm exists, no one from the outside would dare do anything drastic. If they do, Cedric doesn''t mind teaching them a harsh lesson. ''But I gotta say, thiszy ape is really fucking ugly. It looks stupid too.'' Cedric sneered as he stared at the giant ape, who also happens to bear the crest of a sloth on its chest. This was one of the seven deadly sins, and he is a demon king too. However, unlike the Bone Dragon of Wrath, Cedric knew that this ape was far stronger. If it bes active or properly motivated, it will undeniably erupt like an active volcano. If it tries hard enough, this ape alone could revert humanity to the Stone Age. But as much as he praised it for its potential, Cedric was also disdainful of it. Sure, he couldn''t me it for carrying the crest that repesents the decadency ofziness but for the fact that, despite being obviously strong, the apepletely allowed itself to be influenced by the insignia. A few minutes of direct observation allowed Cedric to analyze the pros and cons of the Insignia of Sin. Sure, it will boost their strength and status, but it will also erode their minds. Cedric could immediately guess that this ape wasn''t originally like this. He had seen this kind before, and they were at least ten times more energetic than this one. The insignia had an overwhelming influence on the possessor''s mentality; it also forced them to adhere to the rules of the sin just so that they could tap into the well of its power. In short, the insignia of sins turns the target into a mere servant or a ve for power. However, this doesn''t lessen the threat this ape possesses. No, it is still very dangerous. But in Cedric''s opinion, exchanging one''s freedom and dignity for a slight increase in strength wasn''t worth it. He disdains this kind of trade. Apart from the Sin of Sloth, Cedric also found the Sin of Envy nearby. However, unlike the Sloth, Envy was more useful, forck of a better term. He could sense that Envy had some resistance to the insignia. She hasn''t bepletely reliant on or obsessed with it. On the surface, it might look like she does, but deep down, Cedric knows that she can still think clearly. Simply put, there''s more to her than what she shows. Cedric could feel her wariness, and her perception was quite sharp too. He knows that she hasn''t sensed his presence at all, yet she''spletely guarded. It''s not specifically aimed at him but more at what''s above this. For some reason, Envy was guarding herself against her own people, especially the ones that were outside the. Cedric had no idea why she was like this. He could vaguely tell that there should be a deeper reason for this, but he couldn''t pry too much. Sure, he could just walk right up to her, scan her memories, and make her forget about the interaction altogether, but he didn''t feel any real need to do so. He''s merely curious, that''s all. It''s not to the point where he would do a dirty deed just to get to the bottom of it just yet. Aside from Sloth and Envy, there weren''t any other of the deadly sins here. Wrath has been killed, and the rest obviously remain on the pirate fleet. This, however, doesn''t mean that these two are the strongest resistance his people will encounter here. Cedric saw a particrly sinister demon slumbering at the core depths of the Lost Continent. Actually, there''s a handful of them, but this one was the most dangerous; even his girls would need to be serious when handling it. And this isn''t mentioning the underwater creatures... Cedric sensed the existence of a humongous whale, a kraken, and a sea serpent that had grown to a horrifying degree without their knowledge. If any one of these creatures decides to go onnd for some reason, humanity will truly be in a very dangerous situation without him. ''Well, that''s enough for today''s sight-seeing.'' Cedric muttered to himself, growing bored once more. Due to his strength growing out of proportion as each day passed, he figured that this boredom would be a regr urrence for him. But that''s fine; he''d much rather be strong and bored than weak but thrilled. Taking one step forward, Cedric disappeared from the Lost Continent and returned to Azure Terra. He didn''t go home for now; instead, he disguised himself as a regr person. He donned a fake identity and began walking amongst themon folk, allowing himself to bask in simplicity. At the very least, this kind of activity can relieve him of his boredom. Chapter 327: New Age Five years passed in a blink of an eye, making it 15 years since Azure Terra''s liberation from demonic influence. The state of the continent was iparable to its past. It''s no longer dark, gloomy, and depressing. Now, it basked under the majesty of sunlight, with big and fluffy clouds and the bluest skies. Humans were no longer trapped in a bubble that could be popped at any given moment. They finally had an entire continent for themselves, and they made full use of it. To humans of the current era, demons seem to be a thing of the past. But for those who participated in the war for liberation, it feels just like yesterday. Since the liberation, the army has lifted the ban on family size. This led to a massive increase in humanity''s poption. This was a necessary thing to do; after all, the number of humans back then wasn''t enough to truly popte the Azure Terra. Actually, it''s still not enough, even now. It''s still going to take some time before humanity reaches its target size, but they have plenty of time to do so. During these 15 years, humans focused on developing the entire continent. They spared no effort to ensure that their new home wouldn''t be taken away from them again. They wouldn''t let history repeat itself again, especially now that they have the upper hand. With the disappearance of demons from the continent and humans focusing on developing more, their weapons would be rusty since they have no targets to point at. There''s fierce beasts to remedy this. Fierce Beasts are a new race that Cedric grafted to not only be a new challenge for the new generations of humans to conquer but also a way for them to get more resources. Fierce beasts could either be found out in the wild or they''re mostmonly seen in secret realms¡ªthe real strong ones at least. But, of course, this isn''t enough. If humans wanted everyone to maintain theirbat sharpness and instincts, they couldn''t possibly ask every single person to go out and hunt fierce beasts. Not only would that be time-consuming, but it would also exhaust a lot of resources for something that''s rtively trivial in their current state. This is where the new set-up for the Hell Diveses in. But before that, we must first discuss the ss awakening ceremony. Before the liberation of Azure Terra, the ss Awakening Ceremony urs once a child reaches 12 years old. On their 12th birthday, they will establish a connection with the Ac System and receive a ss temte, and their aptitudes will be revealed, which will determine their value. Back in the day, Cedric received the [Swordsman] ss temte. This was one of the mostmon ss temtes that people receive, and honestly, it''s not that bad. There were many people who became famous by simply relying on the growth that this ss temte has. But what really doomed him was his aptitude rating. The aptitude rating back then was divided into three main categories: body, energy, and spirit. Each one uses the letter grading system, and Cedric''s rating was an E-rank for the body and a C-rank for the energy. As for the Spirit aptitude rating, it will remain undisclosed until they reach Tier 3 Superhuman. Cedric''s overall aptitude rating was D, which was extremely terrible considering that the mediocre aptitude was, at the very least, C-rank. Add the fact that Cedric''s family encountered an ident that turned him into an oprhan and his terrible performance in the Hell Dives; he was driven to the point of turning into a ''Risk'' and has beenbeled a ''criminal'', someone that must have been locked up at the Risk Management Center. For Cedric, Hell Dives were truly Hell Dives. Obviously, things are different now. Cedric wed his way out of hell after receiving a miraculous chance, and he has never stopped since then. Now, he has be a legendary existence that not most people could ever dream of catching up to. In this current era, ''Risks'' are a thing of the past. In fact, five years ago, the monitoring chips had been removed altogether. The monitoring chips were located at a person''s nape. It will show a green light if one is doing well on their hell dives, sh a yellow light if their performance is unstable, and reveal a red light if they''re constantly failing. But since demons couldn''t infiltrate the continent through ''Risks'' anymore, the existence of the monitoring chips became redundant, so the army abolished it five years ago. The ss awakening ceremony is still a thing. It still happens once a child reaches 12 years old, and the overall process remains the same. However, in this new age, having a low aptitude ranking isn''t as condemning as before. Actually, the D-rank aptitude ranking of the past was far worse than the D-rank aptitude ranking of today, simply due to the sheer difference between humanity''s lives then and now. Ac has recovered greatly; the entire continent is bursting with life; the energy density is immense; and resources are plentiful. Humanity doesn''tck any of those now. Back in the day, people used to dread the Hell Dives. Nowadays, they look forward to it since, in there, they could show off andpete with their friends on top of receiving rich supplies that could help them be stronger. Failure isn''t as daunting as before with the existence of coaching centers, which are repurposed risk management centers. Instead of locking up those who consistently fail their Hell Dive challenges, coaching centers help those in need. In modern times, people could choose the difficulty of their Hell Dives from Easy, Medium, Hard, and Dynamic settings. Of course, the rewards vary depending on the difficulty they choose. Each difficulty setting takes into ount the participant''sprehensive aptitude for adjustment, making it truly fair no matter what difficulty setting they choose. The strength chart still starts at the superhuman level. After that is the nar Traveler level, then theary Stages of Life Evolution. Yes, Cedric and Ac have started introducing these concepts to their people. With the changes they made and how prosperous humanity has be, the rate at which they eroded the strength of demons massively increased. Just to remind you, demon souls are plucked from the essence of a demon''s existence. In the purgatory, demons are forcibly pulled in, and if they are killed there, they leave this behind. Depending on how many times they died overall, they will begin losing their memories, the oldest first, as the initial sign. Demons usually ignore this because most of them have experienced numerous reincarnations anyway; they simply don''t value these old memories. But with the increase in the human poption, the drain also increases. It''s actually a miracle that they haven''t been greatly rmed yet. Especially nowadays, humans couldplete a hell dive more than once if they wanted to. They only truly need to seed once a month toplete their monthly task, but if they want to fetch more resources from there, they are free to do so. Any failure that happens after seeding once won''t invalidate their clearance either. Speaking of demon souls, nobody uses these nasty things anymore. Sure, humans still get them after participating in Hell Dives, but they turn into Essence Souls as soon as possible because thetter is just better. Essence has be a staple need nowadays. It''s even used as currency at some ces, especially at auctions. These changes were things that humans could only dream of back in the day, yet they''re their reality now. And to think that this is just the start of their golden age sounds incredulous, but it''s the truth. There''s still the rest of the world waiting for them to conquer, and this will happen soon, but for now, to truly inspire the new age of superhumans and tomemorate the liberation of Azure Terra, a grand event is about to take ce. It''s been 15 years since the establishment of the Prime Earth Federation, and now it has be the true hegemon that binds humanity together. Of course, there are a lot of secondary powers that appeared after the liberation, but in terms of foundation and prestige, nobody couldpete with the federation. Since they''ve reached their overall goal, the Prime Earth Federation announced that the 1st Continental Superhuman Tournament will take ce in the Central Region. They staged this event to not only remind everybody that times have changes but also to inspire and attract talented people to join the army who wouldn''t hesitate to groom them for their future ns. This announcement reached everyone''s ears, and they were shocked. The tournament is limited to those at the Superhuman and nar Traveler Realms only. Anyone who has the qualifications is eligible to participate, and the promised rewards haven''t been revealed yet, but with the federation''s prestige, it''s almost certain that they won''t be stingy. There''s even a wild rumor that whoever ims first ce in the entire tournament will have the chance to be the Sun Sage''s disciple. Whether that''s true or not will be known after the tournament, but just the idea of it makes the young and heroic feel their blood boiling in excitement. Chapter 328: Grand Event, Imperial Ice Palace "Continental Superhuman Tournament?" A bald old man raised a brow as he put down his coffee cup. "Sounds fancy. Is it like a battle royale or something?" "I have no clue," his wife replied. "The announcement said that it''s open to those who are the Superhuman and nar Traveler Realms. Today''s the start of the regional registration and screening. The finals will take ce in the Central Region." "Is that so?" The bald old man sighed. He then looked around the house and asked, "Is our boy joining then?" "Who knows?" His wife replied in a sulking tone. "Even since he hit puberty, that boy doesn''t tell me anything anymore." To this, the old man just chuckled and said, "Let him be then. Little chicks will eventually grow up and leave their nests. Besides, this event doesn''t sound dangerous, so it should be fine." "I hope so too." This kind of conversation has be amon thing in almost every household ever since the announcements were made. Everybody''s focus was on this Continental Superhuman Tournament. It became a trending topic online, and even the news centers were raving about it. Since the announcement, many wild rumors have begun spreading, and it has be easier to fool people under the right circumstances. But, of course, not all people are stupid. A week after the announcement was made, the regional registration and screening were scheduled. Everyone who fits the criteria was allowed to register, and should they pass the initial screening, they''d be able to participate in the regional tournament bracket, which is scheduled a monthter. Since the event was hosted by the Prime Earth Federation, it was almost certain that the rewards would be rich. Under the temptation of resources and a bright future, the allure of this tournament was almost impossible to resist. This caused hundreds of people to swarm towards the Awakening Centers and Coaching Centers since these are the locations where they can register for the regional tournament and take the initial screening. In any of these centers, they will be interviewed and tested. The interview was easy to pass; after all, it''s only an introduction to the applicant. That said, if the applicant dares to lie about their personal information or if their character is too bad, their path to the tournament will end here. This might sound likemon sense, but you''d be surprised by how many people failed at this step. As for the initial screening, it''s more of a test of the applicant''s skills. The examiners were already informed about the contents of the regional tournament, so they set this up to filter out those who wouldn''t pass or get far on the first stage of the tournament despite being qualified, saving everyone''s time. But even with these measures, there were still hundreds of people who ended up on the list of participants. This shows just howrge humanity''s poption has grown and how prosperous this new age was. Any of the participants who ended up on the list would have beenbeled as a once-in-a-lifetime genius back in the day, yet there''s hundreds of them here. If this isn''t a convincing fact that shows how much humans have improved over the years, then no one knows what will. ** ?? Northern Region: Imperial Ice Pce Secret Realm The Imperial Ice Pce Secret Realm of the Northern Region was a dream-like ce. Its skies were permanently stained by gorgeous aurora dotted with mikly silver stars. Amidst the seemingly endless nket of snow, you would see mountains of varying heights, each with an infrastructure at the top. However, what truly leaves a deep impression on anyone whoes to this ce is the massive Ice Pce at a distance. This was the Imperial Ice Pce. It looked as if it''s made out of pure ice crystals, whose hardness could evenpete with divine steel. It''s gorgeous, of course; it''s as if somebody took their time and built this entire thing brick by brick with love and adoration, making a true magnum opus. However, despite its beauty, the ice pce emits a frighteningly low temperature that almost approaches absolute zero. Ordinary superhumans would immediately turn into an ice sculpture before they could evene close to the entrance. The interior of the pce is just as beautiful and deadly as it is outside. Those who manage to reach this ce will face trials that guarantee rich rewards should they pass them. However, these trials also carry varying levels of danger, the worst of which is death, of course. At the peak of the ice pce, there is a small and hidden door that leads to the ''attic''. Unbeknownst to others, this is actually the real entrance to the ultimate prize in this secret realm. And the only one who discovered it was Isabe Frostwind. Although she did so by a fortunate coincidence, it doesn''t change the fact that she did it. Now, she''s be the absolute queen of this secret realm, though not many people know this. Currently, Isabe was peacefully drinking her iced tea as she basked in the coldfort of this room. However, her peace was disturbed by the loud chirp of her friend. "Be! Be! You saw it right? The... um...tournament thingy, what was it again?" "You mean the Continental Superhuman Tournament?" Isabe replied with a smile, adoring the cute stupidity of this friend of hers. "Yup! That''s the one!" Her friend chirped again. "It sounds super exciting and fun! Are you going to join!? I think you should join!" "I''ll...I''ll think about it," Isabe replied, sounding a bit hesitant. Of course, the news reached her. It was announced through the Ac System, and her ess wasn''t limited here. She''s also aware of the rumors spreading online as well as the spections surrounding them. She wouldn''t lie and say that she wasn''t tempted because she truly was. Even if the majority of the rumors spreading online turn out to be false, the sheer idea of joining the festivities andpeting with the rising stars of the current era sounded like a dream to her. Isabe might look cold and detached on the outside, but she also has pride. With her achievements, nobody could deny that she''s one of the future pirs of humanity as well. "I think that joining the tournament is good for you." Her friend chirped on the side again. "Honestly, you need to go out more, Be. You can''t lock yourself up in this attic forever." "I understand that you love the north and this secret realm a lot; I do too. But if you imprison yourself here, you''d never have a boyfriend!" Isabe''s expression darkened immediately after hearing thest part of her friends admonishment. She red at her, and her friend shrunk her neck in fear. "Okay, I went too far. Sorry." She replied, "Though my words hurt, it''s because it''s the truth. Be, you can''t waste your beauty like that! It''s a sin! A sin, I tell you!" "Get out!" Isabe growled at her. "Bleh!" Her friend stuck her tongue out at her before leaving the room in a sh. Looking at the doors that just went shut, Isabe just sighed in defeat. Honestly, that friend is just too mischievous and naughty. Isabe ignored the ''boyfriend search'' matter and focused on the pros and cons of joining the tournament. She has reached the peak of the nar Traveler Realm already, and she''s just a shy step away from reaching the next realm, which is theary Warrior Realm. Technically, this should still fit the requirements to register for the tournament. What concerns her is that her participation might appear to be bullying the young. Because, as you see, even though Isabe remains a nar traveler, her might was actually greater than that. In terms of the Water and Ice Laws alone, if Isabe says that she''s in second ce, then nobody would dare im first ce. Cedric doesn''t count, of course. What Isabe hates the most is excessive public attention. She already suffers from it because of her appearance, and it''s also the reason behind her withdrawn personality. She prefers silence and peace the most, hence why she''s often found in ces where there is little to no public traffic. It''s also the reason why she loves the north and this secret room in this secret realm so much. That friend earlier was, in fact, not human. Her name was White Feather¡ªa fierce beast in the shape of a snow owl who gained sentience and became Isabe''s familiar. It''s only because of her connection with it that she''s able to tolerate its yapping. Isabe continued to weigh her options until she got tired of thinking. In the end, she remained undecided and left herself to think about it again tomorrow. She made herself some food, showered, changed into a fresh set offortable sky blue pajamas, and went to bed. White Feather appeared out of nowhere and immediately turned into a furry plushie that she could hug in her sleep. As she gradually fell into a deep slumber, herst thoughts were about a certain golden-haired and golden-eyed man radiating with unparalleled brilliance that couldpete with the sun itself. Chapter 329: Regional Tournament; Familiar Faces and Impressive Kids "Oh, is it starting?" Cedric hummed as he nced at the livestream. He dropped what he''d previously done, since it wasn''t that important anyway, and sat on the nearby couch to watch the regional tournament. The system windows were ying the livestream, so he really didn''t need to stay still to watch it. In fact, he didn''t need to watch the livestream at all; he could just expand his sensory field and know everything that''s happening within the continent, but he did it this way anyway. The screen was divided into four, disying the events in the tournament in each region at the same time. Others may not be able to pay even attention throughout all four, but not Cedric; to him, this was as simple as breathing. "Let''s see if there are any promising talents here." Cedric hummed to himself as he continued watching. He listened to the casters'' long-winded opening speech and zoned out for a bit. His attention only returned once the first event of the tournament started. For the thousands of participants in both the Superhuman and nar Traveler Brackets, their first test is race. Yes, a race. A long and challenging race track was prepared for them. It''s divided into five sections; each checkpoint has a certain obstacle that the participants need to solve in order to pass through it. The obstacles aren''t static; they depend on the participant''s aptitude and were deliberately created to put pressure on them. Actually, calling this race is a bit deceiving... The final results of each participant in this regional tournament won''t count the speed at which theypleted each test. This logical ruse is used to put more pressure on the participants, forcing them to disy their skills for everyone to see. That''s the entire point of this event, after all. And obviously, Cedric could see through this ruse. "Oh! Look at this!" Cedric chuckled as he saw some familiar faces on the livestream. "Isabe Frostwind and Garrick Stoneheart. Haven''t seen them in a while." Yes, Cedric could still remember these two. They were his batchmates in the Starlight Royal Academy, but once the war for supremacy started, he never had the chance to see them in person again. Of course, they weren''t the only familiar faces he saw. He also saw a few of his batchmates, seniors, and juniors from the academy as well. Seeing these familiar faces really takes him back to the good old days. "God, I''m starting to feel my age." Cedricughed at himself as he continued watching the broadcast. As expected, Isabe and Garrick were dominating the nar Traveler Bracket. They''re just on a whole different levelpared to others. He even saw somements that they''re being unfair and that this is bullying. Well, that''s just the way it is. They couldin as much as they could, but it wouldn''t weaken those two. Cedric wasn''t just watching the broadcast online. His senses are actually focused on the tournament sites, allowing him to analyze the performance of every participant closely. He was impressed with both Isabe and Garrick''s achievements. The former was not only gifted but also immensely skilled and talented. Her control andprehension over conceptws were excellent, allowing her to solve the obstacles with grace and finesse. Thetter was a skilled brute, which sounds like an insult, but it''s really not. The amount of strength Garrick could harness was immense, allowing him to easily overpower the obstacles in front of him with barely an effort. Cedric could tell that if Garrick used more force, he''d actually destroy the entire tournament site. That''s how absurd and how much raw power he has. As the event went on, Isabe dominated the Northern Regional Tournament of the nar Traveler bracket, and so did Garrick, representing the Southern Region. As for the Western Region, they have a guy named James Lockheart in the same bracket as Richard Waltz in the Eastern Region. James and Richard aren''t as strong as Isabe and Garrick, though, so at most, they wouldpete for 3rd and 4th ce. But even that''s not for certain because Cedric could feel that some participants haven''t shown all their cards just yet. As for the Superhuman bracket, there''s quite a few that left an impression on Cedric. Actually, he''s paying more attention to this bracketpared to the others because the seeds of the new generation are here. With mentalmand, Cedric received the system profiles of these kids. Nothing was kept a secret from him because of his authority. The first one he noticed was a girl named Rachel Summers. She''s 15 years old and is a Tier 7 superhuman. Her ss temte was Psionic Master, a fairly rare temte that bestows the power of telepathy, telekinesis, and other rted skills on its users. Rachel isn''t the only Psionic Master who''s participating in the event, but what sets her apart from the rest is her skills. Cedric saw herpressing materials that were at least ten times her height and weight into orbs revolving around her. She could turn them into any shape she wanted, and it didn''t seem difficult to her. She knows when to time her psychic shields properly and has excellentbat instincts too. ording to her profile, she came from a civilian background. She''s enrolled in a coaching center and was rmended to participate in this event. Cedric also saw that she goes into the Hell Dives once a week, regardless of sess or failure. Her overall aptitude rating was originally a B-rank. Through sheer effort and hard work, though, she upgraded it to A+ rank, just a shy step away from S-rank. Given that she didn''te from an impressive background, her profile is extremely impressive. And she''s just 15! Even Cedric wasn''t this impressive when he was 15. Another impressive kid Cedric discovered was a young man named Christopher Miles, who prefers to be called Chris since it''s easier to say. Chris, like Rachel, is a 15-year-old Tier 7 superhuman, but he''s at Level 9, unlike Rachel, who''s at Level 8. The young man''s ss temte was called Spear Saint, an epic rarity ss, and his overall aptitude ranking was S-rank. Just from these alone, any organization would wee him with open arms and pour resources into him. But Chris actually ces a lot of importance on his freedom. His usual excuse to refuse invitations from several organizations is that he''s still young and naive and that he wants to explore and experience the world a bit more before making anymitments. Backed by his fairly impressive background, it renders those who wanted to poach him helpless. Chrises from a military background. His father is an Army officer who''s had 20 years of tenure, and his mother was a military nurse, a head nurse at that. Their family isn''tcking in terms of money, authority, or resources, allowing Chris to somewhat remain unfettered in his youthful days. Chris was gifted and talented. At his tender age, he alreadyprehended the initial structure of his spelling intent. He just needs more experience and tempering before it eventually blooms into real intent. Yet despite being a fierce warrior, Chris was fairly timid, ording to the system''s judgment. The next one he discovered was another young man named Rupert Lockheart, a 17-year-old Tier 9 Level 1 superhuman. Rupert''s ss temte is called Moonlight Sorcerer, a peak Epic ss temte. This ss allows him to effortlessly weave the majesty of the night into his spells. He could conjure moonlight crystal shards that home to his targets, release a starry cloud that confuses his enemies or renders them immobile, and use spells that harness the power of moonlight and starlight. Like Rachel, Rupertes from a civilian background but was orphaned at the tender age of 8, something that Cedric sympathizes with. But because he was lucky enough to receive this epic ss temte, he was taken by Headmistress Lissandra of the Starlight Royal Academy as her disciple and has been learning under her for close to three years now. Also, just like Chris, Rupert''s aptitude was S-rank, allowing him to breeze through the Tiers and Levels of the Superhuman Realm. Rupert could''ve been a nar traveler now if it weren''t for Lissandra''s behest. She doesn''t want him to blitz through the tiers without solidifying his foundations first. As his teacher, she naturally wants her disciple to eventually surpass her achievements; that''s why she asked him to slow down his progress and hone his skills as a sorcerer for now. ording to the system''s remarks, Lissandra wasn''t holding anything back for this disciple of hers. She''s mobilizing all the resources she''s umted so far; originally,this was meant for her, but now she''s using them to pave the way for her disciple. It could be said that she''s treating Rupert as the son she never had. She did, after all, pay a personal visit to the graves of her student''s parents and promised that she would raise him well on their behalf. Unbeknownst to her, she got their approval when she did this. There''s obvious more kids that''s worth his attention. But just by looking at these three, Cedric couldn''t help but feel that all of his efforts and sacrifices were worth it. "There really is a bright future ahead of us." Chapter 330 : Finals; Appearance of the Sun Sage The regional tournamentsted for three days. Each day, the participants faced a new challenge that put their skills to the test. At the end of it, only fifty people were chosen to continue to the finals on the nar Traveler bracket and a hundred people for the Superhuman bracket; all of them are going to the Central Region where the finals will take ce. As expected, the first Continental Superhuman Tournament became a big deal. Everyone was tuned in to the event regardless of their status; even the soldiers who were stationed at the walls were watching the festivities through the livestream. Of course, those who disyed their awesome skills practically turned into celebrities overnight. The online forums are filled with bets, rankings, and other rted posts about them. Some of the information seen there was true, but most was false. It can''t be helped; some people just want attention as much as others. But it''s also because of this that everybody can see just how much difference there is between the old and the new. About 15 years ago, an event of this scale was impossible to do since the resources of humanity weren''t enough to support it. At most, the grandest event the public could witness was the entrance exams of the Starlight Royal Academy; otherwise, everything was bleak for them. Moreover, the number of talented people back then was too small and too weakpared to the people of the new age. Now, though, everything was possible. Not only did the world berger for humans, but the resources they had ess to were also more abundant. Demons could no longer invade theirnd and could only be encountered during the Hell Dives. People were more energetic, and progress never stopped because of the new freedom humans have. What a day to be alive, and to think that there''s still the rest of the world waiting for them out there is truly something to look forward to. The finals of the Continental Superhuman Tournament took ce a weekter, after the regional screening. Contrary to people''s beliefs, aside from the close rtives of the participants and the event staff, the site at which the event will take ce isn''t open to the public. Because of this, people could only tune in to the livestream of the event. Because of the grandness and excitement brought by this event, everything else became secondary; people''s priority was to watch the event until the end, afraid of missing even a single second. As for the participants, all of them are gathered in a massive collesium and are divided into their respective brackets. Aside from a handful of people, everyone else felt the tension. It''s almost suffocating. Fortunately, some people arrived to disperse the tension and bring their attention elsewhere. The people who arrived were in uniform. Upon seeing them, everybody perked up subconsciously because everyone knew who they were. These people were the Regional High Marshals of the Prime Earth Federation; they are included in the group of people who are considered to be the real pirs that held up the skies for humanity to prosper. In short, they are the heroes that drove away the demons from thisnd and made it possible for humans to reach this step in their development. Raven Armstrong, High Marshal of the Northern Region. Cassandra Zephyrus, High Marshal of the Southern Region. Anthony Selner of the Western Region and Filius Greenwood of the Eastern Region. It''s these four that entered the same conference where the participants waited, and their presence immediately demanded respect and awe. "Good day to all of you." Raven Armstrong stepped forward and greeted them. "I am pleased to see young and talented young people such as you participating in this grand event." Raven paused for a while and said, "We, humans, havee far. If any of you were born before the liberation of Azure Terra, you''d undoubtedly be an era-defining genius." "The prosperity we experience today is paved by using the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice of our ancestors. This event is staged not only to disy humanity''s progress but also to honor those who bravely sacrificed their all for the small chance of this future happening." "We made it, and we will not retreat or cower anymore. We will continue moving forward in search of a more prosperous and glorious era for humanity." "Glory to humanity!" The High Marshals bellowed. "Glory to Humanity!" The participants of the event as well as everyone who is watching bellowed as well. There was a brief pause after this, as if they were waiting for everybody to calm down first before moving on. After that, Raven said: "Finalists, you have faced several challenges that tested your skills, willpower, and determination during the regional screening. These challenges filtered your numbers, leaving only the cream of the crop." "But as you all know, the Demon Race is still a threat to us. They may not be able to invade our home since the liberation, but that doesn''t mean that they''re gone." "The Lost Continent has long since turned into their nest. Even the vast seas and oceans were tainted by their corruption too, and this isn''t even mentioning what''s outside of this world." "We have stabilized Azure Terra as our new home, but the war against them is far from over. Because of this, we need all of you to hone your skills and contribute to the effort of freeing our world from their influence." "In light of this, the contents of the finals are none other than survival," Raven announced. "For further exnation, we invite the one who made thergest contribution to the prosperity we experience now." "Everyone, please wee the sage who ushered us into the new age: Cedric Stormrider, the Sun Sage!" Deep down, everybody was already expecting that he''d make an appearance. What surprised them is that they would actually reveal his name to them. This was the first time I heard of it, and everyone has mixed reactions. The majority felt that it''s ironic that his Sun Sage''s surname happened to be Stormrider, which has nothing to do with his title at all. Others were just curious about what he actually looked like since they''d only heard myths about him before and had never seen him in person. Of course, the ones that were truly surprised were none other than the people who personally knew Cedric but never knew that he was this mythical Sun Sage. His entrance was akin to the sun falling from the sky. His radiance was blinding, so much so that it forced everybody to squint in difort. Once the light dissipated a bit, Cedric''s face became visible to all. And to say that they were stunned would be an understatement. His presence didn''t need any further emphasis. From the moment they saw him, he became the sole focus of their attention. He was tall, handsome, and had an otherworldly aura around him. What really left an impression on everybody was his pair of golden eyes that looked as if they were twin suns. They shone with splendor and vibrancy, which dimmed everything else. There also seems to be a sunlight halo hovering behind him. He wore a loose white robe adorned with violet gold ornaments. He also stood on clouds, making him look like a god who graced the world with his presence. There was a peaceful smile on his face that put everybody at ease, making them feel and think that so long as he''s around, everything is fine. The High Marshals could only sigh at this. Say what you want, but the Sun Sage really knows how to make an entrance. Also, being close to him made them feel just how unfathomable this person has be. They simply couldn''t measure him throughmon sense anymore. But perhaps the ones who really felt the mostplicated about his appearance were the ones who personally knew him before. Orion, the teacher who used to be in- charge of their batch; Cedric''s batchmates, of course; Darius, Francis, and Floyd of Team Elric, who were speechless after seeing him again fifteen yearster; and finally, Isabe and Garrick, who''re looking up to the tform he''s on. Garrick could only smile helplessly. He initially thought that he''d left Cedric in his dust before seeing that he hadn''t heard of him for fifteen years already. He used to gloat about this to make him feel better about himself. But reality was cruel. He didn''t expect that the one he admired the most, despite not seeing him in person, would turn out to be the same one he thought was already dead. Isabe, on the other hand, was truly bothered this time. She could''ve never imagined that she would see the person who haunted her dreams right here and now. Looking at his face, she felt guilt and shame, especially because her brain was reminding her about the contents of the dreams she had about him. As for everybody else, they could only speechlessly look at him in awe. They couldn''t help but think that he was truly a god amongst men. "Hello everybody. Thank you for weing me. Without any further ado, let me exin the contents of the final challenge for this tournament." Chapter 331 : Finals; Begin! -- "The final challenge will be the same for both brackets, and it mainly focuses onbat and survival," Cedric announced. "All of you will be transferred into a different ne where you will be faced with waves of enemies. Said enemies could either be demons, humans, fierce beasts, etc. We introduced variety to truly determine the ceiling of your skills and help you judge your performance better." "The more waves of enemies you defeat, the stronger andrger their number bes. Of course, you will be given a brief period of rest in between waves. Any kind of restorative skill, technique, or something that falls under this category will be neutralized and could only be used during the designated resting period after each wave to make things fair for everybody." "Skills or techniques that leave asting effect on the battlefield, like ming grounds, toxic rain and puddles, thunderstorms, etc., will be cleared after each wave. Again, this is for the sake of fairness." "Your results will be decided by how many waves you cleared. Obviously, the higher your final rankings were, the richer the rewards you''ll get. Are there any questions or violent reactions? If you do, say them now because once the finals begin, it won''t be paused just to entertain your curiosity." Cedric spoke at a moderate pace for everybody, ensuring that they could all follow and analyze the rules of the final challenge. He deliberately scanned the crowd to see if there was anybody who wanted to ask a question, but even after a minute, nobody raised a hand. "Alright, it seems that there are none." Cedric smirked. "We''ll give you 10 minutes to prepare for the final challenge. Afterwards, we''ll begin with the finals." After saying this, Cedric waved his hand, and he, along with the High Marshals, disappeared from everybody''s sight. He didn''t take them far. He just took them directly above therge and fluffy clouds above the collesium to wait. This is where he was previously before he made an appearance earlier. Seeing as how there''s tables and chairs here, above the clouds, waiting for them, made the High Marshals wear strange expressions. It''s so weird and unnecessary, but they can''t reallyin. Besides, there''s a first time for everything. Who could seriously say that they''ve experienced drinking tea while riding a cloud? Not a lot¡ªthat much they could tell... "It''s been a while since Ist saw you all. Sorry if I was MIA for the most part; I''ve been preupied with things I can''t really reveal right now." Cedric''s apologetic and soft voice echoed in their ears, shaking them off of their stupor. They panicked and hurriedly told him that there was no need for him to apologize and that theypletely understood. "Actually, it should be us who should apologize for troubling you with something this trivial." Filius stated, "We should''ve known that you were upied with other things that are far more important than this event." "That''s right," the other High Marshals droned. "Oh, no. It''s not really troublesome." Cedric made a gesture of dismissal. "I needed a break anyway. Besides, how could I miss such a grand event like this? Isn''t this what we''ve fought so hard for? If anything, I''m actually really honored to be a part of this, so please don''t feel burdened." His polite and enthusiastic wordsforted the high marshals as much as they made them ufortable. Truly, this Sun Sage of theirs was one of a kind. Not only was he unfathomably powerful, he''s also humble and polite. He didn''t put on any airs in front of them. He gave them due respect ording to their seniority. This not only inted their egos but also made them feel ashamed. Their conversation flowed by, and soon, the ten-minute grace period for preparation was over. Cedric excused himself and appeared in front of the participants again. He smiled when he saw theirbat readiness and said, "I see that you guys are ready. Well then, without any further ado, let''s begin the finals." Cedric shifted his gaze to the skies. He lifted his hand and swiped it to the side very slowly. With his gesture, a thick purple and silver mist appeared on his palms, which quickly blended with the surrounding environment. In addition, space and time warped around the collesium, bringing about mind-boggling changes within. Everybody, whether it''s the participants themselves or the people who are watching at home, gaped at the sheer disy of Cedric''s power. They all watched as the space within the collesium turned into a world on its own. Space folded and expanded until it became an independent realm. Initially, the space between the participants was only a few dozen inches apart, but as Cedric made his move, that changed too. Soon, the participants found themselves standing in the middle of an isted field. Everyone felt and could vaguely see a wall of light seperating their field from the rest. They then saw Cedric standing on the air as if it were a t surface. It didn''t seem like he moved at all. Above him was an incandescent sun shining down on all creation, making him look as if he were a god who brought life and light to this tragic field. This scene, including the warmth they feel due to the sun, definitely left a permanent impression on everyone who''s watching. With another wave of his hand, arge system window unfolded before everyone''s eyes. This one disyed the current wave and time. "Brace yourselves." Cedric''s words echoed in everybody''s minds. Every participant summoned their weapons and focused on the battlefield to prepare for the first wave of enemies. "Begin!" As soon as Cedric dered this, the participants saw a spatial tear within their field, which immediately began vomiting demons. Those who had more experience than the others wasted no time. They immediately culled the number of demons with their techniques and skills before they were swarmed. The livestream format changed as soon as the survival round began. Those who were watching were given the freedom to focus on a particr participant. They could watch everything, of course, but there were many of them, so it''s hard to see everything. They''re not Cedric after all. One has to know that the number of enemies each participant faced differs depending on whether they were from the Superhuman Bracket or the nar Traveler Bracket. Obviously, thetter will face stronger and more enemies because of their strength to make things fair and to save time. Once the final challenge began, everybody''s attention left Cedric, and he disappeared without any sound. He simply went back to the same area where the High Marshals were and joined them as they watched the final round with great interest. He brought out tea, coffee, and snacks with him for everyone to enjoy. This made them speechless, but they were quick to ept this strangeness as is. "Isabe and Garrick will surely dominate the nar Traveler bracket. There''s almost no suspense to this," Anthony calmly stated. "The other participants also know this and could onlypete for 3rd ce and so on." "Well, they''re veterans after all," Cassandra responded after taking a sip of her tea. "Besides, they are qualified to participate, so others could only me their bad luck." "Isn''t it too early to say this?" Filius raised a brow. "I mean, yes, they''re strong, but there''s got to be a dark horse somewhere, right?" "That dark horse will only appearter. Besides, whether they are a dark horse or not is something to be determined still," Raven replied. He then looked at Cedric and asked, "What about you, Sage Cedric? Is there anybody that caught your attention?" Cedric nearly winced at the way the man referred to him, but he was able to control himself. He hummed briefly and said, "Well, there''s nobody so far. But I am paying closer attention to the Superhuman Bracket. The ones at the nar Traveler bracket are too old and predictable after all." He wasn''t lying here. Compared to the performances of the old and experienced, it''s more refreshing for him to watch how the youngsters performed. They are the future, after all. If there''s anybody who''s daring and flexible enough, it would be them. And so far, their performance hasn''t been too disappointing. Sure, most of them were inexperienced, but that''s to be expected; they''re young after all. But that doesn''t mean they can''t keep up with the changes around them. The few kids he investigated earlier were performing way ahead of their peers. He saw them panic for a bit, but that''s fine since they eventually picked themselves up. They wielded their weapons with purpose and studied the battlefield as they went. Their performance could even put some people in the other bracket to shame. It was gratifying to see that, at least in terms ofbat readiness, the kids aren''t falling behind the old guys. With how the finals were set up, it will surely take some time. Whoes out on top is still unknown since it''s way too early. The only thing left to do for now is to watch and wait. Chapter 332: Finals; Livestream Cheerful Jingle! "Hello and wee back everybody to our livestream! I''d like to thank you for making it through the ad break. I am your today''s host, Alvin." The man then looked at thedy beside him. "And I''m your other host, Ang," thedy continued. "Now that that''s out of the way, let''s return to the tournament that''s happening right now, shall we?" Alvin dered cheerfully. "Yeah, let''s do that. How many rounds has it been again?" Ang asked. "I believe that the participants are about to face the 5th wave of enemies. And just to remind everybody, there have been a couple of eliminations so far. The wave of enemies keeps on getting stronger and stronger, after all. But the more this goes on, the more we can see the real skills of the remaining participants." "I totally agree with that, Alvin. Oh, by the way, I heard from a totally anonymous source that you''ve got your eye on a particr participant in the Superhuman bracket. Care to enlighten me and our viewers about that, hmm?" Ang looked at her partner and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, please. Don''t do this to me." Alvin wore an embarassed and flustered expression after hearing this. "Come on, partner! It''s okay; just tell us. I promise, I won''t tease you." "Promise?" "Yep! I promise." "Alright, well..." Alvin paused for a bit before saying, "Yeah, my attention is on participant #235." Ang browsed through the files, smiled, and gave him a knowing look: "Oh, her! I believe she is Juliana Seymour. I see, no wonder why." "You said you weren''t going to tease me!" Alvin whined. "What? I''m not!" Ang denied his usations. "I''m just stating what I know." "Miss Seymour is an 18-year-old Tier 9 Level 9 Superhuman from the Western Region. Her profile states that her ss is a rather peculiar one called Shrine Maiden. It says here that she could summon alien creatures to fight on her behalf; she also has ess to several buffs and de-buffs to dominate the battlefield," Ang stated. The screen behind them is focused on the contestant that they''re talking about. "From what I learned so far, not many people know about her ss. I believe that some of you are actually hearing this for the first time despite knowing Miss Seymour prior to her participation here." "I mean, I can''t me them. Her songs are really good, and she''s really pretty," Alvin dreamily stated. Ang just stared at Alvin with a knowing look. Her partner saw this and warned, "Don''t even." "I won''t." Ang chuckled. "But anyways, let''s just look at this right here! Everybody could see that she''s doing quite well on her own. Do you know the names of her summoned creatures, Alvin?" "Oh, yes," Alvin readily replied. "We can see here that, currently, she has three of her summoned creatures out. The one closest to her and guarding her from enemies is called the Cerberus, a three-headed hellhound that could wield the elements of fire, ice, and poison on each respective head. Normally, Kirby, as she calls it, appears as a K9 dog that always follows her wherever she goes. Once inbat, it returns to its true form to confront enemies, but it mainly stays behind to protect her." "Then there''s the Rainbow Peacock. It''s the one that''s been pelting her enemies with colorful feathers. She named it ''Fabulous''. From what I heard, Fabulous'' feathers are not only sharp, they also contain a powerful draining attribute that saps away the energy of those hit by them, making them considerably weaker." "And finally, the one that has been on a constant rampage since the start of the final round is the one called Ophelia the Sword Fairy. I actually don''t know what kind of creature she is, but she''s certainly one hell of a swordsman. Ophelia is Miss Seymour''s most powerful summons and the yer of her foes." "With the three of them out, Miss Seymour is untouchable." Alving concluded his exnation, looking a bit smug for knowing all of this. "Mhm! As expected of a simp." "Hey!" "Oops, sorry." Ang giggled. "But I''d like to remind our audience that Miss Seymour isn''t just limited to summoning creatures to fight for her. She knows a lot of supportive spells that could give her more advantage against her foes. Moreover, this isn''t all of her summoned creatures. The longer this goes on, the higher our chances of seeing her other summoned creatures making an appearance." "If you too are curious about that, then please keep watching our livestream. We will be cycling through the well-known participants of the tournament to watch andment on their current performances," Alvin added. "And hey, since you''re already here, do consider following and subscribing to us so that you won''t miss out on any of our programs. All it takes is just a single thought from you, so why not, right?" Ang stared at the camera with twinkling eyes to tantalize their viewers into subscribing to their program. "Okay, okay!" Alvin pped his hands and showed a mischevious expression. "It''s time for revenge!" "What do you mean?" "Well, you put me on the spot just now. I don''t think it''s fair if you wouldn''t tell us about the participant that you''ve got your eyes on, so why don''t you do the honors and reveal it?" "Ah! I see. Well, I''m not really opposed to that. Sure!" Ang readily agreed. Alvin''s expression clouded for a bit. "Man, I thought you''d at least be flustered like me." "Oh, whatever! I''m not like you, who''s foolishly infatuated." Ang rolled her eyes at him. She then swiped her hands and changed the focus of their program to another person. "Is this him?" Alvin asked. "Yes, his name is Henry Taylor," Ang stated. "Like Miss Seymour, he too is from the Superhuman Bracket and a Tier 9 Level 9 Superhuman." "His ss temte is, I believe, a Red Mage. Yes, it''s one of the mostmon magic-based ss temtes out there, but that doesn''t make him any less of a genius." "What I admire the most about him is that hees from a civilian background. There''s also his skills, of course. If you watch his performance closely, you''ll see just how effortlessly he weaves spells after spells, which shows his mastery over them." "He''s currently studying at the Starlight Royal Academy and is ranked 1dt in his batch. Headmistress Lissandra constantly praised him due to his hard work, perseverance, and talent." Ang concluded her introduction. "Well, I can see why you admire him," Alvinmented. "From what I''ve seen so far, his spells are at least Level 10. I believe he chose to upgrade them through practice instead of using Essence Souls, which is insane because that takes an absurd amount of effort to do." "I wouldn''t have been surprised if he only had one spell at Level 10, but that''s not the case. All of the spells he''s using are at Level 10, at the very least, and he''s using a lot of them. I don''t think he''s merely talented at this point; he''s a bona fide monster!" Alvin eximed. "Yeah, I know. Such talent is enviable. But what I truly admire the most about him was his hard work. Not many people could say that they are this impressive at this age," Ang added. "Damn, our future is truly bright." Alvin exhaled softly. "If this tournament never happened, we would''ve never been aware of such talents lurking around, and what a shame that could''ve been!" "Fortunately, the Prime Earth Federation had the foresight to create this grand event, allowing us to marvel at the skills of the current generation of Superhumans," Angmented. "Yeah, I totally agree," Alvin replied. "But you know what I''m really curious about?" "What?" "Well, where did all of these creaturese from?" Alvin eximed. "You know, the enemies that our participants are facing. Because from what I can tell, they''re neither humans nor demons!" "Oh, you silly guy," Ang chuckled. "They are energy constructs made by our dear Sun Sage. They''re not actual living beings." "Really?" Alvin''s eyes widenedically. "Yes, really." Ang nodded. "I, of course, don''t know what they''re called either. I''m afraid that only the Sun Sage can tell us that. But I do know that they''re not actual living beings. They are light-based energy constructs that the Sun Sage purposefully created to add variety to the foes our participants face. Through this, they''d be able to judge the skills of the participants more urately and provide a better and moreprehensive final ranking based on their performance." "I see. That''s very smart." "I know. I mean, it''s the Sun Sage after all; of course he''ll have a way to make things interesting," Ang dreamily said. "Oho? What''s this? Is my dear partner Ang infatuated with our dear Sun Sage?" Alvin teased. "You know, I''m not even going to deny it. So what if I am, huh?" Ang bravely announced. "I mean, have you seen him? Gahd, what a man! Most girls would understand what I feel." "Somehow, I regret what I just did." Alvin sighed. He then saw some changes in the livestream, and his eyes gleamed. He tapped Ang''s leg with his foot under the desk to signal her and said, "It looks like the 5th wave has concluded. This will be followed by a five-minute break, and that means amercial break for our program too." "Stay tuned, everybody; we''ll be back to introduce you to other well-known participants after this short break." Ang smiled at the camera. Cheerful Jingle Chapter 333: Finals; Competitive Spirit In one of the many sections of the battlefield within this strange world created for the sole purpose of staging the finals of this grand tournament, a young man with dark brown hair could be seen coldly regarding the iing wave of enemies. His deep hazel eyes were calcting; sometimes they would flicker with a pale blue light. This young man wore a mage''s outfit and held a seven-foot-long mage''s staff, which seemed to be made out of diamond crystals, which released a faint buzz of magic that rippled in the air. When the enemies entered a certain distance away from him, he raised his staff and drew an arc above him, leaving trails of mystical shards of blue-silver energy that immediately turned into projectiles that pierced the vulnerable spots of his enemies. Of course, it was inevitable that he would miss some enemies since they had different means to protect themselves. The young man didn''t panic though; he calmly mmed the butt of his staff on the ground. This caused several shards of blue-silver crystals to burst out from the ground, piercing those who were left. The young man then noticed a projectile heading towards him at a blistering speed. He didn''t do anything against it on the surface, though. Yet as soon as the projectile hit, the young man wasn''t injured because a pale blue barrier flickered to stop this projectile from hitting his body. With another wave of his staff, he killed thest few enemies left and released a sigh of relief, especially after seeing the confirmation from the system that he had cleared this round. The young man sat down and peered at his fellow finalists. He blew air on his bangs and muttered. "I didn''t even notice that there were only a few of us left." Rupert Lockheart¡ªthis is his name. The young disciple of Headmistress Lissandra and a budding Moonlight Sorcerer. Due to his status, Rupert had high expectations for himself. Ever since he was epted as Lissandra''s apprentice, he swore that he would do everything in his power to not let her down. He knew just how much she valued him¡ªeven a blind man would see it. Nobody has cared for and pampered him as much as she did, so he was determined to repay his efforts. Actually, Rupert joined this tournament on his own. His teacher never pushed him or even suggested it. For her, so long as Rupert is doing well in his studies, it''s all good. She didn''t care about what others would think; she only cared about him. Rupert joined to let everybody know that her decision wasn''t wrong, and as a young man, he has his pride too. He wanted to prove that he, too, was a genius and that the efforts of his teacher weren''t useless. He was recovering his mana as he rested. He''s doing this while also watching his fellow participants. His attention was mostly focused on his senior ssmate, Henry Taylor. Henry, like Rupert, came from a civilian background. Unlike him, though, Henry''s ss temte was only amon one: Red Mage. But what truly made Rupert admire him was his hard work and talent. Nobody would''ve imagined that all of Henry''s spells are at least Level 20, and none of them were upgraded through the use of Essence Souls. Just in terms of effort alone, Rupert had nothing on him. Those fireballs of his had temperatures that could instantly vaporize ake. They might look small, but they''repact. A single one of those fireballs could set an entire city aze. Henry could also control other elements just as well as he does with fire, but fire was his favorite. He and Rupert weren''t from the same batch, but they''re close. They often spar with each other, and most of the time, Rupert loses. It''s mainly due to the difference in experience and skill level. The only reason it isn''t one-sided is because Rupert''s ss temte gave him a lot of advantages. If Henry held a ss temte of the same rarity as Rupert, coupled with his talent and hard work, their fights would''ve truly turned one-sided. Others might think that Henry was arrogant and conceited. Rupert won''t me them for that since he too had the same impression; moreover, Henry looks and speaks like one. In reality, though, he isn''t like that. Henry was approachable most of the time; he just doesn''t like being interrupted in his practice. Both of them are considered to be the first of their respective batches. The two of them being here was truly giving the Starlight Royal Academy a lot of face. Currently, Rupert is about to face the 15th wave of enemies. Meanwhile, Henry was facing the 25th. Others were mostly on the 20th wave still. Powered by m|v|l|e|mpyr The difference is caused by declining the grace period in between waves. Participants could choose to either take a rest or continue right away. In the first few waves, Henry and Rupert chose to proceed immediately; the former did it more than thetter; that''s why they''re ahead of the curve. However, this doesn''t really give them any visible advantages. It saves them time, yes, but that''s about it. Doing this wouldn''t give them any bonus points in their final rankings; it''s merely a choice that''s avable to them, as the system said. "Man, Big Brother Henry''s really monstrous." Rupert chuckled bitterly as he continued watching. Rupert will never get tired of seeing Henry''s effortless way of weaving spell after spell. Even his teacher could only sigh in amazement at this. And to think that Henry was only two years older than him makes this even more mind-boggling. He then shifted his gaze to the others. His eyes fell on the guy named Christopher Miles and the girl named Rachel Summers. Christopher, or simply Chris, was a Spear Saint. Despite hisckluster appearance, his fighting instincts were top-notch. The way he seamlessly weaved through his opponents while lifting that heavy overlord spear of his was admirable. He''s quick, efficient, and lethal. Rachel Summers was good, too. Not a single enemy managed to even get close to her. The moment they enter a certain distance from her, they turn into dust particles that are scattered with the wind. It''s such a weird sight, especially since all Rachel did was just stand in the middle of her arena. Her performance looked even more effortless than Henry''s. Rupert didn''t see Henry aspetition simply because he''s not; Henry''s way stronger than him, and they were from the same camp. The same couldn''t be said with these two, though. There''s no way he''d let these two easily surpass him, especially because they''re of the same age as he is and their talents are even. Their being here evoked Rupert''s fighting spirit. He wouldn''t let himself be outdone by those at the same age as him. As for what those two thought about him, that is on them. Rupert doesn''t care if he''s seeking a one-sidedpetition. He just wants to prove something. ''Maybe after this is over, the teacher will allow me to enter level up again. I really want to feel the difference between the Superhuman Realm and the nar Traveler Realm,'' Rupert thought to himself. If Lissandra hadn''t prevented him from leveling up too fast, he would''ve probably beenpeting in the nar Traveler bracket right now. With his ss temte, the concept of ''bottleneck'' simply didn''t exist in his path. As soon as his realm was stabilized, he could almost immediately pursue another breakthrough, and he would be fine. The reason why Lissandra told him to slow down was because she wanted him to purify his mana. She taught him a way topress and refine his mana to bolster his foundations. This allowed his mana reserves to grow to an astounding level, allowing him to use spells that were at least a realm above his current strength with little to no bacsh. That said, Lissandra also asked him to solidify his basics, just like Henry did. So long as he levels up his skills the same way as Henry did, these basic spells are enough to solve most of his problems. Rupert followed her suggestion, of course. And his hard work paid off. Most of his spells are at level 10, but only the moreplicated ones are at a level lower than that. However, if he really wants to catch up to Henry''s progress, he would have to work harder than this. Of course, Rupert was aware that Henry wouldn''t make it any easier on him. After all, like Rupert, Henry was also postponing his breakthrough to polish his foundations, and he''s not new to this concept; he''s been doing this since he became a superhero. It''s one of the main reasons why he became the #1 in his batch, after all. "Okay, my mana''s full again." Rupert stood up and patted the dust off of his buttocks. He looked at the system interface with a determined expression and held his Moonlight Crystal Staff tighter, causing it to buzz with magical power. "Start the next wave!" He dered, and the enemies came pouring in. Chapter 334: Finals; Conclusion and Rich Rewards The finals were nearing their end. Only a handful of people left from the hundreds that went in earlier. The audience had long since be numb with shock after seeing the terrifying enemies the participants had to face, especially the ones that appeared at waves 20 and above. If one of these creatures were set free on the continent, havoc and bloodshed would surely follow them. But at the same time, this also allowed everyone to see hope because, while the enemy was certainly terrifying, their people aren''t pushovers either. The ones that are still fighting for the top rankings of the tournament are all fierce and powerful Superhumans. The skills they disyed were incredibly terrifying; each one was powerful enough to face the threatsing their way. Amongst the people who are left, there''s two people who were just above and beyond the norm¡ªones that stood on apletely different level than the rest. Obviously, it''s Isabe Frostwind and Garrick Stoneheart. They were already famous even before joining the tournament because of their active participation in the war for liberation. However, nobody truly saw theplete extent of just how powerful they were back then. In this tournament, though? They could all see it, and the audience could only say that their reputations were well deserved. Garrick was on Wave 40 and is facing hundreds of 5th Change nar Traveler-level enemies. Anyone who''s watching the stream with him as the focus would have a difficult time keeping up with what''s happening since everything was going on a little too fast. There''s a lot of shing lights and miserable cries going on in his field. Garrick''s greataxe practically turned into a blur with how fast he''s swinging that thing around. The earth trembled with his advances, and blood drenched the entire battlefield. The sheer might of his swings caused bits and pieces of flesh to scatter everywhere, painting a hellish scene that disyed Garrick''s ferocity. To everybody''s eyes, Garrick seemed to have lost his mind, but in reality, he hasn''t. Garrick was inplete control now; he had already put a leash on his barbaric instincts and trained himself to the point of not losing himself in madness. Otherwise, it''d be embarrassing for him if he couldn''t even do such a simple thing. Garrick was like a ughter mill with an endless energy source. While the rest were still modestly at waves 25 to 30, he has already advanced to wave 40 simply because he didn''t need any rest at all. The action in his field never stopped once it started; enemies continuously poured in and were killed soon after they appeared. Those who were watching his performance had been renderedpletely speechless by his amazing stamina. From the very start of the finals up until this point, Garrick hasn''t rested at all. He kept going and going, making the audience think that he''s a machine instead of a human. This was the overwhelming advantage of Garrick''s Indestructible Vajra Physique. Ever since it matured with him, he found himself being able to tap into seemingly bottomless stamina and endurance. It''s not that it''s bottomless or limitless, truly. It''s more of an ''absurd recovery speed'' for him. Garrick recovers the energy he spent as soon as he uses it; that''s why it seems that he''s not running out of stamina anytime soon. This has limits, of course, but it would take an insane amount of effort to force Garrick to that point. The ''ughter''King''¡ªthat''s what people are calling him now. Opposite to Garrick''s mad and ruthless ughter of his enemies, the scene on Isabe''s corner was rather quiet and serene. Don''t be mistaken; things are happening on her battlefield too. They''re stopped before they can make a lot of noise, hence the difference. Isabe sat on a sky blue ice crystal throne in the middle of the battlefield. There, she nced coldly at the enemies pouring out of the portal at every corner of the walls. She''s surrounded by ciers and ice sculputures; the temperature within was near absolute zero; snow fell from above without any visible clouds; and several ice shards shattered from time to time. Her behavior, as well as the general scene around her, earned her the title of ''Winter Empress''. Isabe was currently at Wave 45, at least five waves ahead of Garrick. Just like him, Isabe never took rest; she just tore through the waves of enemies like they were nothing but a waste of time to her. It is said that any deliberate''set-up'' will be cleared in between waves, but since Isabe never needed to rest in between waves, her domain set-up remained since she''s considered to be inbat still. Some people would call this unfair, but nobody would dare say this directly to her face, lest she turn them into one of the many ice sculptures around her. Compared to the piled-up corpses and rivers of blood on Garrick''s side, Isabe''s corner looked more pristine. That''s because anything that was frozen by her would turn into ice dust the moment it shattered. This was the terror of near-zero temperatures around her. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e-NovelBin Isabe didn''t even need to do anything; keeping her domain active was just a simple effort for her. She looks bored, even. That said, her killing efficiency isn''t any less than Garrick''s. If anything, she''s even faster, hence why she''s already at wave 45 while Garrick is still at wave 40. Compared to the other nar Travelers that are left on the battlefield, these two are just on apletely different level. They''re just too far aheadpared to others. Their strength could be said to be nearly at the level of the High Marshals. The participant who''s in third ce is currently on wave 30, ten waves behind and nearlypletely spent. If it weren''t for the fact that there''s a rest period in between waves, this person would''ve been eliminated by now. ** After a couple more hours, the finals eventually concluded. Nobody was surprised that in the nar Traveler bracket, Isabe and Garrick were respectively in first and second ce. The third ce was a man named Wilson Briggs, the fourth ce was ady named Jessica Denvers, and the fifth ce was Mark Redstone. On the Superhuman bracket, Herny Taylor stood tall in first ce,sting up until wave 51. In second ce was Rupert Lockheart, who finished at wave 49. Next was, surprisingly, Rachel Summers, followed by Christopher Miles. The former cleared wave 45 before forfeiting, and thetter was done at wave 43. The fifth ce was taken by a youngdy named Kaye Parker, whosted up until wave 42. The top five for each bracket now stood on a pedestal while the rest of the finalists were gathered below to look up at them. The setting is a bit distasteful, but it can''t be helped. Before the atmosphere turned inexplicably weird, the High Marshals, along with Cedric, appeared to congratte them. "Good work, everybody. We, at the Prime Earth Federation, are extremely happy to witness the skills and heroic aura of the new generation," Raven Armstrong stated with a wide smile on his face. "To reward your efforts, everyone who participated in the finals will be given the position of an Army Officer. This positiones with authority and ess to resources that could only be purchased in the army," Cassandra followed up. This reward caused the finalists'' eyes to shine brightly, except for a few people, of course. "To those at the 50th to the 30th ce, they will receive a minimum of 10 King Essence Souls, the first section of any cultivation techniques of your own choice, and one year residence on the outer courtyard of the Law Communion Hall," Anthony Selner dered. Gasps of shock and surprise were heard from the finalists, followed by tion and thrill. Even the audience was shocked because nobody was expecting such rich rewards. "For the 29th to 11th ce, you will receive a minimum of 100 King Essence Souls, two to three sections of any cultivation techniques of your own choosing, and one year of residence in the Inner Courtyard of the Law Communion Hall. The rewards will be adjusted ording to your rankings," Filius Greenwood announced. "And finally, the 1st to 10th ce winners will be given 500 to 1000 King Essence Souls, one to three sections of any of theary Level Cultivation Techniques we have avable so far, and five years of residence in the Core Depths of the Law Communion Hall." "In addition, I will personally create a growing artifact for those at the 1st to 5th rank as an extra reward," Cedric personally announced. Now, everybody was restless. Even Isabe was visibly moved by this generosity, and if she''s like this, one could only imagine how the rest reacted to it. But whether they''re happy or not, it doesn''t change the ending of this tour. Cedric looked at the drone and said, "I''d like to thank everybody for tuning in so far. Please look forward to the next Continental Superhuman Tournament, which will happen five yearster. The details will be announcedter on the federal site." "Goodbye, and be kind to each other." Chapter 335: Forging and Meeting The rich rewards truly made the finalists feel happy. Sure, they were expecting to be handsomely rewarded for participating in this event, but they didn''t expect to receive such abundant rewards. Just the King Essence Soul reward made everything worth it. One has to know that even in modern times, king-level essence souls are rare. Only those in the nar Traveler Realm or theary Stages of Life Evolution could exchange for one. The gap between a lord-level essence soul and a king-level essence soul was almost an uncrossable chasm. There''s just noparison, truly. This, in addition to the free ess to the cultivation technique depository of the federal army, almost drove those who hesitated to join mad with envy. Sure, those who didn''t ce high on the rankings will only get ess to the first sections, but that''s already better than nothing. Don''t forget that this reward alsoes with an army position. So long as they umte enough merits, the federal army wouldn''t prevent them from exchanging for the rest of their chosen techniques. And this was all given to those who just made it into the final round. Those whopeted for higher rankings received even richer rewards. Aside from the Essence Soul, Cultivation Technique, and residence at the Law Communion Hall, the top 10 will also be given a Growth Artifact personally made by Cedric. He already asked each one of them to submit their requests to him, saying that they shouldn''t hold back and be as detailed as they could since whatever artifact he makes for them will apany them for a very long time. But even after he told them this and had given them enough time to think, some still said that they''d be fine with whatever, which certainly defeats the purpose of him asking for their opinion. Well, there''s nothing he could do about this. He could only try his best to satisfy these people. After all, this additional reward was something that he added himself. He didn''t even inform the High Marshals about it. "Let''s see..." Cedric was in the forge right now. He''s sitting in front of his workbench with several stacks of blueprintsid out. His hands turned into a blur as he designed the artifacts he nned for the top rankers. He was already done with those who were undecided; he''s just finalizing the design for those who had a preferred option. "Christopher Miles asked for a defensive artifact. He said either an armor or a shield would do. I thought he''d ask for a new spear, but it turns out that the one he''s using is a family heirloom and is already a growing artifact." "Well, let''s give him a full set of armor, one that will enhance his physical attributes and increase his explosive strength and endurance." "Rachel Summers asked for a weapon. Because of her ss, Psionic Master, she couldn''t think of an exact image of a weapon that suits her perfectly." "Hmm...based on her performance, she doesn''t follow the typical fighting style of either warriors or mages. She mainly focuses on controlling matter and psychological forces; she''s also decent at both melee and rangedbat." "A psychic orb will do just fine," Cedric muttered to himself as his hands blurred on the blueprint. "This orb will function like y dough for her. It could turn into sharp or blunt objects with a single thought. It will also function as a focus for her psionic force, like wands to wizards and staffs to mages. This should give her finer control over her power." "Rupert asked for a new mage staff, albeit reluctantly." Cedric chuckled to himself. "He said that the Moonlight Crystal Staff was something that his teacher made and gave to him as an apprenticeship gift, so he values it a lot. Unfortunately, it''s starting to fall off as he bes stronger." Cedric waves his hand and summons the same staff that he''s talking about. "Therefore, he asked me to re-cast this staff instead, thinking that in this way, at least his new staff will still feel more familiar to him." "He probably didn''t think that I could just turn this thing into a growing artifact directly. Stupid brat." Cedricughed as he put the staff away. "And for the first ce in the Superhuman bracket, Henry Taylor, his request is rather peculiar." Cedric wore an interested expression. "He didn''t ask for either an offensive or a defensive artifact. He also had no particr requirements for the appearance of this equipment at all. What he wants is something that will assist him in his training, preferably an artifact that could judge his current skills and give him suggestions on how to perfect it even more." "What an interesting kid. So be it then. I''d make a personalized AI for you." "Now, onto the nar Traveler bracket..." "Mark Redstone, the 5th ce, asked for a defensive artifact in the form of a hooded cloak. He wants it to look edgy and cool. His words, not mine." "Jessica Denvers, in 4th ce, asked for a new harp. She uses sound-based attacks inbat, so this is in line with her fighting style." "The 3rd ce, Wilson Briggs, asks for an armor set with strong emphasis on arm and leg bracers. He uses a pugilistic style ofbat, so I guess he wanted this artifact to function as both offensive and defensive." "As for Garrick and Isabe... man, seeing them again in person was both nostalgic and awkward." Cedric shook his head after saying this. "Garrick wants a new axe, preferrably one that has absurd durability. He said that because of his reckless fighting style and his Indestructible Vajra Physique giving him a disgusting amount of raw power, even the weapons that ''technically'' have strong durability easily break after he uses them for a bit." "He said that he had to physically limit the amount of strength he uses to ensure that his weapon wouldn''t break in the middle ofbat. I can tell how annoying that could be, so I''ll try to satisfy his request." "As for Isabe..." Cedric looked a bit absent-minded for a bit. He briefly remembers their conversation yesterday, and it was... strange, to say the least. Isabe was either distracted or silent during the interview. Back in the day, when they were still students at the Starlight Royal Academy, Isabe was already difficult to talk to; even approaching her seemedplicated. It''s been many years since then. Cedric thought that there would be some changes, at least, but to his surprise, her attitude became ''worse''. Even Garrick showed some improvement in his maturity, so Cedric couldn''t understand why Isabe couldn''t when she''s obviously better than him. It wasn''t until that Snow Owl pet of hers began chirping that he suddenly understood why. He pretended to not hear the mental conversation they were having, and thank God he could skillfully control his expressions; otherwise, she might''ve caught on. No, it''s not like she didn''t improve socially. Her strange behavior was due to an entirely different reason. "Ugh, stop it, Cedric. Focus!" "Anyway, Isabe didn''t have any requirements at all. She just merely told me to surprise her with whatever I coulde up with." "Whew! Girl, you''re making thisplicated for me." "Whatever, I''ll see what I can do." Cedric got rid of any distracting thoughts and began taking out the materials he''d need to create the artifacts he promised. Honestly, he could just ask either Rocky or Granitas to do this for him. While they might be golems, they also have other skills. However, he did say that he would personally create the artifacts for them, so he''ll stick with it. Otherwise, Ac might just feel mischevious and casually reveal hisziness in the description for each item. That would be bad for his reputation. As Cedric worked on artifacts, he briefly scanned the continent and discovered that the finalists are currently perusing the federal depository, choosing their cultivation techniques ording to their promised level of rewards. He also discovered that Eon, the Law Communion Hall Grand Elder, had already finished the new residence for the finalists. Now, he''s just connecting each one to allow the raw Concept Laws to flow within the residential chambers to have them ready for use. Meanwhile, the High Marshals as well as the other important people of the federal army gathered in the meeting hall within the Federal Headquarters. Each one looked solemn and dignified; it''s as if they were about to discuss something that would determine the future of humanity. The meeting hall became silent. It''s as if they''re waiting for something to happen and wouldn''t start unless the signal was given. Cedric blinked, then concentrated his voice into a thin line and sent it there without leaving the forge or pausing his actions. His voice then echoed around the corners of the meeting hall. "Go on with your discussion. I''ll be listening." And as it turns out, this was exactly what they were waiting for. Nobody minded the fact that Cedric didn''t appear personally to say this; they just readily epted it and proceeded with the meeting. Raven Armstrong stood tall on the podium and announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, I believe it''s time for us to begin our ns to reim the Lost Continent." Chapter 336: Movement It''s been a few weeks since the conclusion of the Continental Superhuman Tournament. People were still talking about it, but not as frequently as before. It''s evident that the hype and craze it brought were starting to fade with time. The finalists had already received their due rewards and moved on with their lives; the citizens of Azure Terra were doing the same. However, there were several movements behind the scenes, and they''reing from the army. Said movements weren''t obvious. They were deliberately kept private to prevent people from panicking. However, a few people who were paying close attention were still able to notice the little clues they left behind. These clues won''t be enough for anybody to discover their real purpose; however, they''re enough to make them suspicious. The great wall was seeing some active movement. More soldiers from each army branch have been seen heretely. They were either busy working on something or paying close attention to the shores, making sure that whatever was happening behind them wouldn''t be disturbed by any invading sea demons. From ordinary cadets to the High Marshals, everybody in the army was mobilized, but their activities were kept hidden from the public to prevent paranoia or panic. They have a purpose; that much is clear. And judging from how active they were, this was certainly bound to be big. "So, we''re making a move on the Lost Continent?" Erica asked while lying down with Cedric. Chrissy was here too, obviously. Erica and Chrissy are unlike most people or soldiers. Since they''re linked to Cedric, their identities have certainly be special. The Federal Army could only request their assistance, not order them around, lest they attract the ire of the Sun Sage. "Yeah," Cedric replied with a soft voice. "They''ve been nning this for about five years now. The preparations have beenpleted right before the tournament happened. I guess they can''t wait anymore." That''s right. This n wasn''t hatched mere months or weeks ago. The federal army has been brewing this idea for years now and has asked for his opinion since then. They didn''t disturb him much; they would just send encrypted e-mails to him that contained details of their ns and development so far. The High Marshals knew that Cedric wouldn''t interfere too much with how they chose to lead humanity, and they''ve epted this. They also knew that, unless humanity faced a dire threat or if the true leading figure of the Demon Race appeared, Cedric would refrain from interfering with their affairs. He has already done a lot for humanity, and that''s evident in the prosperity they''re enjoying right now. He can''t hold their hand forever; they have to learn how to stand up on their own. Especially since they''re starting to have the idea that Cedric won''t stay in this world forever. "Are we prepared enough for it?" Chrissy asked. "I don''t mean to slight their efforts, but our fight with the Wrath''s Sin is still fresh in my memory. I could still remember how we all struggled against it." "Well, it certainly hasn''t been long since thest time, but everybody has seen drastic improvements since then." Cedric gave her aforting smile. "If you two make a move as well, the two remaining sin demons roaming on that continent will be suppressed to the point of helplessness." Cedric then stared at the ceiling and continued, "I understand what they feel. I also want to cleanse this world off of demonic filth as soon as possible so that we can move on to greener pastures." "Humans are way stronger nowpared to 15 years ago. I am optimistic about their chances this time; that''s why I let them do as they please." 15 years might be nothing to demons, but to humans, this was already a lot of time. Since the liberation of this continent, humans have never ceased their development. Even as early as then, they were already making extensive ns for the future of humans and this world. All of this was seen and heard by Cedric; they couldn''t keep this a secret from him, no matter how hard they tried. "Well, if you think we can seed, then I don''t mind helping," Erica stated. "I, too, want us to develop even further." "Me too," Chrissy chimed in. "Once we reim the Lost Continent, only seas are left, and this world will be free." "You''re not counting the fleet stationed just outside of this world?" Cedric asked with a raised brow. "Don''t we have you for that?" Chrissy cheekily retorted. "I know you wouldn''t let them interfere with what''s happening down here. Besides, our priority is nursing this world back to its prime. The outsiders can wait." Cedric rolled his eyes at her shamelessness. It doesn''t help that she''s right, of course. But yes, this is indeed the case. There''s no way Cedric would allow the space pirates outside to interfere with what''s happening down here. It''s a little toote for them to regret underestimating just how much humans hated them. Moreover, it''s also toote for them to flee. The moment they allowed their arrogance to dismiss his potential threat to them was the same moment they signed their death warrant. They''ve given Cedric time to prepare a trap for them; the only choice left is for them to walk right into it. "On apletely different note..." Erica suddenly said, "...what''s your n with Isabe?" Cough! Cough! Cough! Her genuinely curious question smacked Cedric back to reality. He looked at her with eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "Yeah, when are you fucking her?" Chrissy saw a chance and took it, making Cedric suffer even more. "It''s not funny, girls. Quit it." Cedric groaned, leaning back to the pillow. "What? I''m not joking." Erica said. "Come on, we know you''re not dumb or dense. Even back then, when we were still students, that girl was already attracted to you." "We honestly don''t even know why she hasn''t be our sister yet. It''s not like we restricted you from talking to her," Chrissy added on the side. Cedric didn''t know what to say. They''re right; he''s neither dumb nor dense. He''s well aware that Isabe''s attracted to him, even though they''re still students at the academy. He couldn''t pursue her back then since he was mostly upied with the idea of bing stronger, plus he already had two girlfriends, which was enough for him. Of course, their recent reunion didn''t help. The things he overheard between her and her familiar just made it worse. He also didn''t tell this to either of his girlfriends, but somehow he has this idea that they knew. How exactly? Cedric has no idea. "I don''t wanna think about it," Cedric groaned after a bit. He then buried his face in between Erica''s breasts just because. "Don''t be a pussy, Big Boy. Go and chase that icy princess. Pin her down and fuck her; you have our permission!" Chrissy truimphantly cackled like an obsencemander. This made Ericaugh sonorously despite Cedric''s annoyance. These two aren''t really making it easy for him. Should he feel grateful that he has their support to flirt with another girl, or should he feel scared because they might mean the opposite? He couldn''t really tell if they''re being serious right now or not. And just like he said, he didn''t want to think about it either. But then, out of nowhere, Cedric lifted his face from Erica''s bountiful bosom, wearing a deep frown on his face. The sudden change in his behavior startled both girls, and they looked at him in wonder and worry. They saw him looking up; his eyes shed with a faint golden shimmer, as if he''d been scanning something with his vision. And that''s not wrong. Cedric was indeed scanning the world with his eyes. He suddenly felt some strange movements and fluctuationsing from somewhere, which greatly rmed him. His vision magnified and covered every corner of Prime Earth. In this state, nothing could escape his eyes. The movement he felt wasing from the Lost Continent. There, he saw a surprising scene: a huge wormhole opened up in the middle of the continent, spewing out armies of demons. When he shifted his gaze, he discovered that this wasing from the outside¡ªmore specifically, from the main fleet of the demon race. ''This shouldn''t be possible. How could they bypass the restrictions of the agreement and directly send out these many demons? From what I know, there were any humans who could turn into a spatial node on the Lost Continent.'' After a brief scan, he then discovered how they achieved this. He saw a particr demon of importance holding a strange piece of equipment being used to facilitate this transfer. ''That''s...a pseudo-cosmic artifact? Huh, I see. No wonder then.'' ''Fortunately, it seems that they can''t use it quite often. That thing drains their resources like a ckhole.'' Cedric sighed and stopped his spying. He then saw his girlfriends looking worried at him. He gave them a smile and said, "Don''t worry, I''m fine. It''s just that..." Cedric paused for a bit and said, "...the fight to reim the Lost Continent just became more challenging." Chapter 337: The Sins have gathered -- "Ugh, such an unsavory air. I hate aliens," a human-shaped demonined. This demon has a pair of bat-like wings and has extremely feminine features. She has lustrous scarlet hair, a pair of seductive wine-red eyes, plump lips, pale skin, a narrow waist, and wide hips. Her womanly charm nearly drove the surrounding stray demons mad with lust. If it weren''t for the fact that they could feel an ominous threat from her, they would''ve long since pinged her down and ravaged her. "Me too. I also hate aliens. But we''re on a mission right now," said another demon. This one wasn''t shaped like a human at all. It looked like an amalgamation of sewn body parts, making it extremely difficult to determine what exactly it was other than a monstrosity. It also doesn''t help that this one likes changing its appearance frequently. The only constant feature that allows itsrades to determine its identity is the outrageouslyrge and overstuffed bag it always carries everywhere. Gurgle Gurgle! These two demons looked to their sides and instantly wore a disgusted expression after seeing what''s there. The female demon looked away while the monstrous demon spat on the ground. The demon that made the sound just now looked like a huge blob of goo or slime. If it weren''t for its horns and the thick demonic corruption it exudes in its surroundings, nobody would''ve been able to tell that it''s a demon at all. It''s hard to determine where its head and feet were, or if it even has any. All they could tell is that it''s really bloated for some reason. "What''s his deal?" The female demon asked. "He was feasting before we left." The monstrous demon replied, "Like, down to thest second before we were sent here, he was feasting still. He says that he won''t be back soon and he''d miss the luxurious meals provided in the ship, so he might as well savor it as much as he could before it''s taken away from him." "Are you serious?" The female demon looked dumbfounded. The monstrous demon just shrugged. Then she asked, "So he didn''t leave the table and was forcibly transported here?" "Yeah." The monstrous demon nodded. "The teleportation did its thing, and all the undigested food in him is probably causing this right now. So, essentially, he''s on a fooda. He''ll be fine after some rest." The female demon rolled her eyes and began scanning their new surroundings. She then raised a brow because she noticed that someone they knew was missing. "Hey, where did the big kitty go? Wasn''t he sent here with us?" "Ah, him? Well, he''s probably hunting down thezy ape to give it a piece of his mind. You know how he is; his insignia isn''t helping either," the monstrous demon helplessly replied. The female demon could only sigh after hearing this. The fact that, despite their unique personalities shing, the insignia they bore allowed them to remain a team was a miracle to her. A miracle was only made possible by the arrangements of the Demon God. "Well, well, well." A pitchy sneer echoed in their ears, causing both of them to look at its source. There, they saw another female demon; this one had a pair of moth-like wings and eyes. Her figure certainly doesn''t lose out on the other female demon. The twodies measured each other with a narrowed gaze. "Long time no see, slutty whore." The female demon with moth wings was greeted with another sneer. "I missed you too, whiny bitch." The female demon with bat wings returned the gesture exactly the way she received it. The harsh tension between them made the monstrous demon feel threatened. It retreated to give way to their fiercepetition, and it could''ve sworn that the air started crackling with lightning around them. This urred for a few minutes before they both looked away at the same time. "Hmph!" "Hmph!" The monstrous demon smiled wryly (if one could even tell from its appearance) and wisely chose to step in, hoping that it could somehow diffuse the tension. "Ahem, uh... long time no see, Lady Envy. I hope you still remember me," it said. "Your an existence that only a mother could love, Sir Greed. That ridiculously oversized and overstuffed bag of yours sure is a sight for sore eyes, one that I''d admit missed seeing, but only a little bit." Sir Greed could tell that her words were both praise and an insult at the same time. Such eloquence is something that only this fiercedy could wield with that sharp tongue of hers. "I''m d to hear that," he responded nheless. "By the way, do you still remember Rom''er?" The way Lady Envy''s eyes visibly shone upon hearing the name told Sir Greed the answer. "It seems that you do," he said. "He volunteered toe with us, by the way. Since you two seem to be really close, I think he''d be really happy to see you." "Rom''er?" The female demon with the bat wings chimed in. "Oh, it''s that handsome operator, right? I remember him." She then stared at Lady Envy provocatively, raised her hand, showed her middle finger, and licked it obscenely before saying: "He''s delicious." A burst of terrifying demonic aura exploded from Lady Envy''s body upon hearing this. If looks could kill, the bat-winged female demon would''ve died thousands of times by now. "Paws off, Lust," Lady Envy warned in a severely threatening manner. "Rom''er is mine." "Mistress Lust, please stop ying around." Sir Greed whispered softly beside her. "Hmph!" Sir Greed felt helpless. He''s out here trying to diffuse the tension, but this lusty whore isn''t helping. He never understood why these two never got along well since they met, even after centuries of knowing each other. Lady Envy took back her threatening aura. She then gave Sir Greed a grateful look and said, "I owe you one, Sir Greed. I''ll give you one of the precious trinkets I got during my time hereter." After saying this, Lady Envy flew off to find her prince charming. "Tch. What a hateful bitch," Mistress Lust spat once Lady Envy was gone. She then red at Sir Greed andined, "Why did you stop me? I''ve been wanting to trample that bitch under my heels!" "Oh, you can do that?" Sir Greed''s rhetorical reply with an obvious mockery rendered Mistress Lust speechless. Seemingly unable to bear the heat of his gaze, she could only puff her cheeks and look away in irritation. "Yeah, that''s what I thought. You never won against her in a straight-up fight. It''d be you who would be trampled upon if a fight really broke out between the two of you. So I saved you just now." Sir Greed rolled his eyes. "Tch. Whatever." Mistress Lust spat once more. She then pulled on the ridiculously oversized backpack of his and began rummaging through the items inside. "Hey! Hey! Hey! What the fuck are you doing? Quit it! It''s mine!" Sir Greed roared aggressively. "Come on, don''t be stingy! I just want to borrow some sex toys! I forgot mine back on the ship!" "Stop it! You won''t find any in there!" Sir Greed eximed, but then looked strange afterwards. "Well, nothing that''s suitable for females! Hey! Stop it! Hands off! It''s mine! It''s all mine! Don''t touch it!" "Oh,e on! Please! There''s got to be something in there that could help!" Mistress Lust tried using her seductive voice and her womanly charm to get what she wanted. Unfortunately, Sir Greed has grown used to this. How could he not when he''s been working with her for thousands of years now? She''s dreaming if she thinks that this would work on him. "Quit it! I said I don''t have anything suitable for you! And even if I do, it''s mine! You''d have to kill me before you can take it!" His words were apanied by the flickering lights on her insignia. This sight caused Mistess Lust to dete, knowing that when he''s like this, it''s truly impossible for her to get anything from him. Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin Sir Greed seemed to calm down after she stopped. He fixed hisrge backpack and secured it to his nonsensical body. "If you want some sexual relief, I suggest you go to thezy ape." He said, "I''m sure you can do all sorts of orbatic maneuvers on his dick, and he''d just let you so long as you don''t disturb his sleep. Non-consentual sex is right up your alley anyway." "Or, you could put on a leash and offer yourself to King Pride," Sir Greed sneered. "That big kitty is a closet pervert anyway. So long as you y your cards well and arouse his sadistic side, you''d surely receive the plowing you deserve." "You can also set up a non-stop organization with the stray animals. Up to you, really. Just don''t bother me and never touch my things!" "Oh, I didn''t know I had that many options!" Mistress Lust brightened up after hearing his words. "Okay! I won''t bother you anymore! I''ll go and check on Big Sloth and King Pride; maybe they can DP me!" Sir Greed winced after seeing Mistress Lust flutter away in a burst of giggles, leaving a trail of her fluids behind. "Oh, Demon God. Will we be really fine here?" Chapter 338: Alerted "You guys, it''s not good. I just detected a significant spike in demonic activity on the Lost Continent. Did our spies send a message?" Cassandra Zephyrus, High Marshal of the Southern Region, entered the meeting room with a solemn expression. "That''s actually why I called for a meeting." Raven Armstrong sighed while massaging his forehead. "The spies sent a recording. Go ahead and watch it." Saying this, he yed the short video recording sent by the Night Stalkers that Cedric enved back then and turned into spies. The video clip isn''t long¡ªjust around a minute and a half¡ªyet its contents were very rming. "How can this be!?" Filius eximed. "How can they still send more of their people here? Isn''t this bypassing the forced oath?" "I really don''t know. I would like to know how as well, but right now, it''s not important. It won''t change the fact that they''re here now and we have to deal with this," Raven replied. "Are those...?" Anthony trailed off after seeing some unique demons as the video clip yed. "The rest of the Seven Deadly Sins are here too." "That might be the case," Cassandra said in a solemn tone. "The insignia on their bodies looked just like the one that Wrath had, and even if they aren''t, we can''t underestimate these ones. I could feel that they''re no less than Demon Kings, perhaps even stronger." "What a fucking timing too," Filius snorted angrily, clenching his fists. "They appear just as we''re about tounch an offensive. Could it be that they could still observe what''s happening on this continent from outside?" "I find that very unlikely," Raven stated. "The Sun Sage isn''t one to hold back or haphazardly make arrangements. He isn''t one to lie either. He said that since liberation, the Demon Race could no longer spy on our home. They wouldn''t even be able to prate the fog that hides this continent." "The only reason why the sea demons could still invade the shores of this continent is because the fog that hides this continent can''t prate the sea. It''s obvious that he didn''t lie since we didn''t see any sightings or experience any invasions fromnd or air demons for the past 15 years." "So, this is a mere coincidence, then?" Anthony asked with uncertainty. "I''m inclined to believe it as such," Raven replied with a tired sigh. "Whatever it is, though, it just made our ns a bit moreplicated." "It would''ve been fine if only the rest of the seven deadly sins appeared. At worst, we would just take them on one by one. But they just had to bring in millions of their troops with them. This renders our previous arrangement and stockpile insufficient to deal with their potential retaliation." A brief silence ensued within the meeting room. All of them were feeling uncertain about their next move due to the unforseen development. Sure, they have an option. They could always ask for Cedric''s opinion or help in times like this. But none of them dared to suggest this option right now simply because, if possible, they want to solve this themselves. They can''t rely on Cedric all the time. He''s already made his stance clear, and they''ve received the message. It''s for this very same reason why they only gave him a heads-up of their n to make a move on the Lost Continent and did not ask for anything further than that. To humans, Cedric was theirst line of defense. One that couldn''t be exposed unless they''re facing a grave threat. "I feel a bit unwilling to postpone our ns because of this sudden development." Filius broke the silence with his words. "At most, we could ask our soldiers to work overtime to increase the number of weapons we have. It''s been 15 years; I sound impatient, I know, but I don''t want us topromise again just because the demon race intimidated us for the nth time." Hisrades looked at him; their expressions didn''t show what they''re thinking, but there''s a subtle understanding amongst them. After a brief period of silence, Raven spoke: "Okay, let''s begin brainstorming for ideas." ** "Well, hello there, my cute disciple." A crisp yet delicate voice interrupted Rupert''s training. He turned around in shock to see his teacher standing at the entrance of the barracks where he''s at. "Teacher!" Rupert''s eyes shone brightly as he began approaching her. Rupert put no airs in front of Lissandra; he''s just a child who''s pleasantly surprised by her sudden visit. The headmistress pinched her cheeks in adoration while sighing in her heart. She felt a little bit emotional because Rupert was growing a little too fast for her liking. She has long since treated him as her firstborn and feels a little bit reluctant to expose him to the dangers outside. "Howe you''re here?" Rupert asked. "And why didn''t you tell me? I could''ve fetched your outside." "I know my way around here, my little gentleman. This isn''t the first time I came here after all," Lissandra fondly replied to him. "As for why exactly, I''m afraid that I''d have to keep it a secret for now since I signed an NDA. However, I''m pretty sure that you''ll know why soon, so don''t be impatient." "I see, that''s fine then," Rupert hummed. "Would you like to go inside first?" "I''d love to, but I have somewhere else to be." Lissandra gently declined his invitation. "I happened to be on the way, so I came here first to check up on you and see how you''re adjusting here. Now that I see that you''re doing just fine, I''m at peace. I''d have to go meet my colleagues now, so I''ll move on, okay?" "Okay!" "Don''t cause trouble here and make a lot of friends." Lissandra lovingly stroked his hair and said, "Alright, teacher''s leaving now." "Alright, see youter!" Lissandra watched as Rupert obediently returned to the barracks. When he''s out of sight, she turns around and makes her way to the office, where the meeting will take ce. A presence silently announced itself beside her. Lissandra had long noticed someone lurking around, so she wasn''t surprised. She didn''t stop it from sneaking up on her, either. "I''m jealous." The presence whined with an aggrieved voice. "I want a cute disciple too." This presence was none other than Fiona, who now works as the lead trainer for the Cadets. It''s because Lissandra knew that it''s her that she didn''t feel threatened by her sneaking around. "Aren''t you a lead trainer now?" Lissandra asked, despite already knowing the answer. "You''ve got tons of Cadets you can pamper; why feel jealous of the only one I have?" "Tch. Those little chicks don''t appreciate my pampering at all." Fiona clicked her tongue in annoyance. Lissandra gave her a nd and using look, saying, "I think maybe it''s because my definition of pampering is way different from yours." And this isn''tpletely wrong. Fiona''s definition of pampering was ''tough love." As the lead trainer of the Cadet Corps, she has to make sure that they are strong enough to handle abuse from their enemies. To do this, of course, she has to be the one who makes them feel it. Because, at the very least, she has control, she wouldn''t really kill them because that''s illegal. However, in her mind, she''s doing it for their sake, so it''s tough love. It''s just that others don''t think of it the same way. She wants them to feel her care, but they see her as a terrifying tyrant instead. One that leaves asting nightmare for them. Obviously, she wants to find a cute disciple to pamper too. She wants the same thing that Lissandra has with her disciple. However, nobody was brave enough to ept her tough love just yet, and she really didn''t feel like forcing anybody to do it just because she wanted one too. "Whatever. Have you seen Charles or Gabriel? I haven''t seen them in a while." "I know where Charles is," Lissandra replied. "I''m actually going to fetch him. Lord knows if none of us do, he willpletely forget about the meeting or the outside world. As for Gabriel..." "Let me guess," Fiona droned in a t tone. "He''s currently performing one of those weird mating dances of his, right?" "I won''t stand for this kind of nder, Fiona." "Speak of the god damn devil," Fiona muttered very softly after hearing Gabriel''s voice. He appeared right next to her and gave her a sharp stare before saying, "It''s called the Sun Praising Ritual. It''s not some weird mating dance. How many times do I have to tell you this?" "And how many times do I have to tell you that I don''t care whatever you call it? I call it the way I see it." Fiona sneered in reply. "That ritual of yours is a dance, and each time you do it, all of the singledies within the neighborhood appear and stare at you longingly. If that ain''t a mating dance ritual, then I don''t know what is! Hmph!" This caused Gabriel to pause in his tracks. Lissandra''s crispughter jolted him awake, and he heard her say: "She''s got you there." Chapter 339: Operation Starts Several armed soldiers waited at the barracks. The silence was tense. Everybody could feel the weight of responsibilities pressing down on them. Some tried to shake off the nerves by regting their breathing; some were praying; and others looked fine at least, but they might just be good at hiding their nervousness. After a while, the entrance of the tent pped open. A person who''s wearing the same uniform with a badge representing an authority higher than them walked in. He looked sternly at the tensed soldiers and said, "Well, boys, it''s time to nut up or shut up." He grinned. The soldiers did their best to hold their snickers back. They were expecting a more serious opening speech from this person, so they couldn''t help it when they heard this instead. "In all seriousness though, I believe that you all received your briefing already, so I won''t nag even further. You should already realize by now how important your task is to our future. If it hasn''t sunk in yet, let me know, and I''ll help you realize it in a more intimate manner." The officer''s eyes narrowed by the end of his words. That was a thinly-veiled threat. None of the soldiers dared to say anything. The officer was right anyway; they were already informed about the contents of this mission. They had a lot of time to marinate on the idea and even had the choice of whether to participate in this mission or not. If that didn''t make them realize just how important this was for the race, then they don''t deserve to wear their uniforms. "I like the look on your faces." The officer grinned. "Now, get up! All of you. We''re going to the transmission site." "I''ll stress this again. Once yound on the other side, it''s do or die. You have no time to rx or adjust unless you achieve the first checkpoint in your mission. Am I clear?" "Sir, yes, sir!" They all replied in unison. They talked while moving, and it didn''t take long before they arrived at the designated transmission site that will take them to where their mission will take ce. On the site, they saw several silhouettes standing on a higher tform overlooking the transmission array. The soldiers couldn''t figure out who they were, but they knew that these people were important to the army, so they didn''t dare to look too long. Several men wearingb coats were already there, waiting for them. They''re doingst-minute checks on the transmission array, making sure that everything is working the way it''s supposed to. When these people parted and made way for them, the soldiers took this as a sign to step into the array. The soldiers took a deep breath and pressed the switch on their chests. Upon doing so, the switch unfolded into a series of metal tes that covered them from head to toe. It looked like they''re wearing a suit of armor now, but this one isn''t as heavy as traditional armor. It offered the same amount of protection against harmful substances without the burden of weight; this also allows the soldiers to move silently while having decent protection. The one who''s standing at the very forefront of the squad looked at his teammates; he checked them one by one to see if everything was in order. Once he received a clear from everybody, he turned to the operators and gave them an okay sign. One of the operators began the countdown. The soldiers braced themselves, and once the countdown ended, they all felt the world spinning around them. The transmission felt like forever, but in truth, it only took a couple of seconds at most. When their senses returned, they found themselves in the middle of a dense ck fog. The visibility of their new surroundings was already shit, and the darkness of the skies just made it worse. Sadly, none of them had the luxury toin. The instructions of the officer were still fresh in their memory. The soldiers wasted no time and immediately began moving ording to their mission as soon as theynded. The squad leader saw this and maintained his silence. He just warily scanned their surroundings, searching for any possible threats nearby that mightpromise this mission. His squad moved as quickly and quietly as they could. Thanks to the armor they''re wearing, they didn''t have to be wary of the maddening corruption in their surroundings. Lord knows that without this te armor, they''d all be driven insane by now with how dense the corruption in this area is. The first checkpoint on their mission was the initial construction of the outpost. This required them to build a silvermist formation that would not only protect them but also obscure the location of their outpost, making it difficult for demons to hinder their mission. If they failed to do this, then they could all forget about returning to Azure Terra. This is the reason why the officer earlier said that this is a do-or-die moment; the squad could only rx a bit after they''re done with the initial set-up of the outpost. Suffice it to say, everybody worked under immense pressure. Everybody felt each second of this missionsting for forever, which might be caused by their tensed nerves. Fortunately, all of them were disciplined and have trained for this mission for an extended period of time. Nobody has made a mistake yet. tter! Everybody jolted after hearing this sound. They looked at each other briefly and discovered that it wasn''t any of them who made the sound. Those who were setting up the base shook in nervousness but didn''t dare to stop their movement. If anything, they urged themselves to hurry. As for the others, they scanned the surroundings warily, making sure that they''re ready to pull the trigger at the first sight of the emerging threat. The squad leader inwardly cursed this wretched fog of corruption for lowering the visibility of the area. Because of it, they can''t see anything further than 15 meters around their immediate vicinity, which is a little too close forfort. Then, after what felt like years since their arrival, the sound of crisp clicking and whirring refreshed their souls. This sound was very familiar to them, so much so that their bodies immediately rxed after hearing it before they realized what was happening. This was the sound of the Silvermist Formation rousing to activity, something that they''ve heard hundreds of times recently; that''s why it''s familiar to them. The squad wasted no time and entered the safety of the formation. Once they saw the obscuring silvermist blending with the nearby corruption, they all felt a wave of relief flooding through their veins. "Don''t take off your masks yet. Wait until the corruption''spletely flushed first," the squad leader ordered. Nobody refuted this. After all, they''re not blind; it''s in to see that they''re absolutely safe yet. His reminder was a lifesaver. With the first checkpoint of their missionpleted, the squad has more time and freedom toplete the rest of their mission checklist. However, none of them really felt like spending any more time than necessary in this hellish ce. So, instead of taking a brief rest, the soldiers began working towards the next goal, which is to set up themunicationwork so that they could begin reporting their status to the HQ. This time, the squad leader himself was hands-on in this set-up. Some equipment needed a security clearance that only he had, after all. Despite being protected and hidden within the silvermist formation, the soldiers still felt tense. They''re not really in a hurry this time, but this ce just makes them really antsy. Again, after what felt like hours, the initial setup for themunicationwork was made. Now, they just need to let it run for at least an hour and a half before trying to connect to the HQ. The wait is necessary because the machine they''re using will release signals that enemies might be able to detect if they use it too early. "While we wait for this, let''s work on something else. Divide yourselves into two; the first group will work on the transmission site, and the second group will work on making this zone habitable for us." The squad leader assigned himself to the first group since, again, some of the equipment they need to aplish this needs his clearance. As for the rest, they began expediting the flushing of corruption that still remained in the outpost. Not too fast, though, since the conversion rune could only absorb a certain amount of corruption inside. They began setting up tents, temporary rooms, etc. Basically, they are turning this area into a proper military outpost as they go. At this point, the scanners have already registered dozens of threats lurking around the outpost. Their numbers were mind-numbing. Fortunately, they''re now inside the formation and were hidden from their senses; otherwise, they would''ve attracted at least hundreds by now. Once the initial preparations were done, the squad leader breathed a sigh of relief. He then checked the time, and to his surprise, he found out that only an hour had passed since they arrived in this hellish ce. I could''ve really fooled him because, to him and his squad, it feels like they''ve been here for years. Chapter 340: Sin of Pride Floating above the skies of the Lost Continent was a Demon King of great fame and strength. Its vertical pupils scanned thend beneath with a cold and caltive gaze. Despite not having a solid tform to stand on, the creature stood tall in the air; its stance disyed skill, discipline, and power that not many couldpete with. Arms folded on its chest, a deep, rumbling growl echoed from this creature. The sound seems annoyed or irritated about something. "Hey, King. What''s the matter? Why look so glum?" A seductive voice, followed by a lingering touch, woke the king out of its reverie. Its vertical pupils nced over the one who disturbed its thoughts¡ªa female demon with bat-like wings wearing very thin clothing that almost did nothing to hide what''s beneath. Her figure and gaze could easily drive any demon insane with desire. She''s also wearing a leash, and she''s holding onto the other end of it, seemingly handing it over to the king. Such a gesture caused the king''s pride and desire to re intensely, but it quickly recovered. The king knows that this is neither the time nor ce for this. That said, it did take the other end of the leash for her, causing the other party to be visibly delighted. "It''s strange," the king stated, peeling his cold gaze from thedy and surveying thend below once more. "I feel like something''s wrongtely, but I just can''t put a finger on it." "I keep feeling some strange movements around. Like some pests scrittering here and there, but each time I try to search for them, I don''t see anything. It''s pissing me off." This wasn''t the first time that this king tried to survey the surrounding area. In fact, the king has been doing this for a couple days in a row now, but it just couldn''t find the source of the strange movements and sounds happening. It''s as if these pests could monitor the king''s movement, and they would only dare to cause a ruckus whenever he''s not actively searching for them. This truly grinds on its nerves and bes unbearable with each passing day. "Is that why you''ve been particrly fierce in bedtely?" The bat-winged demondy coquettishly leaned on the king''s muscr body, tracing the lines of his muscles with her long and delicate fingers. The king felt a vein popping out on his forehead. It growled in disbelief at the sheer audacity of this bitch. Here it was, trying to be serious, yet this woman''s thoughts are still tied to sex. How unbelievable. Though not out of character for this one. "Go hop on the Lazy Ape''s dick if you''re horny. I have no time for this," the king replied in an irritated way. "Boo, you''re such a killjoy." Thedy pouted and peeled herself away from him. Her expression turned bored and she said, "Are you sure that you aren''t just hearing things though? I mean, that''d be normal since we''re on an alien." "Unlike you, I''m actually serious about my career." The king sneered in contempt. "I''ve studied Prime Earth numerous times before; how can I not know what''s normal and not in this ce? I don''t want to stay here any longer than I need to, so I want to aplish this mission as soon as possible." "So you assume that humans are doing this, then?" "Well, the stray animals are way too afraid of us to do anything that will spark our ire, so, yes, I do think it''s the humans that are doing this." "That sounds absurd." The bat-wingeddy rolled her eyes in contempt. "Humans are merely lucky creatures. They already exhausted the entire fortune of their race when they managed to liberate and somehow hide Azure Terra from us." "This continent is quite literally on the other side of the. They would have to cross the tainted and extremely turbulent sea if they want to set foot in this ce. And even if they could do that, how can we, Demon Kings with the power of the Deadly Sins, not know? They''re humans; they will stick out like a sore thumb in a ce like this." She has a point, which is the very thing that irritated King Pride. And if she could think of something like this, how can he, the sin of pride, not? Of course, he already thought of this before. He''s way ahead of her. However, the fact that he couldn''t find an urate answer to the strange things he''d been feelingtely was truly pissing him off. He refuses to believe that it''s the stray animals that''s causing this. He''s fairly certain that it''s Prime Earth itself or the Sea Demons either, so it could only be humans¡ªbbut if this is right, how exactly? The fact that King Pride was clueless about it makes him feel angry. Clink! There it is again! This soft and seemingly random sound was precisely what''s been triggering King Pride''s paranoiately, so the moment he heard it, he immediately scanned his surroundings and ran towards the source of the sound. Mistress Lust saw this and followed suit. Both of them turned into streaks of light, going towards where King Pride heard the sound. Uponnding, they saw a slightly gruesome scene. Bits and pieces of flesh were strewn on the ground; some are even pulsing still, indicating that whatever creature was ughtered here died merely seconds ago. Thend on their feet was pulsing too, seemingly absorbing the ck blood that rained down on it. The stench of death and the scene of muttion were still fresh upon their arrival. Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin "King, it''s just strays misbehaving. There''s nothing to see here. I don''t understand what''s causing your paranoia. Maybe you need some sleep." Mistress Lust gently coaxed the lion demon king because she could see that he''s nearly being driven to the point of insanity. "I really don''t get it." King Pride gritted his teeth in anger. His fur bristled, and his expression turned fierce. His fangs even started protruding out of his maws. He clearly came here as fast as he could, hoping to see just what the source of that sound is, but to his utter disappointment and disbelief, he only discovered strays mutting each other¡ªa prettymon sight for their kind. Not a trace or a clue could be found about the sound he heard or the movement he''s been feelingtely. It feels like someone was deliberately messing with him. How can he not feel upset and angry about this? "King..." Mistress Lust gently approached him. She released a wave of calming pheromones that wafted to his nose. On regr days, she wouldn''t do this to him or any of her fellow sins because they wouldn''t appreciate it, but it''s necessary right now so she could only apologize to himter. "Taper down your sin." She whispered close to his ears, her voice sounding like a hypnotic enchantment that bewildered the king. "Now is not the time to sumb to it." King Pride is, of course, well aware of what she''s doing. She had been hisrade for hundreds of years now, so he understood her behavior. He knew that she wouldn''t dare cross the line in moments like this, so he allowed himself to be ensnared by her seductive enchantment. It couldn''t be helped. The sin of pride was too strong to be a fault. Forget about how easy it would be for him to get lost in its abyssal embrace; the mere fact that only he was able to bear the burden of this insignia was an obvious clue of how troublesome this was. Lust''s enchantment causes her target to lower their inhibitions, allowing her to essentially control them as she pleases. In terms of synchronization with the insignia of sin, Lust is only second to Lady Envy, giving her enough control and mastery over her powers. She''s helping him stay calm by controlling him. Unfortunately, she has to resort to using her echantment to do so because the Insignia of Pride is truly too powerful. If she makes any mistakes here, she will undoubtedly be killed by King Pride once he sumbs to its grip. Mistress Lust guides him through it, allowing him to escape the pull of the spiraling madness that threatened to swallow him whole. Comfort and exhaustion followed this; it''s the bacsh caused by his poor control and rtionship with his insignia. "You''re right, maybe I do need more rest. I''m starting to hate this ce more and more," King Pride weaklyined, slinging his arm on Lust''s shoulders with his paws fondling her tits. His other paw tugged on the other end of the leash, causing tightness around her neck that sent a quivering pleasure to her core. "Come on, big boy. Let''s go to my ce. We can make as much noise as we want there." As soon as she said this, she found herself being carried by King Pride, despite his weakness. He then makes his way to her ce. The two of them never noticed a lens peeking out of the ground. Shortly after they left, a drone dug itself out of the ground and began flying towards one of the hidden outposts on the Lost Continent. Chapter 341: Intel Following the sess of the trailzers, more squads were sent out to the Lost Continent to create and man the outposts. By now, there are at least six federal outposts on the Lost Continent; each one was created without rming the demons roaming thends. Of course, this operation wasn''tpletely silent. There had been times when some squads were unlucky and were met with aggression from the demons who sensed their movement. The way they solved this issue was simple, though: kill all witnesses. It doesn''t matter whether they''re stray animals or not; as long as they see humans on the Lost Continent, they must die. And the soldiers gave them thorough deaths too. After all, they couldn''t risk allowing the demons they killed to be reincarnated, only to inform the entire demon race about this operation. The n was to have at least ten of these outposts out here first, and they''re very close to achieving this. Once their target number was reached, they could move on to the next n, which would dictate the advantages they could get once they started liberating the Lost Continent. Obviously, the soldiers didn''t remain idle once they were done building the outpost. They have orders to survey their surroundings andpile the information for future use. What humans learned from the spies isn''t enough. Moreover, demons see things differently than humans do. There''s bound to be inconsistencies in the information the Night Stalkers sent, and the soldiers were here to confirm this. And this turns out to be a wise decision because the first batch of soldiers immediately noticed an undisclosed threat that the spies didn''t include in their reports. They discovered that the level of demonic corruption here was insane, so much so that it could reduce a strong nar Traveler into a walking puppet in mere seconds after exposure. If it weren''t for the specialized armor suits the soldiers wore before arriving here, they would''ve instantly turned into strays as soon as they arrived. Upon learning this, the soldiers universally agreed to never remove their armor, especially when going out. The Night Stalkers failure to point this out made sense because, to them, this kind of environment wasn''t harmful at all. If anything, this could be considered a holynd for them. The soldiers didn''t raise too much ruckus about this either because they were already expecting it. It''s also because of this that they decided to carefully study the environment. Just to make sure that there wouldn''t be any idents that would jeopardize the entire operation. Of course, they couldn''t risk going too far right now. They''re all aware that the sin demons were actively roaming thesends. Even if all of the soldiers that were sent here worked together in perfect coordination, they wouldn''t be able to take down any of these demon kings. Not to mention that doing so will defeat the purpose of them sneaking their way in here to begin with. This is why they had to be extra careful when going out. Whenever they do, they will always check their equipment a total of five times just to be safe, making sure that they''re prepared for anything that might happen while they''re out. Aside from the extremely dangerous level of corruption in thisnd, the soldiers also listed the nearest demonirs on each outpost. They noted sprawling forests filled with shadowy creatures, nests of insect-type demons, underground tunnels that lead to who knows where, and so on. A handful of the soldiers who came here were old. The times when Azure Terra looked rtively the same on this continent are something that''s still fresh in their memories, but even these people could tell that thesends are way worse than what they''ve seen before. Just from the sheer number of demons lurking around, this continent has already won. The fact that they''d have to liberate this entire continent made them feel intimidated since they knew just how much effort it would take to do just that. On another note, the soldiers have already seen the sin demons and have alreadypiled all the types of information they learned about them. The most obvious were their physical appearances. Lady Envy was a humanoid demon with moth-like wings. She leaves a trail of dark golden dust whenever she''s flying, and these dusts, when inhaled by demons, act like some sort of triggering drug, making their victims mad with a false sense of power. Big Sloth was a giant ape. It''s almost as tall as a hill when standing upright, but since he''s toozy, one could easily mistake him for a massive road bump instead. It''s fairly easy to know where he is; you only need to listen to his loud and thunderous snoring. If you can hear it nearby, it means that the ape was close. Fat Glutonny is a demon slime with a bottomless stomach. Just like Big Sloth, it''s pretty easy to tell when he''s close because he leaves a trail of pitch-ck fluid behind whenever he moves. This trial remains noticeable even with the ckened soil of the Lost Continent. Furthermore, this trailsts for hours before dissipating, and those unfortunate creatures that make contact with it will find themselves drained of their energy. A sign that Gluttony was feeding on them despite not being anywhere near. Sir Greed is a monstrosity with many faces and figures. Without that ridiculously oversized and overstuffed knapsack of his, which he is extremely protective of, nobody would''ve been able to know that it''s him because he changes his appearance like humans change clothes. But despite carrying so many things on his back, Sir Greed was surprisingly quick. He''s probably the most agile, flexible, and swiftest of his fellow sin demons. If there''s one rule that everyone must know about him, it''s the fact that any form of physical contact with his knapsack will turn Sir Greed mad as if somebody touched his reverse scale. Mistress Lust could be said to be weaker than Lady Envy herself. Hell, if the ape wasn''t sozy, she''d be the weakest amongst the sin demons, really. That said, this doesn''t mean that this female demon with bat-like wings wasn''t formidable. If anything, she might be the scariest demon humans will face once the liberation war begins, simply due to her effect on them. There''s this one soldier who nearly sumbed to her charm. He only looked at her from miles away, yet her enchanting and venereal features nearly drove him mad. Fortunately, hisrades pped him back to reality. And then there was King Pride, who took on the form of a demon lion standing on its hind legs. He''s probably the strongest demon around on this continent. The moment the soldiers saw him, all of them immediately felt their lives were being threatened. He wasn''t anywhere asrge as thezy ape; he isn''t as mysterious as either Gluttony or Greed; and he also isn''t as pretty or sexy as Lust and Envy. However, he''s strong. Very strong. The soldiers knew that if they wanted to liberate thisnd, he would be their biggest obstacle, and it would take someone who reached theary realm of life evolution to take him down. King Pride is actually the one they''re most wary of right now, simply because his senses were a little too sharp. He could feel and hear things at vast distances, making it more difficult for the following squads to do their jobs in peace. Fortunately, though, he''s kind of stupid. To make sure that he wouldn''t be able to interfere too much, the soldiers decided to lure him away from the outposts that were under construction using a drone. They were taking advantage of his sharp senses, right under his nose. If he were to learn of this, he would surely cause a ruckus all over the continent. One that not even Lust could prevent. This would''ve been nice since it''s already certain that at least several hundred, if not thousands, of demons will die on his paws. Sadly, they can''t use this n because he might identally wander a little too close to the outpost. That will be bad for humans. These Sin Demon Kings were the biggest threat that they''d have to eliminate if they wanted to liberate this continent from demonic influence. What makes this even harder is that these demons have been a team for many years by now. It''s almost certain that they won''t y fair during the war, so humans will have to be creative when facing them. Obviously, there''s more to learn about them. These were just things that the soldiers could learn for now by spying at them from a distance. It''s nowhere near enough to help in taking them down, but it''s better than nothing. The progress of humans on thisnd was slow but steady. They care more about not making a mistake than the speed of achieving their goals. However, the preparations are nearly over. Once they''re done with this, the true fight for the liberation of the Lost Continent will begin, and this battle will be far more difficultpared to what they faced when they liberated Azure Terra. Chapter 342: Preparations; Complete "Shit! Come on, hurry the fuck up! We don''t have much time left!" "I know! I know! I''m moving as fast as I can already!" "God, please don''t screw this up!" "You guys should calm down and maybe lower your voice. We don''t want to be heard by the demons." "We aren''t loud. This is panic whispering. Like an ASMR." "Dude! Focus!" "Sorry." On some corner of the Lost Continent, a squad of soldiers was currently facing a troublesome matter. Originally, they were here to build one of the traps that is necessary for the grand scheme of humans against the demons of this continent. The operation started out smoothly like any other; everything was calm and okay, but it quickly took a sharp turn simply because one of the soldiers made a little too much noise while working. This attracted the attention of some stray demons, who immediately attacked them. The fight caused more noise, and the squad had to resort to some strict measures to prioritize the aplishment of this mission. They barely cleared the horde, and even after this, they couldn''t rx. They''re on a time crunch here. The stench of death and blood around them was too thick due to the strewn corpses that were left behind by their sh. The longer this goes on, the further the smell drifts, which could possibly attract more enemies to their location. "Shit! Okay! I''m done! Go, go, go! Move it, boys!" The operator growled as soon as he finished installing the trap. They don''t have the time to double-check if it''s working properly or not. They could only hope for the best right now and retreat, lest they attract the attention of something they couldn''t handle. The rest of the squad knows this too, and they couldn''t really refute the decision to retreat. If anything, they all silently agreed to it as they began hauling their asses back to the nearest federal outpost while trying their best to hide their presence and erase their tracks. Readtest chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Roar! "Shit!" The soldiers collectively swore under their breaths. That roaring sound just now came from something that they all hope they won''t encounter. Truthfully, none of them knows what exactly it is just yet; the demonic fog in this god-forsaken ce was too dense, making it hard for them to see anything. Additionally, their senses are suppressed here, especially since they''re humans. But even though they''ve yet to see what manner of monstrosity they attracted just now, they all know that it''s strong. They could tell that much after hearing that roar. They''re experienced soldiers, after all. Even without speaking to each other, they all agreed that they couldn''t handle something like that right now. They''re not strong enough or have any equipment that will help them deal with that. So, their best option is to continue making their way back to the base, preferably as fast as they possibly can. Dong! Dong! Dong! Their hearts tightened as they felt the movement getting closer and closer. Judging from the ruckus alone, they could tell that whatever this thing was, it''s huge. It''s mere movements were causing the very earth to tremble beneath them. None of them dared to speak right now. In fact, they didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. They just continued moving as a unit, marching away from this ce at a decent pace. They can''t speed up or slow down at all. It''s either moving at this pace orpletely standing still. ROAR!! The roaring sound of the monstrosity sounded a little too close forfort this time around. The sound was so loud that the sound waves caused them to feel dizzy. One soldier almost fell down after getting it. Fortunately, his friend was fast enough to react and catch him before he fell; otherwise, they would surely attract the attention of that thing. They then heard a harsh panting sound behind them, followed by loud sniffing. The expressions of the soldiers hardened because they knew that whatever this thing was, they were suspicious of the situation. The sniffing means that there is a possibility that it could track them down, and that''s thest thing they need right now. But despite knowing this, they can''t stop. They have to keep moving, or else they will really die here. The outpost isn''t far from here. They just need to keep going a bit more, and they''ll enter the zone where the silvermist is active. Once they enter that zone, they will be fine. So they must keep moving. ROOOOAAAARRR!! The roaring sound was louder this time. It came without warning and, once again, caused the soldiers to nearly faint from the sheer impact of the sound waves. Whatever that beast was, it sounded frustrated and angry. It may or may not be because it couldn''t find the ones responsible for making the noise just now. Whatever it is, the soldiers couldn''t care less because they''re only five meters away from safety. Despite nearly being toppled by the harsh sound waves they experienced just now, the soldiers forcibly bit their tongues and swallowed the bile rising up from their stomachs. They continued marching until they were mere inches away from the silvermist. BOOM!!! A loud explosion urred behind them, sending an impact that almost jostled their intestines and organs. However, it also helped them cross the remaining distance between them and the silvermist. The impact sent them flying inside. They might''ve been injured by it, but at the very least, they''re safe now. It was at this point that some soldiers were finally brave enough to see what exactly the monstrosity was. A towering beast shrouded their vision. It''s a giant rabid wolf that''s about 10 to 15 meters tall. Its fur was like sharp needles that bristled with killing intent and were darkened by demonic corruption. It''s scarlet eyes scanned the surroundings coldly, trying to see if there''s anything suspicious around. Its nose kept sniffing, trying to track the residual scent of its prey, but to no avail. Seeing this monster, the soldiers could only thank their lucky stars for making it out alive. They were right after all; this thing isn''t something that they could deal with even if they had their equipment with them. The leader of the squad began dragging his teammates away from this ce. Sure, they''re within the silver mine right now, but by no means are they absolutely safe just yet. At most, the silvermist will prevent this rabid wolf from tracking them by erasing their presencepletely. It will also subtly influence the mind of this beast, making it instinctively avoid this ce. But if this thing causes a rampage, the silvermist won''t protect them from any possible harm that might reach them. Within the silvermist, though, the soldiers could move faster and be noisier. The squad was now moving at full speed towards the gates of the outpost, not even daring to look back lest they identally make eye contact with that thing. The squad leader himself dropped-kicked the gates wide open, and his teammates dragged him inside. Once the gates closed behind them, they collectively copsed on top of each other, staring at a nk space and panting from too much stimtion. "I hate this fucking ce," the squad leader muttered softly after catching his breath. "Preach." "Same." "Me too." "Move; I need to shit." The squad dragged themselves towards the tents to rest. Right now, they truly couldn''t care less whether the trap they installed ended up intact or not. All they know is that they''re lucky to be alive. If the trap survived, great! That means that their work here is done, and they could go back to the safety of their homes. If not, then no big deal; they''d just have to install it again, preferably more carefully next time so that they won''t experience this kind of thing again. They still have enough materials left anyway. "Yo, guys! It was a sess!" The engineer of the squad hollered at them in glee. He just did some checks and discovered that the tracker they left on the site of the trap was responding properly. The status showed all green signs, and the trap waspletely buried. With the measures they installed in it, they don''t have to be afraid of it being noticed by their enemies. Hearing this great news made the soldiers almost copse for a second time out of relief. This operation was too close forfort, but fortunately, they seeded. They''re all safe, and they''vepleted all the tasks expected of them. The squad leader swallowed and inwardly wished for this luck to continue. He then told the engineer: "Contact HQ, tell them the results, and ask for our next move." "On it," the engineer replied. There''s a tense silence for a bit. Nobody dared to speak; they''re all inwardly hoping that this mission ends here because, truthfully, they didn''t want to stay in this ce any longer. Beep! The crisp sound of the alert sounded like a bomb to them. The squad leader and the engineer opened the message and read it. Then, the squad leader looked at his team and said: "Eat and pack up, boys. We''re going home." "WOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Chapter 343: Federal Announcement -- ? Prime Earth Federal Headquarters There is a tense silence in this ce. There is a stark contrast between how this ce should be, especially on a bright, sunny morning like today. Judging by the atmosphere in the headquarters, something very important was happening. Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin Those who work here usually have their usual jobs, but today they''ve been given a different task, which emphasizes the importance of whatever it is that''s bound to happen. Most of the staff, along with the enlisted soldiers, were here. Additionally, some well-known people have also made an appearance. For example, the Continental Superhuman Tournament''s finalists are all here. The High Marshals were also seen active. Headmistress Lissandra of the Starlight Royal Academy, Archbishop Gabriel of the House of Light, Lead Trainer Fiona the Tyrant, Old Man Jin, and Tech God Charles were also here. Even Chrissy and Erica were seen. Though they didn''t attract too much attention since they usually spend their time either with Cedric or in solitary training,. Still, the fact that all of these people were here was solid proof that something''s about to go down, and whatever that is, it''s bound to be big. "All personnel, gather on the meeting hall for briefing! I repeat, all personnel, gather on the meeting hall for briefing. You have five minutes, move it!" Someone with a mic announced. This was apanied by a private noticeing from the official systemwork of the Federal Army, emphasizing its legitimacy. Upon seeing this, all personnel; from the High Marshals down to the janitors, made their way to the meeting hall. With how big the Federal Army has gottentely, some would''ve found it strange that they would gather everybody at one ce that surely has a limited space. There''s at least thousands of people here; how is it possible to fit this many people inside that hall? Well, this question will soon be answered. As it turns out, due to the importance of this event, the meeting hall that''s usually reserved for the High Marshals was repurposed. Upon entering the door, people found themselves standing inside an entirely different dimension, which was big enough to fit a lot of people and still had a generous amount of space left. Here, they found seats, tables, a small stage, and a podium for the speaker. Everybody waited for further instructions before leaving the ce where they initially appeared. It was one of the staff members who was already here who told them to find a seat and make themselvesfortable. Once everybody was seated, the well-known members of the army appeared. They saw Raven Armstrong, High Marshal of the Northern Region, walking up to the podium. He cleared his throat for a bit before saying... "Good morning to all of you." "I know that this isn''t our usual schedule and that you''re all surprised and confused about this sudden change. I, along with myrades, are here to rify this matter to all of you, so please listen attentively because whatever we''re about to tell you is something that will define humanity''s future from here on out." Raven let his words brew for a bit. "The contents of this meeting should remain confidential for now. Trust me, you don''t want the public knowing this lest it cause a mass hysteria. We don''t want too much chaos to happen on this continent because our hands are about to get full from what we''re about to do." He scanned everybody with a strict gaze before continuing: "Ladies and gentlemen, today we will discuss how to liberate the Lost Continent from demonic influence." Gasps and murmurs echoed within the small dimension. Many people were shocked and surprised by the suddenness of this move. People obviously had varying reactions to this; some were shocked but understanding, some were doubtful, some were uncertain if this was the right move and felt that it''s too soon, and there were some who either saw iting or just inly don''t care. "Settle down, please," Anthony told the crown, silencing these murmurs. Once the crowd went silent once more, Raven continued. "As you all know, it''s been 15 years since the liberation of Azure Terra." "We spent these years focusing on nothing but development. Thanks to the efforts of the Sun Sage, a new wall was built on our shores. We cleansed the corruption that steeped deeply into this continent, and he created secret realms for each region to aid with further development." "Now, our youth can grow up in a vast continent without fear of being ughtered by demons. We experienced peace within these previous years, and we have used this time very well. We upied the entire continent and ushered in a new age for humanity. It''s far from being perfect, but it''s the start of something greater." "15 years have passed since we had a war against the demon race. It might seem like wepletely set aside their threat to prioritize the development of this continent, but in truth, we haven''t." "We know that the battle is far from over," Raven stated firmly. "Liberating Prime Earth entirely from demonic influence is something that will take huge amounts of effort and time. Such matter isn''t something we can rush, or else we will lose more than we gain." "In these past 15 years, we have been nning for this. Once we locked on to the coordinates and loction of the Lost Continent, the idea already brewed in us. And now, fifteen yearster, I am proud to say that the time hase for us to charge forward and take back what''s rightfully ours." "To achieve our goal of reiming the Lost Continent, we''veunched several missions to build the foundations for this operation. Believe me when I say that we''ve run numerous simtions before making ns. We are also well aware of the risks of this mission. We took our time and did everything we could to prime the continent for the taking." "To borate on this, I call upon my friend Filus Greenwood. He will tell you about the recent operations weunched in the Lost Continent." Raven retreated and made way for Filius to upy the position of the next speaker. Filius reced him and immediately began exining the things they did to prepare everybody for this grand mission. He spoke of the risks numerous squads had to face to fulfill their part. He revealed everything that they did to pave the way for the rest. After his exnation, Cassandra and Anthony also stated some other deeds they did to prepare for this operation. Hearing all of this made everybody realize that these people were serious about this. They are truly intent on reiming the lost continent. They knew that there was no stopping this anymore. Once his friends were done with their speeches, Raven returned to the podium and said: "Everybody, I know that this is a huge matter for you. I won''t deny that we did this without asking for your opinion. However, please understand that we won''t gather all of you here and tell you all this if we aren''t confident about our chances." He paused for a bit and showed a determined expression. "This fight will happen sooner orter anyway. Since that''s the case, wouldn''t it be better if we started it instead? Since we''re taking the initiative here, we have the chance to maximize our advantages. The Lord knows that if we let the Demon Race have the initiative, we will be imprisoned once more. I don''t know about you, but after experiencing this kind of liberation, I really feel unwilling to go back to the old days." "This time, we''re bringing the fight to them." "We''ve grown strong enough. We''ve endured enough. And we will prevail! Prime Earth is our home, our turf. It''s time for us to free ourselves from this oppression and cleanse the world of their filth!" "We won''t be forcing everybody to participate in this fight if you''re not willing to. I know that we all have different goals in mind, and I don''t me you if you don''t think that our decision is wise." "All of you will be given a choice to participate or not. If you join, great! We will wee you with open arms. If not, then fine. But at the very least, please keep this discussion a secret to the public and don''t hinder those who are willing to participate." "Everyone, times are swiftly changing. We need to take initiative to grasp our future with our hands." "We will give you a week to decide whether you''ll participate or not. After a week, with or without you, we willunch our offensive against the demons of the Lost Continent." "That''s all we have to say. You all can return to your posts and continue with your usual work. Please decide wisely." After saying this, the High Marshals along with other important personnel left the area, leaving the people silent and unsure of how to move on from here. How could they ever expect these people to return to work and act as if nothing happened after dropping an explosive bomb like that? Isn''t that unreasonable? Chapter 344: Sin Demons Instinct, Blocked, Interrupted -- Lady Envy felt strange today for some reason... She truly has no idea why, but for some reason, there''s this nagging thought at the back of her head that she just can''t quite grasp. She initially thought that maybe it''s because she hasn''t had a good sleeptely; she has been busy spending time with her ''unofficial lover'' Rom''er; after all, they''re making up for the time they lost due to her exile on this backward. But now she doubts that this was the case. She''s a Demon King after all, a Sin Demon at that too. She could remain conscious for weeks, so how can this be from restlessness? Thinking about this again, she''s more convinced. Something was up, and she could just feel that not knowing what it was would be a disaster for her. But this just brings her back to the beginning. Just what the hell is it that bothers her so much? She really has no clue and doesn''t know where to start. "Are you okay?" Rom''er, who''s wearing thin silk robes that barely hide his solidly muscr physique, asked in concern. "You''ve been staring at a nk space for a while now. You''re frowing too." He moved closer to her and ced a hand on her back. His face was solemn as he stared into her eyes. "You can always tell me your problems; you know that, right?" On normal days, this would be enough to reduce Lady Envy to a blushing mess. This kindness and concern he has for her is what attracted her to him in the first ce. It''s also the reason why she''s so overprotective towards him and would literally do anything she could to please him and stay by his side. He''s her reverse scale and also the real reason behind her exile here, and she regrets nothing. But this is a normal day. Today is obviously different. She still felt warm when she heard his words, but it didn''t bring her as muchfort as it usually does. It may be because she''s confused more than anything else right now. "I don''t know why exactly either," she muttered, leaning on him with a sigh. "For some reason, I feel uneasy. It''s like I''m missing something really important, but no matter how hard I try to recall what exactly it is, the more confused I get." "Even when I decided to not think too much about it, I can''t. It keeps bothering me for some reason, and I really don''t understand why." "Is that so?" Rom''er raised a brow. He''s not a fool. If he was, it''d never be his turn to be an operator at the Grand Fleet. He knew that the instincts of a sin demon wouldn''t be wrong. That said, he couldn''t really think of a good way to help her right now. Lady Envy is a meticulous person, unlike her otherrades, and she wouldn''t ask for help before trying her best to solve her problems on her own. Since it hase to this, Rom''er knows that she has probably tried her very best to discover the cause of this strange feeling of hers. He knows that none of the practical solutions he could suggest to her would work. "Well, how about a little distraction then?" he offered, smiling gently at her. "Maybe we could do something to get your mind off of it for a bit, and maybe the answer will present itself to youter." Lady Envy looked at him with an appreciative look on her eyes as she asked, "Well then, handsome. What kind of distraction do you have in mind that would stop me from overthinking, hm?" The smile on his face turned even more yful, and he slowly began shifting their position. He nudged her back to the bed and slowly climbed on top of her. "Well, there''s this one thing that I''m really good at," he whispered huskily while keeping eye contact. "However, I''m going to need your active participation for it. It is, after all, a game for couples." "Again!?" Lady Envy flushed as she slowly found herself being caged beneath him. "It''s been days! Are you telling me you haven''t had enough yet?" Her heartbeat started elerating. Anticipation rose in her heart. While this atmosphere turned ambiguous in a blink of an eye, nobody could deny that it indeed distracted her. The moment Rom''er took the initiative, he became the only thing she could think of right now. He grunted and buried his face on the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent and sucking a bruise there. Lady Envy writhed and moaned under him, but he kept her in ce with a firm grip on her wrist. Her struggles just made him more active, like a shot of a stimnt injected directly into his veins. "I don''t think I could ever get enough," he whispered in her ears before sucking her lobes. Lady Envy released pitched moans of pleasure. She inwardly cursed this man because he was going after her weaknesses. She also cursed herself for giving him this much power over her. But beneath thisining, Lady Envy couldn''t deny that she felt thrilled and extremely aroused. Rom''ertched on her lips, swallowing her moans as his hands greedily roamed her curvaceous body. Lady Envy''s mind was turning white from sheer pleasure because he was purposely caressing her in her most sensitive parts. He took his time learning where they were and also learned how to properly stimte them to make Lady Envy beg for more. "Ah! Rom, please! I can''t. Please, give it to me~" Rom''er felt a shiver down his spine, followed by a sensation of pleasant pride after hearing her pleas. He''s just a man, after all. Knowing that he could please his woman this much makes him feel satisfied, and it also stimtes his masculinity. Deep down, his sadistic side was also roused into wakefulness. He wanted her to beg more. He greedily pawed at her fleshy ass and pped it a couple of times while whispering filthy things in her ears. Lady Envy''s moans were bing louder. She couldn''t think of anything else right now aside from what Rom''er forced her to feel. His hands that have been working on her core were getting more drenched, and both of them could just hear the wet and obscene sounds happening down there. At some point, Rom''er hooked his arm under her legs and lifted it, almost folding her in half. Lady Envy felt a thick, hard, and pulsing rod sliding up and down her core. Sometimes, the tip would briefly poke her entrance, only to slide off on the next second. It happened again and again, and it''s driving her nuts. He''s teasing her. The worst part is that it feels just as good as it did. She shamelessly begged for him to put it inside or to just ram it in, but he didn''t listen. She waspletely at his mercy, and it''s rendering her insane with sheer want and lust. "Alright now, that''s a good girl. I''ll give you what you want now." Lady Envy nearly fainted from relief after hearing this. The way she eagerly spread herself in anticipation and desire painted a very filthy image, unbefitting of her status as a sin demon. She couldn''t care less about that right now, though. She just wants to get fucked. Hard. Now. The tip went in, and Lady Envy felt the stretch, making her feel relieved, even just for a bit. But just as she was about to relish the sensation of feeling his entire length plunging deep inside of her, something happened that really destroyed the atmosphere. Boom! BOOM! BOOOOOM! Both of them felt like they were struck by lightning. They got up and immediately looked outside, only to discover that the camp was on fire. Arge mushroom cloud could be seen from a distance, an aftermath of therge explosion just now. They saw the stray and demon lords panicking. They could hear painful cries and unwilling roars. The temperature was rising, and an oppressive feeling nketed the entire ce. "Shit! Fuck! God damn it!" Lady Envy spat out strings of curses as she angrily and hurriedly got dressed. Rom''er wasn''t feeling nice either. His expression was clouded with gloom and dissatisfaction after being interrupted. "Of all the damn time, this just has to fucking happen when things were going nice! Shit! I hate this fucking world!" Lady Envy screeched; evidently, she''s more frustrated than Rom''er. Rom''er wore a strange expression and said, "I guess this was the reason behind your unease earlier." That made Lady Envy pause in her tracks. She cursed some more and continued. She even wore herbat regalia right now because she could tell that this would be a nightmare to deal with. Before leaving, she went up to Rom''er and gave him a sweet and loving kiss. Her expression turned slightly somber as she stared at him, seemingly memorizing his features before leaving. "Take care of yourself," she said. "We''ll see each other again, I promise." She couldn''t bear to face him after saying this. She ran to the doors with her wings unfolding behind her back. She hurriedly flew away, preventing him from seeing the tears flowing down her face. Chapter 345: Assault on the Lost Continent -- The demons were caughtpletely off guard by the sudden chaos. This is evident from the way they hastily scrambled to form some semnce of order to deal with the sudden arrival of their enemies. They never expected humans to be so bold,ing all the way here and bringing the battle to them. At first, some demons thought that the humans had lost it. Don''t they know that thisnd has been thoroughly corrupted by demons? This ce is literally hell for them. Not to mention, they''repletely outnumbered here. What made them so brave? But as the sh went on, the demons realized their folly. None of them would dare say this out loud, but deep down, they knew that humans weren''t stupid. They wouldn''t risk their lives for absolutely nothing. They were more than prepared to deal with them. Boom! Boom! Boom! Cannons, catapults, ballistas, heavy artillery, tanks¡ªhell, there''s even someone who''s riding a mecha somewhere, reaping demon life like they''re somemon wheat. Who knows where the hell they pulled all of this out from? All that matters is that humans are adept at using them, and they''re doing some serious damage to the number of demons around. ROAAR!! War throes, wails of pain, agonized screams, roars of unwillingness¡ªall of these sounds could be heard all over the Lost Continent, with the majoritying from demons themselves. The entire continent was rocked by explosions. Bright lights flew everywhere, staining the darkness with all sorts of colors. Fire zed everywhere; it burned the corpses of demons and purified their remains. Humans seem to be fond of using them, and it seems that these fires contain a special element that also burns the impurities in the air, greatly lessening the density of demonic corruption on the continent. "HUMANS! HOW DARE YOU!!!" King Pride bellowed in hate. His entire frame quavered with anger, and his eyes were almostpletely dyed red with how furious he was. Next to him were his fellow sin demons: Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Greed, and Envy. They all stared hatefully at the several silhouettes floating in the air, looking down at them in disdain and cold indifference. King Pride, especially, isn''t very fond of this. In his mind, the roles should be reversed; he should be the one looking down on these pitifulmbs, not the other way around. The feeling of humiliation burned him from the inside. He wanted nothing more than to break free from his constraints and ughter the humans that wereying waste on his people. Unfortunately, the prison they''re in right now was specially made for this asion. It''s not like he hasn''t tried before. He did, but he failed miserably at that. As soon as King Pride felt the first impact of the explosion that set off this entire scene, he was already restrained. The cage appeared out of nowhere around him, and no matter what he did, he couldn''t break it. Lust was imprisoned with him because she was nearby when this all started. It didn''t take long before the rest of his fellow sin demons appeared one by one within the cage too. Even afterbining their strength as one and tapping into the seemingly bottomless well of power contained within the Insignia of Sin, none of them were able to muster up enough force to break the cage. Such helplessness was something they had never felt before, and it made them mad. "Give it up, Kitty." Fiona popped her knuckles with a fierce grin on her face. "You can''t interfere with what''s happening outside. You will y here with us until either we or you all die." She''s wearing a full set of modern armor for this operation. Next to her were Lissandra, Gabriel, Old Man Jin, Charles, and the High Marshals. Somehow, they trapped themselves in here with them. Fiona''s right. Neither party can get out of this cage unless the other dies. This cage was something that Charles invented himself; he made them using preciously rare materials that even he felt were excessive, and that''s saying a lot about its quality. The durability of this thing isn''t something that these Demon Kings could only dream of breaking, even afterbining their strengths. This is the arena of life and death. This entire ce is isted from the outside, and the only way to exist is by killing the other party. Lust and the other sin demons peered outside and wore solemn faces. They certainly weren''t expecting to be caught off guard like this. Even they have to admit that this was impressive. Your next journey awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin They could also see that, for some reason, the density of demonic corruption was lessening at an rming pace. It''s like each time they blink, more and more of itsyers are disappearing. This not only helped humans with visibility but also weakened the Demons, who have be used to its presence. Previously, the fog was so dense that it was hard to see further ahead, so the soldiers could only try their best. However, as time goes on, the volume is steadily decreasing, making it easier for humans to stay active in their tasks. There weren''t a lot of humans here, to be honest. Compared to the millions of demons that have remained on the Lost Continent, the human army wouldn''t even go past 100,000 in number. And this is with only a handful of people declining to join the war effort. The overwhelming majority of the people who learned about the ns of the army unhesitatingly joined right away. Still, they remain outnumbered. But it''s fine since they could make up for theck of numbers with sheer, overwhelming strength. As for the Sin Demons, imprisoning them with the pirs of humanity was one of the ns they had since the beginning. They couldn''t let these Demon Kings roam freely on the battlefield because the damage they could do would obviously be greaterpared to other demons. "It''s about time we settle down the scores with you monsters." Raven descended a bit lower as he coldly regarded the Sin Demons. "Your kind will no longer oppress us! Today is the day that you all die!!" Boom! Boom! Boom! There were no additional res or tricks, no extended speech or arguments, etc. The pirs of humanity brought out their best and shed with the sin demons. Only one side wille out of this prison alive, and humans are very determined to be those people. Gabriel stayed behind and blessed hisrades with his blessings, giving them the power of sunlight that could purify sin and evil as well as the speed of light. He also dealt with the attacks that threatened to warp hisrades'' minds into insanity with his pious prayers. Tech God Charles stayed with him and unleashed all sorts of mechanical wonders. Despite not looking like a fearsome soldier like the others, his desire to eliminate demonkind is no less than any of them. Who knows what manner of things he installed on these creations for this specific task? Lissandra stood not too far from them. She, along with Anthony, Filius, and Cassandra, will pelt their enemies with attacks from a distance. Fiona, Raven, Garrick, and Old Man Jin will be up close and personal with these monsters. In response to their formation, the Sin Demons collectively began tapping into the deep well of maddening power from their respective insignia. Big Sloth and Fat Gluttony practically tripled in size and power. Sir Greed solemnly unsealed his huge backpack, taking out several items that looked extremely dangerous. A pink ethereal smoke wafted out of Mistress Lust''s body; all who saw it knew not to inhale it because it''s either a deadly psychedelic substance or straight-up poison. Lady Envy also releasedrge puffs of golden dust that began blending with the air. And finally, King Pride. Simply put, hepletely sumbed to the sensation of power flooding through his veins. His fur bristled and turned crimson. His killing intent manifested itself in the form of thousands of ghosts wailing in perpetual agony. His eyes turnedpletely scarlet in rage, and his entire body bulged, containing explosive power. The sh between the best began right after this. It was fast-paced, dangerous, and soul-stirring. The fight happening outside of the prison was nothingpared to what''s happening here. Nobody dared to hold anything back. As much as the demons hated to admit it, humans truly got to them at a bad time. None of them expected this. Lust, in particr, feels extremely terrible right now. Her face was figuratively swollen from the fact that it pped her awake. It turns out that King Pride''s intuition a few weeks ago was correct; the humans were indeed plotting against them. She couldn''t believe it, but the facts are now disyed right in front of her, and she''s unable to deny it. If Lady Envy had ever learned of this, she would''ve strangled her immediately for being too stupid. Unfortunately, now is neither the time nor the ce for that. As much as she hates Lust to her core, she''s still arade. As for whether they made their way out of this alive or not, honestly, Lady Envy couldn''t care less anymore. All she knows is that she''s tired of all of this. Chapter 346: Lost Continent Reclamation; Demon Prince and a Warning -- "Humans! Humans are here!" "How can this be!?" "Why are they so strong? Weren''t they supposed to be weak and ignorant?" "Defend the base! We can''t let these natives destroy it!" "Where are the Sin Demon Kings? Aren''t they supposed to be here to manage this situation?" Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin "The humans have trapped them in a prison! We''ve been trying to break it, but it''s too solid! I don''t think they can get out themselves!" "You guys! It''s no good! We can''t reach the Grand Fleet!" "What!?" "How can this be!?" "It''s over!" The demons of the Lost Continent are truly panicking right now. The assault by humans was so sudden that nobody saw iting, and once they started, they didn''t hold anything back. It''s hard for them to imagine how so many humans could appear on this continent without them knowing. It''s like they appeared out of thin air and began unleashing their wrath on thisnd. The Sin Demon Kings, the leaders that''s supposed to be overseeing the entire situation and controlling the chaos, were caught in a trap themselves. Many have been looking for them, and once they knew their situation, they tried to free them from their captivity to no avail. The prison they''re trapped in was too solid; even thebined forces of many ordinary Demon Kings and Demon Lords were unable to put even a single dent on its surface. What truly made them feel the crisis, though, was the fact that they couldn''t contact the grand fleet. They''ve made multiple attempts to connect through the lines, but all they receive is a pitchy static sound. At this point, none of them could deny that humans were also responsible for this, and the sheer idea sent shivers down their spines because how can they be so thorough? It''s true. Humans did cut off their connection to the main ship outside. It wasn''t just them who''re panicking right now; the operators at the main ship didn''t understand what''s happening either because, from their point of view, the Lost Continent just simply disappeared from their scanners. The situation was much like how it was with Azure Terra. They know that the continent is still around, but they can''t see what''s happening there. They too are trying to restore the connection, but it all ended in failure. Those on the main ship were feeling a little uncertain of what to do next while the ''abandoned'' demons were experiencing a crisis. Humans werepletely relentless in their assault. Basically, anything that doesn''t look like them is treated as an enemy that must be eliminated with extreme prejudice. All infrastructure that doesn''t look like it was made with human hands was targets for the heavy artillery and bombardments. The worst part is that they are wielding weapons that are fatal to demons and their preferred environment. The shells of their artillery could not only kill them physically but could also extract the essence of their existence, turning them into Essence Souls like they were in the Purgatory. In fact, this might be the reason why everybody''s too eager to kill demons. Some heard that the Essence Souls belonged to those whonded the killing blow. What use do they have with these essence souls? Demons have no idea, and frankly, in this current situation, they truly couldn''t care less. Beyond all of this, the fact that humans were swiftly mowing through their numbers and ranks remained obvious. For the first time in their extremely long lives, demons felt despair and fear. They could all feel the same thing that they brought and forced upon many natives of alien worlds they had visited before. Honestly, the entire situation was quite ironic because they were so used to ying the role of the aggressors. Usually, it would be them who would appear out of nowhere on a strange alien to devastate all they knew and loved beforepletely putting their home beneath their heels. They''re usually the ones wearing armor and using dangerous weapons to force their ideas on the natives of the backwards they visit. They''ve grown used to the fact that their might and rule were unchallenged and that, when the situations were reversed, they didn''t know what to do. Fighting back is an option, yes. In fact, that''s the proper response to the situation presented before them. Humans won''t take prisoners or any form of surrender. They''re determined to cleanse thisnd from demonic filth, and none of them will entertain the idea of giving mercy to their enemies. However, humans were prepared for this attack. They have established supply lines, nned out their routes, and had goals to aplish. It''s like they''re going through a mental checklist as they go, and with each one ticked, they''re breaking down the structural integrity of everything that demons have built here so far. Humans had an appropriate response to all kinds of developments on the battlefield. Nothing could surprise them at all. It''s as if they''ve been nning for this attack for decades now and went through multiple simtions, and everything felt like a routine to them. Demons have never felt terror like this before. This is the first time that a native race has pushed them this far, causing them to feel despair and fear. The way theypletely reversed the roles between them was so sudden that the other party couldn''t respond properly. And maybe that''s on purpose too. As for theirrades who remained on the main ship, they too could tell that something had gonepletely wrong. Especially after they notice that the Soul Network is going haywire with how many souls it has to reim and incubate. This meant that their people were being killed en masse. And by now, they could connect the dots. It''s the humans who were doing this. There''s no way that their people would just suddenly start killing each other for the hell of it! Even if they had that kind of idea, the Sin Demon Kings would absolutely prevent that from happening because they knew not to overwhelm the Soul Network. It is, after all, the key to their immortality. Knowing that humans are waging war against them prompted the operators to escte this matter to their leader. Somebody sought an audience with the Demon God to report the situation but was told that their god was still in seclusion. Thus, they could only go to the Demon Prince. ** "Humans? Truly?" The Demon Prince frowned after hearing the report. He then looked outside the ss windows and peered at the small world beneath the ship. He then stood up from his throne and muttered, "I didn''t expect them to be so audacious. Very well, I shall see their worth." The Demon Prince mobilized his infernal power, and suddenly,bat armor appeared on his body. His aura spiked dangerously, especially when he held that sinister spear of his, which looked like it was made from the living corpse of some monster. With a single thought, he disappeared from the ship and began descending to Prime Earth. His eyes showed indifference when faced with the obstruction of the Purgatory. This buffer realm that held the oath Ac forced upon their race looked nothing more than a thin piece of cloth to him. Something that he could tear down with his ws as easily as breathing. But that''s too barbaric, so he would use his spear to pierce it instead. Just as he was about to point his spear at the Purgatory, aiming to pierce a passage through it, the Demon Prince suddenly felt rmed. "Who!?" he snarled as he looked around warily. He felt a very oppressive and dangerous presence just now, and there''s no way he would ignore or be mistaken about it. That kind of presence was something that only his father, the great demon god, could make him feel. However, his father is still in seclusion. Moreover, the presence, while giving him the same feeling of oppression, felt different from his father, so it couldn''t be him. "Back to your cage, Little One." A deep, gravelly voice echoed in his brain, causing him to feel dizzy. The sheer power contained within this voice transmission almost sent the Demon Prince spiraling into a bottomless chasm in the abyss. The Demon Prince bit his tongue forcibly to stabilize himself and looked ferocious. His eyes bloomed with a scarlet color as he continued scanning his surroundings. "Show yourself!! Don''t hide like a coward and face me like a man!" He snarled at whoever it is that''s preventing him from achieving his goal. In response to his taunts, he felt an overwhelming voice pressing down on him, forcing him to kneel. The sheer weight was unbearable; he couldn''t even muster up any form of resistance at all. This made his eyes dte in disbelief. "You''re a little too young to talk about adult matters. Be obedient and stay in your room. Don''t even think about going anywhere near this world, if you value your pitiful life, that is." Afterwards, he felt a strong force send him crashing back to the ship. The Demon Prince felt the pain of crashing through multiple walls before losing consciousness. Chapter 347: Lost Continent Reclamation; Acalas Response -- On regr days, Ac wouldn''t concern herself about most things. She would just live and act like any other human being¡ªsomething that she''s grown used to doing ever since she healed from her injuries. She has been asleep and in pain for so long that any form of entertainment was a luxury to her. In these times, she could walk among her citizens. She''s in disguise, and they treat her like any other human being. She''s exposed to the rich emotions that humans have, and she loves them. She never thought that there''d be a day when she''d be as rxed as this, and she had Cedric to thank for making this possible. Now, she''s no longer in pain or in danger of dying. Furthermore, she has friends andpanions who care for her. They have no idea who she truly is, but it''s better that way. They''remon people, after all; they don''t need to know. However, today isn''t like most days... To ordinary civilians, it might be. But for those who worked in the Federal Army, it''s not. Ac, being Prime Earth''s manifested consciousness, obviously knew what was going on. Not knowing it would be far more challenging, considering that Prime Earth''s body is literally hers. She knows that the army is waging war against the demons of the Lost Continent. She heard their ns, and she could also see and feel what''s happening there, even though she''s nowhere near that ce. Ac is not worried about them. With her knowledge about their ns, she could tell that her input or support waspletely unnecessary. She''s confident that they will be just fine. Besides, there is someone who could instantly save everybody in an emergency, so there''s really nothing to worry about here. What truly concerns her are those outside of her reach. Yes. She felt the animosity of the Demon Prince just now. The shiver she felt when he attempted to rip Purgatory apart greatly rmed her because she didn''t think that he''d be so bold. The Demon Prince was also among the ones affected by the oath she forced upon them. If he vites it, he will surely suffer some severe consequences, regardless of his strength or background. After all, this oath was formed under the observation of the cosmicws. The Demon Prince might be strong, but he''s definitely not way stronger than the Cosmic Laws. That''s why she''s shocked when she feels him attempting to vite the oath by forcibly ripping Purgatory apart to forciblynd on Prime Earth. What made him so bold and brave to recklessly ignore the consequences of his actions? She truly has no idea. Fortunately, somebody interfered. No, it''s not Cedric. He''s currently doing the same thing as her¡ªcalmly observing the situation without having any intention of interfering. However, the one who made a move was definitely rted to him. The one who repelled the Demon Prince and sent him crashing to the main ship of the Space Pirates was Rocky, the sentient golem puppet Cedric brought from the Tower of Prodigies. Rocky and Granitas were both golem puppets who served as the glorified butlers of Ac. Both had the strength of a grand sr sage and were definitely enough to protect Prime Earth for a very long time. Cedric didn''t give any orders for Rocky to attack. The golem did so in its own initiative. It was probably judged that if the Demon Prince blew a hole through Purgatory and trulynded on Prime Earth, Azure Terra would suffer greatly. Cedric''s orders were for them to be thest line of defense for this world, so this move was under that consideration. Also, it doesn''t look like Cedric cares about how they do their jobs. So long as Prime Earth is safe in the end, he doesn''t care what method they use to fulfill their duties. That said, knowing that something happened to the Demon Prince meant that the Space Pirates would truly be wary of humans and Prime Earth from now on. As far as she knew, the Demon Race were simple creatures; they''re arrogant because they''re strong. They look down on the natives of underdeveloped worlds simply because they''re ignorant about the true vastness of the cosmos, which is ironic considering that they''re literally space pirates. But because Prime Earth suddenly revealed one of its hidden fangs, in the virtue of producing someone who could force the Demon Prince to eat a bitter loss, she doubts that they''d continue underestimating the natives and this world after this. ''Well, he doesn''t seem concerned at all. I don''t know if that''s good or not.'' Ac thought to herself after seeing how Cedric seemed indifferent about what just happened. ''But I also shouldn''t rely too much on him.'' She continues, ''He has already helped me a lot. I can''t keep being a burden or a shackle that holds him back.'' There''s a solemn look on her face as she makes a decision. Deciding to ignore themotion on the Lost Continent, she mobilized her vitality to do something that would help herself in the future. Previously, Cedric gifted her a chance. It''s an opportunity to join the Tower of Prodigies as staff. Due to her being the frame of the Ac System on Prime Earth, she is eligible to apply as a system operator in the tower. She has learned a thing or two since joining that ce. At first, she was surprised to see many other world spirits like her, but as time passed, she''d grown used to it. As their youngest member, Ac has been pampered by these senior world spirits, and she has learned a lot from them. Ac should''ve been applying these lessons in real life since then, but she has been neglectful due to her sheer confidence in herself and Cedric. This mistake is something that she will rectify starting from this moment. The movement she made couldn''t be sensed by anyone; even those on the main ship of the Space Pirates who have been trying to monitor the situation down here wouldn''t sense this. Cedric could, but he''s obviously different. The Demon God might also be able to sense it, but she has never seen him. Ac was strengthening the Purgatory Realm. This was her protection against invaders, after all. Through this action, she''s also bolstering the oath she formed between her and the Space Pirates. Moreover, she also strengthens her hold on their soulwork, the key to their false immortality. Previously, she''s been unable to fiddle with this thing too much in fear of inciting their full wrath, but after learning from her seniors, this was a simple matter for her. Essentially, she''s chaining them down even more than they already were. Her actions will certainly cause them to suffer immensely. Its impact will certainly be felt once the war on the Lost Continent is over. Aside from reinforcing the Purgatory Realm, Ac also began her arrangements for evolution. Again, this was something she learned from her senior world spirits and working hard on her new job. She exchanged for a ''cultivation technique'' that world spirits can use. Obviously, a world spirit like her couldn''t follow the Life Evolution path, but there are some other paths avable for them. One is through devouring and assimting other nes of existence to evolve. The higher the quality of the material, the better. Another is by consuming infant world spirits, something that Ac would never dare to do. There are more ways for a world spirit to evolve, but the method she chose was by absorbing and assimting higher forms of conceptws. The speed of her evolution using this method will fluctuate a lot, but at the same time, it''s the safest and cheapest way to do so. Higher forms of conceptws are abundant everywhere. Even if Ac uses her entire strength to absorb them, they would regenerate faster than her pace of absorption, so it''s fine. Moreover, she wouldn''t have to face the troublesome Heavenly Tribtion through this method. This will obviously take some time, but if this world wants to keep up with Cedric''s pace and requirements, this is a necessary process. There is a high chance that this will rm the Space Pirates too, but it''s fine. Not many things will remain a secret forever. She''s ready to face the music along with her citizens. "I see. Go on with confidence then. I''m here." As expected, Cedric immediately understood what she was trying to do. He could probably tell what she''s thinking too; this isn''t surprising for him. She won''t lie, though. His words might''ve been brief and simple, but they''re all the validation she needed. And with his support, she felt even more confident about her decision to pursue her evolution into a stronger world spirit. As for Cedric himself, obviously he''s not against this. He''s been waiting for her to take the initiative, actually. And now that she did, he could finally rest easy. At least now, this world finally has a direction, and it''s heading towards the same path he imagined. "But it seems that there are some certain pests that are feeling a little too restless." Cedric''s eyes narrowed as his golden eyes seemingly pierced through the depths of the sea. Chapter 348: Lost Continent Reclamation; Isabellas Stroll and Sea Demons -- Boom! Crack! Boom! Amidst the explosion and colorful lights, a woman could be seen treading through the ckened soil while retaining her cold and unapproachable beauty. Her appearance was a stark contrast to her surroundings. While everything around her seemed gloomy and amidst roaring chaos, she looked at peace or was just indifferent. It''s as if none of this had anything to do with her. This woman was surrounded by chilling air that left a trail of frost in her wake. Threerge snowkes rotated above her, sending out numerous shards of ice crystals to her enemies, impaling them where they stood, turning them into ice sculptures, and then shattering them into fine dust to be scattered in the air, never to reincarnate again. Isabe was initially chosen to join the leaders in that cage to trap the Sin Demon Kings. The original n was for her to aid in controlling their movements by freezing them in ce so that the rest could erode the demon kings'' seemingly bottomless well of power. But this arrangement was vetoedter on in the development of the assault n. They figured that Isabe could do so much more when she''s out there, more so than Garrick ever could, so she was left outside the cage to deal with demons en masse. Whether this was truly the right choice or not isn''t something that can be determined right now. However, Isabe sure is doing her due diligence in this war. She must''ve killed at least hundreds of thousands of demons by now, all by herself too. She was truly unapproachable due to the extremely low temperatures she''s releasing. Demons could only dream of getting close to her because before they actually could, they''d be turned into ice sculptures in a blink of an eye. The freezing urred so fast that even their thoughts couldn''t keep up with it. Isabe brings a frozen tundra with her as she moves. It spans for at least 20 miles with her at the center. Any demons caught inside will be slowed down due to the biting cold. The freezing temperatures must be resisted using demonic energy, or else it will freeze them on the spot. This resulted in the demons needing to use more strength to resist the erosion of the tundra and the attacks of the soldiers who are moving alongside this Ice Princess. Her allies weren''t affected by the cold, obviously. Only rookies will make that kind of mistake, and there''s no room for them in this war. Isabe is a seasoned mage specializing in ice magic; she''s the best at it in this era. She obviously wouldn''t be careless when casting a spell thisrge. To say that she''s a natural disaster with legs would be unsavory but not exactly wrong. People who reach this stage in their cultivation tend to be like this, and she''s no different. Some might think that this spell might be taking a lot from her, but the truth is that it''s not. Isabe only needs to maintain her spell and focus. As per the consumption of energy, it''s almost negligible to her after she learned a cultivation technique that increased the density and quality of energy. This, along with her recent breakthroughs and enlightenments about conceptws, sharply increased her strength. She could even beat herself when she''s stillpeting at the Grand Superhuman Tournament. Knowing that they''re walking alongside a natural disaster might seem like a scary thought to some soldiers, but on this battlefield? It''s a blessing. Especially since this natural disaster was on their side. The soldiers could only gape in wonder, watching as hordes of demons turned into ice sculptures within a minute or two after staying within the frozen tundra. Killing them bes a simple matter at that point. In fact, they didn''t even need to do anything because it is most likely that the demons that turned into an ice sculpture were already frozen thoroughly. One tap of their weapons is all they need to turn that ice sculpture into fine dust. Isabe was practically doing everything, and they''re just here to pick up the scraps. Some soldiers even feel like they''re cheating because this is really too easy. They don''t even have to exert effort. Ssh!!! BOOM!! That sound was unnatural. It wasn''t just Isabe who felt this; the soldiers around her could tell too. She narrowed her eyes and used her detection magic to scan her surroundings. She already knows that she''s at the edge of the continent; this was her route, rounding up those at the edge of thend as she slowly makes her way to the core area. Several guesses appeared in her mind immediately after they heard the sound. Isabe turned somber as she looked at the soldiers around her. "You all should go. Make yourselves useful somewhere else. A big fight is about toe here. Don''t hold me back." Isabe didn''t care if her words sounded offensive to them at this point. She truly couldn''t care because she could also feel a presence emerging from the depths of the sea. This was obvious from the raging waves assaulting the shore of the continent. She knew that something huge and strong wasing. The soldiers didn''t tarry. In addition, none of them were really offended by her words. It''s the truth anyway. Besides, they''re big boys, so they could handle some verbal heat. They retreated from this ce immediately; they went even faster after seeing Isabe rising through the air and concentrating the tundra around her to make the temperature lower. They could feel that she''s setting up the field for the uing fight, and this is something that they absolutely couldn''t participate in. BOOM! SPLASH! ROOAAAARR!!! Isabe watched as the waves climbed up to a staggering height; at some point, it revealed a massive and bulbous head filled with warts and scales. The stained waters turned denser and murkier, almost like they''re ink. She also saw several tentacles emerging from the depths before a pair of dted and monstrous disc-shaped eyesnded on her, causing her to feel chilled to her core. "Kraken," Isabe muttered with certainty. Her face turned solemn at the idea of facing this creature. Yes, she has already decided that she will fight this thing. She knows that she absolutely cannot let this humongous octopus go on a rampage on thisnd. With how obscenelyrge this thing was, who knows how many of herrades will die from its assault? As if the millions of demons still roaming around aren''t enough for them to deal with. She doesn''t know how this thing was rming, and at this point, she couldn''t care less. "The original n was to deal with you at ater date, but since you''vee here, you might as well stay," Isabe coldly stated. She lifted her hand and pressed on the pendant she''s wearing. As soon as she did so, a cold blue light enveloped her briefly. Once it''s gone, Isabe looks different than before. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin A crown of colorful ice crystals could be seen on top of her head. She''s also wearing gorgeous sky blue armor, which also looked like it was made from ice crystals. Under this armor, she wore a white gown that flowed like mercury, leaving trails of silver dust in her wake. She''s also holding a mage''s staff, which looked like it was made from snow. It almost looks like it wouldn''t hold its shape, but in truth, it''s iparably durable. This staff focused Isabe''s power, raising her strength even more. All of this was hidden on the pendant she''s wearing previously. And this pendant was the personal artifact that Cedric created for her after she took first ce in the Continental Superhuman Tournament. Feeling the protection and power this artifact gives her made the corners of her lips curl for a brief moment before returning to their natural state. She coldly regarded the snarling kraken in front of her before drawing an arc with her staff. The three snowkes that previously hovered above her instantly turned gigantic. She sent them spinning towards the kraken; one went above, turning into a turret that mercilessly rained down icicle spears on the kraken; another spun like a buzzsaw, attempting to sever the tentacles that were writhing on thend. And the final snowke turned into a disc that released a concentrated beam of white light containing the power of ice. Everything within 10 miles of Isabe was frozen to nihility; no other living being could approach this ce except maybe a few people. The rampaging waves were frozen into ciers, forming a cage around the kraken, which limited its movements. Of course, it wouldn''t be this easy. This Kraken is considered one of the overlords of the sea. It''s flesh has long been developed and tempered by the pressure of the sea depths. But Isabe''s ice isn''t something she could casually shrug off either. With her understanding of icews, Isabe could even freeze space. Of course, her ice also boasts incredible toughness and durability. Their fight was visible for everybody to see, despite the terrible visibility of this continent. This goddamn octopus is too huge after all. Fortunately, someone was there to intercept it. BOOM! SPLASH! ROAAARR!! "God! Are you kidding me? There''s another one!?" Chapter 349: Lost Continent Reclamation; Isabella vs. Two? Three? -- Isabe''s expression turned ugly as she felt another presenceing in. ''As if one deep water monstrosity isn''t enough for me to deal with. Tsk.'' She didn''t know how these things got attracted to whatever''s happening here, but it''s clear that they''re not happy about it. She didn''t even question how these things could emerge onnd safely, as if being out of water meant nothing to them. All she knows is that she has to take care of these two, or else this entire operation will be lost. Boom! Ssh! Roar! Her set-up to limit the movement of the Kraken was destroyed by its teammate. From the depths of the waves, she saw anotherrge monstrosity emerging. ''Leviathan.'' That''s what the Federal Armybeled it. It''s a giant sea demon with the body of a shark. It has scales that look like deep sea corals; it also has five rows of sharp and jagged teeth; some were even protruding out of its mouth. It''s wrathbined with Kraken''s caused the skies to darken even further. Thunder and lightning roared from above, giving some semnce of illumination here and there, allowing some people to see just what kind of monstrosities they had to face. The poor people, whose task it was to document the entire operation through film, couldn''t even lift their filming apparatuses properly. They could only watch in horror as Isabe faced these two enormous sea demons by herself. Isabe knew that she didn''t have the luxury of remaining idle. This situation was far too dangerous for her to face alone. So, even before the second one appearedpletely in her view, she had already raised her staff to summon numerous ciers above her. Once the Leviathannded next to the Kraken, Isabe mmed the butt of her staff on the ground and turned the shore frozen solid. She thenunched the ciers above her, which then formed small hills of pure ice crystals as soon as theynded. The appedages of the sea demons were frostbitten, but it seems that they could hardly feel it. Isabe wouldn''t be surprised if this was actually the case. It would be awesome if she could truly freeze them to death within a short time; that would certainly make her life easier. But it''s also fine if she couldn''t. This was just another set-up anyway. The Kraken mmed its tentacles on the ice hills around it; it also tried to wiggle its body to break the thick sheet of ice that restricted its movements. Of course, Leviathan was also trying to do the same. However, Isabe''s ice had a surprising density. Nobody could truly understand how hard and solid her ice was unless they experienced it themselves, like the way the sea demons are doing right now. Isabe''s ice was as dense and solid as deep earthen crystals or rare metals that are often used to create artifacts. Not only were they solid, they also released frighteningly low temperatures. And the longer they stay in ce under Isabe''s control, the lower the temperature gets, and in turn, the more solid they be. Soon, these ice hills and thick sheets of ice will make them feel like they''re trapped within a snow-capped mountain. It''s this ability of hers that made the leaders of humanity initially decide to put her on the team of those who will deal with the Sin Demon Kings. Because all Isabe needed to be useful was simply existing. If she was given the chance to create an environment where she truly shines, it''d be over for her enemies. That said, she''s not facing any push-overs here. These are monsters who evolved through demonic corruption and grew rtively undisturbed for a very long time. These are the overlords of the sea, capable of plunging into depths where light couldn''t reach. Their size isn''t simply for show or because of overeating. The Leviathan snarled at the ice witch and summoned thick bolts of lightning from the sky. It also released a tide out of thin air, forming into humongous waves that threatened to wash away all existence from this continent, bringing about a flood that would certainly revert the world back to its stone age. Of course, the Kraken wasn''t too far behind. Instead of summoning water, though, it spewed a flood of murky ink from the tip of its tentacles, spraying it all over the frozen, solid waters. Pools of ink formed, and they started producing humanoid ink creatures that charged fearlessly towards Isabe; some even surfed with the tide that the Leviathan called forth. In response to this, Isabe waved her staff and pointed it at the iing tide, freezing it solid along with the ink creatures with it. She effectively neutralized its threat on her own. She then mmed the butt of her staff once more on the ground, and the frozen tide shattered into giant cial spears, which she sent towards her enemies. She controlled the spears to impale the Leviathan and the Kraken; she even welded the cial spears onto the thick ice sheet she formed to make sure that these two wouldn''t be able to get out of her restrictions. Blood sprung forth like a geyser from their bodies after she impaled them. Their blood dyed the sea even darker, and it will certainly attract more of the sea demons over here. All of Kraken''s tentacles were nailed into the frozen field of ice. It roared in pain and agony while attempting to free itself from the spears, but to no avail. As for the Leviathan, it only had a single cial spear lodged on its body, but its size was at least five timesrgerpared to the ones that could be seen on the Kraken''s tentacles. And with these spears firmly lodged in their bodies, the extremely low temperatures they exude could now prate deep into their bodies. Eventually, these will start freezing them from within. However, with the innate durability of these things, this will certainly take some time to happen. With her targetspletely immobilized, Isabe stopped hesitating or holding back. She knew that she had limited time and energy here, so she must kill these two as soon as she can. Releasing her power as a freshly madeary Warrior Life Evolver, sheunched spells towards the Leviathan and the Kraken like there''s no tomorrow. Explosions of ice-blue light erupted with her at the center. Isabe has her eyes closed as sheunches a seemingly unending barrage of icicle spears towards her enemies. The icicle spears carry a surprising prative power. They pierced through the thick scales and flesh of the sea demons, causing them to feel a kind of agony they''d never felt before. They tried to evade her wrathful onught, but their size worked against them this time. Isabe didn''t even need to aim; so long as she focuses on the general direction, it''s almost certain that she will hit them. And because her ice was dense and solid, coupled with her skills at controlling them, her attacks hurt them immensely. Crack! Crack! Crack! "Oh, you''ve got to be fucking kidding me." Isabe''s lips twitched in irritation as she heard her set-up emitting dangerous soundsing from below. She released her detection spell once more and cursed under her breath. Her brows furrowed as she increased her efforts to maintain the frozen field. She could feel that whatever it was that was trying to destroy it from below was certainly determined to do so. Momentster, the impacts stoppedpletely. However, Isabe knew that the situation was far from being safe or stable. Whatever that thing was, it simply swerved to find a different area to emerge from. By no means, it was retreating. Boom! Ssh! Roaar! "There it fucking is." Isabe snarled hatefully at the creature that just joined the party. In terms of size alone, both the Kraken and the Leviathan had nothing on this one. It''s gigantic body almost made Isabe look like a stuffed toy from the sheer difference. Huge rock-like scales, reptilian ws, a long and sleder body, and a and a fearsome size¡ªthe one that just arrived was none other than the Deep Sea Demon Serpent, who''s most likely the big brother of the Leviathan and the Kraken. If those two could be called the overlords of the Sea Demons, the Deep Sea Demon Serpent was the true king of Prime Earth''s tainted seas. The Federal Army only ever had a glimpse of it when they''re probing the depths; the image didn''t evene out clearly, but from what they could make out, they could immediately tell that this one was the true final boss of the sea demons. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin What makes the Deep Sea Demon Serpent different from the Kraken and the Leviathan is that it could fly, which instantly makes it three times harder for Isabe to restrict it like she did with its little brothers. Seeing this onee up as well, Isabe knew that she''s in for a really difficult time. But as the Deep Sea Demon Serpent was about to attack her directly, a pir of pure white light smote it down and nailed it to the solid ice sheet, twitching in pain. "Are you kidding me!?" A pitched voice of disbelief echoed behind her. "You''re having a party here all by yourself? That''s unfair!" Isabe looked behind her and saw two people arriving, causing her to sigh in relief. Chapter 350: Lost Continent Reclamation; Reinforcements -- Twodies appeared before Isabe. One was wearing a gorgeous ck gown that looked like it was made from raven feathers. She had long ck hair with slightly green-ish tips; her skin was fair; and her appearance was enchanting. She exuded a confident aura that also contained a venomous danger underneath. Her mischevious expression makes her look yful, but knowing who thisdy is and her being here means that she''s not ying around. The other was a white-haired woman wearing a silver silk gown; she was wearing a leather robe on top of it that flowed like mercury. She''s holding a long golden staff that has a pair of golden-ted wings at its head, emanating a calming light and energy. These two were none other than Chrissy and Erica. They obviously sensed themotion over here and decided to give Isabe a hand. "Are you okay?" Erica asked in concern, scanning Isabe from head to toe. There''s no physical injury to her body, but nobody could ever be sure in a ce like this. "I''m good," Isabe replied. "But these three are a little too much for me to handle alone. Can you help me? We can''t let them go deeper into the continent; who knows how much chaos they''ll bring?" "Of course, dear," Chrissy replied. "That''s why we came here after all." "We''ll take on the Deep Sea Demon Serpent. Can you handle the Kraken and the Leviathan on your own?" Erica asked. "Yes, I can. Thank you." Isabe turned around and focused her attention on her targets. Erica and Chrissy looked at each other briefly. Thetter shrugged and began flying towards the pinned-down serpent; the former followed closely behind but not before waving her staff at Isabe. In that instant, a sh of colorful lights shot towards Isabe. As it touched her, she felt a warm current coursing through her body. She instantly felt her strength skyrocketing at an rming rate. A refreshing coolness sobbed her up, and her fatigue was instantly cleared as if it hadn''t existed previously. Erica didn''t even say a word to her. She just smiled and flew towards the demon serpent. Isabe didn''t say anything either. She just nodded in her direction gratefully before focusing on her targets. Chrissy and Erica heard the crackling ice behind them and just smiled. They don''t need to be worried about her; they knew that she could handle those two with or without them. It''s this serpent that just ruined it; otherwise, they wouldn''t have needed to make an appearance. "It''s unreal how this thing used to be an ordinary underwater serpent," Chrissy stated as she nced at the humongous body of the creature. "If it weren''t for Cedric''s lucky chances, this thing would''ve been impossible to deal with." "I know. This just shows how ridiculous demonic corruption is and how it should bepletely flushed out of this world. Not even an ounce of it must be left, or else it could spell another potential disaster," Erica replied. While the Federal Army only had a glimpse of the true horror of the Deep Sea Demon Serpent, Cedric was obviously different. He waspletely beyond his understanding of this thing, and he''s been able to learn everything he could about it without the other party knowing. This creature predates the demonic invasion. Like Chrissy said, it was only an ordinary underwater serpent back then; it''s one of the weakest sea creatures to ever exist. However, when the demonic corruption stained the seas, it was also one of the first creatures to surrender to it, and surprisingly, it adapted to it the fastest. No, the Deep Sea Demon Serpent isn''t a ve of the Demon Race. It is not registered in their Soul Network, so if it dies, it permanently dies. The space pirates wouldn''t care about retrieving its soul and forcibly enving the thing. They probably didn''t even know it existed. Since then, it has begun devouring other demonized sea creatures, growing in size and steadily evolving. It didn''t concern itself with anything other than eating and evolving until it reached this state, where it became the true king of the seas. If Cedric had never been scouted by Big Han of the Tower of Prodigies, it would''ve been near impossible for humans to deal with this thing. The Deep Sea Demon Serpent has actually forcibly reached theary Warrior level of strength through devouring other sea demons. It''s foundations were unstable, of course, since this level of strength should''ve been impossible to reach in this world, but that doesn''t change the fact that it''s absurdly strong. If it had been given more time to develop undisturbed, it could''ve stabilized its realm and pursued a greater level of strength. It was truly fortunate that Cedric''s luck seems to go way beyond Prime Earth. Or else, it truly would''ve been over for humanity. Boom! Crack! Chrissy and Erica watched in mild surprise as the Deep Sea Demon Serpent managed to free itself from Erica''s bindings. She initially pinned it down by sending a stake that pierced its body. They watched as its injuries healed at a pace visible to the naked eye. It then flew to the skies and snarled at them hatefully, its wrath seemingly summoning a fierce storm above. "Ugh. It''s breath stinks," Chrissyined softly, covering her nose. Meanwhile, Erica was solemnly staring at the sky. She could tell that this demon was mobilizing the power of conceptws by instinct. It''s mastery over this power was piss poor, but that''s to be expected for a creature like this. However, it doesn''t change the fact that it could still use the power ofws. "Eat...eat you!!!" Chrissy and Erica were stunned when they heard this. They looked at each other in surprise before focusing on the creature again. "My, it turned out it could talk. Barely." Chrissy snorted in disdain. "It also wants to eat us. How adorable." "For a creature who only knows how to devour other creatures, this level of intelligence is already impressive," Erica replied. "But that''s all there is to it. How about we start killing this thing already? I want to wrap this up early; we still have to return for a dinner date with Cedric, and we can''t bete." "Ooh, yeah. You''re right. Let''s do it then!" Erica''s eyes shed with light. The alpha and omega signs appeared in her pupils. Her aura skyrocketed in an instant and neutralized the dark and heavy atmosphere influenced by the demon serpent. The veins on Chrissy''s body became visibly dark, making her look a little frightening. Her hands were then covered by a thin veil of liquid poison that''s releasing a faint smoke. The raven feathers on her ck gown also seem toe alive. Erica raised her staff and pointed at the dark clouds above. With a sh of golden light, the dark clouds parted, and in an in an instant, golden chains with tapered edges began raining down on the demon serpent. Each chain easily pierced through its thick scales and restricted its movements. It hasn''t even been long since it regained its ability to fly, yet it was easily restrained again. The Deep Sea Demon Serpent roared in pain and agony. It could feel its flesh being seared by the surprising heat of the chains. It tried to free itself from its restraints, and the more it struggled, the tighter and hotter the chains got. Chrissy blurred into motion after seeing this. In an instant, she appeared on the back of the serpent, and she began shooting blobs of poison at its exposed wounds as the creature thrashed around. This poison of hers was specifically concocted to erode the victim from within. It won''t torture them with pain because she finds that unnecessary; it will just cause everything inside to decay, and this effect seeps through her target''s very existence. Meaning that it''s aplete gic breakdown upon contact. A true lethal poison that only Cedric and Erica know how to cure. It''s a curse and a hex too, making it nearly impossible to cure. Chrissy returned to Erica''s side with a cheerful grin on her face. She then said: "Alright, now we wait." "Your poisons are getting nastier and nastier as time goes on." Chrissy rolled her eyes at her behavior. "It''s my talent." Chrissy shrugged in reply. The Deep Sea Demon Serpent was still thrashing around, trying to free itself from the chains. It didn''t feel the poison that''s now coursing through its veins. Erica and Chrissy could see it. Thetter''s poison was now working its magic. One by one, they saw how the demon serpent''s body was turning ck, dissipating into a pool of ck blood after the poison touched the area. It wasn''t until at least half of its internal organs were gone that the demon serpent reacted to it. At this point, though, it''s already toote. The demon serpent was in disbelief, especially after realizing that its powerful vitality couldn''t regenerate what it had lost so far. It began to feel fear, causing it to struggle even more, but it was kept chained down, and the more fearful it became, the faster the poison flowed and destroyed it from within. Five minutester, the Deep Sea Demon Serpent was no more. The only evidence of its existence left behind was a clean and pristine set of ivory serpent bones. Chapter 351: Lost Continent Reclamation; Pillars vs. Sins -- ''They made that look too easy,'' Isabe thought to herself. ''Well, it probably was easy for them, but still...'' She couldn''t help but feel a little envious seeing how strong Erica and Chrissy were. She thought that she''d caught up at least, but this scenario enlightened her of the still-widening gap between them. Isabe obviously knew who these two were. They were her seniors in the Starlight Royal Academy, and even back then, they were already famous for their strength and beauty. She looked up to them secretly. Thinking that they''re good role models for female superhumans. She too yearned to reach the same level of strength as theirs; she also wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them since she thought this would be the minimum requirement to befriend these two. Isabe thought that she was catching up, but it turns out that she wasn''t. Not only was she not catching up, she''s been left far behind. Of course, she knew that this must have something to do with Cedric. It isn''t a secret that these two were linked to him, after all. And if he''s truly serious about them, there''s no way he wouldn''t give them assistance. But she also knew that these girls have their own pride just like her. Sure, they might receive his help once or twice, but they wouldn''t let him do everything. They''d take on their own roads themselves; that''s how prodigies work. Shaking her head, she discarded these unimportant thoughts and finished up the Kraken and the Leviathan. Just as she said, she alone was enough to handle these two. It''s the Deep Sea Demon Serpent that made thisplicated. Since Chrissy and Erica decided to handle that thing, these two were obviously incapable of escaping her grasp. She fought the two monstrosities at the same time as her seniors dealt with the demon serpent. Though those girls were obviously taking it easy while she had to exert a certain amount of effort still. ''Doesn''t matter, I suppose. I should just be thankful that these sea demons won''t bother anybody ever again.'' Since most of the stronger sea demons weren''t technically from the Demon Race, they won''t be reincarnated through the Soul Network and Flesh Incubator. Once they died here, it''s permanent. The Kraken, Leviathan, and the Deep Sea Demon Serpents were the three strongest sea demons on Prime Earth. With them gone, humans could simply round up the rest. Of course, it would be taken care ofter, after they''re done with this continent. "Well, party''s over it seems." Chrissy sighed in a bummed tone. She then looked at Isabe and said, "We''re going back now. Do you want toe with us?" Isabe looked stunned at the sudden offer. A couple of thoughts shed through her mind in an instant without showing any change in her expression. She then shook her head and politely replied, "Thank you for the offer, but I''m fine. I''ll stay around and help out to finish this operation faster." Chrissy gave Erica a look, but thetter seemed to ignore it. "Alright, if that''s what you want. Stay safe now, alright? Don''t underestimate the stray. Expect the worst from the desperate ones," Erica reminded her before taking Chrissy''s hand and disappearing from her sight. Isabe remained silent for a couple of seconds after they left. Her cold and indifferent expression made it difficult for others to tell what exactly she was thinking. After that, she shook her head and gazed upon the still ongoing chaos on this continent. Her sky blue eyes shed with a cold light as she turned into a silver mist heading deeper into the fray. ** Boom! BOOM! BOOOOOM! Inside the cage, the pirs of humanity and the sin demons were trapped. A series of cataclysmic explosions resounded in quick session. Lights of myriad colors shed all over the ce, and thend beneath them trembled from the sheer impact of their sh. Roooaarr! Obviously, the strongest one here was King Pride... In his maddened state, where he haspletely sumbed to the depths of histent power, he could barely discern allies and enemies. Hell, he couldn''t even remember his own name. It''s as if anything that isn''t rted to fighting or killing had beenpletely discarded by his brain to make room for more power. Even the sheer tap of his fingers sent the air screaming. His punches could blow a hole through mountains, and his kicks could overturn the seas. He was fast, urate, and extremely vicious in his assault. No human in this cage could match King Pride''s raw strength. Fiona might be able to, but only for a couple of blows. Even her absurd strength couldn''tpare to the seemingly endless well of power flooding out of the insignia of Pride. Fortunately, there''s simply no need to match Pride in a straight contest of raw power. Not only was it unwise to do so, it''s also meaningless. The entire reason why they trapped them all here was to kill them, not to have an arm wrestling contest. The few times when Fiona had to receive King Pride''s strength up front was to prevent him from blowing up one of herrades. This guy wouldn''t simply sit still and allow them to kill him, after all. Other than that, it''s wild goose chase along with the other Sin Demons. And it''s in to see that they''re bing increasingly frustrated the longer this goes on. Lust, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed not only have to be wary of humans but also Pride because he can and will attack them too in his current state. The worst part is that the humans were taking advantage of this. Sometimes they would purposefully throw them in the way of Pride, causing him tosh out fiercely; this will in turn force another sin demon to step in to save the other from Pride''s attack, but this creates an opening that humans never failed to grasp. It''s so frustrating to deal with. They think that humans are so shameless to fight them in this way, but the humans think that it''s actually one of their smarter ideas. Who asked Pride to be so uncontroble in state, after all? It certainly wasn''t the humans; that much is obvious. If they had anybody to me, the me would be on the one who put this faulty insignia on Pride since it''s due to this that they have to deal with this kind of problem. Of course, the other sin demons weren''t pushovers either. They have their own strengths in this fight that they''re not afraid to take advantage of. Take Lust for example; her mental power was obviously the strongest here. That''s how her seductions work after all. The constant erosion of her allure and provocative gestures was something that humans needed to watch out for all the time. One slip is all it would take for her to takeover, and in a heated battle like this, that is no different from a death sentence. Sloth and Gluttony were damage absorbers; thetter is even more so than the former. Gluttony''s slimy body just absorbs impacts like they were nothing. If someone says that he''s simply eating them, the humans will be inclined to believe so too. His movements were practically uninterruptable because of this, giving him more freedom to position himself wherever he''s needed. The only downside of this form of his was that he''s painfully slow. Heavy and slow. There had been a couple of times in this fight where he moved a little toote, even though he reacted early. This disadvantage of his bnced out the earlier advantage he held. Big Sloth waszy even in a heated battle like this. His movements looked lethargic and unwilling. His eyes seem to say that he''d rather be anywhere else than here. He''s not as tough as Gluttony, but he''s slightly faster. Moreover, his long andnky limbs could stretch like rubber and act like whips to attack, giving him more options in this battle. Greed was the most unpredictable here. The amount of shit he pulls out of that ridicuously overstuffed and oversized knapsack of his was insane. In one moment, he''s holding a melee artifact that could either extend or retract through his mentalmands. Then, on the next second, he will pull out some kind of gun to shoot at another target before switching to another weapon. He never uses the same thing twice, and so far, he hasn''t run out of trinkets to use. And finally, there''s Lady Envy... If there''s anybody from their side who''s the most bnced and versatile fighter, it would be her. She isn''t as strong as King Pride, her mental power isn''t as high as Lust, she''s not as tough and flexible as Gluttony and Sloth, and not as unpredictable as Greed, but she''s a master fighter. She ys to her strengths well, and even though she doesn''t specialize in one thing, her skillset has a wide range, allowing her to do feats that made her a very capable fighter. If there''s anybody here whom the Sin Demons could trust to dictate the rhythm of the battle, it''s not King Pride who''s the strongest. It''s Lady Envy. Chapter 352: Lost Continent Reclamation; Lazy Death -- "RAAAGGHH!!!" King Pride''s rampage continued, still unable to recognize allies from foes. His maws were wide open, scattering a trail of acidic spit wherever he went. He transformed at some point during his rampage, turning into a Chimera. A goat head grew from his nape, a pair of eagle wings unfurled behind him, and he also grew snaketail. Both the goathead and the snaketail were sentient; by the way, they''re capable of releasing attacks to add to King Pride''s onught. His transformation caused his already perverted strength to skyrocket even more at an rming rate. In his previous form, Fiona could still receive a blow from him, but in this state, even a graze would be fatal. Fortunately, King Pride isn''t just a danger to humans but also to his fellow Sin Demons. Even they had to avoid getting in his way, or else he''d tear them apart before they could blink. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin Currently, King Pride is being held down by Charles. Yes, this teenage-looking Superhuman, who looked as if he snucked out of the house, was holding back the rampaging disaster that is this Demon King. He''s able to do so only because King Pride lost all of his rationality. He attacks everything that moves, and that includes Charles'' toys. The Tech God was leading the rampaging demon into a wild goose chase using his cleverly ced energy cannons while Charles himself stayed far away from him. Whenever King Pride was about to attack one of hisrades, Charles would rain down fire on the demon, catching its irritation and anger, which would cause it to chase the machines he made. This gives hisrades more room to deal with the other sin demons around. While Charles continued to lure King Pride away, the rest of hisrades were busy trying to round up the rest. They knew that they''re all needed to deal with King Pride alone, so they have to kill the other Sin Demons as soon as they can before Charles runs out of machines to use. Raven''s pitch ck wings releasedsers of pitch ck projectiles towards his enemies. These projectiles contained the power of darknessws. It sticks and restricts their movements, allowing others to hit the targets solidly. His projectiles also numb their senses and were also effective in swallowing their enemies, making them more lethargic. The one that''s most affected by this effect was Big Sloth due to his innate sin ring up. Big Sloth was already slow. He really didn''t want to be here in the first ce; he just wanted to sleep and bezy forever. With the side effect of Raven''s Darkness Laws, this feeling became even stronger, making him feel more tired and lethargic. In turn, he''s umting more injuriespared to the rest of his allies. Of course, the other sin demons also noticed this. And while theyin about Big Sloth most of the time, he''s still arade that they''ve been with for hundreds of years now. Of course, they''d be unwilling to see him die, so they''re doing their best to give him some room to recover. Unfortunately, the humans also knew what they''re trying to do, and they''re making it very difficult for them to help each other out. When Gluttony tries to ce himself in between Sloth and whatever attack that''s about tond on his body, Fiona would casually appear right next to him to throw him on the opposite side of the cage, preventing him from protecting Sloth. Greed tries to help Sloth; Cassandra summons a literal storm to lift him and that oversized knapsack of his away. Lust tries to interfere by sending a cloud of pheromones that would energize Sloth. Lissandra will form an arcane barrier around her, one that''s made of pure moonlight energy, to keep that cloud in there. Filius will also help out by summoning some strange nts that happen to devour that kind of substance for sustenance. If Lady Envy tries to interfere herself, Anthony will simply fly in circles around her, leaving behind clouds of metal shards that prevent her from moving any closer, especially if she doesn''t want to be pierced by shrapnels. Garrick and Old Man Jin are also there to dish out lethal attacks when they need to. Unlike the rest, these two are very determined to maul and slice the demons apart. As for King Pride, they don''t have to do anything. In his state of insanity, it''d be a miracle if he didn''t attack Sloth himself. Actually, the humans wanted to see that happen the most. This purposeful and sinister interference from humans caused the rest to feel very anxious. The feeling of seeing their lifelongrade slowly but surely sumbing to the grip of certain death is something that they never thought they''d experience. It was enraging. So much so that it''s making them feel desperate. They never expected that the locals that they used to look down upon were capable of making them feel this way. If they''d known, they would''ve never allowed the situation to reach this stage. Unfortunately, there is no cure for regrets. And all it took was one slip¡ªa single moment of carelessness¡ªand Big Sloth was done for. "NOOOOOO!!!!" Lust''s roar of grief shook the field. The Sin Demons watched as Old Man Jin smoothly passed through Big Sloth''s body. It''s as if that single moment extended for a lifetime. Afterwards, they saw Big Sloth''s head sliding down from his shoulders. His big andnky body copsed to the ground with a loud thud, unmoving and unresponsive. His head was caught by the old man and was burned through some special means. The Sin Demons could feel Big Sloth''s soul wailing in pain as he was burned. Itsted for only a couple of seconds before it waspletely gone. None of them were able to react to it due to their shock and disbelief, but they all knew that Big Sloth truly died. The Soul Network wasn''t able to recover his soul due to the methods the human used to directly burn his soul. The Flesh Incubator will also be rendered useless since Big Sloth''s soul is gone. Big Sloth died. He died in these foreignnds, and hisst moments were filled with pain and agony. Their so-called immortality was rendered ineffective andpletely worthless against these locals. If they never saw it happen in person, none of them would''ve believed it. They did, though. And now, aside from grief and anger, they also felt a fear enveloping them. It was only after witnessing this that they truly felt the weight behind thatdy''s words earlier when she said that it''s either they (Sin Demons) or them (Humans) that will leave this ce alive. There''s no in-between, no concessions, or any possible negotiations. One side lives and the other dies. That''s it. in and simple. The Sin Demons now realized that when she said the word ''death'', she actually meant a ''permanent death''. "HOW DARE YOU!!!" Sir Greed recovered and roared at the top of his lungs. His form visibly fluctuated due to the sheer grief and anger he felt. But right before he could say anything more, something appeared right next to him. He was hit and was sent flying, causing him to feel sober. "Don''t be so dramatic," Fiona spat as she rubbed her fist. "It''s just death. You''re on a battlefield. Shit like that is normal." "You filthy whore! How dare you kill him!!" Lust responded in anger. Fiona sneered in her direction and said, "Oh, so it''s fine when you guys do it, but when we do it, it''s bad? Bitch, you''re fucking delusional." "You guys go through many worlds, causing mindless ughter and genocide without batting an eye just to fuel your selfish greed for resources and get angry or disdainful when the locals fight back? Holy shit, what kind of logic is that? For someone who ims that they''re from a''superior race'', that line of thought is pretty stupid, you know?" Her words rendered herpletely speechless. That, along with the sheer killing intent she''s exuding as she spoke, made Lust even more fearful of her wrath. Does she understand what this woman meant with her words? Of course, she does. She''s neither a fool nor an idiot. She also knew that this was just the start of their revenge, and they would not stop until every single one of them was dead. Why else would they imprison themselves with them if they''re not determined to trade with their lives for this one chance? Lady Envy sighed inwardly as she gripped her fists harder. Unlike the rest, she knew that this wasing. Her people umted way too much sin and negative karma. And now, their retribution hase, and it couldn''t be stopped. She could smile mirthlessly and tell everybody, ''I told you so,'' but she can''t. It''s way toote for that. Besides, she''s trapped here. And with the current momentum humans have, it''s very unlikely that she''ll leave this ce alive. ''I''m sorry, Rom''er. It seems that I''ll be breaking my promise to you.'' Chapter 353: Lost Continent Reclamation; Pride eats Sloth, Charles Androids -- Big Sloth''s death left a deep impression on the Sin Demons. His ending woke them up to the reality of the situation before them. Creatures who used to take deaths lightly since it was a temporary thing for them were now facing the true threat of death, and they don''t know how to deal with it. Boom!! The stalemate brought by Big Sloth''s death didn''tst though. It was interrupted by a sudden, unexpected move from King Pride, who still hasn''t recovered any semnce of his sanity. To Charles and everybody else''s surprise, King Pride swerved from chasing the machines and flew straight towards Big Sloth''s headless corpse. He practically teleported on top of his body with how quick he was. And under their shocked gazes, King Pride ripped the corpse''s heart out and swallowed it whole. The scene was appalling, both for humans and his fellow Sin Demons. None of them were able to stop him from doing this either, and in hindsight, maybe they should''ve tried to nheless, because what happens next just made the King''s situation even more unstable. BOOOOM!! Arge explosion shook the field with King Pride at its center. It was then followed by heavy pressure flooding the entire sealed zone. When the smoke cleared, they saw King Pride still standing on top of Big Sloth''s corpse with visible changes on his body. He''s still in that chimera form of his, but he grew bigger, at least twice his previous size. Additionally, the sheer power emanating from him was frightening. The sheer fluctuations of it turn the space around him murky and unstable. His aura was causing everything close to him to copse due to its density. ROOOOOAAAAARRR!!! King Pride released a roar of satisfaction, grief, and anger. His voice doesn''t even sound the same anymore. Everyone could hear Big Sloth''s wailing in the undertones of Pride''s voice. This made them realize that King Pride devoured the Insignia of Sloth, which not only caused his already perverted level of strength to increase sharply but also very likely eroded his sanity even further. Previously, there might''ve been a 10% chance that Lust or any form of stimuli could''ve returned King Pride''s sanity. Now though, the chances of that happening might not even go past 1%. King Pride has truly reached the state of mindless rage. It''s kind of ironic considering that this isn''t how his sin should work. Excessive rage was Wrath''s thing because that undead bone dragon was the Sin of Wrath. The possibility of devouring other sins to increase one''s strength should''ve fallen under Gluttony''s repertoire because that would just make sense. It doesn''t, though. Gluttony can''t do something like this because he''ll straight up die from excessive energy and explode like fireworks. So what''s up with Pride? How can he do this? This question might be something that only Pride himself might be able to answer. Unfortunately, the chances of him giving them an exnation in this current state of his were practically nonexistent. "Damn, he just became even more dangerous." Charles hatefully spat as he started bringing out his bigger toys. He figured that the previous toys he used to lure him wouldn''t work anymore. They''d either be too slow or too fragile tost under King Pride''s assault. Charles had other options, of course; he is the tech god after all. But he didn''t bring many of his high-end machines with him this time. It''s not that he doesn''t want to; he just couldn''t. Even with his abundant resources, the high-end machines needed a lot of rare materials, and the amount he had could only make him a few of them. Clink! Clink! Clink! Charles threw what looked like a Rubik''s cube on the ground. It unfolded and revealed a humanoid machine with sleek features and extravagant design. This machine was obviously an Android. It looked like an adult and taller version of Charles. It''s body was slim and light, made out of extremely rare and durable metals known to man. Its eyes shone with intelligence. It''s also wearing whitebat robes made of slik nanotube metals, which not only provided style but also protection. Whir! "Greetings, Creator." The robot mechanically greeted. "No time for formalities, Oberon. This is an emergency. I authorize you to go intobat mode now. Your task is to hold back that thing," Charles told his android. The android named Oberon scanned the target that Charles pointed out with his sensors. It onlysted for a second before Oberon started morphing into another shape. Sharp mana fluctuations could be felt from Oberon, which surprised hisrades. They all saw how the white robes he wore turned into ted armor, and his eyes sharpened with the intent to kill. Oberon''s palms opened up, and light emerged from them. He mobilized the nanomachines installed on his body to form a sharp and durable spear, which he will definitely use for this battle. Seeing Oberon prepared forbat, Charless nodded in satisfaction. However, he wasn''t quite done. He produced another cube, which contained another android. This one was a female android named Ophelia. He also asked her to enterbat mode, and instead of a spear, she produced a variety of mounted cannons and sters attached to her body. Charles also brought out three high-tech-looking drones that orbited around his body, which he could control using his visor. Oberon, Ophelia, and these three high-tech drones. These are all the high-end machines he could create with the resources avable to him. It took Charles almost five years of constant research and experimentation to create Oberon. After he was able to create him, Ophelia was born shortly after. Each of these drones needed an entire month of constant work for him to create, and he was only able to make three due to his limited ess to materials. Judging from all of his preparations, it was clear that he still intends to continue tussling with King Pride to allow hisrades to finish off the rest of the Sin Demons. Snap! BOOM! CRACK! King Pride sensed Charles''s movements, and it instinctively treated them as threats. Fortunately, King Pride reacted slow enough for Charles to finish his set-up because once King Pride moved, nobody was able to follow his movements because of how quick it was. The mad Demon King was no longer standing upright; he was on fours, and his chimeric form was even more prominent than before after he devoured the sin of sloth. He appeared right in front of Charles in a blink of an eye and pped him with a paw. This seemingly casual move was actually strong enough to pulverize an entire ind. Fortunately, Charles was prepared. The drones in his body reacted as soon as they sensed movement. They formed a triagr shield that blocked King Pride''s paw, rebounding the excessive force back to its sender, causing the beast to be sent flying from where it came. Oberon and Ophelia mobilized at this point. The former turned into a streak of light and stabbed his spear towards the area where King Pride was about tond. Thetter also sted several shells in the general direction. The sh between them caused the others to resume the fight even more fiercely than before. The Sin Demons had no time to grieve about Big Sloth''s death. The humans won''t give them a chance either. They also don''t have the luxury of time to think about what''s wrong with Pride. They could only focus on making it out of this ce alive. Charles was definitely determined to keep King Pride chasing after him. Unfortunately, he underestimated just how much of a strength boost King Pride had after he devoured the sin of sloth. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! In just a short burst of sh. Oberon and Ophelia have been destroyed a couple of times in a row. If it weren''t for the fact that they could rearrange themselves and heal the damages they receive so long as they have an energy supply, they would''ve been gone by now. Charles himself also couldn''t escape King Pride''s harassment. If anything, it seems that the mad beast has particr liking to him because he kepting after him. The drones he had protecting him could only take so much force at once. If their expected output was exceeded, there is a certain chance that the drones will malfunction, which will definitely be dangerous for Charles. In terms of physique, he knows that he''s the most fragile out here. This ursed teenage body of his could only be protected using other means and has always been his weakness. Charles wore a solemn expression. He could sense the threat of death looming over him closer than it ever were previously. King Pride was way too strong that it was suffocating. That said, he couldn''t bear to interrupt the flow of battle. He could only try his best tost for as long as he could to give others the chance to finish their task. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Before they achieve this, Charles must keep dancing at the edge of life and death. It was then that he heard an exmation near him. "Oh, wow! Erica, look! That kitty looks adorable. Do you think I can pet it?" Chapter 354: Lost Continent Reclamation; Fairies vs. Pride -- "You really have to work on your definition of ''cuteness'' and ''adorable'' because whatever that is, it''s far from those." Erica rolled her eyes at Chrissy, who''s still staring at King Pride with starry eyes. "Well, what can I say? I''ve always been a unique gal." Chrissy chuckled while she scanned the surroundings. The two of them don''t seem to be aware that they''re being stared at by everybody here. Their presence interrupted the on-going fight, and neither of them seems to be apologetic for it. The sin demons felt uncertain. How did these girlse in? How were they able to slip through this prison undetected? Wasn''t this ce supposed to be sealed in all sides? They have been trying to discover any type of weakness in this prison in hopes of making it out and pushing their advantage. However, no matter what method they tried, all of it failed. They''re also absolutely sure that these girls weren''t here initially. If they were, then why would the humans look shocked at their sudden appearance? This meant that they had the means to freely get in and get out of this ce. But the difference between their sides makes the sin demons certain that these girls will never tell them about it. As for humans, well, even if they were asked, they wouldn''t know what to say either. This wasn''t included in the n. Chrissy and Erica really dide here on their own. They also thought that this prison should''ve been sealed from all sides. They''ve run multiple steps prior to this event, and they were absolutely sure of it. So even they are confused about how these two got in. If there''s anybody who seems unconcerned about their presence, it would undoubtedly be King Pride who''s in his mindless state. To the current him, whether these two appeared or not doesn''t really change his objective. It''s just two more targets to be devoured. It''s no big deal. Because Chrissy and Erica appeared closer to King Pride''s location, he unhesitatingly switched targets. He left Charles'' androids and immediately went straight to the girls, uncaring whether they''re prepared or not. Seeing this, Charles felt his heart sink to his stomach. But just as he was about to shout at them to be careful, he saw Erica responding to the iing threat with a calm and unhurried flick of her golden staff. Bang!!! The next second, everybody saw how King Pride was sent flying back twice the speed as he charged in the opposite direction. Erica used a rtively simple spell to do this. It''s called the ''Shock st''. It''s a quick spell that repels any harmful threats to the caster. This spell was one of the apprentice-level spells, one that only Superhuman Mages used. However, with Erica''s skills and mastery, even this basic spell became useful and terrifying. King Pride mmed on the barriers of the prison with a pained grunt. His huge body was seemingly embedded there for a couple of seconds, eyes wide, looking sober for the briefest of moments in surprise as he felt pain since his transformation. However, this sobreness quickly faded away. Chrissy doesn''t seem surprised by this, unlike the rest. She casually looked at Charles and said, "We handle that thing. You go and help round up the rest so we can leave this ce already." "You sure you two can handle that?" Charles asked. "I''m not trying to doubt your abilities, but that one devoured another sin a few moments ago. It became way stronger than before." "Yeah, we know." Chrissy responded, "That''s why we were here, actually. We felt its disgusting aura leaking out of this cage. This one, specifically, won''t live past this day once we''re done with him. Go ahead, we got this." Charles felt a shiver running down his spine after hearing her casually state the imminent death of King Pride. There''s absolute and unshakable confidence in her words that made him unconsciously believe that even if the Demon God himself were to appear here, he wouldn''t be able to stop these two from killing this one. The rest heard it too and reacted the same way as Charles. The sin demons were, of course, appaled by their tant disdain. Since it hase to this, Charles hesitated no longer. He ordered his androids to change targets and help out the rest, making sure to stay clear of the area where these three were fighting. Roar!! King Pride already recovered while Chrissy and Charles were talking. He immediately pounced towards Erica, leaking diarrhea and killing intent as he practically tore through space just to swiftly arrive in front of her. His huge fram appeared above her with maws wide open and paws sealing her escape route. His snaketail hissed and extended to wrap around her while the goathead began spewing out toxic fumes. Erica seemed to be unable to react with his speed, which thrilled the predator. But just as when he was expecting to feel his fangs sinking through flesh and anticipating the taste of blood on his tongue, he was stunned to feel something incredibly solid and dense instead. Boom! Creak! An array of hexagonal shields surrounded Erica. The transparent barrier looked incredibly fragile, like it''s made of ss that will shatter at any given moment. But in reality, it was extremely solid and dense; King Pride couldn''t even sink his fangs in no matter how much force he tried to exert. His snaketail tried to squeeze the transparent barrier with all of its might but was unable to; the toxic fumes that the goathead spat out were rendered ineffective as well. "Give it up, Kitty." Chrissy appeared right next to him like a ghost. "Even if a meteor directly fell on top of her, it won''t even graze this barrier. Trust me, I would know. It''s been tried and tested before." She really didn''t care whether King Pride understood her words or not. She just felt like saying this, so she did. Chrissy then ran her slim and delicate hands on the snaketail, and it tried to bite her. In response to this, Chrissy just chuckled and did nothing to stop it. The snaketail did it, feeling its fangs sinking on her delicate flesh. It also tasted her blood gushing through its mouth, which it eagerly devoured while simultaneously injecting tens of milliliters of its venom to flood her entire body. King Pride expected Chrissy to immediately copse on the ground and start twitching in pain, mere seconds away from dying due to the sheer amount of venom ravaging her body from the inside. But that scene never happened... Instead, Chrissy coo''ed while petting the head of the snake. Her eyes shone with gentleness but also mischief. "Aww, go on, baby. Drink up lots of my blood as you wish." She muttered softly. She then gave Erica a look of pity, saying, "Look! It''s so hungry that''s it''s drinking my blood. Must be its first feeding! Can we really not keep him? I think Cedric won''t mind!" Erica rolled her eyes. Others might believe her words, but not her. Looking at the way the snake greedily drank Chrissy''s blood, Erica actually started feeling pity towards the poor thing. If there''s something that could qualify as the most toxic substance in Prime Earth, it would undoubtedly be Chrissy''s blood. Just to put this into perspective, if Erica were to pour a liter of her blood on the nearby sea, all of the sea demons in Prime Earth will die by tomorrow, even if they were on the opposite side of the world. Just this amount of her blood alone could poison the entire sea, and if it wasn''t cleansed properly, it will start seeping onnd and erode its way to the core of this. That''s how infectious and poisonous her blood was. What''s worse is that her special physique isn''t making this easier to cleanse. Any and all poisons she handles were automatically given the power of a hex and curse. A cure is almost impossible to create for this; only prevention will protect others from it. And, as expected, King Pride felt the weight of his mistake mere seconds after the snake began greedily drinking her blood. He tried his best to exert his control over it, telling it to stop drinking her blood, but the snake looked intoxicated. It''s as if it tasted an extremely addicting ambrosia and it couldn''t get enough of it. King Pride felt something wrong happening inside him. He instinctively and decisively cut off his snaketail in desperation. The snaketail doesn''t seem to mind. It doesn''t even look like it was pained by the separation. However, it did turn into dust particles in mere seconds after it was severed from the main body. Whether that''s because of Chrissy''s poisonous blood or something else entirely isn''t important by now. What matters is that, just from this brief exchange alone, King Pride suffered immensely, and these twodies didn''t even look like they were trying. Chapter 355: Lost Continent Reclamation; Bad Kitty -- Even in his enraged and mindless state, King Pride was still aware that something went horribly wrong since thesedies appeared. This became even more obvious when he felt an rming drain in his energy reserves. Having devoured the Sin of Sloth, the well of power he could tap pretty much doubled. A single insignia of sin already has a deep well of power essible to its holders; having two is too much even for King Pride himself, which caused him to fall into this state. With these two wells essible to him, King Pride should''ve been unstoppable. He could theoretically fight for weeks or months nonstop. However, something went horribly wrong just now. He felt both wells of his powee draining at a very rming rate. His reason might''ve devolved to its basic instincts, but King Pride could still tell what''s happening to his body. There is a substance in his body that''s causing this frightening drain. The only possible source of this was thedy that his snaketail bit earlier. It couldn''t possiblye from devouring Big Sloth because this didn''t happen earlier. It only happened after thedy was bit by the snake. And wasn''t this a scary thing? Just so you know, if King Pride were to detonate all of the energy within these two insignia he now possesses, it could cause Prime Earth to lose at least half of its size. The impact of the explosion will disintegrate everything, and it could quite possibly cause the death of this world. This insignia of sin was created by the Demon God. It was a masterpiece that allowed the Demon Race to increase their notoriety and one of the key pieces behind their prosperity. To think that something like this could be affected by something that was possibly concocted by a native of a primitive world was a concept that King Pride wouldn''t be able to ept regardless of his mental state. Whatever this substance was, it must be poison, and it''s weakening him very swiftly. At this rate, it would only take an hour and a half for both wells of his power to bepletely dried up. In addition to the erosion, this poison was also destroying his body from within, which further increased the drain on his energy reserves because of the side effects of his recovery speed. King Pride has no idea if this current body of his will ever be able to produce antibodies for this kind of poison. Even if it was able to, how long would it take? Nevermind that, actually, King Pride isn''t in a proper mental state to care about useless things like this. His current line of thought was simple: ''This woman poisoned me, so she must die immediately.'' That''s it, in and simple. He couldn''t care less about his survival of whatnot. His instincts just told him to kill everything that''s moving. Due to the simplicity of his thoughts, any form of distraction was nonexistent in his mind. It''s a form of rity that allowed him to exert more of his strength because he doesn''t care about consequences or holding back. What followed this was action, of course. King Pride unhesitatingly charged towards thedies, uncaring about the substance that''s ravaging his body from within. He used his maws, his paws, his demonic energy, etc. He held nothing back. His intentions were pure, and that is to kill these two as soon as possible so that he could kill the rest. Seeing himing, Erica and Chrissy nced at each other. From their looks, it''s quite obvious that they''re not taking him seriously at all. King Pride practically appeared before them in a blink of an eye, ws outstretched and maws wide open. The goat head attached to his nape also opened its mouth, and its tongue darted out venomously like a poisoned dagger. A well-ced transparent hexagonal barrier prevented his attack from touching both of them. It was Erica who did this. Chrissy then took a step forward and used her sleek and smooth legs like a whip to send King Pride flying up like a ragdoll. Sir Greed, who happened to witness this feat felt incredulous. He looked at the fair humandy in disbelief, wanting to subconsciously deny the idea that a small and tiny human like her did that but couldn''t because reality is cruel. ''Howe? She doesn''t even look that strong. Isn''t poison her specialty? Why does she possess brute strength as well? What did they feed her in her youth?'' Sir Greed fired numerous questions to himself but didn''t dare to lose focus on the fight happening around him. Also, he couldn''t just walk up to her and ask her these questions to get answers. This is neither the time nor the ce for that. Erica isn''t surprised by this, though. She looked very casual about this since this isn''t the first time she witnessed it. In fact, she could do way better. If she was the one who used brute force against King Pride, he would''ve lost ayer of skin or two; she might even break several bones on his body. Well, what can they say? Cedric is a ve driver when ites to training. There''s no way he''d let his women remain weak. If it wasn''t for his physical training, there''s no way the two of them would be able to keep up with his growing stamina¡ªboth in a fight and in bed. After sending King Pride flying up, Chrissy disappeared from Erica''s side and reappeared at the height of the mad demon king''s ascent with her right leg raised. She then brought her leg down in an axe-kick, sending King Pride down to the ground like a fallinget. BOOOM! The impact shook the entire field; some of the aftershocks could even be felt outside of this cage. Once the smoke cleared, Chrissy could be found standing on top of the demon king''s body, who''s deeply embedded on the ground. She wore a strict smile as she said: "Bad kitty. This mama doesn''t appreciate anybody touching me without consent. And I''m not one with pets who don''t listen to their masters." At some point, a dagger dripping with purple acidic substance appeared on her hands. She then crouched down and began carving the demon king''s body. She severed the goathead away from the main body. Her eyes glittered with a venomous look as she inwardly judged how many experiments he could do with this thing. After all, a sentient goathead that could use poisons on its own and could independently help its user to attack their foe isn''t something you''d find on a regr day. Plus, the poison of this thing is worth studying. Chrissy unceremoniously sealed the goat head in a box that preserved its state. She wants this sample as fresh as it could be when her experiments begin. With another flick of her wrist, she also severed King Pride''s wings, thinking that its feathers would be an excellent addition to her feather gown, which would provide a beautiful contrast of colors, further entuating her devilish beauty. If the other Sin Demons could tell what she''s thinking about as she slowly dismembered King Pride, they''d probably feel both angry and scared. She''s quite literally harvesting him for her personal uses, treating him as a living resource and nothing more. It''d also feel ironic since, once again, the roles were reversed. The ones who usually do this to their victims used to be them. So finding themselves in the opposite role sounds and probably feels horrible. It would be a form of retribution and karma, really. As for Erica, she''s just there to ensure that King Pride wouldn''t detonate himself. If he ever did, Chrissy wouldn''t be able to handle it on her own, but she could. Erica also has a way topletely neutralize this possibility so everything''s secure. What about being wary about King Pride''s desperate attempts to bring everybody down with him? Neither Erica nor Chrissy is wary about this. The moment they appeared inside this cage, King Pride''s fate was already sealed. Even if he were given the chance to possess all of the seven deadly sins, matching both Erica and Chrissy is something that he could only dream of. It will never happen in reality. Of course, Erica was also paying attention to the others around them. Charles, Lissandra, Fiona, Gabriel, Old Man Jin, Garrick, and the fought regional high marshals are pressing on to the rest of the seven deadly sins. Without King Pride being an unstable factor for both parties, the tempo of their fight reached its peak. Nobody''s daring to hold back anymore. It''s truly do or die for both parties. The generous well of strength provided by the insignia of sin was neutralized by the creativity and teamwork of humans. It''s unknown how many demon-ying methods had been used by now, yet all of them had a considerable drain on the sin demons'' well of power, causing them to feel weaker and weaker as time goes on. This fight is yet to be concluded, but the winner is already determined. Chapter 356: Lost Continents Reclamation; Envys Collapse -- Boom! Boom! Boom! A multitude of explosions urred within the caged battlefield, leaving fierce aftershocks. The Humans and Sin Demons shed intent to kill, with each party determined to never let the others see the light of tomorrow. Due to the bountiful well of power these Sin Demons could tap into, the humans found it difficult to truly leave asting injury on any of them since they could just heal it on the next second. The energy reserves of humans weren''t that shabby to begin with, butpared to how much there is in those insignia of sins, it''s trulycking. This, in addition to the unique properties of each sin demon, made it very challenging to y them, especially now that they''re wary of humans after they killed Big Sloth. The concept of mortality being forced upon them made them very careful when dealing with humans, which in turn made them harder to kill. However, this doesn''t mean that the humans weren''t making any progress. They''ve already in one of the sin demons earlier, which is to be considered their first win in this raid. Despitecking in terms of energy sources and reserves, the humans made up for it with creativity. Bang! Crackle! Thump! Cassandra summoned a fearsome storm. A city-destroying tornado appeared with her at the center, apanied by thick pythons of lightning. Raven flew along with the cycle of the tornado, leaving behind pitch ck feathers containing darknessws. This was also enhanced by Lissandra''s moonlight sorcery. This storm ravaged the battlefield. The darkness numbed the senses of the sin demons, and the storm made it difficult for them to freely move. This storm isn''t something they could casually shrug off because it contains profound conceptws that bypass the durability of their flesh. Even Gluttony has to be wary of it. Greed actually has some tools to counter this storm. He could theoretically neutralize this if it weren''t for the fact that both Old Man Jin and Garrick weren''t there to consistently harass him and prevent him from taking out his items. Lust, Gluttony, and Envy were caught up inside the storm, doing their best to resist its rage through various means avable to them. Filius did his best to restrain them from doing so by summoning thick vines that wrapped tightly around their bodies, which also grew thorns and barbs. Anthony was also there to release sharpnels of metal shards to pierce their bodies in more ways than one. The sin demons were being injured each second that passed. It was as infuriating as it was frightening. They''ve never suffered as much as they have today since they became the Sin Demons. All of the injuries being inflicted upon them needed to be healed. And they were, instantly, even. However, this came with a cost, which is the drain on their energy supply sealed within their respective insignia. Usually, none of them would even bat an eye to this. After all, none of them have been injured this much since their creation; they could just simply forget about the negligible drain on their energy supply since it will recover in the next moment anyway. It''s this point that drove many of their previous victims to despair. But this isn''t their usual operation. Every single one of them could feel the rming drain on their energy supply. They all knew that this can''t continue, or else they will truly die here, and this death will be permanent. Humans already made sure of that when they dealt with Big Sloth earlier. Therefore, they did try their best to resolve their situation. They used all methods avable to them; Lust tried scattering her psychedelic mist along with the currents of the storm, hoping that the humans would be forced to inhale it and be affected by it. This obviously failed thanks to Filius, who uses strange nts to absorb these mists. Glutonny tried to literally devour the storm by inhaling it into his mouth. This was actually his act of self-sacrifice; he knew that if he did this, the storm would most likely destroy them from within, but he didn''t care. So long as he could free hisrades, they should be able to avenge him. However, this idea also failed because of Anthony''s metal shards piercing numerous holes in his body, essentially turning him into a strainer. As for Lady Envy, she gave up the idea of resisting or going against the storm. She allowed herself to be swept away by it, siezing the flow of the currents to bridge the distance between her and the enemies, but the humans saw through her n. Lissandra stopped her by attacking her and forcing her to move in a different direction; she was essentially being controlled. Once again, Sir Greed could stop this, but he wouldn''t get the chance because Garrick and Old Man Jin were hot on his trails. His ridiculously oversized and overstuffed backpack was also slowing him down. Charles was also there with his androids to make sure that if he ever gets the chance to take something out of his bag, he wouldn''t be able to use it. Nobody knows just how many things he had inside that bag; they also don''t know what kind of effect his next item will have, so just to be safe, it would be better to not let him touch anything. The longer this situationsted, the more desperate they got. The sin demons who were suffering within the storm have run out of options already. It also doesn''t help that the longer they stayed inside, the fiercer the storm got. They were being constantly struck by lightning, pierced by metal shrapnels and ck feathers; their senses were being numbed to the point of lethargy, and their hope of living was diminishing right before their very eyes. Thatst part might actually be the worst part about this entire thing. The fact that they were being forced to experience the threat of true death slowly creeping up on them was utterly dreadful. Nothing; they did manage to slow it down. They could only helplessly watch as its fingers gradually grasped them tighter and tighter on their necks. It''s at this point that they thought that maybe being devoured by King Pride wasn''t so bad. At the very least, he''ll get even more outrageously powerful once he devours their sins. They still have no idea how he''s able to do this, but at this point, who cares? They''re about to die here! If King Pride devours their sins, he''d grow so powerful to the point where he''d be able to destroy this world on his own. After he managed to do that, maybe the Demon God will have mercy on them and reincarnate them through other means. But this is under the assumption that the humans would allow this to happen. And in this current situation? That''s t out impossible. Besides, King Pride was also suffering like them. Perhaps his torture is even greater than what they''re currently experiencing. They can''t really see what''s going on his side, but from the sounds he''s making, they couldn''t imagine it being pretty. After dozens of minutes of suffering from this storm, a surprising development urred. Thump! This sound came from Lady Envy, who just slumped on the ground with her eyes dull. She was wearing a bitter smile on her face, and her expression disyed just how profoundly exhausted she was already. Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin Lust and Gluttony saw this and were apaled. "What are you doing!? Get up!" Gluttony did his best to pick her up, but the pain of being constantly pierced with holes prevented him from doing so. "Don''t give up on me, Bitch! I swear to the Demon God if you do, I will fuck Rom''er!" Lust roared in despair as she continuously tried defending herself from her injuries. Usually, her words would''ve provoked her into action right away. But right now, it only made her more disheartened. ''Resistance is futile.'' She thought to herself, her smile turning even more bitter. ''We have given them too much time.'' ''Their hatred against our kind made negotiations impossible.'' ''All of you looked down on them despite my warnings. You never took them seriously. You all underestimated the amount of hatred they held towards us. How can you understand what I feel? '' ''Right from the get-go, they never entertained any thoughts of letting us go.'' ''As for the possibility of receiving reinforcements from the Grand Fleet? If they could, they would''ve done so by now. They could send millions of our troops here in a snap of a finger. How can they not be aware of what''s happening to this ce? '' ''The humans have prepared against this as well. They''ve been waiting for this moment since forever; they''ve endured for so long; how can they be careless? '' Lady Envy looked bitterly at the sky. She could feel her dwindling energy supply. She could also feel her body copsing from the physical trauma she had to endure so far. As she felt her death approaching, she felt regret for only one thing. And that''s the idea of betraying her promise to her beloved. Aside from that, she''s at peace. ''End it then. I''m tired, anyway.'' ''If there''s any merciful gods out there who can hear my thoughts. I don''t wish for much. Just please, spare Rom''er. If you can, don''t let him reincarnate as a demon again. I don''t care what happens to me. Just let him know peace.'' She didn''t ce too much hope in this. But unbeknownst to her, someone was, in fact, listening. Chapter 357: Lost Continent Reclamation; Lady Envys Past, Death, and Chance -- Seeing Lady Envy copsing and seemingly giving up resulted in varying reactions from both parties. Her fellow Sin Demons refused to ept this. They kept telling her to get up and continue fighting. They absolutely didn''t want to see her give up just like this. They didn''t want her to die in this foreign world. But most importantly, they didn''t want her to die because they knew that without her, their chances of survival would drop even lower than they already are. There is a reason why Lady Envy was the second one to sumb. Truth be told, in terms of endurance andbat wit, even King Pride would have to give way to her. But Lady Envy had been covering for others simply due to the fact that they''re in this together. She suffered and recovered from injuries that would prove fatal otherwise, and this drained her faster than everyone else. She didn''t even hesitate to put herself in between a life-threatening attack and Lust, despite her obvious dislike of her simply because they''re allies. But the true reason behind her copse was the psychological burden that has always pressured her. See, Lady Envy wasn''t born a demon. She was originally from a world called Peaceful Mother Lands, a world just like Prime Earth. When she was but a young moth, the Demon God and hisckeysnded on their world and killed everything she knew and loved. She was enved and was reincarnated as a Demon Moth Lady. Usually, the envement would''ve erased all of her memories, or at least reced them with new ones that heavily favored her new people. What they didn''t know is that she''s always been special. Her mental strength has always been a cut above the rest, even before she was turned into a demon. She didn''t know how, but their brainwashing didn''t work on her, though she acted as if it did. She buried her memories deep into her heart, especially when she''s facing the Demon Prince and Demon God. She was forced to do many unsavory things in the name of her new identity. Things that kept her up at night and psychologically tortured her for a very long time. She also buried her talents, only showing enough to be favored but never too much that might attract their suspicion. Despite this, Lady Envy never yearned for revenge. She didn''t have the means nor the power to do so. The space pirates were too strong, and she''s alone; how could she possibly entertain such thoughts? Moreover, being a sin demon, her thoughts are always at risk of being seen by her superiors, so even if she wanted to enact her revenge against them, it''d be a miracle if she could do something before they could react. No, Lady Envy didn''t want to live for the sake of revenge. She just wanted to make the most of her new life. But even this proved extremely challenging as her new people were always pushing the bottomline of her morals. The only light she had in this disgustingly new skin of hers was Rom''er, her beloved. Like her, Rom''er wasn''t born a demon either. Their backgrounds were pretty much the same. The reason why he left such a deep impression on her was because he bested her inbat when she, along with a group of demons, descended into his world. He was one of the best there, and back then, she wasn''t a sin demon yet. He didn''t just defeat her; he has also defeated many other demons too. In the end, this caused him to be ''valued'' by the Demon Prince, who then turned him into a demon. Lady Envy originally wanted to kill him. Not because she was threatened but because she knew the truth. Death is way better for a warrior like Rom''er instead of envement. She didn''t want him to experience the same thing as her. Lord knows that if she could, she would''ve preferred to die instead. But she''s powerless to do anything. Rom''er then turns into a demon. But instead of being sent into the frontlines, he was trained as a ship operator instead. Originally, Rom''er was qualified to be a sin demon. His affinity with the sin of pride reached an astonishing 115%! It''s like he''s born for it. But instead of turning him into the sin''s host, he was exiled to a paper-pushing job simply because the pure-blooded demons felt threatened by his potential. However, this isn''t the most surprising fact about Rom''er. His situation turns out to be the exact same as Lady Envy because he too manages to resist the brainwashing of the Demon Race, only acting as if it did. Lady Envy idently discovered this, and from then on, they inevitably became closer. For once, Lady Envy felt like she had a bosom friend. Like she finally had an ally. This closeness eventually grew into love with how long they''ve spent together. Eventually, they began plotting for their freedom, but that in itself was challenging because of how inadequate their strength was. Lady Envy''s ''exile'' didn''t help either. She indirectly offended the Demon Prince at some point, which caused her to be ostracized despite being a Sin Demon. The Demon Prince didn''t even seem to remember her transgression, but hisckeys certainly did. From here on out, it became much harder for the Lady Envy and Rom''er to spend time with each other. After more than a hundred years, they''re finally able to see each other again in person. Yes, that moment happened when he, along with the other Sin Demons and millions of stray, were sent here. But we all know what happened next. Lady Envy just couldn''t take it anymore. She''s too tired. The biggest thing she ever dared to do in this life was to dream about her and Romer''s freedom. Her mind was long since eroded by the corruption, and she''s barely hanging on. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin All she wanted to was live in peace and possibly start a family of her own. She wanted to be a mother so bad; be a wife to Rom''er, sire him children, watch as her children grow up, and eventually die at peace in her sleep. That''s all. However, it seems that this wish is a little too much for someone like her. Lady Envy doesn''t want to fight anymore. She couldn''t bear this karma any longer. Since she''s finally met some people who could grant her permanent release from this torture, how can she not grasp this chance? The only reason she kept trying her best earlier was to pay respects for her rtionship with her fellow Sin Demons. Ironically, despite not having a sense of belonging to the Demon Race, Lady Envy still worked with these people for a very long time. Now she doesn''t owe them anything anymore. She''s free to go. Her only regret is that she wasn''t able to see Rom''er onest time before she dies. For thest time, Lady Envy looked at the humans. Her silent and peaceful surrender was understood by them. Her gaze met the eyes of that shabby-looking old man with a sword. He saw her nodding towards her, and a gentle smile appeared on her face for the final time. Swish!! A sh of silver flooded her vision. Despite the outraged and desperate attempts of other Sin Demons to prevent her death, Old Man Jin''s sword cleanly severed her head from her shoulders. Lady Envy felt her vision blurring, but strangely enough, it wasn''t painful. If anything, she felt unprecedented peace. She instinctively knew that the old man did his best to kill her in the gentlest way possible. She then felt a searing heat afterwards, but only for a brief second. It then turned into a warm embrace that seeped through her very soul. ''I didn''t expect death to be this peaceful. How wonderful.'' She marveled with her continuously blurring thoughts. In her final thoughts, Lady Envy felt as if she were shuttling through space. She didn''t know where she''s headed, and she''s also powerless to stop it. She seemed to have recalled how her entire life has been, seemingly spending a long time in doing so while also vaguely being aware that her perception of time was now skewed. In her daze, she seemed to have met the person she''s longing for before she died. She could tell that she''s crying in regret, shame, happiness, and relief all at the same time. She saw Rom''er, but he wasn''t a demon this time. He looked like what he was previously; he''s even wearing the same clothes as he did when they first met. Lady Envy also instinctively knew that she''s no longer a demon either. Rom''er opened his arms, and she flew towards him. She hugged him so tight that it almost seemed that she wanted to fuse their bodies together. Both souls smile infort and relief together, feeling some kind of release and freedom as their final memory before they rest. Ac looked down on the clump of prisitine King Essence Souls on her hands with a gentle smile on her face before tucking it away at the most secure ce on earth where nobody could harm them anymore. Chapter 358: Lost Continents Reclamation; Death of the Seven Sins -- Three of the Seven Deadly Sins were dead; only four were left. All things considered, Lady Envy had the most peaceful deathpared to Wrath and Sloth. But this was no longer important to her still precariously living teammates, who feared that they might be next. Boom! Boom! Boom! You know what? Scratch that. They ''will'' be next. It''s just that the order of their deaths is yet to be determined by the humans. As expected, Lady Envy''s death made it more difficult for the rest to resist the relentless attacks of the humans. The fact that she was no longer there to assist them or save them injuries that will have a considerable drain in the energy reserves meant that their deaths were approaching faster. Even Gluttony''s spongy body wouldn''t be able to take much more of this. Lust was suffering immensely with him within this fucked-up storm that Cassandra created. It didn''t matter what they did; sustaining injuries was a certainty for both of them. And although they''re being healed swiftly by their vast yet dwindling energy reserves, the pain made it almost impossible for them to think any further. Sir Greed was still being harassed by both Old Man Jin and Garrick; sometime Lissandra and Anthony will join in this bullying as well. Sir Greed was so vexed that he couldn''t use all of his awesome items because they''re deliberately preventing him from doing so. He could''ve done so much if he was given a chance to. It might even be possible for him to turn the entire situation around. Unfortunately, the humans were determined to graspplete victory over this battle so they could only continue to harass him. Clink! Boom! Crack! In a rather surprising disy of wit, Charles shocked both Gluttony and Lust. He caught them off guard when he ordered one of his drones to sneak close to them and self-destruct. The shockwave and impact of the explosion sent them flying along the storm, and the higher they went up, the fiercer it got and the more painful it became. "ARRGGGHH!!! NOOOO!!! I DON''T WANT TO DIE!!!" Lust''s pitiful wails echoed through the prison. Her previous bravado and confidence werepletely stripped off from her. In the face of her iing demise, she truly wasn''t below begging and groveling. However, the humans turned deaf to her wails. Their hearts were closed to their suffering, unable to feel any form of pity. They wouldn''t take any prisoners or ves here. All of the sin demons must die. The storm fiercelu ravaged her body, and not in a way she preferred it either. The pain was too much for her to think clearly. All she could really think about was theparison between their treatment of herpared to lust. Why did they kill her so gently but be so ferocious when ites to her? Was her existence so depraved and sinful in their eyes that they treated her like this? She didn''t want toe here either. She''s just forced to. Where is all of this animositying from? The fact that this was her line of thought on the verge of death meant that she truly never understood what her kind did to humans and to many other races, for that matter. In terms of this alone, she couldn''tpete with Lady Envy, and it''s also the reason why they treated her differently. Gluttony is suffering just as much as she does. Maybe more because of her huge body, especially since he was the team''s designated shield. This torture seeminglysted for years in their perspective, but in truth, only five minutes passed. Still, the deed was done. Shortly after Lady Envy''s death, Lust and Gluttony followed her. However, their destination wasn''t the same. Gabriel personally lit up their souls, purifying them with pure sunfire and sunlight before turning them into pure essence souls. Not a trace of their identity was left; all was burned to nothingness by the golden light and mes. He kept the souls for safekeeping, and them joined the others to round up Sir Greed. Unable to rely on King Pride for any assistance, Sir Greed died facing thebined might of their enemies. Forget about igniting his soul and causing a devastating explosion; even his right to move was stripped off at thest moments of his life. And just like how Lust and Gluttony died, Sir Greed was also burned by Sunfire and Sunlight. That''s six of the Seven Deadly Sins dead. The only one left was King Pride. But when they turned their attention to both Chrissy and Erica, they saw that their concern wasn''t necessary at all. They saw the previously frightening and overpowered King Pride wrapped in pure white chains. He now has a muzzle on his maws, and his ws were clipped dull, courtesy of Chrissy, who''s grooming the big kitty. The goat head and snaketail on his body were gone, as were his wings. His overgrown fur and mane were trimmed neatly as well. If it weren''t for his feral expression, his scarlet-dyed eyes, and his fearsome struggle, everybody would''ve mistaken him for a domesticated lion beast. A mount, to be more precise. All kinds of threatening sounds wereing from his throat. He struggled fiercely in his bindings but couldn''t escape. In his haze, he watched as his fellow sin demons were killed one by one. He couldn''t truly care too much about their well-being or what happens to them after death. What he wanted was to devour their sins and make himself more powerful. There was a strangepulsion within him telling him to do so. It was so powerful that he was unable to resist it, especially in this current state of his. Unfortunately, he could only forget about doing any of this. He couldn''t even produce enough force to break the chains that bound him; how could he even begin to think about devouring the sins of his fellow demons? Moreover, the humans were very thorough with their procedures. When they asked Gabriel to purify the souls of the sin demons, it also included their sins. They most likely did this to prevent King Pride from devouring any of them and getting more power for himself. And it turned out to be the correct decision. "Hey, girls!" Fiona walked towards both of them. Despite being under pressure for so long, she still exuded the same confidence that she normally had. "What''s up?" Chrissy asked. "Mind telling me what''s your n with that one?" Fiona inquired with a trace of concern leaking through her tone. "No offense, but the n was to y all of them, you know? No exceptions." Chrissy''s face fell. She then looked pitifully at Erica and asked, "Can we really not keep him? I''m pretty sure I can tame him. He''s already addicted to my blood, you know?" "Stop being naughty," Erica scolded her. "And don''t ask me. Even if you ask Cedric, he won''t allow you to keep this one. It''s too unstable and vtile. I''m sure you''d fine better ones out there, so let go of this one, yeah?" Chrissy looked bummed at this, making Fiona feel rather strange. She truly wasn''t expecting that this girl would be so bold to entertain the idea of raising King Pride as a pet. She always knew that Chrissy was somewhat strange, but she never expected it to go this way too. The others who were listening also felt the same. Fortunately, Erica was here to be the voice of reason here, and it looks like Chrissy couldn''t defy her or Cedric for that matter. "That''s a shame then," Chrissy sighed before snapping her fingers. In that instant, the chains that bound King Pride move. It squeezed him so tight that he exploded into a gory puddle of flesh and ck blood. The chains then emitted a bright white light courtesy of Erica. This light purified the remains of King Pride, erasing himpletely from existence. She fetched the King Essence Soul extracted from his body and gave it to Fiona for safekeeping. Neither she nor Chrissy needed this, so it''s better to give it away. And with that, all of the Seven Deadly Sins were in. All of them, except Chrissy and Erica, felt a wave of relief flooding through their entire bodies. The deadliest threat to humanity was gone. Killed by their own hands. This time, they proved that they''re capable of doing something without needing to rely on Cedric. The fact that the prison was now opening up meant that theypleted their task. They did it. They won. They still needed assistance from others, but for the most part, they managed on their own. This victory will stay with them for a very long time. However, now is not the time to celebrate just yet. As the cage disappeared, they were now able to sense the situation outside. They discovered that the war isn''tpletely over yet, which means that they can''t rest yet because the soldiers still needed them. However, rounding up the stray animals was a far simpler taskpared to ying the sins. They could afford to take it easy at this point. Chapter 359: Lost Continent Reclamation; Conclusion -- The blitz assault operation on the Lost Continent was a massive sess. Not only did the leaders of humanity deal with the enemy leaders, the ones fighting outside did a splendid job rounding up the rest. Leaders against leaders, generals versus generals, and soldiers against soldiers. The result was humanity''splete victory. Initially, the High Marshals, along with other pirs of humanity, were worried about the situation outside. However, once they sensed what''s happening after the cage was dispelled, they were relieved. Their people hardly had a difficult time cleaning up the strays and other Demon Lords and Demon Kings. The operation was a resounding sess overall, so their concern was unnecessary. This was mostly thanks to the method of purifying corruption. If it weren''t for that, this would''ve been far more difficult for ordinary soldiers. After all, the concentration of corruption in thesends was at least a hundred times worse than Azure Terra back then. Since there were designated people whose task was to constantly purify demonic corruption around to lessen its burden for others, the density of corruption dropped sharply and swiftly as soon as the entire operation began. This corruption also acts as the source of strength formon demons, so purifying it meant weakening them. This, along with the element of surprise in addition to the demons not having a leading figure to arrange things for them and their lost connection with the grand fleet, caused them to run around like headless flies. Picking them one by one became even simpler with this. "Teacher!! Are you okay? You look tired!" Rupert asked in a worried tone after seeing Lissandra. Even though she''s physically unharmed and looked no worse than she usually does, herbored breathing and the residue of stress and pressure on her face were yet to disappear, and all were visible to her beloved disciple. Thedy felt warm inside seeing her only disciple, whom she treated as her son, fussing about her health. She gently ruffled his hair and said, "I''m okay, just a little spent. How about you? Are you hurt anywhere?" "I''m all good, Teacher. My seniors made sure of it." Rupert shook his head; he looked just as healthy and energetic as he usually does. She believed him because she already scanned his body; she found no traces of injuries, just some considerable drain on his mana, which will definitely recover in time. It also doesn''t seem like he''s affected by the corruption either. His eyes were just as clear as usual. He showed no fluctuations in his mood or any violent tendencies after being exposed to the atmosphere of this ce. "That''s good." Lissandra nodded after finishing her scan and making sure that her disciple was okay. "You stay here then, and listen to your seniors. I have to do some rounds and make sure that the clean-up process is going well for other areas too. Once we''re done, we''ll go home. Behave, okay?" "Yes, Teacher," Rupert solemnly replied. He watched as Lissandra turned into specks of light, disappearing from his sight. Rupert was still worried. After all, he felt that his teacher''s energy reserves were dangerously low¡ªnot even a quarter of what she usually has. It''s still a lot and probably enough to protect herself, but her running around in that state poses risks in itself, and for that, he''s unable to help himself from worrying about her. That said, he also understands that burden that his teacher carries. He also understood hermitment to her duties and responsibilities. He wouldn''t be able to stop her even if he said something, so he could only pray that she remains safe. His worry was touching butpletely unnecessary. Why? As soon as Lissandra reappeared to some other areas, she was met with Erica, who waved her staff at her and instantly replenished her mana, stamina, and endurance to their peak state. Aside from the mental exhaustion that can''t be cured through spells, Lissandra was as good as new. It''s like she just arrived on the battlefield for reinforcements. Erica could''ve done this earlier. And really, she could. She just forgot about it. But it''s all good now since she remembered. She also did this to others, making sure that there would be no idents. Because of this, the cleanup became even faster and more thorough. In less than six hours after the death of the seven deadly sins, the Lost Continent waspletely purged of demons. Not even a soul was left. The only possibility of more demons appearing here will either be because the grand fleet outside manages to bypass the purgatory realm again or through the mutation from the residual corruption present in this continent still. Both factors were things that humans will take care off immediately, but right now, all who participated in this war deserves some rest after their hard work. Gabriel went into the center of the continent, bringing something with him. It looked like a suitcase, but it''s certainly more than that. He had his aides by his side, helping and protecting him. He unlocked the suitcase and revealed a ratherplicated structure of its interior. After some delicate operation, Gabriel expertly dislodged the equipment and burrowed it on the ground. He then started supplying it with his energy and after five minutes, the ground beneath him started shaking. The mechanism he buried earlier sprouted at a speed visible to the naked eye, acting like some form of vegetation that needed sunlight and water for food. It turned into a towering structure with a spiral design. The higher it went, the narrower it became. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin Not even a minute after its birth, the structure began siphoning corruption like a whale inhaling gas. Its suction was so intense that it caused a visible vortex for everybody to see. The strength of its siphoning was just as strong as thebined efforts of the designated purifiers earlier. This caused the already thin corruption of thisnd to visibly disappear due to the strange attractive force this structure has on them. This siphoning isn''t just limited to the surface either. This structure was also sucking up the corruption that seeped into thend. Usually, this will certainly cause the copse of this entire continent because, while the corruption was certainly bad for thisnd, it also serves as a glue that''s keeping it together. Fortunately, this was a problem that had been seen through earlier and was remedied before the construction of this structure. In fact, this started way earlier, even before the war happened. Remember the federal army outposts that have been built in secret all over this continent? Well, aside from being strategically ced to form a continental array that will interfere with this continent''s connection with the grand fleet of the demon race, it also serves as irrigators for the restoration of thend. The arrays that hid their locations also siphon corruption in a rather inauspicious way, converting them into energy supplies to maintain its existence and also using the excess to provide some nourishment to thend so that when corruption waspletely purged, it wouldn''t copse on itself. Since the federal army outposts were scattered all over the continent and had been made even before the war started, they had been given enough time to rescue thend, preventing it from copsing. And now that the corruption is being permanently purged, the excess energy will be used to irrigate thend, nursing it back to health and making this continent habitable for humans once more. Even with the mass suction power of this structure, it still took two and a half hours of non-stop absorption for it topletely drain the residual corruption from the atmosphere alone. The underground will still need more time, but they have that in spades, so none were worried. Without corruption, everybody felt visibly at ease. There is no more risk staying on this continent. It''s just ufortable since the air was dry and thend remains gloomy, but it''s rtively safe now. This was when the structure revealed another one of its functions... All of the corruption it absorbed wasn''t just discarded or burned into nothingness. They were converted into neutral energy and further transformed into a rather familiar energy type that will certainly be useful for the rehabilitation of thisnd. Fwoosh!! From the peak of the structure, a ball of golden mes erupted. It grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, getting bigger and bigger until it turned into a miniature sun that not only provided light but also warmth to all living beings on this continent. All of the soldiers who participated in this war could feel its heat, followed by the familiarfort flooding their entire body. This caused them to feel exhrated deep down because this was a sign... A sign that they won. Their efforts bore fruit. Their preparation and hard work prevailed. They participated in a historical event that will be sung for generations. They seeded in liberating the Lost Continent. And that rising sun was the best proof of that. And just like that, the Lost Continent experienced its first dawn after centuries ofplete darkness. Truly, what a day to be alive. Chapter 360: Settlement and Miracle -- "So the overlords of the sea are dead too?" Raven asked in a surprised tone. "Well, isn''t that just great? With them gone, cleaning up the seas will definitely be easier." He, along with his fellow High Marshals as well as the other people who participated in ying the Sin Demons, were currently staying inside one of the federal army outposts. They''re having a victory feast as they discussed the immediate projects they have for this continent. Just now, they were informed that the Sea Demon Kings were disposed of permanently by thebined efforts of Isabe, Chrissy, and Erica. This was good news because now that they''re done with this continent, the sea was their next target, and without those obscenely strong and huge sea demons, cleansing the sea of demonic filth bes way easier. "Yes, it bes easier, but I think that it will still be time-consuming," Filiusmented wryly. "After all, Prime Earth is primarily a dominated by water. It''s going to take us a long time topletely cleanse the seas." "If you guys give me more materials and time, I can certainly make something that will expedite the process," Charles chimed in after swallowing his food. "I''ve been researching, you know. I''m sure I cane up with something." "And risk you practically turning into a zombie again? Not a chance, buddy boy!" Fiona knocked on his head. "You need rest more than we do. Your body''s going to give up on you if you continue to push it past its limits. It already punished you by stunting your growth. Don''t take it too far now; we can''t have you dying on us because of overwork and exhaustion." Charles can''t really refute that. He knew his body better than everyone else, so he also knew that she''s correct. It''s just that he wants to keep being useful and contribute to a good cause because it''s also his dream topletely liberate his home from demons. "You kids..." Old Man Jin sighed as he calmly drank his soup. "Stop fussing over these details for now. We''re here to rest because we deserve it after a long day of work. How about we focus on that instead of talking about distant problems?" Garrick, who''s sitting beside him, just nodded in agreement whilst wolfing down his meal. By now, he has probably eaten more than 50 servings of food, yet he''s still going. This was one of the downsides of having an absurdly powerful body; his metabolism was too active, and he needed more nourishment (food) to keep up. "The Old Man''s right," Anthony chimed in. "I, for one, am spent. I''d really like to have a long sleep after this, but our jobs prevent me from doing so. The best I can have is a nap, so I don''t really want to think about seas for now, especially since we''re about to be really busy rehabilitating thisnd." "You guys shouldn''t worry about the seas too much." Everybody looked over and saw Chrissy and Erica entering the camp. Normally, they would''ve been rmed by their presence since they managed to infiltrate this ce without triggering the rms. However, it''s them, so it''s fine. "And why is that?" Fiona asked in a curious manner. "Cedric''s on it," Erica replied in a rather casual tone. "So, all you have to focus on is rehabilitating this continent. He won''t interfere with any of your ns, and neither do we. You can turn this entire continent into an amusement park if you wish, and he won''t stop you from doing so. You guys deserve it after all." Everybody could understand the implications of her words. Cedric was giving them this continent to use however they please. It''s what they deserve after working hard to liberate it from demonic influence without needing his aid. Sure, they asked for his opinion and stuff, but for the most part, everything else was done by them alone. All Cedric had to do was watch from the sidelines just to make sure that no idents happened. Yes, there''s also hisdies lending their aid, but that''s out of their initiative. Cedric didn''t prevent them from interfering or ask them to. It was on their own volition, so it doesn''t count. In a sense, Cedric was giving them ownership over the Lost Continent (which will certainly be renamed at some point). But this can''t really be said directly or out loud because it will definitely cause someplications. It could only be implied. "Well, isn''t that just wonderful then?" Raven cackled in relief andfort. "It turns out that we don''t have to worry about the seas anymore. That''s great. Less work for us." As for what were Cedric''s motives for doing this or his ns for personally cleansing the seas? It''s better for them to not ask anything. If Cedric wants them to know, he will inform them. Otherwise, it might as well be none of their business. Besides, it''s not like they could interfere with his decision anyway. As far as they''re aware, Cedric was no less than a god walking amongst them. He might look friendly and approachable, but his authority was unquestionable and undefiable. People like then should just stay in theirne and be happy with what they have. Besides, it''s Cedric. He''s thest person who will harm this world. ** Cedric isn''t really one to procrastinate. Once he has decided to do something, he''d immediately set out to do it if possible, or at the very least, prepare for it. Cleansing the seas of Prime Earth as a whole certainly sounds and seems like a daunting task, especially for a single person. And that''s why it is. Even the whole body of the Prime Earth Federation will find this task extremely challenging to do, and it will certainly take them a very long time of consistent effort to produce some visible results. But that''s them. This is Cedric we''re talking about. It might seem like an impossible task for them, but not for him. Cedric didn''t even need to prepare for this, honestly. He could do this in his pajamas or without even leaving his home, but that would be unprofessional, so he at least wore something casual. Currently, he''s walking on the surface of the sea. He''s started on the eastern shore of Azure Terra, nning to walk straight to the other side of the continent by the time he''s done. He walked on the raging tides like it was tnd. The tall waves that could easily sink hundreds of ships turned tame when it got close to him. He looked at ease and rxed as he casually took a stroll on the seas, his face not disying anything that would give out what he''s thinking. Each step he took left a pulse of white light and golden specks that, when it came into contact with the waters, purified them from the outside in. It was an irrisistable shift; no amount of corruption will ever be enough to stop that seemingly gentle force. Because of this, there is a striking contrast between what''s in front of him and what''s behind. Cedric bravely faced the raging seas, leaving behind calm and pristine waters that will soon give birth to new underwater life. Of course, there were several sea demons who tried to swallow him whole. There had been no less than hundred attempts at this within the first fifteen minutes since he started walking on the sea. Of course, none seeded. Not even a single one got close to him. Before they could, they were reverted to their original form, the ones they had before they were twisted by the demonic corruption. By then, their animosity towards him will dissipate like snow under the summer''s heat. They''d only feel an instinctual gratitude and awe towards Cedric. Some even submitted in their own way to him because of how gratified they were for his actions. Readtest chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Cedric remained indifferent to all of this. He just tossed them behind him to the clean waters once he''s done purifying them. And the sea creatures that had been given a new lease on life could only ept it graciously. In some areas, Cedric will deliberately pause because he discovers something interesting. And with his current standards, anything he finds interesting is surely worth noticing. Whenever this happens, Cedric will either do something or just leave it be. Of course, he does things with consideration of humanity''s future. Anybody who''s lucky enough to witness this will certainly remember this event as a miraculous thing. This was no less than God personally performing descending and forming a miracle. And it wouldn''t be wrong to say that. After all, Cedric truly was a god in this world, all things considered. The seemingly impossible task formon folk was nothing but a mild effort for him. The truth is, he''s not even actively thinking about purifying the seas as he walks on their surface. This was just a natural reaction of life when it came into contact with him, so it was truly effortless on his part. By the end of the day, he returned home. And by tomorrow, everybody will be stunned to discover that the seas have been purified and are now safe for humans to traverse. Such is the power of one Cedric Stormrider. Chapter 361: Plans for the Future, Hidden Sky Palace -- ''Well, damn! He sure works fast! '' Raven pursed his lips as he hovered above the shore east of the Lost Continent. He gazed at the calm and blue waters beneath him. He could sense the abundant life and bounty of the underwater world. The sight was theplete opposite of what the seas looked like mere hours ago. None saw how Cedric did it, but they knew it was him. After all, only he could perform outrageous miracles like this with barely an effort on his part. This just shows how out of this world their Sun Sage has truly be. And it''s even more reason why Raven insisted on not bothering him too much since he didn''t want people holding Cedric back from realizing his true potential. Even though Cedric doesn''t participate in mundane things, his presence alone is enough for humans to grow steadily. The stronger he was, the better it would be for them. It doesn''t matter if he only bes a spiritual leader; with his strength alone, Prime Earth is safe, and that''s enough. With the seas returning to their natural form and cleansed of demonic filth, humans could now traverse them without suffering any consequences. They could sail all over Prime Earth without being afraid that they''d be swallowed up by the towering waves or the unknown creatures of the sea. And since it was Cedric who did all of this, it''s almost certain that he left some surprises at some parts of the sea. Such things are waiting for the fated people to arrive. But that''s going to have to wait. After all, they haven''t even started to truly rehabilitate the Lost Continent. In the recent meeting they had, they agreed about a couple of things that would affect this continent''s future development. They decided that this continent would turn into some sort of industrial zone for humans. And this was mostly because of the rich resources they discovered in this ce. After cleansing the corruption from thend and reinvigorating it with pure essence energy, thend showed immense potential in terms of giving birth to natural resources. In mere years of stability, it is estimated that the resources that this continent could produce will surpass Azure Terra''s by arge margin. And that''s just based on the initial estimates. There is a high chance that thisnd will produce even more richer resources in the long run so long as they remain smart about its development. Obviously, this was fantastic news for everybody. With this kind of promise, they could see a really bright future for humanity. They didn''t know how this came to be, and frankly, they didn''t care. What matters to them is the idea that they have to take advantage of this and be very smart and careful about whatever they''re about to do with this continent for the sake of the race''s bright future. Their focus would be building infrastructure that would preserve and care for thend while also finding strategic locations to build resource collection and manufacturing structures without it conflicting with zones where they estimated the resources would be. And this was going to be a bit challenging since there''s just too much potential hidden in thisnd. It''s so tempting to just turn this entire continent into a massive factory instead just to take full advantage of the potential resources it could bring to them, but that would be unwise. They''d destroy thisnd by doing that, and that simply can''t pass. After all, they''ve worked really hard to reim thisnd; how can they bear after all that? That said, it''s going to take some time before the Lost Continent truly develops into a treasurend of resources, so they definitely have the time to think more about how they''re going to develop it with utmost care. As Raven flew back to thend, his mind was filled with other things. ''Thend and the sea are now free from demons and corruption.'' He thought to himself. ''This essentially means that Prime Earth is now free of demons.'' He then looked at the clear blue skies andrge puffy clouds hovering above this world; he also felt the warmth of the sun shining down on him as he stood in ce. It''s unbelievable how a few hours ago, such sight would''ve been impossible to see in a ce like this, yet just like that, everything changed. If he wasn''t part of the people who orchestrated the cleansing of thisnd, he wouldn''t have believed that this continent had been the hub of demonic activity for hundreds of years because there''s not even a trace of vile energy left here. However, Raven''s sight went past the beauty of the clear skies above. His eyes seemingly wanted to pierce through the atmosphere and gaze upon the endless velvet nket of the cosmic creation...because that''s where the rest of their problem still lies. ''We cut their connection to the Lost Continent, preventing them from sending reinforcements. They probably have an idea of what''s happening here, especially since all of the Sin Demons are now dead.'' ''I just don''t know if they could still observe the rest of Prime Earth.'' Raven mused to himself. ''If they could, then they should be able to see the changes in the sea, and that should give them a clue of what''s happening here.'' ''If that''s the case, then we should be ready for their possible retaliation. I can''t imagine arrogant creatures like them to endure this kind of provocation lying down. They would certainly bring out the big guns, all but to disy their overwhelming belief in their superiority towards us.'' ''If it turns out that they can''t observe anything that''s happening to Prime Earth anymore, then that should buy us some time to develop even more. They''d probably be rmed by the deaths of the Sin Demons, which might cause someplications, but so long as they''re unable to send more of their men here. We''re good.'' ''I just hope that they don''t run away.'' Raven wished for this solemnly and with a dark expression on his face. ''It would be a pity to notpletely eradicate them from existence altogether. And it would be even more of a pity if we humans can''t do it ourselves.'' ** While the rest of humanity''s leaders were focusing on making ns for the Lost Continent, Cedric was busy doing something else. No, he''s not spending time in bed with his women. As nice as that would have been, the girls are currently out; they somehow dragged Isabe on their shopping spree, leaving Cedric by himself. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin Since he''s bored and has a lot of time in his hands, he decided to monitor the world. But even that became boring after a while. That''s until an idea struck him. He flew above the clouds, flying as high as he could, almost touching the Purgatory Realm itself. He then looked down and basked in the feeling of sovereignity for a while before making his move. With a flick of his sleeves, a pocket dimension was formed. Space and time twisted into ribbons that he finely controlled as he wished. Once it stabilized, he entered it and showed the unstable and empty interior. In here, he released his godlike power. Initiating creation like a real god. Cedric nned to turn this ce into a secret realm tucked away behind the clouds. This one in particr will be his new temporary home for the time being. Why? Just because he could, really. There''s no special reason. He just felt like having a home that can''t be reached through normal means. Besides, this has always been one of his fantasies since he was a kid: having a castle above the clouds. It''s like the next level after having a treehouse¡ªalmost. Besides, being this close to the skies allows him to react faster just in case the space pirates make a move. He could just pass through the purgatory realm and interfere when he needed to. But really, that''s just an excuse, and he''s being willful here. He just wanted to fulfill his fantasy of having a castle hidden in the clouds. This isn''t technically it since the castle will be hidden on a secret realm, but considering that he''s actually purposefully making the clouds able to hold up a huge castle, it''s not that different, really. Typically, stretching space like this was unwise because it poses the risk of destabilizing the world. However, it''s Cedric''s work. Of course he already put that into consideration. He didn''t have to worry about destabilizing the spatial integrity of Prime Earth simply because of the existence of the Sacred Celestial Tree. Not only is that thing able to be responsible for the day and night cycles of the entire world, it also bolsters the space of the world it is in and enriches it. Speaking of which, that tree is about to reach full maturity. With the steadily increasing vitality of Prime Earth and constant nourishing by Cedric himself, it entered a period of steady growth over these years. Within five to six years, it will reach its mature stage. By then, it will be able to connect through worlds beyond this one, allowing safe and stable passage for humans to do so. Cedric has grand ns for that, but that''s going to have to wait until the tree matures. Chapter 362: The Demon Princes Introspection -- The Demon Prince stood at the helm of the spaceship by himself with a strained expression on his face. Under him was a clear ss that made it seem that he¡¯s stepping on nothing due to how crystal clear it was. This ss allowed the Demon Prince to look at the word beneath the ship, the one that his father had an unhealthy obsession with for some reason. This world was also the home of whoever it was that embarrassed him a few weeks ago. Others might not see it, but the Demon Prince hasn¡¯t recovered from that blow¡ªpsychologically, that is. His physical body has long recovered from the injuries he sustained from the very brief and one-sided exchange, but his mind kept reminding him of his failure and loss to that unknown entity. It wasn¡¯t the idea of suffering a loss that¡¯s preventing him from moving on from that scene. It¡¯s the fact that the blow came from a world that he could¡¯ve easily destroyed in a single snap of his fingers. He didn¡¯t expect this world to hide a secret like this. He, along with many other demons, looked down on Prime Earth because its people are underdeveloped; they didn¡¯t even know that they¡¯re holding onto a precious treasure and wasting itpletely, which is a damn shame. Yet the fact that someone or something from this backward world appeared and made him eat a loss without him being able to retaliate was something that the Demon Prince just can¡¯t easily ept. He lost sleep over this. Each time he tried to rest, his mind would repeatedly remind him of what happened, and he would feel so flustered and angry that he¡¯d end up staying awake anyway. It stresses him out, and that¡¯s no good because he could see that this was bing an obsession¡ªmuch like what his father was feeling. No, he never truly understood why his father, the Demon God, was so obsessed with this world. While it¡¯s true that world spirits were rare, they¡¯re not so precious that they¡¯d have to lose many of their trusted and trained men over it. No, this obsession runs deeper than what it looks like on the surface. Unfortunately, the Demon Prince never had the chance to ask his father about it. At this point, he even doubted that he would tell him if he asked... But the thing is, he¡¯s starting to empathize with his father, and that¡¯s clearly no good. He refused to be obsessed with this world because, in his opinion, it simply was not worthy of his sentiments. Even if it possesses a world spirit, so what? This isn¡¯t the first time he encountered one. He had seen many; some are even way better than Ac. But for some reason, there is a strange force that¡¯s keeping him tied here. So far, he¡¯s been able to resist it due to his rity, but he could also tell that it wouldn¡¯t take long before he, too, loses himself to it. And that makes him feel desperate. But hell would freeze first before he outright admits this. Enjoy exclusive content from freewebnovel ¡¯The souls of the Seven Deadly Sins were unable to be retrieved.¡¯ The Demon Prince thought to himself. ¡¯So too were the millions of troops that were sent with them.¡¯ ¡¯This confirms that humans discovered a way to neutralize our false immortality. They unexpectedly developed to this stage without us knowing it.¡¯ A gloomy sigh escaped from his lips as he continued peering down on Prime Earth. His eyes reflected the misty shadow that¡¯s obscuring the entire, preventing him and his men from knowing what¡¯s happening down there. ¡¯It¡¯s also around that time that Prime Earth started looking like this.¡¯ ¡¯Our connections were severed from that side. Our scanners were unable to determine what¡¯s going on anymore, and the entire appeared like this to us.¡¯ ¡¯This meant that humans also learned how our system works and managed to build something to counter it.¡¯ ¡¯A few years ago, if anybody dared to say that these locals might possibly develop this fast, I would¡¯ve scoffed at their faces and ruthlessly mocked them for their cowardice. Yet now...¡¯ The humans were developing a little too fast for his liking, especially during the past 30 years or so. It started with something trivial¡ªsomething that¡¯s not even worth mentioning to him at all. But then it quickly snowballed into a gigantic momentum, which none of them sawing until it came crashing down on them. Now, humans held the advantage and were still running ahead with it. Clearly, this isn¡¯t a good thing, and they should definitely do something about it. Well, they have. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s not working. You see, in his rage, the Demon Prince ordered his men to open fire at Prime Earth a few days ago. It was one of the episodes where he got so consumed by his emotions that he became a reckless tyrant. His men obviously followed his orders since, after the Demon God, the Demon Prince¡¯s authority andmand were the highest, and he has the birthright to tell them o que fazer. They did use the main weapons of the ship to open fire at Prime Earth. This move definitely vites the orders of the Demon God to subdue the intact to preserve the World Spirit (Ac), but the Demon Prince was so consumed by his rage that he didn¡¯t care about it. Talk about an obsession, really... But miraculously, instead of being destroyed, the Prime Earth just absorbed the energy they released. Greedily devouring it like it was some kind of delicacy. The Demon Prince was outraged back then. Adding the fact that he wasn¡¯t in apletely stable mental state, this result almost turned him simr to King Pride. He ordered his men to do it for a second time, and they did. But the results were the same. He ordered them again and again, which almost looked like he was waging a one-sided war against Prime Earth, but nothing has changed. Prime Earth just swallowed everything they released. It was intact and still unable to be perceived clearly by their scanners. The only reason why the Demon Prince was stopped was because, once again, he heard that same voice that has been haunting him since his first interaction with it. That was then followed by another one-sided beating witnessed by his men. But the weird thing is that none of them saw the other party. They just saw the Demon Prince getting a beating of his lifetime. They witnessed how he was bruised, injured, and how his body became riddled with cuts and wounds, but they never saw the person responsible for it. In the end, they could only helplessly watch as their beloved Demon Prince fainted from too much pain, agony, and fury. They were initially afraid that the Demon Prince would continue raging once he woke up, but the opposite happened. rity returned to him after waking up. The pain sobered him enough to get a hold of himself and actively prevent himself from going mad once more. This was also the moment where he realized that something¡¯s wrong with him, prompting him to realize that he¡¯s developing a weird obsession over this world. ¡¯Coming here was a grave mistake.¡¯ The Demon Prince bitterly realized this just now. Unlike the rest, the Demon Prince wasn¡¯t disillusioned by his seemingly grand identity and authority. The Divine Council has branded them Space Pirates due to their origins, and even after thousands of years, their status never changed. This was the reason why his people couldn¡¯t stay in one ce. Out of fear that they will be located and hunted by the alliance. Sure, the Demon Prince had ess to many resources, mostly plundered from the world they visited, but his true aim was to join the alliance and change their fate. He wanted to seek a brighter tomorrow for himself and his people, and for this reason, he didn¡¯t hesitate to plunder even more resources in hopes of enhancing histent talent to get the attention of the Prodigy Seekers of the Tower of Prodigies. The prodigy seekers won¡¯t discriminate. So long as he shows enough promise, he will be able to join the Tower of Prodigy and seek more fortunes there. They wouldn¡¯t care that he¡¯s considered a space pirate¡ªat least, that¡¯s what he thinks. He heard stories of somebody making this possible after all, so he thought, if they could do it, why can¡¯t he? In his opinion, their future lies with the Divine Council. There¡¯s only so many underdeveloped worlds they could visit and freely plunder. Moreover, they weren¡¯t the only space pirates around. They havepetition. And the Demon Prince knows that they aren¡¯t the strongest amongst these bandits. If he had known that the locals of Prime Earth would be able to turn the tables against them, he would¡¯ve vetado the decision right away. They truly shouldn¡¯t havee here at all, because now he doubts that they could even leave. Unable to help himself, his gaze wandered to the ce where his father locked himself up and whispered: ¡¯Do you feel the same way too? ¡¯ ¡¯Is this why you¡¯ve sealed yourself in there and refused to meet anyone, including me? ¡¯ Chapter 363: Verdant Terra -- A year swiftly passed since humans liberated the Lost Continent from demonic influence. Well, it¡¯s technically the entire world by now, actually since all of the sea demons became extinct as well. This year was busy for many people. Their efforts were mostly focused on making ns for the new territory they had, making sure that they could take full advantage of its natural bounties, and enforcing order to prevent people from ruining it. By now, it¡¯s no longer called the Lost Continent. It¡¯s called Verdant Terra due to its rich bounties of nature. Even though a year had passed since its liberation, Verdant Terra waspletely different from what it was back then. Discover hidden stories at m,v l¡¯e|m-p| y r It no longer has dry and crackednds; it has lush green fields of vastness that cover almost the entire continent itself. The air was no longer polluted; it¡¯s fresh, crisp, and cool now, thanks to the birth and vibrancy of nature here. Large patches of forest grew in mere months after humans started rehabilitating the continent. New life emerged from it too. The vegetation mutated and gave birth to strange yet valuable ingredients. Deep underground, ores and minerals began calcinating, waiting to be excavated and put to good use. Everybody already anticipated that the recovery of life on this continent would be fast due to their initial study and probing. Yet faced with the sheer speed of its growth, it still stunned them in ce. The growth of life here was so fast that it¡¯s almost scary. They could clear uprge swathes of grassfields at once and go to sleep only to find it filled once again when they wake up the next day. Some guessed that there is some kind of magic or strange force involved in this since this growth speed was certainly unscientific. Some guessed that Ac was favoring this newly reimednd a little too well because it¡¯s a part of her that has been suffering for a long time. Others said that it was Cedric who¡¯s causing this. Either way, they really couldn¡¯tin. It¡¯s a weed problem anyway. They¡¯d rather deal with too many resources than have none at all. Of course, this meant that some ns had to be advanced to keep up with this. And without the fear of demons stunting their ns anymore, the humans could focus on what they do best. Progress. As for the threat of the Demon Race, there are, of course, some people who know that the fight is far from over. While they managed to liberate the world from their maniptions, that doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re gone. Some people know that they¡¯re still out there somewhere. Waiting, bidding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike to deal the really painful blow that will cause humans to copse. The repeated trangressions of humans to their authority was something they couldn¡¯t possibly swallow. Yet it also came to a point that they couldn¡¯t deny the growth of humanity into a formidable race. Because of this, they will certainly not hold back anymore next time they strike, just to prove that they¡¯re better than them. What others didn¡¯t know is that the Demon Race already didunch an attack. One that could¡¯ve ended Prime Earth right then and there if it weren¡¯t for Cedric¡¯s arrangements. Theyunched an orbital bombardment on the using star-destroying shells and sters attached to their main ship. Normally, this would¡¯ve spelled the end for small worlds like Prime Earth. Hell, the amount of energy they used was enough topletely vaporize a medium-sized world. If it weren¡¯t for Cedric¡¯s achievements in Grand Sr Concept Laws, even he would¡¯ve found it difficult to resist that bombardment. Fortunately, his efforts weren¡¯t in vain, allowing him to easily deal with something like that. That said, Cedric was pissed after that. Oh, god knows how much he held himself back. If he hadn¡¯t managed his temper back then, he would¡¯ve rushed to the main fleet of these damned space pirates and showed them a thing or two about humility and politeness. Though in the end, he swallowed his anger and remained passive. There¡¯s a few things that kept him from retaliating, the main one being the fact that he¡¯s still wary about this so-called ¡¯Demon God¡¯ of theirs. He had never seen him before, but Cedric knew that he existed, and he¡¯s powerful. He had tried scanning the entirety of the pirate ship to see what this person looked like so he could make ns, but he failed to see him. From what he learned, the Demon God was in seclusion in his private chambers and wouldn¡¯t ept any interruptions. Not even his son, the Demon Prince, was allowed to disturb him unless he felt like courting death. As for, por que ele est¨¢ em¡¯s seclusion? Ningu¨¦m sabe. Even the Demon Prince could only guess why, and it remains like that, a ¡¯guess¡¯. Without the Demon Goding out to personally rify everything, they could only assume things. Despite reaching his current level of life evolution, Cedric wasn¡¯t disillusioned by the idea that he¡¯s invincible around here. He had been repeatedly humbled by the real geniuses at the Tower of Prodigies. Moreover, everything he does represents his race. Had he made a move, it would signify that humanity was waging war against the space pirates for real this time. He obviously couldn¡¯t do this because his people were still recovering from the remation of Verdant Terra. They must focus on developing ever further now, enquanto eles ainda t¨ºm a chance, and Cedric wouldn¡¯t ruin this for them. That said, he had to release some of his frustrations as well. He couldn¡¯t possibly just allow these creatures to simply do things as they wished, lest they see him and this world as pushovers. That might¡¯ve been the case back then, but not anymore. So, he sent out Granitas to make a move this time. And, with the golem¡¯s strength, bullying the Demon Prince into submission was but a simple matter. Cedric specifically ordered the golem to cover the little prince¡¯s entire body in bruises, cuts, and wounds before letting him go while making sure to keep his presence hidden. And the golempleted his orders wlessly. Seeing the Demon Prince fainting from excessive anger and pain made Cedric feel satisfied. It would¡¯ve been nicer if he did it himself, but again, he couldn¡¯t carelessly expose himself this early. After that event, the space pirates returned to their usual routine. They are still trying to breach the security of Prime Earth, but their repeated failures have been dulling their enthusiasm about it. Cedric could tell that they¡¯re nearly out of options too. As for sending out another volley of orbital bombardment, they didn¡¯t dare to do so again. Thest one drained a considerable amount of their supply; add the fact that the Demon Prince was mentally unstable when he did it, and it bes controversial, especially since it didn¡¯t do shit to Prime Earth other than bing an addition well of energy it could use to evolve itself. Yes, the Demon Prince had the highest authority after the Demon God, but even his authority will be questioned if he recklessly squandered their limited resources. They¡¯re space pirates after all; they could only trade with their fellow space pirates for resources. The rich, bountiful, and cheap supplies from the alliance aren¡¯t something they could ess. Cedric doesn¡¯t know how long it would take before the Demon Race makes another move. But he¡¯s alert and would immediately respond depending on the threat they posed. He didn¡¯t mind being a glorified bodyguard of this world since it¡¯s one of his responsibilities anyway. Besides, it¡¯s not like his people were bing stagnant orcent with their fortunes. As someone who could easily see and know everything happening on the entire with but a single thought, Cedric would know if that¡¯s the case. Fortunately, it isn¡¯t, and that¡¯s for the best. Whether it¡¯s the people from Azure Terra or the newly introduced Verdant Terra, everybody was busy pushing things forward. Everyone was siezing the day to make steady progress each passing day because, just like him, they too don¡¯t know how long this peace willst, so they¡¯re determined to take full advantage of it while they can. Ac herself was also seizing the chance to be stronger. She has already learned a lot of things about her identity as a World Spirit from her seniors and was not applying what she learned to make herself stronger. Much like everyone else, Ac also wanted to be freed from her prospective captors and realize her full potential. The breath of creativity and progress was rich in Prime Earth. It¡¯s akin to a current that¡¯s pushing everybody closer and closer to the golden age of humanity. The best part is that they hardly needed Cedric to guide them this time. They¡¯re bing independent, which is a necessary trait to have if humanity truly wants to be part of the council one day. So, to ensure that there will be no interruptions, Cedric didn¡¯t mind being a bodyguard who¡¯s always looking out for any possible threats outside. Chapter 364: 5th Stage -- Boom! Boom! Boom! Cedric stood in the middle of a raging battlefield of lights and explosions. His clothes were fluttered by the harsh winds, and his hair wildly danced with it. A veil of golden light could be seen on his body; it clung to his skin, preventing the harmful substances of his surroundings from making direct contact with his skin. Meanwhile, colorful streaks of light orbited around him like stars. They sometimes shot out to intercept something before obediently returning to him. He''s also holding a long sword wreathed in golden mes. His barefoot walked on the cracked and charred battlefield. He looked as if he''s taking a leisurely stroll while the world around him screamed and howled in pain and suffering. His appearance was a stark difference from his environment. Sometimes, the sword in his hand will turn into a blur. It''s as if there''s an illusion that it moved, but not really. This was because it happened too fast, causing anybody''s senses to be fooled. Moreover, his execution was so utterly graceful and perfect that it caused a natural phenomenon. The world itself was forcibly sychronizing with his movement, forced to acknowledge the work of art that is Cedric''s swordsmanship. Its opinions don''t matter in the face of this man''s sheer mastery over the art. One has to know that this world does not wee him at all. To this realm, Cedric was an enemy that needed to die. It''s not a matter of importance why more than it is a requirement. This isn''t like the small that Cedric previously encountered. This one was muchrger and way stronger than that one. He knows this because this world has killed him hundreds of times by now. Moreover, this world might only be just as big as a medium-sized star, but in terms of quality, it surpasses several sr systems. Even a single creature this world created could turn into a nightmare if ced on low-tiered worlds. If you ask him, Cedric wouldn''t evene anywhere near this world at all. Not only was it hostile to him, it is alsopletely inhabitable for a creature like him. If it weren''t for this being part of the trials, you wouldn''t see him here at all. That said, it''s quite fortunate that after this day, he wouldn''t see this ce again. Cedric has grown too powerful for this ce to deal with him. He could just stand still in ce and let the world throw everything it could at him and it wouldn''t have mattered. By the end of the day, Cedric will certainly oust this world just through sheer physical durability alone. Just by standing still, he could force this world to blow itself up. There''s really no need for him to do anything at all. The only reason he''s activelypeting with it was because of revenge. This world did kill him several hundred times in a row. This might''ve desensitized Cedric, but it didn''t curb his desire to at least return the suffering he experienced from it. "It''s time to finish this," Cedric muttered under his breath. He held his sword with both hands and mobilized his energy. The fluctuations of his power quite literally caused time and space to stagnate. The world itself seemed to be watching with bated breath as he performed his next move. Cedric''s aura red so high that he seemingly turned into a sun. Above him, a sea of golden mes gushed out and formed the shape of a gigantic sword. It looked as if it was made from molten gold and adorned with precious gems like a ceremonial sword. With a grunt, Cedric stabbed his sword on the ground. And at the same time, the gigantic sword above him plunged into the ground, piercing the world all the way to the other size, shattering its core along the way. Cedric could vaguely hear a pitiful wail around him, but he closed his heart to it. He ignored its suffering and channeled his strength topletely set the world aze, making sure that not even a speck of it would remain. Totalary Anihtion. This was his task. He couldn''t let this world have any kind of remains, not even a speck of cosmic dust. The world-ending sword not only pierced the world, it also set it on fire. The burning heat contained the aspect of anihtion. It''s destructive capabilities burned everything away to nihility. At some point, the sea of golden mes died out. Cedric found himself standing in the void, still in the previous position he was in. He scanned his surroundings carefully, making sure that he didn''t miss anything. When he determined that he truly couldn''t sense any remains of the world, he just purged, released a breath, and stood up straight. Cedric looked up and made a decision. That''s when everything around him began changing. He saw square tiles flipping around, revealing an unblemished white paint. Not long after this, he found himself standing in an endless sea of white space, the very same space that he always sees whenever he enters the trials. Then he heard a chirpy mechanical voice in his head, saying: [Congrattions, Dawnbringer! You''ve passed the 5th Stage of the Spirit Trials with flying colors!] [Please return to the lobby for the settlement of your achievements.] A relieved sigh escaped from his lips as he heard this deration. Wasting no time, Cedric willed his consciousness to return to the lobby. In a blink of an eye, he found himself extracted from the trial space and standing in front of the doors leading to the trials. He heard a few chimes in his ears, and a bunch of system messages appeared that swarmed his vision. Cedric read each one and took note of it. He dismissed most of the messages save the profile page, which reads: ** Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin [Challenger Profile:] Name: Dawnbringer Age: 40 Race: Human LE: 3-star Grand Sr Warrior Potential: SSS Achievements: Trial of Mind (5th Stage) - Cleared; Trial of Body (5th Stage) - Cleared; Trial of Spirit (5th Stage) - Cleared Points: 1,819,215 ** "Nice," Cedric muttered softly as he gently massaged his sore shoulders. Right, he''s currently at the Tower of Prodigies and just finished clearing the 5th stage of the trials. With things back home being stable and the space pirates behaving rather well, he had time to go here. This time, he stayed until he reached the 5th stage of the trials. The one he finished just now was the Trial of Spirit. The contents of the trial were divided into two stages; first, he had to raise a small dimension and turn it into a holynd. He was given a few tools to start with, but the rest was up to him. And the second part was to personally destroy that same realm he himself raised, making sure that not even a speck of cosmic dust will remain of it. By now, anybody with a few brain cells could tell just how demanding this trial was. It tested not only his power and capabilities but also his morals. It seems cruel, and that''s because it is. Fortunately, everything was only a simtion, or else this would have a heavier psychological burden on him. But, as difficult as this trial was, it''s also the most rewarding. Just now, he received a total of one million trial points from it. Inparison, the 5th stage of the body trial and the mind trial onlyted around 800,000 pointsbined. But that might also be because the other trials weren''t as challenging as this one. Pausing for a bit, Cedric decided if he should stay in the tower for a few more days or leave right away because he missed his home a little too much. Counting the time, Cedric stayed here for more than a thousand years. It''s the longest seclusion he has ever done. He endured everything for the sake of rushing through the trials and obtaining more rewards. But even after so long, he only reached the 3-star Grand Sr Life Evolution stage. A mere increase of two small realms in a span of a thousand years sounds uneptable for others, but Cedric didn''t dare toin because he did it without excessive consumption of resources. He reached this realm through sheer effort and willpower. Sure, he had some supplements here and there, but that was nothingpared to the consumption of other geniuses like him. Instead of spending points to buy more resources he could use to increase or boost the speed of his cultivation, he used his points to buy things that could aid his home instead. He didn''t mind the slow cultivation speed because, all things considered, it''s still actually really fast. Besides, he values building a solid foundation more than recklessly charging ahead. [Notice!] [Challenger, it is determined that you have reached a turning point in your trials.] [We sincerely suggest that you return home and spend time with your loved ones. Or at the very least, ground yourself by returning to your reality.] [This is because moving forward, you will be arriving in the tower with your physical body.] [This means that the next time you return here to take the 6th Stage of your trials, you''d be present in body, mind, and spirit.] [Of course, you also have the option to withdraw, and we won''t hold it against you. Everything depends on your decision in the end.] [We are just reminding you that in case you want to continue, you''re bound to face more risk to your safety. That''s all.] [Please enjoy your time back home. We will wait for you until you reach 500 years old physically. If you failed to show up before then, we will take it as a sign of your withdrawal.] Cedric raised his brow after reading all this and said, "Well, that sounds ominous." Chapter 365: Life Expectancy, Cold Beauty -- Cedric felt the familiar pull as he was sent back to Prime Earth. When his vision adjusted, he found himself back in his seclusion room. He also felt the familiar weakness stemming from the need of his body to synchronize with the strength he reached during his time within the tower. Due to the immensity of energy he had to make up for, it would take at least two years before this process waspleted. This can be expedited through other means, but since there''s really no immediate need for it, he just had to patiently wait for the process toplete itself. If a timees that there is a need for him to swiftly catch up to his actual level of cultivation, he had stuff prepared for it anyway, so there is no need to be worried. Cedric stood up and stretched his body. After that, he stood still for a bit and allowed his perception to gradually adjust to reality. He let nature take its course, not actively interfering with how his perception flows because it''s better this way. Once he felt some semnce of advancement, he walked out of the seclusion room. Since he stayed in the tower for thousands of years,pleting three stages of his trials at once, instead of an hour, a day passed here. Not that it matters too much, really. It''s just a day, after all. With how busy people were in this world nowadays, a day of him missing shouldn''t cause any form of copse to the society. Stepping out of the room and breathing in the fresh and oh-so-familiar breeze of his home, a smile crept up to his face. The inconvenience that had marred deep into his bones due to long periods of seclusion slowly melted away now that he''s back home. And due to the time difference between the tower and his reality, he didn''t miss too much here. Everything is still the same as how it was back then. ''The next time I return to the tower, though, things will be different. I could just feel it.'' Cedric mused to himself. Of course, the warning of the tower''s system still remained fresh in his memories. It told him that the next time hees to the tower, he will bring his body with him. It was undisclosed whether the time difference would still be the same; other details weren''t also exined, but Cedric could tell that once he made the decision to return there, because he certainly would, things would be more difficult, and he''d undoubtedly face more risk to his life. But right now, that doesn''t matter. He had time. The AI said that they will wait for him until he''s 500 years old. If he doesn''t appear before he reaches this age, that means that he''s forfeiting his qualifications to climb the tower. ''500 years old, huh.'' Cedric muttered inwardly as he made his way to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. ''That''s pretty old, especially to my people''s standards.'' Sure, with the changes he brought to Prime Earth and his race in general, reaching this age isn''t considered ''rare'' anymore. Mostly thanks to the cultivation techniques he had provided, which he purchased from the tower. Amon civilian''s lifespan couldn''t possibly go past 120 years old. Hell, reaching 90 years old for amon civilian is already considered rare and almost a miracle. Past 100 years old, it bes heaven-defying. Some would even say that they must''ve consumed some life-extending elixirs during their youth to make this possible. For average Superhumans, 500 years old was already pushing it. But since this is a profession where people die young, it is very difficult for them to reach this maximum age. nar travelers could live up to 1000 years old, and star travelers of the old times could potentially reach up to 1500 years old. That''s what it''s like back then. However, with great poweres great responsibility. The stronger one was, the more they''re put at risk since it is a superhuman''s duty and responsibility to protect their home from demonic invasion. Now, this has changed. Yes, the threat of demon invasion is still looming over their world (quite literally), but it''s not as threatening as in the past since humans of today are now more formidable than in the past. With the changes that happened since Cedric rose to power and the collective progress that humans have made since then, reaching 500 years old shouldn''t be a problem anymore. More importantly, Prime Earth is now cleansed of demonic corruption. Humans have morend and space to use for their development. Cedric''s arrangements also increased the vitality and spiritual density of this world. There woulde a day when the awakening ceremony bes a thing of the past because everybody would have an innate ability to cultivate and be a superhuman. Of course, the difference in innate talent will still remain, but for the most part, this would be a great development for humanity. And with the cultivation techniques he brought home, especially stronger ones that he has yet to reveal, his people will be stronger and stronger to the point where they wouldn''t need his protection anymore. This was something that Cedric wanted to see for himself. But this won''t happen anytime soon. He could only wait for it because his people are still developing and umting. ** Done with his coffee and his little time of reprieve simmering in his own thoughts, Cedric made his way to the basement of the Sky Castle. Yes, he did end up making this ce his new home. It''s a little entric even for his standard, but it''s a dreame true, so why not? The basement is where the training grounds were, amongst other utility rooms as well. This is where his girls usually spar and train to polish their skills. Like Cedric, they have little to nopetition in this world anymore, so they could only look at each other to test their progress and to keep things interesting. In here, Cedric saw ady with an ethereal, cold beauty. He saw her using one of the specialized training rooms he installed here. Inside, she had her eyes closed in concentration. A fierce blizzard raged around her. The cold and merciless hail threatened to rip apart anybody who dares toe close. Cedric could sense that most of the snow within the hail turned into deadly shrapnels, moving at blistering speeds and possessing incredible sharpness. The temperature around her was also frighteningly cold, just a step away from absolute zero. He could even see that the frost was starting to affect space and time around her. Cedric fearlessly breached the seemingly forbidden domain of Absolute Zero Blizzard. He walked at a brisk pace,pletely unaffected by the frighteningly low temperatures and the razor-sharp snow and ice raging around him. The beauty reacted to his presence instinctively. Giant ciers of ice and snowkes bearing snow lotuses bloomed around her, further lowering the temperatures and increasing the might of the hail. This reaction could''ve easily and severely threatened the Seven Deadly Sins despite their seemingly bottonless energy reserves. But in front of Cedric and his absurd physique, it was nothing more than a cold breeze he could just ignore. Upon reaching a certain distance, thedy seemed to have regained her rity. The floating ciers, which threatened to form spears that would easily impale anybody who breached this space, and the snowkes and snow lotuses that could easily entomb anybody in ice, disappeared one by one. The domain of blizzard was also dismissed. Slowly but surely, the white mist and snow disappeared, and the temperature also rose until it returned to its normal level. The cold beauty then opened her eyes only to see Cedric standing tall in front of her with a twinkle in golden eyes filled with indescribable longing. Faced with this heated and barely disguised enthusiasm, the colddy felt flustered. She blushed and hurriedly avoided his gaze. She almost seemed to want to hide from all of this, but she stood frozen in her spot, unable to escape his warm and epassing presence. "Hey." He greeted calmly, though his eyes remained as heated as they were. "Hi," Isabe greeted in return. It sure was awkward. It hasn''t been long since she beganing here on her own volition after all. Isabe inwardly cursed herself. Saying that she shows more and expresses more of herself to him. Didn''t she already make her decision years ago? Why is she still hesitating and embarrassed about this? The fact he''s so patient with her also didn''t help. He never pushed her, never forced her into doing anything she didn''t like. For all she knows, he might as well not be expecting anything from her, but his eyes had always been honest. It never hid his growing affection, and it was really ttering. But it has been years. She was already moved even before this all started, so why is she finding it hard to remain calm in front of him? Why is it that she couldn''t express what she really wants to say? And it''s almost as if he could tell that she''s spiraling. Still, always as calm as the first rays of the sun peering over the horizon, he smiled at her and asked: "You''re doing well. Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?" Chapter 366: Federal Army Treasury, Creative Arts -- [Notice!] [The Sun Sage added 100+ new items to the Federal Army Treasury. All items have been scanned and verified personally by Mother Ac. Please peruse them at your leisure.] This message was sent to all important personnel at the crack of dawn. This being the very first thing that they saw as soon as they woke up from sleep, or meditation, sent ripples to their moods right away. Everybody was unable to help themselves from hurriedly checking out the new items that have been added to the Treasury. The Federal Army Treasury might sound like it''s possessed by the Prime Earth Federal Government, and that''s partly correct. However, even the High Marshals and other important personnel of the army couldn''t just carelessly withdraw resources ced in here. If they''re eyeing something, they must apply for it first. This application will be circted amongst other leaders, verified, and decided by votes. Above all else, Cedric himself will be informed of this, and his decision takes priority over everyone else''s. This isn''t something he arranged himself; it was them who made this decision, and Cedric just agreed to it. In case he''s not avable, Ac will take his ce. The Federal Army Treasury is where the most extravagant and most important resources of humanity were kept. It''s physical location is sealed, and nobody except Cedric or Ac knows where it is. If anybody wants to withdraw items from the treasury, not only do they need the approval of at least more than half of the leaders, but they must also use the Ac System to do so. Of course, any transactions made using the system will be recorded and documented for the sake of security. It will definitely be useful in case there are someplications or disagreements in the future. But none of that is important right now. What matters right now is that the Sun Sage somehow added more things to the Treasury. And given that it was ced here instead of literally anywhere else, that means that whatever he shoved in here were very precious resources. "God damn!" This seemed to be the general reaction of everybody who saw the new items that were added to the ever-growing list avable in the Treasury. Everybody who has ess to this list couldn''t help but feel dazzled with the amount of new stuff added to it. The descriptionsbeled on each item made them even more dazzling to their eyes, making their breaths ragged and their hearts beating with fervor and excitement. The list was automatically sorted via rarity. Of course, there is an option for everybody to filter the list to show only the new items added. Even the mostmon items (ording to the rarity tagging) were incredibly useful for people like them. In fact, some people were already applying for them. For example, there is something called the ''Golden Thread Praying Mat''. It''s an item of mysterious origins. It has only one function, unlike other items, but that single thing was incredibly useful. That is, when using this during meditation or cultivation, it enhances the perception of the user by 25% in all aspects. A mere 25% added bonus to one''s perception might seem weak and pathetic. And that would be the case when this item was ced on the thriving market of the cosmic alliance. But this is Prime Earth. Even trash from the cosmic alliance is considered a heaven-defying treasure here. To the eyes of humans, this was simply a miraculous item, one that could help them increase their chances of having a breakthrough despite theircking talents and foundations. And this is just one item amongst the many that have been recently added here. There are more useful things, like organic metals that could grow like nts or ancient blueprints of things that could either provide security to the world or cause mass destruction to their enemies. There were remains of mythical creatures here too. Hell, some even saw vials containing the blood essence of said mythical creatures! ording to the description, consuming this blood will most likely bestow the bloodline of the respective mythical creature this blood came from on its consumer. There were chances of failure, of course, but this was a worthy gamble. As they continued perusing the list, eventually getting to the items that were considered to be no less than ''Legendary'' or even straight up ''Mythical'' in the rarity sorting, the more dazzling and greed-inducing the items got. There''s this one item called ''Dimensional Seed''. Which, once nurtured to germination, grants ess to an ''Inner World'' to its user. This inner world has no upper limit. It only depends on the luck and fate of those who receive it. This meant that if whoever gets this item had great luck, their inner world could potentially be evenrger than Prime Earth or the very sr system that it''s at. Hell, it could even grow asrge as an entire cosmic realm. But of course, that will take a mind-boggling amount of effort, resources, and luck to achieve. Still, the Dimensional Seed being ced as a Mythical Item in this list was something that nobody could refute. Aside from the Dimensional Seed, there were items such as fragments of Grand Sr Laws, which anybody could consume to gain generalprehension about a random Grand Sr Law. There''s also unique seeds that could produce heaven-defying resources upon reaching maturity. There were items that could act as life-preserving treasures, items that could bestow a unique lucky chance to their user, etc. Hell, there''s even blueprints for intergactic spaceships avable here, which made Charles'' eyes nearly roll at the back of his head due to sheer stimtion. Every single one of these recently added items could cause mass hysteria and panic if their existence were publicized, which is why they''re ced here. Hell, even the most disciplined people who had ess to this list were almost losing theirposures due to the sheer need to get their hands on particr items that they oh-so-needed. With how rare and valuable these resources were, one would think that at least one or two people would be curious where the Sun Sage got all these from. Because there''s no way that he got these from Ac herself or that he just happened to have this in his inventory and figured that now would be the best time to unload them all for everybody to see. So? Where did these alle from? And yes, that would be correct. There were indeed a handful of people who were curious inwardly. Did they dare to ask the Sun Sage about it? Of course not. Why? Because how is that any of their business? None of the people who were granted ess to the Treasury were fools. They managed to live and survive this long, not because of stupidity or recklessness. They were more perceptive than their peers, and it served them well for the majority of their lives. It doesn''t matter where he got all of these from. What''s important is that the Sun Sage was generous enough to share these resources with them instead of just hoarding them and letting them rot in his inventory. Cedric doesn''t really get any concrete benefits from unloading all of this here. He doesn''tck anything they could offer in exchange for these items, so this might as well be considered a donation. His generosity is the very thing that kept the curious ones from overstepping their boundaries. The Sun Sage is their ally. It would do them no good if they continued doubting his intentions because, since day one, he had made this clear to all of them. He just wants to eliminate their oppressors and return freedom to his people. And if possible, usher them to a more prosperous future amongst the stars. That''s it, in and simple. How can anybody hate that? How could they when he''s obviously doing it and the results are there for everyone to see and experience? That''s why I don''t care whether he got this through legal means or not. Anything he could offer, they will take. All for the sake of helping out the man who''s making a difference. [Notice!] Everybody who was still perusing the list and absorbed in their thoughts was shaken by another notice from the Ac System. Deep down, a trace of anticipation welled up in their hearts. [The Sun Sage just recently updated the Life Evolution Library.] [He added the following chapters for some of the old techniques in the library, making someplete and the rest nearingpletion.] [He also added new ones. Some wereplete, and most were iplete.] [The ''Creative Arts'' section has also been created. This list contains unorthodox paths to life evolution, like the paths of music, chess, formations, talismans, alchemy, smithing, beast taming, etc.] [To this extent, the Enlightenment Hall also announced that they will be expanding the realm, providing more rooms avable so that more people could gain enlightenment ofary and grand srws.] If the previous announcement caused waves to rise within them. This very recent one caused that to explode with even more fervor. What happened next could, of course, be expected. Chapter 367: The Demon God Awakens -- Inside a sealed chamber, a lonely figure could be seen sleeping. The darkness within makes it difficult to tell where up and down were, left and right too. Anybody who''s trapped here would first start to lose their sense of direction, then their sense of time and space before ultimately losing their sense of self. This room seems to mimic what one would experience if they''re trapped in a void space without the unstable spatial fluctuations that could rip apart anything and anyone. The sleeping figure was a humanoid male with deep purple skin. He''s about 20 feet tall and was wearing nothing but thin silk robes. His body was bulky with muscles adorned by ck veins that pulsed with his ck blood, signifying his still active life signs. The most prominent feature about this person was his horns. They grew from his temples and wrapped around his head like a thick thorn crown. It almost looked morbidly beautiful, and it''s also a sign that confirms his identity because amongst his people, only he had such kind of horns. Even his own son''s horns paled inparison to his. Despite seemingly being in a peaceful slumber, from time to time his body would twitch as if he were being electrocuted. The movement was quiet and almost unnoticeable, but it''s definitely there. Anybody who watches closely would surely notice it. For now, it is unknown why he''s like this, but one could guess that this might be the reason why he''s sealed in these dark chambers. It is also unknown how long it has been since he came here. Even if this person himself woke up and was asked, he wouldn''t be able to tell either, but it has definitely been some time since he stepped outside. And after an untold amount of time, this person finally showed signs of waking up. Swoosh! You''d think that any form of breeze should be impossible in a room like this, and that would be correct. What happened just now wasn''t caused by some random breeze of the wind that just appeared out of nowhere; it was caused by this person''s body siezing up all of a sudden. Time and space seemingly turned still; it''s as if they were watching with bated breath, waiting for the awakening of this person from his long slumber. Then he opened his eyes. And from his eye sockets, ck lightning shed for the briefest of moments before revealing a strange pair of eyes. They were pitch ck, save for the golden vertical pupils. These eyes stared at the void surrounding him, expressing confusion for the situation he found himself in. Then, his brain started supplying him with his memories to refresh him. In an instant, rity returned to his eyes, yet he still has to make any type of movement. "It has certainly been a while since my mind was this clear." A deep and gravelly voice distorted the void space around him, its sound seemingly prating the very fabrics of time and space without his conscious control. Surely a sign of his overwhelming yet still mostly slumbering might. He then tried moving his body. Discovering the feeling of unfamiliarity and the numbness of his limbs caused a displeased frown to appear on his face. His mind sure was clear, yet the long period of his slumber caused his bodily functions to sieze up as well. It''s not that he didn''t want to move; his body''s just not letting himself do so. He''s going to have to wait until his bodily functions wake up one by one. And even then, he had to stay here and regain familiarity with his body first. There''s a way he''s leaving this room as a walking nuke that could destroy his people out of carelessness. As he waited for his body to catch up with his awakening, bits and pieces of the past shed by his mind. He remembered going on a terrible rampage before sealing himself in this same room. He also remembered the broken memories of his fragmented rity during his maddened state. Fortunately, this room was made to withstand his wrath and madness; otherwise, there''d be no demons left at this point, and he''d be the biggest sinner of his kind. He also recalled his glorious conquest with his people. Even though it has been a long while, he could still remember some memories from his youth. He remembers the days when he was still innocent, unaware of the cruelty of the cosmos, and just happy to spend time with his family and friends before they were ruthlessly taken away from him all because their race needed to breed strong warriors without any weak bonds. Memories of pain, struggles, nefarious plots, and loss all yed out in his mind as his bodily functions were being restored one by one. He recalled how he wed his way to the throne. His path was filled with mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. He mourned the deaths of his loved ones and grieved for the innocence he lost. Since then, he never turned back. Hepletely assumed the mantle of a tyrant and began his ceaseless conquest of the stars along with his people. Under his leadership, they braved the unknown. They visited many strange worlds, plundered their resources, and converted useful warriors into their mix, all for the sake of their ever-expanding might. He led his people to unknown heights, turning them famous (notorious) even amongst the cosmic alliance. Of course, he knew that they''d be hunted by them, but the fact that his efforts alone brought his people to this height will always be his pride. But at the same time, he also yearned for something more. After learning about the existence of the Divine Council, his greed couldn''t stop him from yearning for that throne. Your next chapter is on m v|l-e''-NovelBin ''The Six Leading Races of the Divine Council.'' Such a grand title, really. It sounds simple, but within the alliance, their reputation couldn''t be defied. Everybody looks up to them and worships them like their gods walking amongst men. Since he learned of their existence, a wild ambition germinated in his heart. His ultimate goal was then decided. He wanted to either rece one of the six with his people or, at the very least, be the seventh. Of course, he wasn''t an idiot. He obviously knows just how much work he needed to do to make this happen. Hell, you could even say that this sounds impossible. But he had done the impossible before. He was a miracle maker! It was him who brought his people to this height after all! So, with burning confidence and wild ambition, he began plotting for his dreams. Yet fate sure has some painful ways to remind someone of their ipetence and audacity. He initially thought that things were going as he nned. He even managed to seduce one of the alliance''s upstart geniuses, making her his queen. Their union gave birth to his son, who showed immense talent and wit. But things quickly fell apart when the n of his queen discovered their impure union. Her father appeared before him. And with just one look... One simple nce¡ªone that is filled with endless disgust and contempt towards him¡ªhis entire being was cursed. And this curse burrowed all the way to his soul, casually bypassing any and all of his defenses like they didn''t exist in the first ce. That''s the first time he descended into madness, killing at least half of his grand fleet in his rampage before returning to rity. He damn near killed his own son too. When rity returned to him, his hands were already dyed with the blood and guts of his people. His son was terrified, and his queen was gone, never to be seen again. All of this was caused by one simple nce from that man. You know what''s even more hirious? It''s a fact that neither his queen nor her family were part of the Six Leading Races. Not even fucking close. Yet the old man of her queen, who seems to be just as old if not slightly older than him, made him eat such a huge loss all from a single nce. That''s when he realized howughable he truly was. He couldn''t even muster any form of resitance towards some random guy of the alliance, yet he dares to dream about bing the next chairman of the council. He sure as hell doesn''t know the real immensity of heaven and earth. That man disdained to even eradicate them simply because he thinks that they''re not worth the effort. His queen also despised him and his son because she discovered the thing he had done to her. And thus, with his tail in between his legs, he fled as far as he could with his remaining people. All while resisting the unbearable curse that man ced on him. Finally, after thousands of years of enduring this hateful curse, it''s finally gone. He was finally able topletely flush it out of his body. He no longer has to be conscious about going mad out of nowhere and identally killing everybody around him. And as hisst few bodily functions kicked into activity, time and space resumed their movement around him. A strange force lifted his body upright, and an overwhelming might exploded from his body, so much so that it leaked through the seal and made its presence known to his people. "Hear ye! Hear ye! Our God is awake!" "The Demon God awakens!" "Hurrah!!!" Chapter 368: The Demon God catches up and cursed -- ''So many things happened during my seclusion.'' The Demon God mused inwardly. He ignored the trembling ministers and aides kneeling in front of his throne. He knew that his silence seemed like he''s thinking of a way to punish them dearly for their mistakes, but that''s hardly correct. While it''s true that he''s disappointed at them, he''s one to me as well. After all, he didn''t leave them any clear instructions before he sealed himself. He also couldn''t me his son for this since he knew that child already did his best. More importantly, the Demon God himself never expected to encounter such a progressive race. The fact that humanity was able to go from pushovers to rivals in under a hundred years was mind-blowing for anybody who learned it. "I see that none of the Seven Deadly Sins were retrieved. Was it because of carelessness on your part or because of humanity''s decisiveness?" The Demon God looked at his son and asked. "It''s thetter, Your Majesty." The Demon Prince replied with a professional tone. Out of everybody in this meeting hall, he might be the only one who didn''t feel nervous or threatened by his father''s tone and expression. "A shame then," the Demon God muttered softly. Losing the Seven Deadly Sins (the insignia, not their bearers) was a huge loss to them. The Insignia of Sin was one of his very few masterpieces, rivaling the Soul Network and Flesh Incubator themselves. The Insignia of Sins contained fragments of his power and soul. Aside from being used as a huge power boost and near-limitless energy source for their bearers, the insignia also has a hidden function. This hidden function activates when the Demon God himself faces a grave threat to his life. One must know that even though he''s the creator of the Soul Network and the Flesh Incubator, he couldn''t use them for himself. He''s way too powerful for these tools. The Soul Network will implode at the mere presence of his soul, and there''s no way the Flesh Incubator could replicate the quality of his flesh even if there were appropriate materials for it. This is where the Insignia of Sinses into y. In the event that the Demon God faced a dangerous threat to his life. He could blow himself up to take down his enemies with him. Then, his consciousness will awaken within one of the fragments sealed in the insignia. Upon collecting all the insignia, he could mend his soul again and use the current bearers of the sin to forge a new body for him. Simply put, the Insignia of Sins were tools for his rebirth. Thus, it was a damn shame to lose them. Especially to natives that they used to look down on. ''Oh, well. It is what it is then.'' ''It would''ve been nice to have that assurance. It''s imperfect but still valuable. However, it''s lost now, so there''s no need to be overly concerned about it.'' Calling something as miraculous as those insignias that could facilitate the rebirth of a creature like him imperfect sounds like a great insult. But there is a reason the Demon God didn''t feel too bad about losing them. This has something to do with the sin of pride, more specifically. This insignia was contaminated by the curse of his father-inw. The Demon God poured half of the curse in it to not only hasten his body''s recovery but to also weaken its effects. Doing this allowed the Demon God to endure the curse more effectively and cut his recovery period in half. However, since the insignia itself was contaminated and the curse was so strong that even the Demon God himself was powerless against it, the bearer of this insignia was almost always certain to fall into madness as well. The fact that King Pride was able to remain sane despite bearing the contaminated insignia that also houses the Demon God''s contaminated soul fragment was a testament to how fearsome that demon lion''s willpower was. Still, his willpower was useless in the face of absolute strength, so he too fell for it. The moment King Pride sumbed to the lure of the curse was also the same moment he ceased to be. The contaminated soul fragment of the Demon God took over from then on, and driven by sheer instinct and the hidden function of the insignia, the soul yearned to devour other sins to facilitate the rebirth of the Demon God even though he wasn''t technically dead. Suffice it to say that the one who devoured the sin of sloth wasn''t King Pride anymore. It''s the contaminated soul fragment of the Demon God who''s following its instincts. Actually, knowing that despite all this, humanity was still able to take them all down made this even more impressive. Sure, that was only a fragment of his soul, and it was contaminated by the curse, but that thing has the power to do some serious damage to a small world like this. And if it was allowed to devour other sins as well, that thing could''ve destroyed this entire sr system. From the reports he heard, Pride devoured Sloth as well. That puts its strength at around 4 to 5 stars,ary Grandmaster. Anybody who possesses that level of strength has the potential to destroy a small world like Prime Earth under the right conditions. The fact that humans still managed to take it down was a testament to how far they''vee. "So, long story short, we''re losing against the natives of a small world." This short and direct conclusion of the Demon God was stated in a fairly rxed and casual manner, yet it didn''t fail to send shivers to everybody''s spine. Everybody felt guilty, and rightfully so because this was truly something that could''ve been prevented had they stopped ying around and taken this matter seriously. Even the Demon Prince couldn''t escape this shame. "It''s a little toote for you to feel guilty now." The Demon God snorted coldly at them. "I trusted you with this because I was preupied. I raised you all better than this. Yet look at what you all did." It wasn''t possible for the ministers and aides to kneel even lower than they already have, but they sure made it seem like so. "Humans have grown strong enough to rival us. Leaving them alone is no longer an option since they already proved how much progress they could make once they''re given time." "Their hatred of us is something that not even I could deny. The situation has already evolved to the point where only one side will be permitted to exist. I have no doubt that even if we fled to the opposite side of the cosmos, they will eventually find a way to track us down and hunt us for sport just like what we did to them." "This has already turned into a vendetta. One that we absolutely can''t escape from." There''s a pregnant pause after the Demon God stated these facts. Discover hidden stories at mvl "What I don''t understand is your inaction up until now." The Demon God red at his subjects. "Was it really that difficult for any of you to realize the same conclusions that I had just now? Hm? Was it your false immortality that caused your brains to rot this much that you can''t even think this far?" Everybody could feel their God''s rising anger. This sensation isn''t just limited to this hall but to the entire fleet. Everyone who possesses the DNA and genes of demons could feel the trepidation brought by the mounting anger of this godlike figure of theirs. "Hmph!" A snort filled with unmistakable authority and absolute power exploded from the Demon God, forcing the kneeling ministers and aides to prostrate to the ground. None, however, dared to let out any voice of discontent or pain. "You all have grown too arrogant and conceited since thest time I was here," the Demon God continued. "I raised you all better than this. I expected better things from all of you, not this." The Demon God stood up from his throne, and his towering figure and presence pressed down on all of them. "Go and make yourselves busy. I shall give you three years to shed those arrogances of yours. When that timees, I will lead you all to descend on that small world." "I will tolerate no more excuses anymore. When I summoned all of you again, I want to see the faces of my fearsome and tireless soldiers, not some pampered nobles with delusions of granduer." "If some of you couldn''t even do such a simple thing as that, you might as well return your bodies to the Flesh Incubator to make yourselves useful at the very least." Concluding his words here, the Demon God walked out of the meeting room with his footsteps thundering on the hearts of his ministers. As he passed by his son, he tapped his shoulder and said, "Get up and follow me. We have a lot to talk about." The cold and crass voice of his father adressing him shook the Demon Prince''s heart, yet he didn''t dare to show any displeasure or fear. Instead, he bravely stood up, albeit unstable, and followed him to wherever he decided to go. Chapter 369: Princes Recovery, Three Years, Tourist -- "How do you feel?" The Demon God asked his son, who just woke up from his brief slumber. The prince looked a bit lost for a moment there. It''s as if he lost something he never thought he had, one that had always caused him to suffer yet he had no idea existed. The relief overwhelmed him a bit, and the ease of his breathing stunned him as well. It''s like he never knewfort before this very moment. "I feel great. Thank you, Father." The Demon Prince gratefully replied. All the lingering violent tendencies and voices murmuring inside his brain were now gone. It was reced by a piercing rity that elevated his consciousness into a zen state that he just can''t get enough of. Prior to this moment, he never knew just how much that unknown element affected him. "There''s no need to thank me. It''s because of me that you were afflicted with the same curse anyway." The Demon God sounded guilty when he said this. Nobody but the Demon Prince would notice that from him though. After all, the Demon God always wore this indifferent and/or calm expression on his face, and his voice was always gravelly andmanding, even when he talks casually. Just now, the Demon God cleansed his son of the curse his father-inw cast him. Originally, only the Demon God was afflicted by this, but his first rampage also caused this curse totch on his son due to their blood connection. The Demon God tried his best to filter, or at least minimize, the effect of the curse on his son since he was unable to stop it from touching himpletely. However, he was too weak and upied from coping up with his own suffering that he''s unable to help the child any further before he had to seal himself. He was then made aware, shortly after he called his ministers and aides, that the Demon Prince showed signs of going out of control recently. The Demon Prince thought that this was caused by some unknown entity from Prime Earth, but it turns out to be different. Who could''ve thought that it came from his grandfather from his mother''s side? Recalling this tiny detail made the Demon Prince feel bitter. His rtionship with his mother has always been his sore spot. As a child, he just can''t help but yearn for her love and attention. It''s only natural after all. But the actions of his father divested him of that. From a very young age, he already knew that he was a bastard child. The Demon God himself never kept his conception a secret from him. The prince is also aware of his mother and her n''s disgust towards him and their people because of their status as Space Pirates. The prince used to hate his father because of this, but he soon realized that hating him won''t do anything positive to their overall situation. So instead of marinating in his hatred and risking turning mad, he might as well work hard and disy his talents for the sake of catching the attention of the alliance. Doing that might just turn the situation around and possiblyplete their family as well. Unfortunately, his efforts have yet to bear any fruit. But he''s determined to prove himself either way. He''s still young after all. Without the maddening psychosis and violent urges clouding his consciousness at all times, the Demon Prince felt light and at ease. Even though he has yet to do something worthwhile, he could tell that this mental rity will be a boon to his training. "Just so you know, you''re notpletely out of the woods yet." The Demon God''s voice returned him to reality. "Even though I managed to drain most of the curse''s effects on you, it''s still there. There''s still a small chance of it seeding and germinating again if you''re careless, so you must be wary at all times." That obviously wasn''t good news. But it can''t be helped. The curse of his maternal grandfather was something the likes of the Demon God can''tpletely solve on his own. Hell, it has taken the man nearly a thousand years just to solve his own affliction through reclusive endurance, which is the most primitive way of solving the curse. Sure, he weakened the curse by filtering half of it out of his body, sealing it in one of his soul fragments, and locking it underneath the Insignia of Pride just to give his physical body enough time to develop antibodies against it. But this could hardly be called a ''cure''. Continue your adventure with mvl The only reason why the Demon God was able to provide first aid to his son was through injecting him with the same antibodies that his physique developed. But again, this isn''t a cure, just a mere band-aid. "I''ll be careful," the Demon Prince replied. He already realized that he can''t hope for much considering their status, so he''d just settle with what he has, just like he always did. The Demon God patted his son''s shoulders and looked somber. He felt really guilty for this, but he''s helpless as well. He could only hope that his son reaches his full potential soon because that''s the only way he could be free from this curse. ''He carries her blood after all.'' The Demon God thought grimly to himself. "What should I do next, then?" The prince asked his father. "Well, what do you think?" The father asked in return. "Do you want to participate in our final operation in this world or you''d like to focus on training instead? Either way, I''ll be fine with it." The Demon Prince thought for a bit and realized that, in the end, he just can''t let it go. Experiencing humiliation and one-sided beating from that mysterious entity was something that constantly haunted him still, even without the violent urges and murmurs guing his brain. While this whole experience was indirectly caused by the curse, he just can''t simply move on from this. "I''ll go." He looked at his father. "We have three years, right?" "Do you want an extension?" "No." He shook his head. "Three years is enough." A brief silence descended between them for a bit before the prince asked, "Is there any particr reason why we can''t just force our way out of this sr system?" The Demon God looked hesitant for a bit, then sighed and looked outside the clear ss windows of the room before saying: "If we tried our very best, then yes, we could certainly leave this sr system. It will cause us a lot of our precious resources to do, but it''s very possible." The Demon Prince could hear the implications behind his father''s words, and whatever he realized did not give him anyfort. "Raiding this world and eradicating itpletely is the best course of action, in my opinion. After all, it''s them who''s preventing us from leaving this sr system peacefully." Yep. He was right. The implications were certainly notforting at all. ** "Ah, so that''s what you look like." Cedric''s golden eye glittered in amusement as he rxed on his seat. He hummed as he listened to the waves crashing on the beach; the sound was mildlyforting for him despite its loudness. The skies above him were clear and blue, adorned withrge puffs of white cloudszily crawling across the atmosphere. His tanned and slightly muscr upper body was on full disy as hey shirtless under the re of the sun on the beach. He only wore a pair of summer shorts as he leisurely sipped on his coconut juice. He''s also wearing a pair of sunsses toplete the look of someone who''s on vacation. He''s like a tourist who''s enjoying the beach of another country. Actually, that isn''t far from the truth. Just a few meters away from his position, his women could be seen. They''re ying beach volleyball near the shores,pletely unaware of Cedric''s thoughts. Looking at this, anybody would think that they''re just somemon people who''re enjoying the newly opened resort on the beach of Verdant Terra, not some Superhumans with the power to destroy the whole world if they felt like it. To them, this kind of normalcy is precious. That''s why they go out of their way to enjoy whenever they can. Locking themselves up in seclusion, thinking of nothing but conceptws and other ways to increase their strength, reduces anyone to madness. Even superhumans have to rest too, lest they turn insane and begin plotting for the destruction of the world. However, aplete rest and life of total normalcy isn''t possible for a being like Cedric, especially considering how strong he had gotten already. Whether he likes it or not, he will know things, and his mind will immediately supply him with the needed solution for his troubles. He''d rather not think about it if he had the choice, but he just doesn''t have that. Of course, he will notice the awakening of some powerful being. Especially since this is the final variable that he has yet to plot against. Now that he saw him, he could finally begin the conclusion of the protracted war. So, without leaving the leisure of hisfortable position, he sent a message to the Federal Army to notify them of his observations. Once he''s done with that, he returns to his usual activity, ogling at his women, who''s wearing bikinis. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 370: Post Liberation Development -- Years have passed since the liberation of the Lost Continent, now named Verdant Terra, and Prime Earth in extension. Since then, humanity has proven just how much of a progressive race they truly were. Without the constant threat of the demons knocking at their doors and destroying their home, they could put their attention into things that revolutionized their way of living. Their situation was a far cry from what it was back in the day when everybody''s still holed up in that one tiny spot that Ac and the old generations of Superhumans preserved for them. Nowadays, you''d see humans traveling everywhere. You''d see sprawling buildings and infrastructure that disyed and captured the style of human creation. Viges, cities, capitals...hell, there''s a giant metropolis built at the core of each continent, serving as the hub for all operations. Secret realms were taken advantage of, extracting the maximum amount of resources from each without damaging its foundations. There''s a vivid difference between each continent, though. Azure Terra looked and felt more modern with all the buildings and infrastructure built all over the ce. Each one serves a different purpose than the rest. Of course, Azure Terra still maintained some of its forests, jungles, and mountains¡ªnatural resources, per se. But as a whole, it''s more like a concrete jungle than anything. Verdant Terra, on the other hand, was the opposite. It has far more abundant nature than Azure Terra. Yes, there are cities, viges, and streets built all over the continent. Yes, there''s a sprawling metropolis at its core, but each civilization followed the traditional theme of nature. Their design was minimalist and nature-friendly, emphasizing the need to preserve the lust and vibrant life of nature on this continent. Despite their differences though, both continents helped humanity advance through leaps and bounds, especially with a few nudges and assitance from the Sun Sage himself. It''s unbelievable how far humanity has gotten in just a few years. If this speed of development were to continue for, say, a decade at least? Then humans will eventually maximize all the benefits they could get from staying in this small world and eventually look upon the stars. Once it reaches that point, then humanity will begin making their moves into owning the sr system they''re at. And what a sight that would be. Unfortunately, it''s still too early to discuss all of that now. Especially since right now, humanity was about to face their most challenging tribtion. ** Under the lush and vibrant nature of the Verdant Terra, a widework of tunnels ran underground that extended all over the continent. The hub of this tunnelwork wasn''t directly under the metropolis. In fact, it''s not even anywhere near thend of either continent. It''s built in between the continents and beneath the sea as well. This meant that thiswork of underground tunnels connects both continents together despite being located on opposite sides of the. The space within this hub was enormous due to the usage of spatial folding technology. This ce was just as big, if not bigger, than the two continentsbined. Looking at this ce, it wouldn''t be wrong to say that this was just a massive factory instead. Here, you would see many people working tirelessly like machines, dishing outps for something ominous andrge. It''s hot in here due to how many people were working on the forge to create things. The only sounds you''d hear in this ce were the shing of metal, sparks of grinders, whistles and whirs of machines, and the chatter of people working hard towards a unified goal. That said, the situation on the ground was slightly differentpared to the situation above. Under the swirling mass of ethereal stars and the velvet nket of space, fighter jets turned into streaks of light, leaving behind a blistering trail of smoke while shooting out projectiles against each other. These jets looked like they''reets shing against each other. Hell, some even felt like falling stars themselves. The ones piloting these jets weren''t some random people either. Each one had been licensed to drive these things and knew the reason why this kind of operation was necessary, making them all take it very seriously. These fighter jets aren''t the only ones streaking across the skies. There were others that flew way faster than these jets. They''re less bulkierpared to the jets but contained more power and speed, which is understandable considering how even a single piece of equipment of theirs could easily produce a single fighter jet with how expensive it was. Mechas or simply ''Mechs''. That''s what they''re called. They''re giant robots piloted by skilled people and are currently humanity''srgest secret trump card. Producing a single machine takes months at the very least, and even then, it''s difficult considering how demanding it was in terms of skills and resources. Only the best humanity and this world could offer made it possible to create them with the current level of technology. This has Charles written all over it. Which will make sense considering that he''s the Tech God of Prime Earth. He is indeed the one who discovered and invented these things. But his efforts alone couldn''t have possibly taken it this far and this soon. He had the help of his friends to optimize his ideas, and after some deliberations and experiments, the Mechs were born. Currently, there''s only five of these things. However, each one possessed a power that could seriously threaten the world, which is why not just anyone could pilot these things. One would have to go through numerous screenings and authorizations before they could evene close to these things, much less piloting them. Even Charles himself or the High Marshals weren''t an exception to the rules. Well, there''s also Cedric. But so far, he hasn''t shown any interest in these things. Their target is to at least have ten machines at the very least. But considering how expensive and demanding these things were to create, it is very unlikely for them to meet this target anytime soon. At some point, both the fighter jets and the mechs received a signal that concluded their daily training. They all begannding on their respective tforms to receive diagnosis and repairs if necessary. The work of the pilots themselves doesn''t end here just yet. Everybody marched towards the meeting room for a discussion about their previous performance. This leads to a furious brainstorming debate on how to optimize and maximize the tools they have avable. Any possible developments or requests for additional attachments were discussed and taken into consideration. Once they''re done here, they all go back to their private rooms to rest and rx. Regardless of their status, whether it was themon lifestyle workers or the pilots themselves, everybody was under a lot of pressure. They don''t have much time left. There''s barely a year left before the promised deadline is up. Everybody who works here knows some things that would certainly cause mass panic if they were publicized. They know that the demons haven''t been eradicatedpletely and that they still have a Grand Space Fleet stationed right above Prime Earth. They also knew that, around two years ago, the Demon God ended his seclusion and has now resumed his authority over his men. And that, unlike the previous one, the Demon God took humans seriously, seeing them as a great threat to his people, and thus would use every means necessary to either subdue or eradicate them. This doesn''t mean that the Demon God was being humble or anything. He responded this way, all due to the fact that humanity forced him to do so. After all, the results were clear for everybody to see. Humans forcibly changed his opinion about them so he could only respond in a way he saw fit. These people also knew that a year from now, they would most likely begin attacking humans again. And this time, they won''t hold anything back. To this extent, the Demon God ordered all of his men to return to training, shedding their arrogance and giving them their edge back. They will wage war with humans in the future, and this battle isn''t something either side could prevent from happening. This event is also considered to be the ultimatum for Prime Earth. Whether it ends up alive or dead at the end, this war will decide that. That''s why humans had to do their very best to prepare and survive this; otherwise, it will truly spell the end for them. And purely for this knowledge alone, everybody involved must do their best. They can''t slip up or even be remotely close to being careless. Everybody must do their part and contribute to this effort because this will decide what kind of ending this world will have. There''sfort in the idea that the Sun Sage stood behind them as thest line of defense for this world. However, everybody knew not to rely too much on him because he wouldn''t make a move unless it''s absolutely necessary. Simply put, this war won''t be waged by a single person alone. It was a racial war, one that would determine the winner''s fate. And humanity simply can''t afford to lose it. Chapter 371: Sudden Development; Golden-eyed Stranger -- Wisps of smoke rose from the Demon Prince''s body. He felt his hot blood coursing through his body as he held his spear. Waves of ominous and dark energy profiled from his body, causing the fabrics of space to tremble before his presence. The Demon Prince stared at his surroundings with a little of resentment. Nobody aside from his was around; he''s just surrounded with all sorts of machines that are created for the sole purpose of training. Still, it didn''t stop him from resenting these objects due to the humbling experience they always brought to him. That said, he knew that he''s making decent progress. Previously, he could onlyst inside the gauntlet for a mere hour, and even then he woulde out beaten and reduced to a pathetic state. Now, especially after his father''s treatment of the curse, he''s able tost for an hour and a half while alsoing out rtively fine. Anybody who''s aware of the difficulty of the gauntlet will know just how huge this progress was. It''s a little unbelievable how such a simple thing as having a mind free of distractions could help raise one''s battle awareness and instincts. Feeling tired already, the Demon Prince decided to call it day. He wiped his sweat off and returned his spear to his spatial ring. He then teleported to his room and hopped into the showers to freshen up. That was then followed by a luxurious meal and a period of rxation. Afterwards, he stood in front of the clear ss windows that disyed the ever-so-vast and seemingly boundless velvet nket of stars. Staring at the vast expanse of the cosmos, the familiar yearning he always had returned to him. He was reminded of his ambitions and his reasons why he''s working and training this hard. Yet despite his efforts, he still couldn''t see any hopes of getting anywhere near his dreams. The Demon Prince is aware of his status in front of the Divine Council. Personally, he doesn''t agree, but the guys who stood at the top of the alliance had much bigger fists than he does, so he could only agree to their terms. Because he, along with his people, were branded as Space Pirates, joining the alliance through various means became impossible for them. People of the alliance wouldn''t be friendly with them; their fellow Space Pirates wouldn''t be either. It''s tough living like this, especially since if only his father didn''t do the things he did, things could''ve been way easier and smoother for them. But you know what they say: ''There''s no use crying over spilled milk.'' What''s done is done, and they could only make the most out of their situation. Still, there''s hope left for them, and the Demon Prince was working hard for that small chance. He knew that he was talented. Despite his status as a Space Pirate, he knew that his potential was a cut above themon folk of the alliance. Surely, if he was given a chance, he could prove himself to them. And once he does, he will be able to reverse their situation and bring them to the real path to glory. Maybe, along the way, his family could be made whole again, too. Yet so far, nothing has happened yet. There''s not even a sign or a hint on how far his goals were from his current progress. He could only blindly run forward and hope or pray that he''s close. Because if he was really being honest, he''s feeling a little tired. Shaking his head, the Demon Prince decided to discard thoughts like this. They''re not helping after all. And even though he could feel the exhaustion catching up to him, he couldn''t afford to stop. So instead of focusing on these depressing thoughts, he might as well go to sleep and get some actual rest. Hopefully, by the time he wakes up, nothing will remind him of this again. The Demon Prince activated the privacy field within his room and dismissed the view of the windows, covering it with ted walls. He then hopped onto his bed and covered himself in his warm nkets, feeling his consciousness drifting further and further away from wakefulness. ** BOOOOM!!!! GASP! The Demon Prince woke up startled. He quite literally jumped off his bed with bleary and red eyes with his spear summoned to his hands, warily eyeing his surroundings for any and all threats to his life. A deep frown marred his gradually returning wakefulness as he saw that there seemed to be nothing for him, making him wonder if he was still dreaming. Boom!! However, another explosion proved that what he felt earlier was indeed right. He could feel the aftershocks of the explosion rebounding in his room. The Demon Prince was greatly rmed, of course, because although they are used to attacking and being attacked, an explosion of this magnitude hitting the fleet was simply unheard of. Especially considering where they are. And so, with his mind and thoughts whirring to wakefulness and action, he wore his battle armor and turned on the surveince from his room. What he saw surprised him greatly. At least 50% of the screens were turned off and showing no signal, meaning that they were deactivated somehow. In his surprise, he couldn''t help but notice that these screens turned out to be from areas that are of great importance to his people. As for the remaining ones that are still showing something, he couldn''t tell anything clearly either because they''re either on fire or going static. This certainly made it difficult for him to judge how bad their situation truly was, but if there''s one thing that''s certain, it would be the fact that they''re under attack. ''Oh shit! We''re under attack! '' It might be because he literally just woke up, but his thoughts were stillgging behind. Still, knowing that they''re under attack raised enough rms on his head thatpletely woke him up, and thus, he teleported out of his room to see just how bad the situation truly was. And once he''s out there, he almost wishes that he didn''t do so. Swoosh! BOOM! Crash! The Demon Prince had to evade some debris flying towards his location as soon as he appeared. When he recovered, he looked around and saw a sea of mes burning everything around him. He looked up and saw streaks of light runningps over the entire ship. Narrowing his eyes, he saw that these turned out to be small ships with a single pilot inside. Each of those small ships flew a little too close forfort, and sometimes they would leave behind a trail of destruction in their wake. Aside from this, the Demon Prince also saw his people running scared and panicking all over the ce. He literally saw a handful of them stupidly running over the mes, which immediately incinerated them to ashes. He couldn''t help but curse the idiots. How could they not feel the threat of these mes? They burn brightly at space and are capable of melting the metal tes of the ship! What made them think that they could just walk over it? These mes contained the power of Concept Laws; how can they be ordinary mes? With a furious stomp of his feet, the Demon Prince neutralized the mes. This allowed him to see the extent of how they badly damaged this part of the ship. He then spread his senses to cover the entire fleet to create a battle n, but he soon realized that the situation turned out to be far moreplicated than he thought. ''Where is my father? Why is he allowing this to happen? '' He thought to himself in wonder and frustration. Brandishing his spear, he marched towards the throne room, wanting to see what his father was doing that prevented him from interfering. On his way there, the small ships did their best to stall him, but he proved fiercer than their artillery and methrowers. He could just casually deflect their attacks, and if they fly a little too close to him, he could definitely bring them down. The only thing they could do is to at least stall him, but even that was challenging to do. So, despite their efforts, they were unable to stop him from arriving at the throne room. This ce still remained intact despite the incessant carpet bombing of the fighter jets. They couldn''t even leave a scratch on its exterior, so they could only move on to squishier targets. The interior of the throne room still remained untouched. The chaos outside couldn''t prate here, it seems. Upon entering, the Demon Prince immediately searched for any traces of his father. He did see him. But he wasn''t alone. No, he wasn''t with any of his ministers, aides, officers, or ves. There''s only one person with him, and that person isn''t even a demon. It was a human. A human with short and curly blonde hair with a pair of bright golden eyes shing with barely disguised amusement and mischief. The human brought out several things out of thin air and asked his father; "So? Coffee, juice, tea, or just in water? Which one do you like?" Chapter 372: Ambushed -- Gloom shrouded the Demon God''s face as he stared at the condescending expression on the stranger''s face. The fact that a human dared to tantly show disrespect to him was upsetting. He could tell that the human boy was mocking him too, and that was just not something he could easily endure, especially not from a recently risen species like humans. He personally thinks that this boy was acting too big for his britches... However, he didn''tst out despite wanting to. It''s all because this person managed to get this close to him without raising any rms. Of course, that act amounts to something. The boy could''ve killed him for fuck''s sake! Yet the fact that he''s here,ically offering him drinks instead of fighting him, signifies that the boy wasn''t taking him seriously at all. Whatever means this boy had surely wasn''t simple. He did manage to catch the Demon God, of all people, off guard. The Demon God then shifted his gaze to his son, who''s been trying to pierce the invisible barrier that trapped him in with his spear. He''s been failing miserably at it, though. The Demon God could see the mounting panic and dread creeping up on his son, and the remnants of the curse were eating it all up for nourishment. ''Get a hold of yourself, child. I raised you better than this.'' His father''s voice resounded in his mind, causing him to stop his actions. He looked at his father''s expression and saw the solemn strictness in it. The Demon Prince took a deep breath and calmed himself. The good thing is that his father was able tomunicate with him somehow. The bad part is that it seems that he couldn''t get out of this prison either, because if he could, he would''ve already. They heard the human boy whisting a tune while steeping some tea leaves. He lookedpletely out of ce and strange, yet he doesn''t seem to care at all. Whether he knows that the Demon God couldmunicate with his son or not waspletely unknown from his expression. ''Go out and take the lead of our men. I''d do it, but you already know that I can''t. I''m counting on you, child.'' ''Remember, do not hold back. Rid yourself of any arrogance. You''re not dealing with some ignorant natives of a small. They''ve grown too strong.'' ''This is war, child. This is a battle for survival where only one side survives in the end. Make use of any and every tool we have to ensure our victory.'' ''We must pass this tribtion or else we will be no more.'' The words of the Demon God shook the prince to his core. He felt the burden falling onto his shoulders, making him suffocated. Yet at the same time, he knows that he doesn''t have the leisure to pause and digest these new responsibilities he has. And so, with heavy steps, he turned his back and marched away from the throne room to take charge of the situation outside. Seeing his only child leave, visibly pressured by the responsibilities that were dumped on him out of nowhere, caused the doom and gloom on the Demon God''s face to be richer. Somehow, it almost seems that he''s emitting them himself with how strongly he felt it. He once again directed his focus to the golden-eyed intruder. And, as if seemingly rubbing salt on his wounds, he made a cup of tea float towards the Demon God while wearing the same clueless and rxed expression on his face. The stranger sat at the foot of the throne, lookingpletely out of ce whilst enjoying his piping hot tea, while at the same time, the Demon God remained unmoving as he sat on his throne. He wasn''t touching the tea being offered either. "What''s your motive here, Human? And pray tell, how did you bypass the security of my ship?" The human took a sip of his tea in a leisurely manner before replying: "My motives, huh?" "It''s to keep you here, I guess." He shrugged. "Besides that, I''m also curious about you, I suppose. That''s why I volunteered for the task." "How did I bypass your security? By moving really fast, I guess? Well, technically, I just walked in. It''s not my fault that your security measures didn''t sense me." "The tea''s not poisoned, by the way. But you already knew that, of course. You''ve been paying attention, after all." His answer sounded dismissive, as if he couldn''t be bothered to borate at all. His tone was disrespectful and rude, too. If any of the Demon God''s ministers, aides, or emmisiaries were here, they would''ve already shown this human his ce. Of course, it''s debatable on who''s going to show what to who, but that''s not the point. But if this human''s words were to be believed, then it means that he''s truly something else. To move so fast that all the high-end security measures (as high-end as Space Pirates could have) were rendered useless is an incredible feat. One that the Demon God couldn''t himself believe a human could do. The human also sounded confident about himself. He implied that he volunteered for the task to trap the Demon God here, preventing him from interfering with the situation outside. It would''ve been a different story if the human stayed outside of the cage that was made to contain him. But he''s in here with him, which also implied that he''s also confident that he could fight the Demon God to a standstill at the very least. "Your confidence in your abilities astounds me, Human." "My name''s Cedric." He replied, "Cedric Stormrider. Don''t wear it out, though. And thank you for the praise, I guess." There''s a pregnant pause before the Demon God asked: "Are you not concerned about your people, Cedric? I must say that taking the initiative to siege us is inadvisable. I don''t believe your kind knows too much about cosmic warfare." "And you''d be right." He replied, "In terms of battling in space, we humans remain mostly ignorant about it. But I''m not really worried. I mean, we did catch you off-guard, haven''t we? Your sensors have never been triggered by our attack before we started the siege." "If they did, then I wouldn''t have caught you sitting prettily in here, lost in your own thoughts." "As for us taking the initiative to wage war upon you..." The Demon God''s pupils suddenly constricted as he felt a breath near his ears. He froze on his throne; his entire body siezed up and couldn''t move a single muscle. From his peripheral vision, he saw the golden-eyed stranger leaning close to him with a bored expression. His low and vaguely threatening voice hammered on his heart. "...should I interpret that in an offensive way? I mean, if you people suddenly descended on our to destroy and plunder, it''s called salvation. But if we do it against you, it''s an invasion." The human leaned closer and whispered, "That doesn''t seem fair, no?" He couldn''t speak. He, the so-called Demon God, was rendered tongue-tied and frozen on his throne due to the absolute terror and rm he felt just now. It''s not like he''s distracted. Since the very first time heid his eyes on the boy, the Demon God was primed for battle. With so much as a wrong twitch of the boy''s muscles, he will strike him down where he stood. Yet even with him being on guard, the human boy manages to breach the space between them without him knowing. He couldn''t even sense the movement at all. How was this possible? Cedric straightened his back and casually walked down the steps. He once again sat at the bottom, at the same exact spot where he sat previously. "I actually find this hirious." "You told your son to shed the arrogance he had and forced him to take us seriously. Yet, here you are, sounding delusional about your real status." "Just so you know, you''re my prisoner. Stop sounding all high and mighty. The moment you failed to escape this imprisonment is the same moment it was proven that you''re incapable or resisting anything I want to do to you." Cedric calmly took a sip of his tea and continued: "Despite your words, you just can''t get rid of your disdain against us simply because it''s in your nature to do so." "It''s funny to hear iting from a bunch of creatures branded as ''Space Pirates'' by the alliance. Being unknown or a primitive race sounds way better, if you ask me." That little tidbit of information was the straw that broke the camel''s back. The fact that he heard the words ''Space Pirates'' and ''alliance'' being uttered by someone who belongs to a primitive race meant this man isn''t simple at all. He obviously knows more than he''s letting on. Hell, this might as well mean that he''s somehow aware of the existence of the Divine Council or even had a connection with them. If it''s the former, that would be fine. But if it turns out to be thetter, then they''re absolutely fucked. Chapter 373: Racial War; Main Ship - Shields Down -- "Get a hold of yourselves!" The Demon Prince''s voice propagated to each and every single demon within the fleet. His tone was cold, and he sounded mad and disappointed. "Panicking won''t help now! Man your stations! Follow the chain ofmand and take up arms! Fight back! This is a battle for survival! Don''t wait for my father to do everything for you! You all got brains! Use them for fuck''s sake!" The Demon Prince''s authority showed its might this time. His cold and crass berating woke his people out of their stupor, giving them some semnce of rity and order. Whether it was stray or some slightly stronger demons, they all stopped twiddling their thumbs and waiting for orders; they all began taking initiative once they heard the Demon Prince''smand. Nobody really has the time to ponder why the Demon God isn''t present when he''s needed the most. They have other things to pay attention to right now. BOOM! Like those explosions, for one. The most recent one took out a small portion of the ship. Fortunately, that part isn''t too important, and they could afford to lose it. Of course, their attackers weren''t stupid. They were targeting the mainponents of the ship with frightening uracy, as if they''d seen its interior before and knew which ones to hit to bring it down. Several rooms and sections of the ship were either on fire or malfunctioning because of the sudden attack. The strays were already doing their best to fix the damage and repair whatever they could while enduring the bombardment of their enemies. Speaking of enemies... Now that the Demon Prince stopped panicking himself and was able to see the situation as a whole, he discovered something truly surprising. ''Since when did humans know how to create a space fleet? '' He wondered as he observed therge spaceship directly facing theirs. It was huge, of course. It wouldn''t be called a Space Fleet if it wasn''t. It''s almost asrge as the demons have. It looked less''modern'' and carried an archaic theme, but it was sure as hell packed with all sorts of weapons and soldiers eager to eliminate the Demon Race once and for all. Surrounding the main ship were ten carrier ships. Each one serves a purpose that is essential to achieve their overall goal; some were carrying supplies, others were carrying resources, and a few served as tforms where the fighter jets and mechs wereunched. There''s also twenty more ships whose purpose was to either defend the carriers and the main ship or assault the enemy fleet. They follow a tight formation that suspiciously looked rehearsed. The main ship was at least five timesrger than the carrier ship and is protecting the carriers. There was an array of energy shields encasing its body, protecting it from enemy projectiles. Despite looking less modern and lethal than the enemy ship, it was able to tank several serious hits without sustaining any real damage. How did the humans manage to develop this fast? They seriously weren''t this advanced before, because if they were, then why would they endure centuries of torture and humiliation when they could''ve obviously driven off their invaders right then and there? Everything points to the fact that this development was very recent. But even if it is so, how could anybody possibly believe that? Because if that were to be true, then all this''recent'' development happened in the span of thest 50 years! Less, even! How was anybody supposed to believe that humans went from being ignorant natives to the formidable upstart of a species that could now confidently build space fleets andunch the initiative assault to eradicate the invaders of their world? That''spletely illogical! It doesn''t make sense! Even by the alliance''s standards, no species advanced this fast! So what''s really going on here? Sadly, the Demon Prince could only specte about this. Actually, instead of doing that, it''s best if he just focused on staying alive right now. Because from what he could see, the humans are ''VERY DETERMINED'' to destroy them. It''s obvious with how their mechs and fighter jets streaked all over the main ship, leaving a trail of ruin and destruction behind. The Demon Prince could sense the chilling and crystal clear intent of humanity topletely eradicate his people. He could feel their overwhelming hatred against them. This rage has been bottled up for centuries with no outlet. It used to destroy them from the inside and forced them to lower their heads. But now that they were given the chance and tools for their revenge, they didn''t hesitate to bare their fangs and showed utter ferocity when doing so. ''Father is right.'' He thought grimly to himself as he marched towards themand center. ''I should really stop looking down on humans. They''re out for blood and won''t stop until it forms seas.'' On his way to themand center, the Demon Prince swung his spear at the streaking jets and mechs that were trying to destroy the main ship. He managed to severely damage one of the jets and had the idea to forcibly extract intelligence from its pilot. The Demon Prince thought that he had dropped all of his disdain and hubris to deal with humans already after realizing just how keen they are to eradicate his people. However, it turns out that he still underestimated their determination. Because before he could evene close to the pilot, he received a bloody grin followed by a strong explosion caused by the pilot and the ship self-destructing. The impact of the explosion nearly set him out of the ship, which could''ve spelled his certain death. Not only that, the Demon Prince also had an oversight. As it turns out, the jet crashed near the heavily guarded shield generators of the ship. The explosion caused by self-destruction was so strong that it also affected the shiled generators, causing them to malfunction. Since their shields were down, it became an invitation for the enemy fleet to open fire. And open fire, they certainly did, because what followed that was a cacophony of devastating explosions and beams of light that pierced the ship all over. The Demon Prince hasn''t even managed to recover yet, but his problems have already escted to a level that''s impossible for him to handle. His pep talk earlier lost its effect and meaning after this. Throughout the entire history of the Demon Race''s conquest under the lead of their current Demon God, they''ve never faced this kind of adversity, one that is capable of bringing them to their knees. Your next journey awaits at mvl The Demon Prince himself was shaken. He was forced to watch as his people were struck down where they stood. There were no discussions, no negotiations, no debates, etc. They were taken down like degenerates or creatures that couldn''t be reasoned with. He could defend himself, but only himself. He''s neither capable nor strong enough to defend anybody else from the direct assault of humanity. This was the moment where the Demon Prince felt an existential dread overwhelming his senses and logic. Being exposed to the overwhelming hatred of an entire species was something that most people wouldn''t be able to endure. Fear coursed through his body, making him paranoid and stiff. The Demon Prince had his fair share of setbacks and challenges before, but none reached this level where he''s almost too sacred to move. If it weren''t for the small voice urging him to fulfill his responsibilities as the Demon Prince, he would truly be frozen in terror by now. Things just got worse when he reached themand station... He could see panic and fear in every person around. The machines were smoking and sparking, signifying that all were having problems. The engineers were doing their best to repair the damages, but with each one they fixed, three or five more problems will ur, and it just keeps on piling up. The Demon Prince did his very best to help out. He either made decisions without really thinking too much about it or helped defend the control centers from the obvious targeting of humans. The shield generators went online for a solid minute before deactivating again, much to his dismay. It could''ve gone for longer, but somebody self-destructed again to take it down. But unlike previously, the pilot and the jet were unharmed at first. The pilot, however, realized that the shield generators were about to be up again, so he decided to take one for the team and sent himself and the jet crashing directly to the generators. He managed to get in just before it was activated. A minuteter, BOOM! This time, it''s gone for good. Which meant that the damage humans could deal to the main ship would escte even more. The worst part is that it won''t end here, obviously. The Demon Race can''t expect any shred of mercy against them. But if there''s a problem that really made everybody feel the true determination of humans to eradicate them. It would be... "Prince! This is bad! The Soul Network and the Flesh Incubators had beenpromised!!" Chapter 374: Racial War; Bullet Angel -- "Mech Pilot 1004 to HQ, do you copy?" Inside the main ship of humans, precisely themand center, several people wearing uniforms could be seen monitoring the screens that disyed the on-going ambush against demons. In one particr corner, an agent tapped his headset and answered the call: "HQ can hear you, Pilot. What do you have for me?" "Good news, Agent. The Flesh Incubator and that pesky Soul Network are gone. Completely destroyed. The possibility of them rebuilding them anytime soon was almost zero." The agent was stunned to speechlessness after hearing this. His mouth literally dropped wide open in shock. As someone who was ced in themand center, this agent obviously knew many things about this operation and their enemies. Of course he knew that the Flesh Incubator and the Soul Network were prime targets for destruction since they''re the key to the Demon Race''s false immortality. That said, even though the pilots were told about this, the truth is that nobody expected any of them to actually do some damage to it. Everyone here knows the importance of these two things to their enemies, so logically, it would make sense that they would be heavily guarded and secured. So, hearing that someone actually managed to not only reach where those things were being kept but also topletely destroy them beyond repair was an unexpected but very weed surprise. "I don''t wanna be that guy, Pilot. But I''m going to need some proof to verify these ims of yours. This is huge, and you and I know that. I''m just following protocol." "I know and understand. I''m sending the evidence now; it''s a bunch of pictures and a video of the actual destruction of those things. I''ll be on standby while you verify this on your side." "Let me put you on hold." It didn''t take long before the agent found himself looking at the pictures and the short video clip that the pilot sent to him. He muted the line and grabbed the holographs of the evidence before making his way to his supervisor. "Sir, you gotta see this." The agent was barely keeping his giddiness from escaping through his speech. His supervisor raised a brow and nced at the holographs that the agent showed him. Upon seeing the pictures and watching the short video clip that the pilot sent, the supervisor straightened his back and his eyes sharpened. "Who sent this?" he asked. "Pilot 1004, sir." "Oh, him. Ulfric Hawkeye. Didn''t know he had it in him." The supervisor was surprised but quickly dismissed it. "Send him my regards. Give him the choice to stay or retreat at will. I''ll go inform the High Marshals." Ulfric Hawkeye. He''s a rtively unknown individual. He didn''t have any ster records or any astonishing feats. He''s a rather mediocre soldier who has a clean record and is dedicated to his job. He graduated from the Starlight Royal Academy. In fact, he''s from the same batch as Cedric, who''s now the Sun Sage. Cedricpletely eclipsed his brilliance; otherwise, Ulfric could''ve been one of the most ster alumni of the academy. It couldn''t be helped, though; Cedric was just too talented. Also, there''s Isabe and Garrick too. It was also Cedric who inspired Ulfric to be the kind of man he is now. Just like him, Ulfric was determined to contribute in any way he could for the future of humanity. For him, this was the most fulfilling career one could ever possibly have, one that he won''t regret even if it kills him. Bing one of the Mech Pilots came as a surprise for him. He heard of the project but never dreamed of bing part of it. He was initially already satisfied to be just a part of the army. He knew himself better than anybody, after all. So imagine his surprise when he was suddenly informed that he was rmended by someone, whom to this day remains unknown to Ulfric. He did his best and passed the test with flying colors, too. Tomemorate his achievement, he named his machine the ''Bullet Angel'' and was determined to prove his worth in this uing war, which was bound to be his third time. He participated in the war for the liberation of Azure Terra; he was also among the many people who went to the Lost Continent, now called Verdant Terra. And finally, he''s here, participating in the war for the true freedom of humanity. The war topletely eliminate the demons from existence. A dream that humans hoped to happen hundreds of years ago. To this extent, Ulfric was determined to do his best, even if it killed him. And that''s probably how he managed to take down the flesh incubator and the Soul Network. The agent nodded after receiving the orders; he marched back to his station and reconnected with Ulfric. "Apologies for making you wait, Pilot. I''m done verifying the evidence; the Commanders send their regards. You are hereby free to stay on the battlefield or retreat at will. Know that whatever decision you make won''t affect your reputation or your merits so far. You also won''t be viting any code of conduct or being persecuted by abandoning your post. The decision is up to you. Just inform me of your decision." "I''ll stick around, Agent. I''ll join the others at cracking the power source of this ship and hope that it explodes to bits. Anyways, wish us luck. Bullet Angel Pilot 1004, out." ** The Demon Prince observed the ruins of the ce where the Flesh Incubator and the Soul Network were installed. His face was dark as theplete destruction of their most important tool for survival was made obvious from what he could see from the ruins. He didn''t even need to deliberate whether these tools could be repaired or not because he could already tell that it''s not happening. All of the coreponents that were important to the functions of these tools were destroyed beyond recognition. Hell, he could barely see a trace of them. Additionally, any backup data stored was also wiped out. The prince could also see scorch marks on the walls and smell the burning scent lingering within the room. He was almost certain that all the souls of his people were burned too. All the materials they use to support the Flesh Incubator were all wiped out as well. Your next read is at mvl It was cruel. The destruction of both the Soul Network and the Flesh Incubator was definitely massive damage to his people. Without these two, all of them were facing true deaths right in their faces. Any form of rebirth or reincarnation bes impossible without those two. And they can''t be repaired. Recreating them was possible, but that''s under the assumption that they survive this war. Moreover, only his father, the Demon God, could recreate both of those things. Even worse is that all of his people who died in this war won''t ever be seen again, assuming that they manage to survive this war somehow. Their deaths are permanent this time. The Demon Prince inhaled sharply and swallowed the blood rising up to his chest. The seed of fear within him was germinating even faster, and he could only let it happen. Nothing could''ve ever prepared him for this. The burden of leading his people was turning out to be more heavy than he initially expected. He knew that this isn''t the time to lose faith in his abilities, but he can''t really help it. This... this is just too much. BOOOM!! An explosion shook him out of his stupor. With a quick re of his senses, another crises descended upon them. "Shit! They''re after the power source now?" The Demon Prince really didn''t have the time to be distracted. The destruction of the Flesh Incubator and the Flesh Network was already a grave injury to his people. If he allowed humans to destroy the power source that''s keeping this ship afloat, then that would quite literally spell their certain death. He marched towards the core of the ship. He arrived just in time to see a couple of jets and mechs firing at will at the barriers that''s keeping them away from the power source. "HOW DARE YOU!" He bellowed out in rage. He raised his spear and sent a wave of ck and crimson energy towards the pesky flies. He watched them scatter around to evade his attacks before focusing their fire on him. Now, all of a sudden, the Demon Prince was facing the pressure that the barriers were experiencing earlier. Salvos after salvos were fired at him. Each wave made the Demon Prince wary and somewhat frightened. He knew that he could endure some of them, but with this many all at once? That''s suicide! Why did he even announce his presence like that? He could''ve sneaked in instead and strike them from behind! Unfortunately, it''s a little toote for him to regret his actions now. He''s already riding at the back of the proverbial tiger. It''s do or die for him, nothing in between. The worst part is that he couldn''t me anyone else for this other than himself. Chapter 375: Racial War; Oh, Karma! -- Boom! "Keep it up, folks! It''s getting slow and tired. It won''t be long now." "Jets! Focus on breaking the barrier and getting to the power source! Let us Mechs focus on taking the Demon Prince down!" "Go! Move it!" The cacophony of deafening sounds and roars of battle rang incessantly within the surroundings. Fires billowed and smoke rose; the ground constantly shook from the aftermath of explosions happening all over the ship. In front of the core area of the ship, several jets, machines, and tons of demons could be seen fighting for their lives. This part of the ship has been long exposed since the shields were taken down and the human fleet''s unstoppable bombardment. They pelted the main ship of demons with holes that exposed it to the harmful substances of space, making it more difficult for them to recover and counterattack. The jets and drones streaked through space; they were either getting rid of the strays that''s mobbing the ce or working on disabling the protection of the core area so that they could reach the power source of the ship. Explore stories on mvl Meanwhile, the mechs were facing the Demon Prince. They''re ganging up on him, which seems unfair, but that''s prettymon since this is war. To the prince''s credit, though, he''s managing somehow. No, he''s notpletely unscathed; he couldn''t possibly be given how their weapons were especially made to deal with demons like him, but even when he''s outnumbered, he''s still alive to this point. Any stray animals in his position would''ve died at the first salvo they received. The pressure''s on, though. The Demon Prince wasn''t given any room to retreat or rx. The men are after him constantly. It''s clear that they''re tiring him out and keeping him upied long enough to prevent him from interfering with theirrades who''s trying to disable the barriers. In terms of skill alone, the Demon Prince was clearly good. He''s pretty strong too. There has been a pilot who made the mistake to engage him in close quarters and paid dearly for it with his life. The Demon Prince was deadly with his spear, and no matter what they did, even though they outnumbered him, he never fell down even once. He will always manage to somehow fall on his feet. He could use an empty space as a foothold to stabilize himself, and he couldunch an attack at any angle. His strikes were siniters, always seeking to kill whenever he could. The mechs were pretty durable, but with the Demon Prince''s spear, the materials used to create these mechas might as well be paper. That''s why they could only engage him at a distance. Had they fought him in close quarters, at least half of them would''ve been dead by now. It was fortunate that the humans who were engaging him weren''t stupid. Pshew! Bang! "GAHCK!!!" The Demon Prince''s eyes went wide due to a sudden sh of pain. He copsed and vomitted blood. He looked down and saw a gaping hole in his stomach, causing him to pale in terror and fright. He turned to the spot where the shot came from and saw a rather inauspicious mecha manifesting in his view. He could tell that it was getting out of its cloaking after the shot. He could also see the lingering smoke rising from the railgun mounted on its shoulders. That''s what he did. "Nice fucking shot, Dude!" "Good job, Bullet Angel!" "He''s down! Kill him!" The Demon Prince paled even further after feeling the smoldering determination of humans to kill him. He tried his best to stand up and retreat, but the gaping hole in his stomach left him too weak to move. ck blood poured out from the wound, staining the ground and his spear. Despite his weakness, the Demon Prince still red at his enemies. He was terrified at the thought of truly dying here, but his hatred trounced the fear he felt. He wanted nothing more than to tear all of them to pieces, chew on their flesh, and suck their marrows. He wanted them to suffer the most painful death possible. He wanted to refine their souls and douse it in a cauldron of boiling poison. The Demon Prince never felt this kind of hatred before. It simultaneously eroded his reason and numbed his pain, giving him some semnce of rity in an ironic way. Still trying his best to crawl out of the way of the explosions and never-ending salvos, the prince copsed on his own puddle of blood. He saw his reflection there and saw the enraged and twisted expression he was wearing. One that mirrors the same one as the humans had as they fought this war. That...that is when it hit him. That is when everything became crystal clear to him. This was the part when he realized just how fucked up this was. ''Ah, so that''s what it feels.'' ''No wonder they''re very eager to kill us all.'' He never could''ve imagined that there would be a day when he''d deeply rte to the emotions of people from a primitive race, yet here he was. All the hatred he felt; all the bad things he wanted to do them; the sheer amount of anger, loss, shame, fear, and indignation were all things that the humans endured since the day they invaded their world. The sheer might of demons forced them to their knees, so much so that even the idea of vengeance was squashed down because they''re too weak for it. This feeling was a searing sensation that prates deep into one''s soul, branding itself within, unable to be forgotten. Yes, you could argue that these people weren''t the same ones that had endured the worst; after all, they''re pretty young, and they were born in an era where humans cowed under the heels of demons and hid within their little safety bubble. They weren''t their ancestors who were tortured, enved, converted, and humiliated. They were born as ves and knew that kind of life ever since. That said, history has a way of reminding people of their purpose. All the suffering and hatred their ancestors felt towards demons were inherited by the generation after them. You could even say that this hatred flows with their blood, remaining stagnant until the timees when it should be ignited. Their profound hatred towards the Demon Race gave birth to this change. And look just how much the tables have turned. Seeing everything you know and love destroyed before your eyes while you''re unable to do anything about it was a special kind of trauma that no individual could just endure. Now that he could rte to what humans have always felt towards them, the Demon Prince couldn''t help butugh mirthlessly to himself. ''Oh, Karma. You truly are a bitch.'' He regretted everything so much; he regretted the fact that he honored his father''s wishes to be gentle with Prime Earth for the sake of collecting the world''s consciousness intact. He regrets that he allowed his men to y with their food instead of consuming it right away. He regrets his inactivity and disdain towards humans before, dismissing them as weak fools with delusions of grandeur. And finally, he regretted the fact that he had given them so much window of opportunity to develop this far. Because if he had taken action back then, none of this would''ve happened. But like they always say, there''s no medicine for regrets. The Demon Prince could feel his death approaching, even as the strays around him practically threw their bodies in between for the sake of protecting him while other strays carried him to safety. He couldn''t even bring himself to appreciate their efforts or thank them as theyy their own lives for him. It''s because he knew that their efforts were meaningless; they''re just dying the inevitable. Humans won''t let him go. They will kill him. That''s for certain. Even as he felt his wounds stitching itself, his energy couldn''t keep up. He''s skilled, yes. He''s strong, yes. But he didn''t have ess to the same, nearly limitless well of energy source as the Sin Demons. He''s stronger than the sin demons, yes. But the mechas of humans were built to mow through demons, and they''ve practically banded together to deal with him. He was already exhausted from all the stressful situations he''s been forced to. Hell, he couldn''t even hold his spear properly anymore. This was it for him. And he just can''t help but feel really bitter and unwilling about it. There''s still so much for him to do. He hasn''t even gotten the attention of the talent scouts yet. He hasn''t proven his potential to them. He hasn''t stepped onto the big stage yet. Dying in an unknown and primitive sr system like this wasn''t anywhere on his bucket list of things he wanted to do. Bitter tears poured down his face as he felt the scythe of death on his neck. He wanted to call out for his father to save him. He also dearly missed the mother he never had. Yet despite his despair and sadness, his enemies were all out of mercy for him. And as life ebbed away from his body, he couldn''t help but have one final thought: ''Oh, father. We should''ve never reallye here.'' Chapter 376: Racial War; A Cold Helping Hand -- "Oh, your son''s dead. Damn, that was quick! I thought he''dst longer. Hmm, I guess I overestimated him." The Demon God''s face couldn''t turn any darker than it is already, even after hearing Cedric''s words. Of course he knew that already. He might be isted here, but his senses could still spread outside, allowing him to see what''s going on. He witnessed the death of his only son, the child that he had so many hopes for, his only sessor. His son died in a strangend without reaching his full potential; how could he, as his father, not feel grief about this? And it''s not like he just watched as his son was dying. He did his best to save him. He used all means he knew to, at the very least, send even a tiny wave of his aura out of the prison he was in to rescue his son. But it was clear that he underestimated the means Cedric had to deal with him, because not even a sliver of his aura leaked outside. No amount of physical or magical power could escape this isted prison he was in. And the worst part is that Cedric didn''t bother stopping his attempts either, signifying that he had full confidence that nothing he does will matter in the end. Additionally, without the Flesh Incubator and the Soul Network, reviving his son was almost impossible. The only way he could think of working was making a deal with a notorious ''rogue race'' since they have the means to revive his son, but this will sure cost him an arm and leg. He couldn''t possibly expect the alliance to help him; they were Space Pirates after all. But all of this was under the assumption that he gets out of this ce alive, of course. By now, it was painfully clear that humanity was determined to not give any of them that chance. And now, without the strongest deterrance to their mission, the jets and mechas continued working on disabling the barriers that kept them away from the power source of the ship. It certainly wouldn''t take long before they blow all of this up, and he could only watch here as everything happens. It was heartbreaking, of course, seeing his enemies destroy all of his hard work, his blood, sweat, and tears. Nobody aside from him knew just how much effort, resources, and sacrifices it took to get his people this far. Everything here was built by his own hands, and to see everything he worked so hard for being destroyed just like that, just because of a singr mistake of giving his enemies a little too much time, was incredibly vexing. The Demon God didn''t even bother hiding his animosity this time. At this point, he didn''t care whether this human was connected to the alliance or not. Whatever he and his people did went beyond his tolerance. A battle to death is a certainty at this point. "I will enjoy torturing you and this world to the point that you beg me for release when I''m done with you," the Demon God uttered, gnashing his teeth in anger. "I''m pretty sure you lost all chances of that happening when you decided to throw a slumber party on your own, but yeah, sure, whatever makes you feel better, I guess," Cedric casually replied, acting as if he couldn''t feel the sheer animosity the other party was sending his way. "We both know you don''t have much time left anyway. Take it as a form of mercy from me since despite all the bad things you did to me and my people, you did give us a chance, after all. It''s just too bad that we can''t do the same to you. Because, you know, that''s not really our style." Crack! The armrest of his throne broke due to how tightly he gripped it. The Demon God was fuming in anger and helplessness, too. He knew that no amount of force he could exert would ever be enough to break him out of this prison. He had tried to earlier. And that only ended up in failure. So, as much as he wanted nothing more than to start this fight right here and now, he could only simmer in his rage because the other party clearly won''t allow him to. ** Boom! Boom! Boom! "God damn it! What''s this barrier made of? How is it so fucking hard?" One of the mech pilotsined at hismunications; the sentiment was shared by the rest of his fellow pilots. They''ve been doing their best to disable the barrier that''s keeping them away from the power source of the Demon Race''s main ship. Sadly, their attempts brought nothing but failure so far. They tried hacking the formationwork and failed; they tried sending people inside in more ways than one, but that also failed. Even with them resorting to direct bombardment, the barrier remained solid. Their efforts only left some scars on its surface. It''s obvious that they can''t continue this way. Both the fighter jets and the mechas were running out of energy. They''re going to have to return to the main ship for repair and reload, but they feel reluctant to leave, especially since they''re this close to their goal. It was at that moment when they saw someone manifesting nearby. In their rm, they all pointed their weapons at the figure, thinking that it was an enemy. However, Ulfric, the pilot of the Bullet Angel Mecha, yelled: "Wait! Lower your weapons, everyone! She''s not an enemy! Look closely!" The one who manifested before them was of unparalleled grace and beauty. She was wearing a long and silky silver dress that hugged her curves. Her tinum blonde hair fell like a silver waterfall behind her, and her pair of crystal clear sky blue eyes regarded everybody with cold indifference. Experience more content on mvl Her presence was apanied by a soul-prating chill, making everyone unconsciously shudder before her. As soon as she manifested into form, she only gave everybody a cursory nce before narrowing her eyes at the sturdy and stubborn barrier that''s preventing them from aplishing their goal. Wordlessly, she walked past everybody and paused right in front of the barrier. She then raised her right hand slowly and pressed her index finger on the surface of the barrier. And to everybody''s surprise, the barrierwork was instantly frozen solid with that single touch of hers. Crack! Crack! Crack! Mere secondster, they heard the sound of shattering ss, and under theirplex and dumbfounded gazes, the entire barrierwork copsed. "Holy shit!" One of the pilots eximed subconsciously over thems. He couldn''t be med. After all, whoever this woman was, achieved something that all of them have been struggling to do with a single touch. Hell, she''s not even in a jet or a mecha. She was wearing a dress, for fuck''s sake! It''s like she was in the middle of a dinner date with her lover and somehow sensed that some people needed her help, so she excused herself, saying that she''s just going to go to thefort room real quick but went here instead! Aside from freezing the entire barrierwork and shattering it like a thin piece of ice, she also froze the entrance to the power source itself as if sensing that the people behind her will also have troubles with it. And just like the barrierwork, those doors shatter like ss too. Done with her job here, she couldn''t even be bothered to spare them any more attention than necessary. She just directly dissipated into a cloud of silver mist, leaving everybody silent and feelingplicated. "Everybody, please don''t misunderstand. Isabe''s just really anti-social. It''s not her intention to slight or offend us; she''s just really mission-oriented," Ulfric exined, hoping to quell any dissatisfaction his mates might feel about her attitude. "It''s all good, Kid. We get it. She''s a different breed than us. It''s obvious, anyway." "Yeah, strong people like that have their own entricities. We don''t mind, really." "True." "Well, what are we standing ''here for, boys? Thedy opened the way for us! Let''s finish this job so that we can go home soon." Ulfric breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that everybody wasn''t offended at least. They instead turned their attention to the mission, which was the proper response for this asion. Still, deep down, Ulfric felt a littleplicated and envious. Like Cedric, Isabe was also his batchmate, yet a couple of yearster, she''s already standing at a ce he could''ve never hoped to reach in his entire life. The disparity was truly enlightening and harsh at the same time. But he doesn''t have time for this. Not now when the way towards the power source of this ship was finally open and they could now finish what they came here for. "Alright, boys! Time to nut up or shut up!" "Although it is technically our first time being here, we''ve seen that huge ball of energy core before in our simtions. We just need to do everything as we practiced back then! It''s not that hard! Let''s go and make this quick; we''ve already overstayed our wee here." "Sir, yes, sir!" Chapter 377: Racial War; And the ship went Boom! -- The power source of the Demon Race''s main ship looked like a miniature sun. It radiated with intense corrosive energy, which is harmful to humans. If it weren''t for them wearing these suits of metal and being informed of its nature, none of them would''ve dared to even think about approaching this thing. But just as an extra security measure, because they truly can''t afford to fail now that they''re this close topleting the mission, the pilot employed their energy shields to protect them, making sure that it wouldn''t interfere with their activities as well. The pilots moved inside with fluidity; it''s almost as if they''ve already known what they''re supposed to do, even though this was technically their first time in here. The reason behind this was due to the numerous simtions they experience while training mecha pilots. Knowing that the Demon God was awake and rallying his troops to give his people and the world an ultimatum, Cedric took the initiative and plotted against them. He was already familiar with the fleet. He took some time studying it closely and memorizing where the coreponents were and knew where to strike to deal the greatest amount of damage. He handed a copy of the ship''s blueprint to Charles and, in extension, the army as well. They were then informed that they only have three years to prepare because the Demon God was awake and ns on bringing down the world and its people to their knees. Since then, Charles pretty much worked non-stop, analyzing everything. He invented fighter jets and mechas based on the inspiration he got from creating his androids. He is also receiving funds to build the spaceships as well as more resources to build and invent new forms of energy weapons. Meanwhile, the rest assessed some people that qualified as pilots for these new inventions. And during their training, they went into numerous simtions that tested their decision-making skills, wit, endurance, and resourcefulness. One of which was the destruction of the enemy ship''s power source. If anything, this simtion was the priority amongst all other simtions because of its importance. They weren''t here to simply disable that thing; they''re here to destroy it without sacrificing themselves if they could help it. The pilots spent days and nights perfecting their actions in the simtion, often opting to practice this one instead of other missions because they also knew how important it was. That''s how they were able to move with so much familiarity inside this ce. Because all things considered, they''ve done this hundreds of times already. But of course, simtions and simtions. It doesn''t represent reality at all. There are multiple factors that could change the way it ends for them, and the simtion just doesn''t have a way to let them experience and be familiar with all of them. That''s why they still made sure to be extremely careful about everything they did. Every action they took was measured and practiced to perfection to minimize variables. They have to because they only have one shot at this. This was no longer a simtion where they could just yell ''do over'' and not shoulder any form of responsibility. This was real life. This was war. And in this war, they have their duties. "I''m done here." "Me too!" "Gimme a few seconds and I''ll be wit''cha." "Need another minute here." "Boys, are you alright over there? Any adsing?" "None sighted, sir. We''re all clear." "And even if there are, we can handle it, sir." "That''s what I''d like to hear." Themunication was active. All pilots weremunicating with each other and werepletely transparent with their reports. This was one of the virtues that was instilled in them during training: to remain vocal andmunicate with the team. This keeps them focused and staves off any jitters that might be caused by tensed silence. Moreover, it keeps everybody assured that there''s still a team behind them and that they''re not doing this alone. Little things like this matter amidst a war this huge. It allows them to perform at their best, too. From the time they arrived inside the core area of the ship where the power source was located to the time they all finished their set-up and left the area to watch the fireworks outside, only ten minutes passed. It could''ve fooled them, because it certainly felt like days for them. Weeks, even. "Alright, let''s see if this works." The lead pilot murmured over themunications. He then mmed his fist into the trigger and listened as the ominous countdown ticked. BOOOOOOM!!!! A devastating explosion urred once the countdown ended. The explosion swallowed the whole shit, engulfing it in mes and destruction. The pilots watched in tensed silence, desploying their barriers to protect themselves from the impact of the explosion and the flying debris of the ship. They weren''t the only ones who were watching this too. Everybody on the human ship saw it happen as well. Not noticing an explosion that huge was more unlikely to happen otherwise. When the raging fire calmed down a bit, the pilots scanned the target. "It''s done, Captain. The power source waspletely destroyed." Someone dered over thems, which prompted the rest to fill in their reports as well. "Degree of destruction exceeds 80% with the inclusion of the sub-fleet as well. It''s a pity because we could''ve salvaged them, but oh well." "The remaining 20% was all the throne room where the Kings were. Everything falls under our expectations and ns. Good work, people." "There are only a handful of strays around. Some Demon Lords and Demon Kings survived, but they''re heavily injured. I reckon the jets are enough to handle them, but it''s also fine if we could join them for extra security." "And more importantly, this didn''t require any of us to sacrifice ourselves." Hearing all of this, the captain smiled in relief and said, "Overall, a job well done for all of us. Mission aplished, boys! Let''s clean up the strays and go home afterwards." ** "And the ship went boom!" Cedric chuckled while making a big gesture. He nced at the fuming Demon God beside him and felt even more refreshed. Obviously, they both felt the destruction of the demon fleet. Only this part of the ship remained from thatrge explosion, after all. It''s such a negligible part of it too since it''s just a throne room. Sure, it might have some spiritual importance because this was where decisions were made and also the ce where they could worship the Demon God. But in terms of actual function, it serves no purpose at all. Without the rest of the ship, the throne room was nothing but a piece of junk. It just happened to remain intact because of Cedric''s arrangements. As expected, the Demon God''s heart was heavily bleeding. The destruction of his home, because this certainly was his and his people''s home, felt just as painful as losing his only son. The worst part is that he was forced to watch as all of it happened. He was powerless to stop it; he couldn''t even save the very few remaining people he had. And judging by how sinister humans were in their revenge, there was no doubt that he''d be forced to watch until only he remains of his people. Meanwhile, Cedric was feeling great. The explosion of the Demon Race''s fleet was like the prettiest fireworks he had everid his eyes on. An overwhelming sense of relief flooded his entire body. It''s like an invisible burden, one that he never thought he had, was lifted from his chest all of a sudden. The first time he felt this way was back when he finished his Hell Dive by relying on his skills alone after inheriting the eyes of the godking. A long time passed since then. He was no longer the same person. He''s been through a lot, shouldering a lot of burdens that were never his to carry but had to due to various reasons. He thought that he wouldn''t make it this far. He thought that he''d spend a huge portion of his life proving something. But look at where he''s at now... He barely lifted a finger for this entire operation. Hell, only one of his women actually helped out this time. His people could now stand independently. Their overall strength is still weak in the grand scheme of things, but after this, they''ll have time, and most importantly... Freedom. Explore more at mvl "I''m thinking of officially dering this day as a historical event for us humans. Like, turning it into an actual holiday for the following years," Cedric casually stated with a rxed smile on his face. "I should have enough authority over my people to get it done, right? What do you think?" Cedric continued pressing despite the Demon God''s fuming anger. In response to his questions, the Demon God released his aura, causing his throne to explode into bits. Space warped around him, and suddenly, there he stood, d in his armor and holding a spear that looked like it was made from the spine of some extinct alien creature. "This day will only mark the anniversary of your death, if I could help it. Your transgressions end here, human! Face me in battle if you dare!" Chapter 378: Racial War; Cedric vs. Demon God I -- The war for humanity''s true freedom from the invasion of the Demon Race was nearing its end. Witnessing the utter destruction of the enemy space fleet solidified that for everybody who participated in this. Now, all that''s left is the clean-up. Humans were now clearing up the remaining stray demons, making sure to not miss any. They don''t want to give them any chance of enacting revenge, so they must be eradicated down to thest one. The hunt was merciless. There were no negotiations. No amount of begging orpromise moved humans; they killed all demons on sight and didn''t ept surrender. Even those who were left floating in space weren''t spared. Because although it''s almost certain that they won''t survive long exposed to the vacuum of space, it''s better to be safe than sorry; they might as well be shot to death instead of getting careless and risk letting one escape. However, a change happened in the middle of the clean-up. Swoosh!! An invisible fluctuation erupted out of nowhere. The wave of strange energy solidified the space and warped it into a different scenery. All of a sudden, everybody found themselves inside a vast yet deste space. The air was dry and the skies were gloomy. There seemed to be mountains over the distance, but the absence of life was ring. Not even a de of grass could be seen anywhere. As for those who were swept up to this ce, they found themselves gathered into a single ce. All the humans were on one side, and the few remaining demons were on the opposite side. "Hey, look! Down there!" Someone alerted the rest. They all looked down at the battlefield and saw two figures standing on opposing sides. One was a purple-skinned demon with horns growing from his temples. His horns wrapped around his head, forming something that looked like a crown of thorns. He was heavily armored and was exuding a fearsome aura that warped the space around him even without his conscious influence. The demon was huge and held a long and sinister-looking spear, which looked like it was a spine taken out from an unknown alien creature that''s still alive somehow. His crimson eyes were ring at the human who stood in front of him with overwhelming hatred and intent to kill. His raging emotions seem to resonate with his aura and the spear on his hand, causing both to pulse with frightening power. Meanwhile, the human who stood at the opposite side of the demon looked puny in terms of size. He''s much smallerpared to the height of the demon, around seven feet tall at best. His expression was a stark contrast to the one that the demon had. He didn''t look angry or excited. Just calm, indifferent even. It''s as if he''s not taking any of this seriously. The human had long golden hair that almost reached the back of his knees, tied in a high ponytail. They danced wildly with the wind, making it look like billowing golden mes surrounding him. He also had the most gorgeous pair of golden eyes, one that could easily make anybody unable to stare directly at him due to their sheer brilliance. Find your next adventure on §Þ?? He''s wearing some armor parts, not as bulky or as heavy as the other party had. Only a few of his body parts were covered. Underneath those, he''s wearing a long crimson robe with some parts of his chest and upper stomach exposed. A sword-sheath could be seen hanging on his waist, and he''s holding a longsword wreathed in golden mes while his other hand was folded behind him. "That''s the Demon God! He''s going up against our Sun Sage!" A human eximed upon realizing what they''re seeing. His words caused a chain reaction among the observers, starting a wild discussion amongst them. They had no idea why they were sucked in this ce to witness this since they really had no business being here, but there''s no way they''d miss this. "It''s our God!!" One of the still-living demons fanatically called out. "It''s him! If it''s him, then surely he could do it! He could make us strong again and get revenge!" "God! God! Please kill all the humans! Avenge our brothers!" "The Demon Prince is dead, Dear God! You must kill all the humans to pacify his soul!" Whether it''s the humans or demons, both knew that they''re about to witness the battle of the century. For someone who could stand on the same tform as their god, surely this human must be the leader of humans, right? Then if he dies here, that should be a huge blow to humans, right? If so, then he must really die here! They must have revenge against humans! ''All humans must die for what they did to us! '' Is what all of the remaining demons thought to themselves at the same time. Unbeknownst to the audience though, both Cedric and the Demon God were unaware of what they were thinking; they also couldn''t care less about what they felt. And even if they knew, it wouldn''t change anything. They both knew that a fight to death between them was a certainty at this point. The Demon God obviously sensed the presence of the audience around them. He could also tell that both parties were isted from the actual battlefield of them two. Any harm or aftershocks of their fight wouldn''t reach them due to this arrangement. "I didn''t know you have a knack for theatrics, Boy." The Demon God spoke gravelly, "Are you truly so eager to let your people watch how you die?" Cedric visibly sneered and said, "Well, what can I say? Everybody experiences a period where they be ves to their vanity at some point." "My people knew me as the Sun Sage but haven''t seen me in action, which is a shame really and might cause them to lose faith in me as their leader. Gotta show-off every now and then, you know. Just to remind everybody that I haven''t gotten rusty." Cedric raised his sword and carefully wiped it with his sleeves. "Besides, it''s been a while since I had a decent exercise. I just hope that you''d make this fun for me." The Demon God''s eyes darkened upon hearing his boastful tone. Without any prior warning, he released his might all over the battlefield in an instant. His aura red, and something appeared behind him. Arge gate manifested out of nowhere. It was wrapped in thick chains and oozed with ominously evil energy. The Demon God mmed the butt of his spear to the ground, causing it to release a pitched tone of pain and hatred that shattered the chains that bound the gates. Bang! Boom! The gates exploded wide open without the chains, revealing an omnious wormhole that immediately vomitted an obscene amount of demonic corruption ross the field as well as nightmare-inducing creatures. The creatures were disfigured and moved in a strange way. They looked as if they''re standing still and glitching from existence, but they''re steadily advancing towards Cedric somehow. The sight of it was unnerving to say the least, and all who saw these creatures felt an instinctive aversion towards them. And yes, that includes the few remaining demons as well. "Ah! So that''s why they branded you folks as Space Pirates!" Cedric eximed in understanding. "It turns out that you also plotted against the Forsaken Race." The Demon God''s ears rang incessantly in rm after hearing Cedric''s usations. Well, it''s not really an usation since it''s the truth, but the fact that this child recognized the creatures he released was certainly a sign that he knew far more things than he initially expected. The Forsaken Race was one of the most pitiful creatures born in the territory of the alliance. Despite their obvious strangeness though, they used to be really peaceful creatures, and both the Dragon Race and Fey Race had a soft spot for them, dering them as endangered species that must be preserved. Any nefarious plots against them will be met with fierce retaliation from the alliance as a whole. So the fact that the Demon God had them sealed and corrupted meant that he vited their rule, and this was most likely the reason why he and his people were branded as Space Pirates and being hunted by the alliance like some degenrates. "Oh, you poor things," Cedric muttered softly as if he''s sighing in pity for corrupted creatures. "Don''t be afraid; let me free you from this torture." After saying this, the golden mes on his sword erupted with a scalding intensity. Its heat could be felt everywhere, despite the mes being concentrated on the sword only. Even the people isted from the battlefield could feel the dangerous heat of his sword. Cedric then performed an ordinary slice with his sword. It looked as casual as it could ever be, but the results were astonishing. The heat alone caused all traces of corruption to disappear. The forsaken creatures copsed on the spot and returned to their original appearance. And before the Demon God could do anything, Cedric had already retrieved every single one of them for safekeeping. Nursing them back to health and submitting them to the alliance should a considerable amount of merit points for him, so why the hell would he let the chance escape his grasp? Judging by the expression of the Demon God, however, it''s clear that he did not like what Cedric did. Chapter 379: Racial War; Cedric vs. Demon God II -- Explore more at §Þ?? The loss of his ves irritated the Demon God. He didn''t want to believe that the creatures he spent so much time nurturing and only brought out to deal with serious threats were neutralized that easily, yet the results pped him to the reality. He didn''t have the time to wallow in this loss either. He had to focus on the fight. Thus, he raised his spear and turned into a streak of light that breached the distance between him and his opponent at blistering speed. ng! BOOM! The sound of their weapons colliding broke the sonic barrier. The impact of their sh sundered the earth and moved the skies. The Demon God grounded his teeth as he exerted his strength, channeling it to his spear. Cedric, on the other hand, received his attack with a rather calm and unimpressed expression on his face. The struggle of their weapons produced sparks that could easily set a city or two aze. It ended when the Demon God growled and exerted extra strength on his push, making it seem like Cedric lost the struggle. Cedric didn''t fight it. He allowed himself to be swept away by the momentum. In his opinion, this little bit of advantage was meaningless since it didn''t really hurt him at all. All it did was give his opponent a false sense of superiority, which Cedric dly allowed to happen just because he''s bored. The Demon God pressed on his advantage. He repeatedly mmed his ominous-looking spear at Cedric, who just deflected or parried everything with a cid expression. Their surroundings suffered immensely due to the sheer amount of strength and force the Demon God used. Thend deformed, the winds howled, and the clouds were swept away with every strike he made. But despite how much strength he used, it failed to do any real damage to his actual target. Cedric just kept on calmly batting away his attacks like he was dealing with a man-child throwing a temper tantrum. "Hmph!" Of course, the Demon God was aware that this wasn''t working. Begrudingly, he could only admit that his opponent was skilled with a sword, though he would never say that out loud. So, to gain any advantage he could, he decided to show more of the cards hidden on his sleeves. He raised his spear and mmed the blunt and bulbous part of it on the ground. Roar!! A wail of agony and pain resounded on the battlefield,ing from the spear itself. At this point, it''s pretty much certain that somehow this spear was alive; it wouldn''t make that kind of sound if it weren''t. This was followed by foul miasma oozing out of the spear. It coated the entire thing, drenching the Demon God''s hands even. Those who were watching, whether their demons or humans, felt a strong aversion towards that miasma. Their instincts screamed at them that that miasma was the antithesis to life itself. The Demon themselves, creatures made from sin and evil, were repulsed by that thing. The foul miasma caused everything to turn static. Life withered wherever it went, colors faded, and time and space seemingly went still as if they couldn''t bear to move forward with that thing around. All of these changes were reflected in Cedric''s eyes, and as someone who''s deeply in tune with the conceptws, he felt the strongest aversion towards that miasma and that spear by extension. All of his senses and instincts were screaming at him to eradicate that thing and never let another pair of eyes see it ever again. This was when Cedric''s expression turned somber. Everything hinted at theplete destruction of that spear. He didn''t know where the Demon God got it from, what its origins were, or what it''s even called. He couldn''t care less anymore because that thing must disappear. So, in response to the appearance of the miasma, Cedric''s sunlight and sunfire billowed fiercely from his body. Tch! The Demon God flinched when he felt the lick of the heat of Cedric''s mes. A strong sense of crisis sprouted from his heart, followed by a sense of frustration and helplessness. Cedric wasn''t done though, because at the very next second, he opened his palms, revealing a small orb of packed heat and mes. He raised the same hand to the skies and sent the orb up. As it flew upwards, it gradually grew in size, and in a blink of an eye, it transformed into an actual sun shining down on everyone. Under the re of the sun, Cedric turned into someone who''s worthy of his title. He was in his element. The golden mes billowed on his body as if it were his clothes; his hair also seemingly turned into a wildfire of golden fire. His golden eyes exuded a majestic brilliance apanied by undeniable authority. Now, instead of a longsword, it seems that he''s holding a sword-shaped fire instead. His current image made Cedric seem to be the incarnate of the sun itself. The true chosen of the sun bestowed with the title of a Sage. All humans who were witnessing this couldn''t help but feel deep-seated awe and admiration towards his legendary visage. Even though they''re only looking at him from a distance, his image on their hearts was a giant. They could feel the heating off of him, but it didn''t feel threatening to them. Sure, it''s hot and slightly ufortable, but it held no lethality at all. If anything, it made them feel incredibly secure. This scene gives them the impression that so long as the sun shines, Cedric is invincible. On the other hand, all remaining Demons, as well as the Demon God himself, felt the life-threatening crisis of that sun and that person. That huge ball of fire that''s ring down on all creation was a force of nature that despises their very being. It''s a threat to their existence and to everything they represent. And the idea that their enemy could freely wield its power was a terrifying thought to them. The Demon God himself frowned after feeling the threat of the sun. This waspletely unlike the first time he arrived at the vicinity of Prime Earth. The sun back then was a threat, yes. But only to stray demons. Demon Lords had a decent resistance towards it; Demon Kings couldpletely ignore it, and the Sin Demons, including his son and himself, could directly ignore its presence. All it could do against them was make them feel ufortable at best. That''s how Gluttony was able to swallow the sun and still be fine afterwards. Hell, the residue of that swallowed sun was used to increase the power supply of the main ship. However, the one present before him was apletely different thing, and he''s sure of it. This one was far hotter,rger, and poses a deeper threat to creatures like them. The Demon God could feel Cedric''s attainments in conceptws just by being exposed to this sun. And once again, he could only begrudingly admit that he''s outssed. Just by disying his might, Cedric reinforced the conceptws in his surroundings, which effectively neutralized the threat of the miasma his spear secreted. In fact, he could already feel the heat of the sun melting the miasma at an rming rate. And Cedric hasn''t even done anything yet. "!!?" The Demon God felt his brain sending off waves of rms, which forced his body to move. He btedly realized that, despite his stupor, Cedric raised his sword to the skies, and the sun above him red ominously. The Demon God managed to react just a second before the disaster struck. And thank the heavens for that, because if he was second toote, he would''ve suffered immensely. Cedric quite literally sent a beam of sr re to the spot where he used to stand, effectively incinerating everything that was once there. The miasma was burned offpletely by the sr re; not even an ounce of it was left in the area where the attacknded. But the Demon God didn''t have much time to be relieved because Cedric was already moving again. This time, he raised his left hand and gripped one of the rays of sunlight. That sunlight then turned into a golden lightning spear that crackled ominously with power, heat, and annihtive concepts. It didn''t take long before Cedric began lobbing them off in his direction. It also didn''t take long before this transformed into a literal rain of golden lightning that would easily tear him to pieces if he didn''t move. So, the Demon God has to move. And soon, he was on the run because Cedric seemingly turned into a tireless javelin-throwing machine. The worst part is that this was just the start of his suffering, because apparently Cedric can multi-task. As he ceaselessly threw lightning spears, he also condensed three smaller suns that hovered above the battlefield, and each one rained down golden projectiles that must be avoided as well. And to make things even worse, whether it''s the golden lightning spears or the golden shards sent by the smaller suns, all left a nket of golden fire in their wake, raising the temperature and roasting the Demon God alive. Soon, the entire battlefield was wreathed in mes, and the Demon God was reduced to a pathetic state for all of everybody to see. Chapter 380: Racial War; Cedric vs. Demon God III -- "Incredible!" This is what most of the human audience thought as they watched the Sun Sage in action. His sheer disy of skill and fundamentals dazzled them. His control over his astounding strength could only be described as immacte, as not even an ounce of energy was wasted. They could only imagine what it''s like to be in the Demon God''s shoes right now since there''s no way Cedric would let them experience the true horror of his mes. And he did all of this with rtive ease, like this was just a warm-up to him. Those who thought of this would''ve never imagined that they were actually on point, especially if Cedric''s women were asked. As for the few remaining demons, their expressions turned severely ugly. They looked as if they swallowed a fly, their fists clenched as they repeatedly cursed the enemy to death. But beneath all of this, they felt fear. Fear of their ominous fate. Fear of their enemy''s overwhelming strength. Fear that their idol, their God, will fall here. Existential fear that they will cease to exist soon. It was maddening. Just how exactly did thingse to this? How did humans progress this fast? How dare they hide their strength to backstab them instead of fighting them head-on! Such behavior was hateful, immoral, and disgusting! But no matter what they felt, none of it changed their actual situation. They''re still endangered right now, and their only hope, the Demon God, was out in that battlefield, forced to eat one loss after the other. Cedric''s mes burned all and were especially effective against elements of the ''evil'' alignment. His Sunfire and Sunlight were rich and pure elements of Yang that purify evil, which is a demon''s source of strength. The heat wasn''t justfortable. It actually hurts, and not just physically either; the pain seeps into his soul. Moreover, the mes burned his demonic energy as well, making even the least energy-demanding skills more burdensome to his dwindling reserves. His strange-lifeform spear was also rendered useless against the purity of Cedric''s mes. The miasma it secreted, which could wither all life and creation, was neutralized by Cedric''s reinforcement of Concept Laws in this domain. The Demon God was actually trying to fight back against this, pitting his ownprehension and control over Concept Laws against Cedric''s to get the results he wanted. Unfortunately, he was so outssed that it''s humiliating. He couldn''t even see the other end of the immense gap between him and the boy in front of him. In terms of conceptwprehension and control, Cedric was leagues above him. The sheer gap left him in a rather pathetic state, and it deeply reminded him of what his father-inw did to him. That triggered a traumatic response. For some reason, he knew that if Cedric was allowed to continue as is, he would suffer immensely. That''s why, in his desperation, he tapped into a power that he has hidden deeply from everybody. Crack! Crack! Crack! The Demon God made a surprising move. He shattered his armor and broke his weapon in half. He also took out his own horns, shattering them with his hand as well. Nobody understood why he did this, especially when it visibly weakened him a lot. And Cedric couldn''t take advantage of this; catch him off-guard this time andnd a severe blow that will define the oue of this battle. But he didn''t do anything. Instead, he chose to observe what''s going to happen next. To everyone''s surprise, the Demon God devoured everything¡ªthe broken pieces of his armor and spear, as well as his shattered horns. Cedric frowned as he felt the ominous energy welling up within the Demon God''s body. He could tell that his state was explosively rising with each passing second, peaking in no time at all. If previously the Demon God couldn''t even exert any form of resistance against Cedric''s sheer skill at controlling conceptws, with the current state of his physique, he could just straight-up ignore it. A giant pair of bat-like wings grew from his back. His skin turned from purple to pitch ck, he grew up to 50 meters in height, and his muscles pulsed and felt like they''re made of divine metals. He also grew a tail and a pair of new horns from his temples¡ªgoat-horns that coiled in themselves. His eyes turned ck and yellow with vertical pupils, his nails grew long and released the same life withering miasma, and his lower body turned into that of a horse with giant hooves that cause the earth to tremble with every stomp he made. His sheer raw power caused space to distort around him. His ominously demonic aura climbed and went against the heavens, provoking its ire and causing the skies to darken even more. Cedric''s mes were no longer a threat to him in this form. He could bathe in it all day long, and he wouldn''t even feel its heat. The Demon God''s transformation took everybody by surprise. The demons celebrated their idol''s overwhelming power, thinking that they finally have a chance now. The humans, on the other hand, felt afraid of what''s toe. As soon as the Demon God''s transformation was done, he wasted no time adjusting to anything. To him, the fight to death immediately resumes. He charged towards Cedric, practically teleporting behind him in a blink of an eye with his right fist cocked backwards,unching an explosive punch that contains enough power to eliminate a huge chunk of Prime Earth. BOOOMM!!! The audience''s hearts leapt up to their throats after experiencing the minimal aftershocks of the Demon God''s blow. Arge cloud of dust covered their vision, preventing them from seeing the oue. They waited until it disappeared. And when it did, what they saw practically turned them dumbfounded. Enjoy exclusive content from §Þ?? Clink! Clink! Clink! Cedric still had his back against the Demon God, whose fist was stretched out; however, his sword that''s wreathed in golden mes rested on his shoulders with its tip struggling against the Demon God''s fist. The struggle caused sparks to fly out. The Demon God''s fist shook fiercely with obvious indication that he was putting more force into it in attempts to push his fist into making contact with Cedric''s body at least. But it failed to move even a single millimeter forward. Cedric''s hold over his sword looked careless andcking in finesse but was incredibly solid and steady. With a slight movement of his wrist, he deflected the fist to the side as he gracefully twisted his body and shed at the Demon God''s chest. The movement was so smooth that it seemed ethereal¡ªlike it never actually happened and that everybody was just seeing things, but it did happen. Because once Cedric took a couple of steps away to make some distance, a fountain of ck blood erupted from the cut he left on the Demon God''s chest. Now, everybody could see the gaping scar on his chest. ck blood spurted from it like a geyser, but only for a brief moment because in the next second, his regeneration kicked in and the wound started stitching close. "You know, I actually wanted to confiscate your spear earlier," Cedric casually stated while twirling his sword. "I figured that I''d earn some merits from it if I surrendered it to the alliance. I also thought that doing that would allow me to learn where the hell you got it from." "It''s a pity that because of my curiosity, I ended up missing out on it." Cedric sighed. "I should''ve stopped you earlier, instead. If only I knew then that this transformation of yours would be so underwhelming." The Demon God''s expression turned ugly. Even at the peak of his power, this boy continues to underestimate him. Well, the only way to teach him a lesson was to give him a beating; otherwise, he''d continue to remain arrogant. In his transformed state, the Demon God was convinced that Cedric could never threaten his life. Any wound he inflicted on him could be ignored since it would just regenarate in an instant. His physique, while beingrge, still allowed him to move at blistering speeds. He could forcefully breach space to close the distance using his sheer raw power. This is where his confidence lies. It didn''t matter if Cedric outssed him in terms of conceptwprehension and control. So long as his body was tough enough, he could just shrug off any attempts at his life and dish out a beating of a lifetime. And so, with this confidence, the Demon God charged ahead once more. This time, he didn''t care about anything else. He just focused on really hurting this boy, and if he could, keep him just at the edge of death so that he could torture him more. Unfortunately, it turns out that he was being delusional about his strength all this time. Shwing!!! In a speed that transcended his senses, the Demon God barely caught the flourish of steel passing through him. It''s like a breeze passed him, and he waste to realize it. His mindgged behind for a couple of seconds; after that is when he ''felt'' what just happened. "AARRRGGGGHHH!!!" Behind him, Cedric sneered as he muttered, "Did you really think I couldn''t cut you with my sword? It seems that you''re more delusional than I initially thought." Chapter 381: Racial War; Demon Gods Death -- Gritting his teeth to endure the pain, the Demon God stared at the gaping wound on his chest with an incredulous expression. To his horror, it wasn''t closing. His regenerative abilities werepletely neutralized here. He could tell that it''s working, but there is a strange energy that kept eroding his flesh, which cancelled any healing done to his body, leaving that wound permanently open and bleeding. It didn''t take long before he realized what this was, and the discovery just made this even more horrifying for him. ''Sword Laws, too!? As if hisprehension overary and Grand Sr Laws weren''t enough to deal with me, he just had to have this too!?'' ''Heavens! Is this really the end for us?'' The Sword Law. It''s one of the strange and elusive conceptws that never fell under the orthodoxy. It doesn''t contribute to creation as a whole, and its existence was just as mysterious as it was strange, yet it definitely exists. There are a lot of people in the alliance whoprehended it. Some even pursued it their entire lives, dedicating thousands of years of their lifespan just to see what''s on the other end of this road. It''s unknown how many managed to see what''s on the other side, but there had been definitely millions of people who failed on this road. Was the swordw strong? Of course it is. Conceptws in general were the power of nature itself. Comprehension and usage of them meant harnessing the power that makes up the universe. Those whoprehended swordws had their own interpretations of them. Nobody was either right or wrong; what matters was their strength output in the end. That''s why it''s very rare, even by the alliance''s standards, to see swordsmen with identical styles. This is what makes them unique and also terrifying. Cedric never stopped pursuing the road of the sword. Before he inherited the eyes of the godking, his solepany was his sword. His initial ss temte was a swordsman, and he never thought about changing his choice of weapon. Amongst the millions of humans here on Prime Earth, only Cedric reached the peak of Sword Intent. Even Old Man Jin, who''s publicly known for his faithful pursuit of the sword path, couldn''tpare with him in this regard. And during his long periods of seclusion in the Tower of Prodigies, Cedric never ceased his pursuit of perfecting his sword arts. He achieved the sword domain and touched the road leading to the swordws. Even now, he hasn''t stopped practicing and perfecting his skills, and with his intuition andprehensive abilities, his progress has never been slow or stagnant. The Demon God could tell that the concepts included in Cedric''s Sword Law were sinister. It contains the concept of annihtion, which neutralizes any form of false immortality. It also has destructive and persisting elements that make it near impossible to get rid of. But the most terrifying concept contained within this swordw was the concept of absolute control. Typically, the element of annihtion and destruction just spreads everywhere. It erodes and affects everything it touches, making it difficult to grasp and control. Paired with the persisting element, and they became pretty much unstoppable. A moment of carelessness was all it takes for even a sliver of this swordw to destroy Prime Earth thoroughly. However, thanks to its absolute control properties, thisw wouldn''t cause any further damage than what Cedric initially intended it to do. It won''t spread or hurt anything that he didn''t want to. Hell, even the degree of damage done to his intended target was something he set up himself. Meaning that when he sliced his earlier, Cedric only wanted him to realize that none of the advantages he believed he had could actually stop him if he wanted to kill him. This attack was just a harsh reminder¡ªa rude p in the face¡ªthat the Demon God waspletely out of his league here. The Demon God got the message. It didn''t make him happy, of course, but hepletely understood it and had no other choice than to ept it. Still, he was unwilling to just bow down and ept his death here. He hade too far to fail. He just couldn''t ept that after all his hard work, this was his ending. Anybody in his position would feel the same. That''s why, despite knowing that his chances were abyssmal, he still pressed on. "RAAAGGGHH!!!" A furious shout containing his unwillingness to die and resolve to survive exploded from his throat. He didn''t care that this agitated his gaping wound even further; he ignored the sharp pain coursing through his body and forced himself to use more strength. He forcibly engaged Cedric again, bleeding and paining. He threw punch after punch that sundered the earth and overturned the seas. The sheer might he exuded caused the world to darken ominously, as if responding in fear to his raw power. But no matter what he did, all of it was child''s y to Cedric, who just batted away any and all of his attacks like they were nothing but childish temper tantrums. He didn''t waste even a single ounce of strength in deflecting the mad demon''s attack. He looked bored even, especially since in his eyes, the Demon God was moving at a snail''s pace. It''s like he has to wait for years until the next attacknds only to toss it aside and wait for the next one. This isn''t an exaggeration either. Cedric faced more challenging enemies in the tower. Even though some of them were just phantons or unreal beings, at the very least, they managed to make his sweat and work for his victory. Thest fight he had enjoyed the most was his battle against that dwarven elite who uses a giant sword. That guy killed him hundreds of times and taught him how to fight someone far stronger and better than him without deliberately doing so. Comparing that dwarven guy to the Demon God would just be insulting, because if that drawf was here, a mere shout of him could''ve killed the Demon God several times in a row, and that''s even in his transformed state. Bang! Bang! Bang! They repeatedly sh, causing shockwaves to reverberate all over thend. No matter how many times the Demon God pounded on Cedric, he was only met with a bored stare and a casual swat of his sword. He failed to even make him take a step backward. Cedric was like a pir who''s deeply rooted to the core of thend, unmoving and incredibly steady. The more he moved, the worse his injuries got. He''s tapping more and more into the strange well of strength hidden in his body; he even started to recklessly devour the power of the strange lifeform without filtering it just to summon more strength to defeat Cedric. Right now, it didn''t matter to him if the attributes of the strange lifeform infect him beyond repair. Because if nothing changes now, he knew that he would most likely die soon anyway. So if he wanted to gain even the smallest chance of survival, now is not the time for him to be prudent or cautious. This reckless act of his indeed gave him more strength faster, but its side effects were also obvious. Stay updated via §Þ?? The Demon God''s consciousness was starting to blur. His senses were numbing, and thoughts were bing more and more disorganized. Physically, a bunch of warts began growing out of his body; some popped and secreted the same life-withering miasma that infected thend. The miasma were burned to nothingness right away, so they didn''t be much of a problem, but the transformation of the Demon God did cause distress to the remaining demons alive. Boom! Boom! Boom! More time passed, and by now, the Demon God''s consciousness waspletely gone. All that''s left of his were his instincts. His minds had been taken over by the iplete residual will of the strange lifeform he devoured earlier. He became way stronger, yes, but this trade-off was hardly worth the effort since nothing much changed since the start of the fight. Cedric was still standing strong and tall, unfettered and undisturbed by the changes that urred to his enemy. Even as he exerted more strength, Cedric still dealt with it casually. The Demon God was reduced to a bbering mess. No signs of rity could be seen in his zed eyes. He''s only moving through sheer will and instincts at this point. "Well, this had been a huge waste of time," Cedric muttered indifferently. He truly thought that this guy would at least have the ability to give him a challenging fight. But s, it seems that he overestimated him in the end. Even his girls could''ve easily toyed with this thing. Such a pity, really. "This farce has gone longer than necessary. It''s time to end this and usher in the new age of humanity." Having decided to conclude this matter here, Cedric took the initiative this time. Once again, he moved with grace and swiftness that made him seem like a ghost. He passed through the Demon God''s body and walked away without looking back. The Demon God froze once he passed through him, and a few secondster, he was bisected vertically. His flesh was burned by the golden mes to nihility; the only thing that survived from his was his contaminated soul, which flew to Cedric''s hand for safekeeping. The deste battlefield disappeared after that. Chapter 382: Back to where it all started -- "No! No! This can''t be! You can''t die!" "Impossible! How can this be!? This is a dream, right? Tell me it is! No! I don''t believe it!" "God! God! Our God is dead!" "It''s over! It''s all over for us!" Mournful wails and unwilling roars resounded on the demon''s side. Their world started falling apart upon witnessing the death of their god at the hands of the enemy leader. The battle was incredibly one-sided. From start to finish, the Demon God never had any advantages. The human leader was just too obscenely strong. He wields power that directly opposed their very existence. It was unfair, disgusting, and vile. Yet no matter how unwilling they were, they had to face the truth. They lost this war. It''s all over for them. Today marks the extinction of their kind, and nothing will change that. On the other hand, humans were celebrating. Some were hyped. Some clenched their fists and roared in relief and refreshment. Others cried due to their overwhelming emotions, and only a few managed to get themselves under control. They won. They really won. The Sun Sage pulled through. He killed the Demon God and brought them true freedom from the demons that opressed them for hundreds of years. This time, there''s no next time. This isn''t a temporary peace or false freedom. This one''s real. After they killed all the remaining demons here, which they''d certainly do soon, Prime Earth and humans will no longer have to live in fear and pressure. Cedric did something that their ancestors have been dreaming about since the dawn of the invasion. And he surely did a much better job than they could ever possibly hope. Because, you see, Cedric could''ve easily waged this war alone. And he could''ve won all by himself. After all, he''s way too strong, especially after his time in the Tower of Prodigies. He could''ve been the real hero of humanity; he could''ve had people singing praises about him for thousands of years toe; he could''ve even been the new god of humanity. But instead of showing off his might and waging a war all by himself, he chose to include others in the battle. He knew that this isn''t a battle he alone must fight. Sure, he could''ve done so, but this is everybody''s fight. He wasn''t the only one affected by the invasion of demons. He wasn''t the only one who lost his loved ones due to their oppression. He isn''t the only one who suffered immensely because of their existence. This isn''t a personal vendetta. This was a fight, a war that all humans should be involved in. So instead of ending it all by himself, he bid his time. He supplied knowledge, ideas, resources, and chances for others to prosper as well. He gave them the means to stand up for themselves, made them realize that there was hope, and taught them how to fight. He changed the status quo. He brought them results and continued providing means for their independence. This allowed them to progress at an immense pace, eventually catching up with their enemies. Cedric himself stayed on the sidelines and watched how others contributed to this war. He only fought the leader of their enemies and didn''t interfere with the development of his people, forcing them to think to themselves and be truly independent. All of this was to build the foundations for humanity''s ster future. Because their road certainly doesn''t end here. And as Cedric withdrew from the battlefield and returned their surroundings to their previous form, Everybody found themselves returning to reality as well. "BROTHERS! THE DEMON GOD IS DEAD! KILLED BY OUR SUN SAGE! TRUE FREEDOM IS RIGHT AT OUR FINGERTIPS! COME! LET''S WELCOME IT WITH OPEN ARMS AND A WIDE SMILE ON OUR FACES! KILL THE REMAINING DEMONS!!" "KILL!!!!" Their resolve shook the entire sr system. All the remaining demons were horrified and did their best to flee. Most of them didn''t even dare to think about revenge; they knew that they''re too weak for that, and humanity''s momentum was at an all-time high. But fleeing was just a fancy dream for them¡ªa luxury they can''t afford anymore. Their fleet is gone. Prime Earth isn''t a ce they could go to anymore. All that''s left of them was the vast expanse of the cosmos, but treading it blind was certain death as well, especially since most of them can''t survive the vacuum of space without a special suit or a ship to ferry them. The most important part, though, is that humans won''t let them leave. Somebody already knew precisely how many of them were left and had spread this information to everybody. They will count their kills from now on to make sure they won''t miss even a single one. So, the extinction of the Demon Race and the Space Pirates that have oppressed humans for hundreds of years was finally concluding, and everybody who participated in this war was very eager to see this ending. Meanwhile, Cedric wore a calm expression as he sensed what''s happening around him. He already returned to Prime Earth andnded precisely at the same exact spot where his legend started. The risk management centers were a thing of the past now. All of them have been repurposed into something else. All of the staff were sent somewhere else, and all of its prisoners were rehabilitated in more ways than one. There had been many branches of the RMC, but the one at the ck Thread City remained empty. Cedric bought it and the surroundingnd. He never stepped foot in it since he bought it, but now he did. Everything was covered in dust but still looked the same as it did back then. Even the room he had looked the same exact way as he left it many years ago. Cedric''s eyes zed for a moment. His memories began reying themselves in his mind. He recalled Harold, his best mate in this prison, who turned out to be a traitor. He remembered Old Bull, the same guy who helped him be the person he is now. He remembered his fellow inmates who have turned crazy; most of them have returned to civilization now and changed greatly after rehab. He remembered his struggles, his hard work, and all the blood, sweat, and tears he shed in this ce just to carve out a small piece of space for himself in this cruel world. He remembered dying in more ways than one to achieve what others could do naturally. But his important memory here was him inheriting the eyes of the godking because that was when life turned around. Thinking about that moment, he couldn''t help but caress his eyes. All of this¡ªhis sessful turnover, his rehabilitation, his rise to fame and strength, all the way to him making huge changes to the world¡ªall of it began the moment he inherited these eyes. ''I''ve worked hard.'' ''This...this should be enough to prove that I''m worthy of these eyes, right? '' ''I was lucky, sure. But I''ve worked hard to prove that I deserve this too.'' He already knew the answer to this. He already met the residual will of the gods before. That person assured him that he is indeed worthy and that, if anything, he was d that it was Cedric who inherited his remains. But Cedric still carried traces of doubt even then. He just couldn''t rest easy until he actually proved something that makes him worthy of inheriting these eyes. That changes now, though. All of his self-doubt and uncertainty dissipated as he stood here. He did achieve something great. He worked hard for it. He proved something. And he is worthy of this lucky chance. From now on, he will no longer doubt that. As he blinks. He felt and saw something. He saw shadows of familiar faces surrounding him. It''s his family. They were standing next to him. His father was patting his back, his mother was ruffling his hair, and his siblings were hugging his thighs. All of them were smiling at him, seeminglyforting him and praising him for a job well done. Cedric felt the corners of his eyes sting. He didn''t want to blink because he knew that once he did, all of this would end. Lord knows how he missed them dearly, but he had to ept that he''d no longer see them again. Even if it were possible to revive them, he wouldn''t. He would rather have them enter the cycle of reincarnation instead of being selfish. His family ended rather prematurely, but all of his fond memories of them will stay forever and ever with him. And that''s enough for Cedric. "Thank you." Cedric took a deep breath and closed his eyes. As expected, the moment he did so, the ghosts disappeared. It didn''t make him sad anymore, just mncholy. A slight smile appeared on his face. Then, for the first time in a long while, Cedric lied down on the same rotten and dusty bed of his old room in this old prison. He closed his eyes and slept peacefully. Chapter 383: Liberation Day -- It''s amazing how a single sentence could affect someone. It could be something simple like, ''I''m home!'', ''I passed my licensing test!'', ''I got the job!'', or even something as mundane as ''I''ll see youter''. Sometimes, it could also be something life-changing, like, ''I''m getting married'', ''I''m pregnant'', ''I got a rare ss temte!'', ''My Superhuman Aptitude rating was high!'', or even something like ''I got promoted; we could move into a new house now!''. Simple sentences, phrases, or even paragraphs like these could leave a profound impression on someone. It could cause a flurry of emotions depending on the intent behind the words said. And so, when the Prime Earth Federation revealed the conclusion of the war and, by extension, the extinction of the Demon Race, humans as a whole simmered in the rich implications of this event. ''War is over. The Demon Race is no more, driven into extinction. We killed every single one of them. They will never threaten our people or our world ever again.'' ''Today marks the anniversary of our freedom from their influence. Rejoice, everyone! Let''s celebrate our liberation! '' This announcementes with short clips of what happened during the war. Yes, there were people who were tasked with documenting the events either through writing or by film. Everyone knew that the war would be a momentous event in human history, and it deserves to be preserved for generations toe. Understandably, the announcement shook everyone to their core. Some couldn''t believe it at first, but seeing the videos published by the army was a p to reality. There''s no way those could''ve been faked. Of course, many people were happy about this oue. They never thought that they''d be alive to witness this historical event. What a day to be alive, indeed. A dream that spanned through centuries was finally achieved. From now on, humans no longer have to fear for their lives and safety. They don''t have to feel worried or hesitant about their freedom because this time, it''s as real as it could ever get. Peace finally arrived to them, and so much progress could be done without them fearing that the demons would ruin it all for them. Such a thing sounds too good to be true, but it''s actually happening. But beneath the happiness and relief most people felt, there were a handful of people who felt at a loss. Sure, the Demon Race were cruel, merciless, and overall evil. But their existence caused humans to be united to one cause. Without them, this much progress couldn''t have been possible. And while it is certainly a relief that there''s no threat to the safety of the world now, without the reason for all of them to unite, some felt unsure of their future. After all, conflicts are normal, but without enemies to unite them, it is almost certain that humanity will point their aggression towards themselves. This couldn''t douse the mes of excitement, though. It''s impossible for their concerns to be louder than the drums of liberation echoing everywhere. Whatever their concerns were, it could wait until the celebration was over. Right now, there''s a feast to have. The entire world was celebrating the liberation. People from both Azure Terra and Verdant Terra were all the same. Some went into a cooking frenzy, dishing out meals after meals as their form of honoring the soldiers who fought bravely at the war. Drinks poured ceaselessly, the prices of goods became dirt cheap, everybody was eating, drinking, dancing, singing, etc. All of Prime Earth descended into a merry mood, and nothing could stop them from expressing their happiness, relief, and gratitude for this day. As for the one who''s behind it all, well, he''s celebrating in his own way. You see, Cedric has never been a fan of crowds. He wasn''t fond of parties or gatherings. He preferred the peace and quiet of his home. It helps that nobody forced him to make a public appearance either. They respected his space and privacy. Of course, he isn''t blind to what''s happening. He knows that the army made the announcement and that the whole world was celebrating their freedom. It''d be a lot harder for him not to notice it due to the absurd range that his senses could reach even at the minimum. He merely smiled at this, though. He made no effort to stop or support whatever''s happening outside. But he did share the sentiments by rxing at home and cooking for hisdies. He wasn''t as extravagant as those people outside, but he did take advantage of the prices dropping on the market to buy supplies. Say what you want to say, but even for him, this was a steal. It''d be a sin not to take advantage of it. All the channels on TV or online were all talking about ''Liberation Day'' as peoplee to call it. Discussions were made left and right; everybody freely expressed their opinions, but overall, everybody was happy. This made Cedric happy too. He also felt fulfilled and satisfied. He worked hard for this, and everybody deserves this kind of freedom and happiness. After sharing a feast with hisdies, a special reward was given to him. This gift was personally prepared by Isabe herself. And it''s her, wrapped in thin silk and scarlet ribbons. For Cedric to truly enjoy this gift, Chrissy and Erica made their presence scarce from the master''s bedroom, where things were about to get really steamy. Of course, Cedric made sure if this was truly something that Isabe wanted to happen. He didn''t and would never allow her to force herself into doing things that she''s notfortable with. Cedric can and will wait until she''spletely ready to take their rtionship to another level. He has a lot of time, after all. Isabe was shy, yes. But she did confirm that this was indeed her decision. It wasn''t influenced by either Chrissy or Erica. She even said that she''s been thinking about it for a very long time. In the end, Cedric just couldn''t help himself. Sure, Chrissy and Erica gave him a push, but he''s never been able topletely ignore Isabe. He didn''t want to pursue anything because he already has two women, but they didn''t mind. Plus, Isabe herself came to him, albeit indirectly. He just couldn''t refuse her, after all. And when the mutual understanding was reached, the rest followed as naturally as it could. Cedric made Isabe''s wildest and most secretive dreamse true. In fact, he didn''t just stop there. He gave her something way better than anything she could ever imagine. Something magical and unforgettable. But this was also when she realized just how ''powerful'' Cedric truly was. Even as her throat ran dry from the continuous noises she couldn''t help but make, her body pulled and twisted into positions and only served to elevate all the pleasure she felt, and her mind became lost to the constant haze of all the pleasant sensations brought to her. Cedric remained stalwart. Even after an entire day of non-stop activities, Cedric only had a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. And even when all of Isabe''s shyness and inhibitions were gone, even when Chrissy and Erica joined in, and even when all three of them were reduced to nothing but a mumbling mess due to overstimtion, Cedric was still as hard as a rock. Isabe had to think just what exactly she put herself into. But despite her exasperation, her heart felt full and pleased. Especially when, after all was said and done, she gets to sleep on his chest, embraced by his epassing and securing warmth. Isabe never felt so safe in her life. A few hourster, Cedric woke up and left the girls slumbering on the bed. She smiled wryly as he smelled the lingering scent of their previous activities in the room. He looked at the time and date, and discovering that it turned out that it had been five days since they locked themselves up made him feel a little guilty for going slightly overboard. No wonder the world felt quiet and peaceful. The celebration of Liberation Day ended two days ago. He lit up a scented candle in the room to get rid of the musky scent and allow the girls to sleep longer and deeper. They sure need a long rest after what he did to them. He would also make sure that they''d wake up to the most scrumptious breakfast tomorrow. But while they were resting, he figured that now was the best time to deal with something quite urgent. Something that he postponed for a bit to entertain hisdies. He appeared in the sealed room and activated the runes he left in there, making sure that nothing coulde in ore out of this room unless he allowed it to. Cedric sat by the workstation there and carefully took something out of his inventory. It was a shining orb sealed with numerous runic arrays and formations, and at its core is where the soul of Demon God could be seen. ''Now, how exactly should I deal with you?'' Chapter 384: Eyes to the Stars -- The soul of the Demon God felt hefty as he held it. It was dense andpressed with a huge amount of demonic energy. If it weren''t for the seal he ced over it, this thing would''ve immediately spread corruption everywhere. But aside from the overwhelming amount of sin and evil in this soul, Cedric could sense the presence of a strange yet familiar aura within. It felt the same as that strange alien lifeform that the Demon God devoured out of desperation to increase his strength. As it turns out, whatever that was tainted his nature, and it''s corruption seeped to his very soul. The idea that the Demon God of all people was corrupted by something else was truly ironic. He wasn''t even aware that he''s already dead because he spent hisst waking moments as a mere puppet to the residual will of the alien lifeform he devoured. But this goes to show how dangerous the vast expanse of the cosmos truly was. Even Cedric has no clue what that strange lifeform was. He never heard or seen anything like it. He only saw its remains being used as a weapon by the Demon God, and even then, he still feels creeped out by it. Additionally, the fact that despite it not being an intact corpse, it could still release a miasma that could wither all life meant that whatever that thing was, it should''ve been a massive pain in the ass to deal with when it was still alive and kicking. He couldn''t imagine a creature that could spew life withering miasma to be an easy target to hunt down. How in the world did the Demon God get his hands on its remains was a secret he took to his grave. And somehow, because he forcibly devoured it, he was corrupted by it. If it wasn''t for this taint, Cedric wouldn''t have hesitated to delve into the memories of the Demon God. Now, he''s reluctant to do so because he didn''t want to be infected by this unknown thing. Fortunately, the seal he ced on it kept it contained. The years he spent perfecting his runic arts were worth it after all, because if it wasn''t for that, this could''ve been disastrous. But this takes him back to his original dilemma. What should he do with this soul? ''It''s a pity to keep it sealed.'' ''This thing holds too much energy that could be filtered and used for many things. If harnessed correctly, it could be a potent source of power that could sustain both continents for years easily.'' ''But the taint...how should I deal with it?'' It''s not like Cedric didn''t think about seperating the two before. He thought about creating a tool¡ªit could be a runic formation or a unique item¡ªthat would allow him to iste the taint of the strange lifeform so that he could make use of the Demon God''s soul. However, doing that would be difficult. Even though he hasn''t made an attempt yet, he could tell that much. Be it human or demon, a soul is a soul; it''s what makes a person unique¡ªthe very source and proof of their existence, their origins. The soul is the mostplicated existence there is, and even within the alliance, only the Wise Dragon n had deep knowledge and inheritance about it; that''s what makes them special. Simply put, it is way too difficult to achieve what Cedric wanted to happen, even though in paper it sounded simple enough. He could study it and make several experiments, but even that poses a risk that doesn''t seem worth the effort. Still, it''s a damn shame for this to be left as is. "Argh! Whatever. I''ll postpone it for now. I''ll try to think about a way. For now, I just want to rx." ** Several months passed since Liberation Day. Humanity enjoyed these peaceful days. Even now, some of them still can''t believe that they''re truly free of demons. Yet the fact that they could only see ghosts of them in the Hell Dives, because that''s still a thing up to this day, proved that this was real. Because of the knowledge that they don''t have to live in constant fear anymore and that they could rx andpletely enjoy the peace this time since it''s no longer a temporary one, the world seemed to be even more colorful and vibrant than before. Some thought that they were maybe just seeing things, while others took it seriously. After all, without the democratic corruption guing the world, its recovery waspletely unhindered. And that''s just exactly what was happening. Ac didn''t need to halt her own recovery just to keep up appearances anymore. As soon as the Demon Race were wiped out, she released her restraints and used the tools she had avable topletely heal herself. The bindings of the oath were gone when the enemies went extinct. Ac no longer has to live in fear and is no longer in constant threat of being enved or used as a tool. Additionally, with all the things that Cedric brought to this, Ac was swiftly making strides towards evolution. It''s still going to take some time for that to happen, but time is on their side now. Speaking of Cedric, the man has been upiedtely. No, he wasn''t busy with his women. They had all the time to be together because there''s no longer any threats that they have to worry about. He was busy with something else entirely, though. Cedric hasn''t been in Prime Earth these past few months. He spent time roaming around the sr system, where Prime Earth was, to do something quite important. You see, the Sacred Celestial Tree, a unique natural treasure that could mimic the day and night cycles and could connect to several worlds through a spatial passage, has fully matured. And if it wants to continue growing, it must connect to other worlds to absorb spacetime energy for nourishment. This coincides with Cedric''s follow-up ns for humanity''s future. Now that they have any enemies to be worried about, they can begin setting their eyes to the sr system. They could begin colonizing others to gather more resources. Humans already have a space fleet. The pilots for the fighter jets and the mechas have been in idle training since the end of the liberation war and could definitely use some real field exercise. This was the natural progression for their race. It''s already a given that humanity will never stop progressing, but they sure as hell can procrastinate, and Cedric can''t have them doing that. So, to that end, he personally made a move. Until recently, the sr system, where Prime Earth was, still had lingering traces of demonic corruption. This proves that the Demon Race had been here before. From what Cedric saw, they deemed theses useless since they didn''t spot any valuable resources here. And since they were demons, their very existence leaves behind traces of corruption that lingered after they left. Somes he visited were strongly corrupted; others were just slightly so. Of course, he did what he had to and cleansed them of corruption. After the worlds were healed, he began judging them ording to their potential. Those that passed his standards or were at least good enough to be humanity''s new frontier were gifted with the seed of the Sacred Celestial Tree. These seeds won''t germinate. Even if they could, they wouldn''t, because theses just don''t have any energy to spare to nourish them. Instead, these seeds function as pins that the main tree could sense. And once Cedric allows it to, the Sacred Celestial Tree establishes a link to the seeds he left behind, creating a passage between worlds. This was handy because even though humanity built a space fleet, they still haven''t mastered cosmic travel. Going from Prime Earth to the edge of the sr system where it''s at will take a very long time to do so. Humans simply don''t have the means to sustain that kind of expenditure. Obviously, they also can''t use Cedric means because that required extensive knowledge about space and timews¡ªthings that''spletely out of their grasp for now. The spatial passage that the Sacred Celestial Tree creates will serve as a shortcut for them to ess these worlds for their colonization efforts. The tree will take care of theplicated matters for them; all they need to do is take people in and begin transforming the connecteds into habitablend for humans. Right now, the tree could only connect to threes at the same time. But that much was enough to keep humans upied for a long while. But as the Sacred Celestial Tree grows up, the number of worlds it could connect to will increase as well. It''s even possible for it to connect to every single world, realm, or star within this sr system; it just needs time and an extensive amount of care to do so. That said, everybody has to start somewhere, and most have to start somewhere small. This is where humanity''s foundation will start. It will be their first step towards the alliance. Chapter 385: New Frontiers, Marching Progress, Marriage -- Aside from leaving the seeds of the Sacred Celestial Tree to suitable ces for colonization, Cedric also had another reason to roam the sr system. Learning about the alliance broadened his horizons greatly and introduced him to many races out there. All had their own cultures and histories; all had their purpose in the grand scheme of things. The Demon Race werebeled as Space Pirates by the Divine Council. Of course, they weren''t the only ones. ording to what Cedric knew so far, there were at least 25 alien races that had been tagged as Space Pirates by the alliance; each one was being hunted down by the members and had bounties on their heads. Humanity just dealt with the Demon Race. And while things went rtively smoothly, it doesn''t mean that it''s easy. Sure, they won in the end, but there were thousands of sacrifices made for this victory. Prime Earth was nowhere near ready to deal with another space pirate fleet. Besides, the Demon Race were actually at the bottom of the space pirate list. They''re not the weakest, per se, but they''re also not that strong ording to the alliance''s standards. That''s why not many members of the alliance hunted them down. Cedric had to create some precautionary measures to keep his home safe. It''s a little challenging to control Grand Sr Laws in this vast area, especially since he''s doing it all by himself. Fortunately, he''s able to do it anyway without making too many mistakes. Humans need time toy low and progress on their own. Cedric already paved the road for them; all they need to do is discover the trail he left behind, and they could handle the rest. But before they reach a certain stage in terms of strength and foundations, Cedric would act as a glorified bodyguard of his home again if that''s what''s needed to be done. ** Fast forwarding time to ten yearster... Comparing the state of Prime Earth a decade ago to its present state would almost be unfair due to how many changes happened since. Time passed by a little too fast for everybody ever since their world has been liberated from the influence and terror of the Demon Race. They''re a thing of the past now; only records of them exist still. Humans didn''t spend this much time idling, though. No, the reason why time flew by in their perspective was because they were too busy with many things, like colonizing a new world, for example... Cedric granted them passage to the worlds he chose via the Sacred Celestial Tree. Visiting these worlds allowed them to discover richer resources. Some were familiar, others were entirely new. At first, they harvested as many as they could to improve the lifestyle of people on Prime Earth, but as time went on, they began nning on building new civilizations on these news, turning them habitable for humans to use, therefore expanding their territory. Even Cedric couldn''t have expected just how much eagerness, passion, and excitement this caused to the army and other rted people. There were tons of people who literally volunteered to go to these new worlds. Some even offered to pay extra to make themselves a priority. Since the beginning of the operation, breakthrough after breakthrough has been achieved. New tech was emerging like freshly made candies on the Lifestyle Guild. Those who received these new and abundant resources almost locked themselves up in theirbs, refusing to leave or rest in fear that they would forget things. This all happened at the same time that Prime Earth thrived. Everything that Cedric left that was meant to elevate the state of this world had begun sprouting, especially since Ac fully recovered from her injuries. The energy density in the surroundings began to thicken, and its quality increased. Children who were born in this era began showing early signs of excellence due to the nourishing atmosphere around them. Essence souls of all qualities became currency. They could still be used as means of breaking through or for recovery, but with how dense the energy was in the world and with its quality, it''s better for everybody to choose that over Essence Souls. The excellent atmosphere in Prime Earth blessed this new generation. It elevated their innate talent greatly; it raised their intellect and made them more innately stronger. Moreover, with each year that passed, the number of people who failed to awaken as Superhumans was dropping sharply. In another decade or two, it will almost be impossible to see anybody who''s not a Superhuman. Meanwhile, humanity''s progress in colonizing others still remains slow, but that''s understandable. So far, only a city or two has been built on others. These cities were scarcely popted since the atmosphere out there was still rtively unsafe for humans. Of course, they''ve been working on it ever since, and they''re making great progress, especially with the new tech emerging from the lifestyle guild. Cedric''s assurance that there would be no space pirates threatening them allowed his people to truly flourish and prosper. Though he remained uninvolved in how things went on others, he still knew what his people were doing. He had to make sure that they wouldn''t identally blow up the, after all. It''s amazing that humans havee this far on their own. Cedric just gave them the tools and ess to a new world, and their creativity followed. Each day they spent making ns and developing these new worlds was fulfilling, making them incredibly satisfied. As for those skeptics who thought that infighting would begin without the threat of demons uniting their people to one cause, there had been silence during this past decade of peace. None of their fears happened; everything proceeded as usual, as if hardly anything changed. It''s astonishing andforting at the same time; at least this way, struggles and any possible corruption within the army won''t fester into unbelievable proportions. Of course, nobody could expect the army, or humans in general, to be perfect. There will always be a few who harbor selfish motives, ideas, and plots. They could pose problems, yes. But they could also be useful as well. After all, someone who''s plotting something will certainly be active. So, at the very least, they won''t bezy. Out of all this, though, the biggest and probably the most important event that happened to Cedric''s life was his marriage. Getting married at the age of 50 sounds toote formon people. But neither Cedric nor his women were normal. Cedric himself could live up to a hundred thousand years if he''s being careful, and as his life evolution progressed, the longer his lifespan got. His wives were also the same. To them, getting married at this age is even considered as early. After all, none of them looked like they''re past their prime. They still have their vibrant youth, and that won''t change anytime soon. Cedric''s wedding was a private matter; only their closest friends could attend, and it was kept a secret from the public. This was his and his wives'' wish since they didn''t want to attract too much attention. Besides, this ceremony was for them, not for the public. His marriage with Chrissy, Erica, and Isabe was attended by Ac herself, who acted as the priestess of their union. Cedric never felt so happy and fulfilled as a person as he kissed each one of them after they stated their vows. The wedding was followed by a simple and short-afternoon party. The guests gave them congrattory gifts and they also received something in return. Of course, what followed this was a long and sweet honeymoon. They practically basked in each other''s presence, warmth, and love throughout its entirety, and this time, Cedric didn''t hold back his desires. All of his wives wished for a child. Who was he to refuse that when clearly he wants some as well? Cedric stood at the top of this world¡ªno, this entire sr system. In here, nobody could threaten him. He also made arrangements to ensure that the home was protected from any threats. And finally, the time and ce were just about right ording to their wishes. The demons were a thing of the past now. The sr system where Prime Earth was had beenpletely cleansed from corruption. There were no threats endangering or posing risks to their future children either. With all of this in ce, he could freely pursue the career of being a parent, especially since his wives wanted to start their family as well. So far, none of them have gotten pregnant. A bit surprising considering that it has been two years since their wedding and Cedric has been a diligent bee, watering the flowers thoroughly every day for extra assurance. But this was the downside of being too powerful, he supposes. It''s not that he or his wives were impotent; it''s because theirbined lifeforce was so potent that it''s difficult to impregnate them through natural means. And even when his wives be pregnant, their pregnancy will surely be out of the norm as well. That''s why he wasn''t feeling anxious about getting them pregnant. Besides, time was on their side anyway. A little bit of dy wouldn''t hurt. Chapter 386: Settling Down, A New Start -- Cedric was spacewalking as of the moment. He really had nothing much to do. He''s a bit bored, so he decided to stroll on Sris Prime, the sr system where earth was (it''s the unofficial name, for now at least). The Sun Sage visited the ces of interest he had seen before: asteroids that are rich in resources, stars with harsh and inhabitable environments, unstable pocket dimensions, and other ces as well. Sris Prime was decently sized, especially for the future territory of humans. Cedric made sure to ce borders and secure them in ce to prevent other people from discovering where Prime Earth was. Of course, to those who stood at the peak of the Divine Council, his little security measures were useless. They could wave a hand, and everything he worked so hard for would be erased, just like that. That said, a person of that caliber must be incredibly bored, or at least have a personal grudge against humans for doing something like that. Because usually powerful people like them had bigger fish to fry, some disdains acting against people of lower status than them. So really, the only ones that Cedric should be worried about were races that were just slightly more advanced and stronger than humans. But now that he reached the Grand Sr Grandmaster stage in his life evolution, he had the strength to fend them off and give his people more time to develop. The new frontiers wereing along nicely. His people were working hard to colonize thes they had ess to. This operation is still a secret from the masses to prevent causing some hysteria, but to the slightly more influential and powerful people, this matter was an opportunity they can''t miss. Cedric found himself doing this kind of adventure frequently these past few years. Either he''s contempting about grand sr conceptws or doing this. Of course, it''s a given that he''d spend time with his wives, but all things considered, Cedric quite often finds himself restless and antsy. He space-walked close to Prime Earth and admired it from afar. His eyes then gazed at the sun hovering over the horizon, blessing all life in the vicinity with its brilliance and warmth. That sun was something he created. He was the Sun Sage after all. It took him a surprising amount of effort to create a real sun, but he managed in the end. Now, Prime Earth and humans could see and feel the light and warmth of a real sun. This one isn''t a poor imitation anymore; it''s the real deal. Actually, the sun he created was leagues better than the old sun that this sr system had, and that''s because Cedric created it ording to hisprehension of conceptws that have reached the grand sr level. This sun was the best he could create in his current state. The sun he made could grow simply by existing. No, it wouldn''t grow to a point where it will incinerate everything in its vicinity, though it could eventually do that. Cedric didn''t just create a whole sun just to be a decoration or to just return true sunlight to his people. This thing is part of the cogs that will eventually be an intricate system that will protect not only Prime Earth but also the entire Sris Prime. But that''s a distant matter for now. After all, this thing needs time to grow, and there are many things missing for Cedric''s grand formation. And of course, if there was a sun, there must be a moon as well. Cedric made one and ced it closer to Prime Earth. And just like the sun, this small celestial body has its own secrets as well. With the Sun and Moon around, whatever''s missing in this sr system has been filled. All others will be a new addition from here on out. Cedric felt a huge sense of aplishment after making this. After all, he did fulfill one of his earlier promises to himself and his people. After admiring his home from the perspective of a god, Cedric returned to his home at the Sky Pce. The Sky Pce has expanded since he created it. The space inside was almost as huge as Prime Earth itself. Cedric was admittedly too eager when he expanded this realm. His excuse was because he was preparing a ce where his children could grow up healthy and happy. It sure sounds a little too much to give them an entire world''s worth of space for a yground, but Cedric didn''t think so. After all, he''s excited to be a father. Cedric appeared within the halls where one of his wives was. It''s Isabe who''s reading a book while enjoying ssical music. She wore a faint smile on her face that no other people aside from her sisters and her husband would see in her. He sat beside her, and she automatically leaned on his shoulders. He took out a te of fruits seemingly out of nowhere and began feeding her as she read. He heard a sigh offort from her as he did this. "How''s your stroll? See anything interesting?" She asked without peeling her gaze away from her book. "Same old, same old," he replied casually. "I''ve seen everything worth noting in there. Though I did double-check the formation just to make sure that they''re working alright." "And how did that go?" "Fine. Everything''s working in perfect order. It doesn''t need to be monitored, truly. But it''s still wise to check it from time to time so I might have to return every now and then." This time, Isabe shifted her gaze to him. Her piercing sky blue eyes met his golden pair, and time seemingly froze between the two of them. After staring at him for some time, Isabe sighed and snuggled deeper into his body. Then she said: "You know that we could tell, right? You don''t really have to pretend around us." "..." "It''s okay, we''ll be fine. Trust your judgement. You''ve worked so hard for all this. Nothing will happen to us; you''ve already made sure of that. So, go ahead and pursue your goals." Cedric couldn''t say anything to that. He couldn''t say that he''s surprised that his wives noticed his mood. He knew that he''s not doing a good job at concealing it in the first ce. There''s no denying it at this point. Cedric was bored. So much so that he''s slowly getting tired of staying in Prime Earth. There were a few reasons why he felt this way, but the main one was that he hasn''t had a good fight in a while. Sure, the strength of his wivesbined could make him sweat, but he doesn''t enjoy tiring them out that way. His battle with the Demon God was extremely disappointing; he barely tried back then, and the leader of the Space Pirates had already crumbled to nothingness. Cedric has also seen everything Sris Prime could offer. He could also predict what''s going to happen in a few years, and that makes everything in his perspective to be moving so slowly. The only saving grace he had was the anticipation of his wives'' conception, but even that was happening a little too slowly for his liking, but he couldn''t me it on them or himself. Sure, Cedric could focus on training and cultivation. Unfortunately, even with theplete recovery of Prime Earth in addition to the things he left to increase the quality of energy within it, it''s hardly enough for Cedric''s use. Even if he were to enter a hundred-year seclusion in here, he would only achieve a minor realm advancement in his cultivation base at best. Practicing his sword arts here will be risky since even one single swing of his when he''s in serious mode could slict the in half. Hell, just releasing 100% of his aura here could possibly damage the immensely. Hence, any form of real training can''t be done here. All Cedric could really do was meditate peacefully and empty his mind. Doing so staves off his restlessness, but it also doesn''t do anything helpful beyond that. And thus, he''s stuck in this mood. He wants to do something productive¡ªhe wants to return to the tower, but he keeps on postponing it because he doesn''t want to leave his wives behind. Especially since if he goes there now, he''d go there with his physical body. "I think I can endure for some more time. It doesn''t have to happen this early." "They said that they will wait for you until you reach 500 years old. You can''t be thinking of dying it until you''re that old, right? That''s toote." Isabe frowned. "You''d be way past your prime by then, and your fighting spirit will be weakened by time." Isabe then sat upright and looked at him solemnly before saying, "You don''t have to endure this. This isn''t me guilt-tripping you either. We can tell you want to go, so just go. We''ll be fine here, and we believe that you''lle back to us alive and intact." Seeing the determined look on his wife''s face, Cedric could only sigh. He held her hand, kissed it, and said, "I''ll go talk to Chrissy and Erica first." Chapter 387: Return to the Tower of Prodigies -- [Wee back, Dawnbringer.] The cheerful and mechanical voice of the tower''s AI greeted him the moment he appeared at The Lobby. Cedric felt a strong nostalgia despite the familiar sight around him. ''I still returned here earlier than I intended.'' Cedric thought to himself. He nced at the familiar interior of the lobby and still felt the same ironic feeling as if he never left home with how familiar everything in here was to him. It wasn''t because he spent a lot of time here but because all the items, furniture, and even some of the interior design of the lobby bear a striking resemnce to human aesthetics. Originally, Cedric wanted to wait until he''s at least 100 years old in his world before returning here. He had up until 500 years old before he was disqualified anyway, so he wanted to apany his wives and their future children for some time before facing any challenges that remain here for him. However, his wives insisted that they''re fine and that he could leave with the assurance that they''d still be safe and sound until he returns. He did all that he could to ensure not only theirs but also the entire humanity''s safety, and he should trust his judgement. They didn''t want to be an excessive burden to him. Just as he wanted the best for them, they too want Cedric to reach his full potential, and they all knew that Cedric haspletely outgrown Prime Earth already. After scanning his surroundings for a bit, Cedric took a deep breath and checked himself to see if he could sense something different. There was a difference, and it''s pretty obvious to him. After all, he did return here this time with his physical body. To him, this ce can no longer be mistaken as a virtual reality. Well, it never was to begin with, but since only his consciousness was sent here in addition to the time difference between here and his reality, it never felt''real'' to him. Back then, he sometimes felt that this ce was just a virtual reality created to help out the poor people of the lower worlds. But it''s different now. The clear and crisp feedback he''s receiving by interacting with this ce made everything feel more real. It feels weird, but it''s something he had to get used to as soon as he could. "Am I still using my old room here?" Cedric asked the AI. [Indeed. But there have been some upgrades now that you''ve returned. Please check them out yourself. If you need any further assistance, don''t hesitate to ask.] "Upgrades, huh?" Cedric was amused. He began making his way to his private room here. So far, he hasn''t seen any of the friends he made here. He figured that they must''ve been busy. The group chat has also been strangely quiet recently. Even the most talkative ones like Howler, Backpack Fatty, Morning Wood, and Eunuch Wei had been strangely silenttely. It made Cedric wonder if something happened while he''s gone or if they''re just really too busy to make some noise. Either way, he''d figure it outter. He didn''t bother asking the AI either since, aside from confirming whether they''re still around or not, it wouldn''t reveal any personal information about them since it''s forbidden from doing so. The door quite literally swallowed him whole, which surprised him a bit. He could''ve stopped it, but he didn''t feel any ill intent, just a strong attraction towards somewhere, so he allowed himself to be pulled. His vision spun for a bit before stabilizing; once it did, the so-called upgrades in his room became obvious to him. "Oh, wow. How generous." Cedric raised a brow in surprise upon seeing the changes in his room. Previously, his room appeared to be located in an empty meadow, surrounded by a vast field of grass. It looked humble and wasrge enough for his use. He was provided with a straw hut with a modernized interior. The hut was inside a fenced area; it has a small garden and a low-grade spiritualke that has been a huge help to him. All of this was provided to him for free by simply being fortunate enough to be here. Now though, everything he knew about it had changed. For starters, he no longer appeared on a modest and peaceful meadow like before. Instead, he found himself standing on a sea of white and fluffy clouds. Each step he took felt like he''s strolling at the skies, quite literally. Each breath he took filled him with energy and deep-seatedfort. He could feel the warmth of the sun shining down on him. The sun felt so close, and since it''s an element, he thrived in this connection. Above him, there''s a vast, clear blue sky dotted with distant celestial bodies. Cedric had the impression that if he zoomed in at any with his eyes, he''d actually see what they''re like. That this isn''t just some virtual reality space. Strolling for quite some time, he found an ind floating above the clouds. There is a humble mansion at its center. The ind was rich in life and conceptws, at least ten times richer than what Prime Earth has. Cedric slowed down upon reaching the ind and took his time familiarizing himself with this new world. He''smunicating with nature, introducing himself in a gentle and friendly manner to make sure that this ce doesn''t turn hostile to him. By the time he reached the mansion, he could also feel the concepts of the world recognizing him as a friendly citizen. He entered the mansion and wasn''t disappointed nor surprised by what he saw inside. The strange feeling of familiarity returned though; that seems to be the theme here for him. It has everything one could expect from a mansion. If Cedric didn''t know that AI was responsible for this, he''d suspect that this mansion was built by humans for him, and that would''ve been really strange. The most important thing about this upgrade though was not the sea of clouds, the ind, or this mansion. They could''ve given him a stone bed or something and he''d bepletely fine with it. What really surprised Cedric was the discovery of the A-grade Spiritual Lake in this ce. Previously, he only had a C-grade Spiritual Lake, which had been an immense help to him. Thatke allowed him to advance by leaps and bounds, making it possible to reach the level of strength he had now. Of course, the difference between a C-grade and an A-grade Spiritual Lake was immense. Comparing the two wouldn''t be fair at all. That see of clouds earlier? Yeah, that''s no ordinary cloud. It never was and never will. Those were formed from the excessive abundance of energies here. That''s the ke'' part of this A-grade Spiritual Lake. The air in this ce was already overcharged with energy. Just by taking deep breaths, Cedric could feel himself rxing, and his strength was steadily rising as well, but at a snail''s pace. But if he were to actively cultivate here, though? His progress will be much faster than this. The clouds out there were formed from the excessive condensation of enegies here. Cedric could freely devour them to advance his cultivation even further. All in all, this was a wonderful upgrade. One that Cedric never expected he was going to get. And that made him curious. "System? Why the sudden upgrades? I don''t want to sound suspicious of your generosity, but I don''t remember doing anything that prompts this change." [It''s a service upgrade, Dawnbringer. You deserve it for making it this far at the trials. Besides, the previous environment you''re in will only stagnate your cultivation. And as one of the tower''s challengers, we''re not keen on letting your potential wither when we can obviously do something about it. [Don''t fret, Dawnbringer. We won''t charge any additional fees for this upgrade. We simply gave you what you deserved. [Besides, we''re only lending you this ce, so don''t feel burdened. We suggest you take advantage of it as much as you can while you''re here.] "I see. Thanks!" That made sense. He shouldn''t care about why they gave him these things. He should just be happy that he got them and make sure he makes the most of it. "Well, I''m not in a hurry to go into the trials right now. I should re-familiarize myself in my full power again since I couldn''t do so in Prime Earth." Cedric felt that if he released the true weight of his aura on Prime Earth, he would cause some disaster. After all, he''s too strong for that world. However, this ce was different. He could already tell that this ce could not only endure whatever he could dish out but also make things more interesting for him. And so, now that he has a yground, he figured that it''s best to re-discover just how powerful he truly was so that he could be ready for his uing 6th trials. Chapter 388: Titanic Cage -- ¡¯Something¡¯s really off here.¡¯ Cedric stared somberly at the floating system window in front of him. He initially thought that his fellow challengers of the same lobby were just busy with their trials, but it seems that the issue was deeper than that. He said this because none of them have responded to his chat. They haven¡¯t even seen it, either. Now, this isn¡¯t him feeling disappointed that he¡¯s not getting the attention he wants. He knew that this was weird because usually, even if they didn¡¯t feel like chatting, at the very least they would see the chat, and the system would indicate that they indeed had seen it. Even the grumpiest one here, which is Hermit, would at least look at the chat because, despite his apparent dislike of noises, he could be very nosy at times. Cedric has discovered that even though Hermit doesn¡¯t use the chat very often, he¡¯s still updated on everyone¡¯s topic. Yet this time, even the nosy dwarf hasn¡¯t opened the chat. And for some reason, that is rather concerning for Cedric, making him think that something bad happened to them. ¡¯This is useless though.¡¯ ¡¯So what if I knew that something was up? It¡¯s not like I could help them. I¡¯m stuck here until I clear the 6th stage of the trials.¡¯ Yes, this was one of the stiptions of his trial this time. That is, he can¡¯t leave unless he clears it. He still hasn¡¯t gone through the doors yet, so he has yet to know what challenges he¡¯s up against, but from his experiences so far? It¡¯d be shocking if it turns out to be easy. Shaking the unnecessary thoughts out of his head, Cedric decided to stop procrastinating. He went out of his room, feeling sufficiently ready to face the 6th stage of the trials. He marched through the hallway and stood in front of the doors that looked the same as he knew them. These doors led to the trials of the body, the mind, and the Spirit. He needs to clear all three to pass the current stage and move on to the next. Cedric twisted the door open, and he was sucked inside. The force was too strong to resist, so he didn¡¯t bother. He felt the world spinning around him and his senses dulling. Even if he wanted to prevent this from happening, he couldn¡¯t because he¡¯s still too weak to do so. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of arge hall. Towering pirs surrounded him, but strangely enough, the ceiling was open, revealing murky and empty skies. The pirs were huge; they stood taller than anything he had seen, piercing the sky itself even. Each pir looked ancient. It¡¯s as if they¡¯ve been around for longer than the oldest race known to the alliance. The surface was cracked, but it still had the aura of certain stability, like it¡¯s warning everyone who looked at it not to get any funny ideas. The pirs were connected by enormous chains, forming some kind of closure where Cedric stood. He felt so small here, and both the pirs and the chains looked like they¡¯re used or made by an ancient Titan. ** [Wee to the 6th Stage of the Mind Trial] [You¡¯re inside the Titanic Cage and your task is to free yourself.] [Any and all methods you can think of are valid so long as the end result leaves you intact and alive, which will mean the clearance of this trial.] [You have 100 years of tower time toplete this trial. You maye and go as you please.] [Your results will be judged ording to your performance. Good luck!] ** "Well..." Cedric trailed off as he stared at the cage he was in. There was a slightly bitter expression on his face as he realized just how troublesome this can get. Even though he has no idea who created this cage; he guessed that it may be an Ancient Titan of somebody from the Dragon n, he could still tell what materials were used for its creation. ¡¯Timeless Godstones grounded into cement and Wrought Sacrlet Steel for the pirs. The chains were an alloy that consists of Ascended Heavenly Iron, Void Stones, and Primal Chaos Ore.¡¯ ¡¯How the hell am I supposed to break free from here?¡¯ Continue reading stories on NovelBin.C?m Timeless Godstones were rare natural resources that were far older than the alliance itself. It¡¯s one of the toughest materials out there that only the six leading races could process. To think that it grounded to be cement for the creation of these pirs was far more impressive than the sight before him. Wrought Scarlet Steel was something that could only be harvested under extreme conditions. There¡¯s this world called the Asura ne, an idental ce of unceasing ughter. This material can only be found there, and it¡¯s formed through the coagtion and condensation of blood, guts, and steel. It¡¯s also a very rare resource because, from what he knew, only a hundred kilograms of wrought steel could be produced even in 10 years, and that¡¯s of the lowest quality. Rarer ones need more time and stricter conditions to appear. These two materialsbined to form this pir already gave him a headache. As for the materials that were used to create the chains, the Ascended Heavenly Iron starts off as any othermon iron out there. Only gifted smiths with outstanding luck could refine them into a Heavenly Iron, which was usually enough to bestow them the title of a Heavenly Smith. But if they continue to refine the Heavenly Iron, where it gives birth to a spirit, attracts Heavenly Tribtion, and survives, the Heavenly Iron turns into an Ascended Material. Whoever makes it will be called a Godsmith, a status that is respected throughout the alliance. As for how tough the Ascended Heavenly Iron was, Cedric can¡¯t exin it. After all, he has never tried breaking one before, especially since this was his first time seeing one face-to-face. Void Stones are materials fetched from outside the Divine Council¡¯s territory. Many spoke of the horrors of that ce, and even somebody from the six leading races would find it difficult to survive out there. Thus, gathering this material proves its value and rarity. The Primal Chaos Ore could be found within the Divine Council¡¯s territory, though it¡¯s not as essible as it looks. Getting even a few pieces of it will be far more difficult than reaching the cosmic level of life evolution since these resources were strictly controlled by ¡¯The Six¡¯. Ascended Heavenly Iron, Void Stones, and Primal Chaos Ores were used to create an alloy that formed these chains. Even the dumbest person on the can tell that severing these chains would be a nightmare. Cedric took a deep breath to protect himself from being caught up with the seemingly overwhelming difficulty of this trial. Sure, breaking free from the prison made out of the toughest materials recorded in the alliance¡¯s history sounds far more difficult than facing the killing intent of the whole-ass world. In fact, it¡¯s nearly impossible to do so. ¡¯But this is the mind trial.¡¯ Cedric chanted within himself. This isn¡¯t the trial of spirit or body. This was a challenge directed towards his intellect and wisdom. While the difficulty of his trial was set to dynamic, the tower wouldn¡¯t give him an impossible task since that¡¯s unfair. As soon as he opened his eyes, Cedric expanded his senses, making sure to observe every nook and cranny of this Titanic cage he¡¯s in. Instead of striking first, he had to think here. ¡¯There has to be a way or two to pass this trial. I just have to find it.¡¯ He mused inwardly. And since Cedric¡¯s senses were sharper than most, he noticed more things that others usually ignored. It¡¯s because of this that he managed toe this far to the trials after all. Cedric ignored both the pirs and the chains for how. These humongous could easily distract him and remind him of the seemingly impossible task before him, which is of no help at all. Instead, he focused on what¡¯s between. It¡¯s called a cage, but its appearance was a bit misleading. Sure, he¡¯s surrounded with thingsrger than he was, and yes, he¡¯s also stuck inside. But for the most part, there wererge gaps that Cedric could easily take advantage of due to his small size. But of course, that would be too easy. If he could just get out that way, then this wouldn¡¯t have been the 6th stage of the trial. Cedric already tried, and there¡¯s an invisible barrier that¡¯s preventing him from slipping away. That barrier was unusually dense, making him certain that no amount of brute force he could exert would be enough to break it. Cedric didn¡¯t lose hope though. He roamed within the cage, inspecting every square inch of the ce, hoping to find out some answers. After thinking for a bit, a strange idea came to him. ¡¯Hmm, can I try underground?¡¯ Chapter 389: Hitless Endurance Trial -- ¡¯Oh, man. This is stressful.¡¯ Cedric groaned as he kept observing the prison he was in. Even though he adjusted his mentality and focused his senses into finding a solution for this problem, he just couldn¡¯t see any viable way to clear this trial. The Titanic Cage was huge, and the materials it was made from were gigantic as well. There were many gaps in between, but none were passable, even though it looks like he could easily fit in them. The strange enchantment of the cage prevented him from exploiting those gaps like that. Cedric tried looking for any fragile or weak spot around the cage. He searched left, right, up, and down but still hasn¡¯t found anything after a week of observation. ¡¯And no, underground doesn¡¯t work either.¡¯ He also tried waiting to see if something would change inside the cave as time passed, but so far, there¡¯s nothing of the sort. ¡¯Okay, let¡¯s not be anxious here.¡¯ He told himself, ¡¯You¡¯ve got a hundred years to clear this. Retreat for now and check the other trials.¡¯ Upon making this decision, Cedric sighed and willed himself to exit the trial space. He felt a warp swallowing him up. When his vision was clear, he found himself standing before the door that led to the Trial of Mind once more. He chose to enter the Trial of Body this time. Once he did, he felt the familiar warping sensation, and when he came to, he found himself standing at a unique-looking trial grounds once more. The ce reminded him of how his people used to describe Hell in general: a ce filled with noxious gas, scroched earth with pits of magma. The air was scaldingly hot and suffocating, the sky was dark and gloomy, and the aura of despair and evil could be felt everywhere. Cedric has to admit that the Purgatory Realm looked and felt way better than this one. But he¡¯s not here topare the two; he¡¯s here to see what he needs to do to clear this trial. ** [Wee to the 6th Stage of the Body Trial] [Your goal is to survive this hell for 72 hours without getting hit even once. Defending against an attack counts as a hit; so does a graze that touches your skin; taking even the smallest and most negligible attack from your enemies that you can usually ignore or that doesn¡¯t hurt you also counts as hit.] [Any and all methods you can think of are valid, so long as the unique stiptions of this trial were met.] [You have 100 years of tower time toplete this trial. You maye and go as you please.] [Your results will be judged ording to your performance. Good luck!] ** Cedric¡¯s eyes shed between the system¡¯s message and the huge hourss hovering above the realm that¡¯s quickly running out. His mind analyzed the rules of the trial as he made as many preparations as he could before this hell started. The rules were pretty straightforward as always, and in his experience, quite literal as well. Discover hidden stories at NovelBin.C?m The stiptions were simple: just don¡¯t get hit by any attacks of the enemies. So long as he couldst for 72 hours while doing that, he could clear this trial. "But this wouldn¡¯t be the Tower of Prodigies if it gave easy trials," Cedric muttered as he summoned his sword. It didn¡¯t take long before the timer ran out. As soon as it did, he immediately sensed his enemies manifesting all over the ce. Cedric¡¯s senses were already primed. Even before theypletely manifested, he was already predicting what they were going to look like while also gauging their strength. He smiled wryly upon receiving the initial feedback. The enemies that spawned just now were at least thousands in number; the weakest of them were equivalent to theary grandmaster realm in life evolution. Sure, they¡¯re much weaker than him, and he could easily deal with them, but all things considered, these enemies were already strong. Cedric couldn¡¯t actually tell what kind of creatures they were. He had never seen nor heard of them before. It could be possible that they were unique creations instead of an actual race that exists in reality; it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the AI of this tower to do something like this, after all. Ironically, this situation reminds him so much of Hell Dives. He could already tell that the more enemies he killed, the more would spawn. And it should be the case. After all, while thousands of enemies sounds like a lot, if they¡¯re only this strong, Cedric wouldn¡¯t even break a sweat dealing with all of them. He could clear all of them within seconds. What gave it away was the condition that he has tost for 72 hours here without getting hit. Roar! All of the creatures roared and snarled at him the moment theypletely manifested into being; they wasted no time and rushed at him with maws wide and ws pouncing. Cedric took a step forward and held the hilt of his sword firmly. With a faint grunt, he executed a horizontal sh that cleaved through their numbers mercilessly. Blood, guts, and bones exploded everywhere. Cedric remained mostly indifferent about this since he¡¯s used to mass ugther like this, but then he remembered the unique stiption of this trial. Time seemingly crawled into a halt as a question filled his mind while looking at the disgusting remains of his enemies. ¡¯Will that also count as a hit?¡¯ Time resumed, and just to be safe, Cedric evaded the rain of blood, guts, and bones. He even hovered a few meters above the ground, stepping on air instead, just to make sure that he wouldn¡¯t identally end this attempt this early. And as it turns out, his initial guess was proven to be correct; this is indeed another Hell Dive because more of these creatures spawned as soon as he killed a lot of them. Cedric wasn¡¯t surprised by this. The only thing he had to be wary of was getting hit. As for the rest, it¡¯s all the same to him. Now that he sees this as just another Hell Dive, Cedric¡¯s body rxed, and he subconsciously optimized his movement to ensure that he could conserve as much energy tost as long as he needed to while also paying attention to enemy attacks, all to clear the 6th stage of the body trials. Whether he¡¯s being observed by the staff of not was unknown, but if it was, then they¡¯d probably be shocked by his performance. Well, dealing with masses of enemies alone isn¡¯t really a strange feat for the challengers. Some would say that it¡¯s the bare minimum requirement for them to qualify in this ce. After all, the tower only epts the cream of the crop. That said, the unique challenges of the tower expose challengers to strange situations to squeeze out more of their potential. They even went as far as personalizing trial contents for the really impressive challengers to give them more pressure. Cedric¡¯s trials have always been like that, especially since he chose Dynamic Difficulty and has been showing fantastic results so far. They would¡¯ve never thought that the reason why he¡¯sbat capabilities were so strong and sharp was because he was forcibly thrown into hell each month to face thousands upon thousands of enemies that only wanted to tear him apart piece by piece. So if they see him adapting to this challenge like it¡¯s nothing new to him, of course they¡¯d be shocked. Because in their eyes, it shouldn¡¯t be that fast and easy. Cedric didn¡¯t care if he¡¯s being watched or not. Even if he was and he learned about it, nothing would¡¯ve changed for him. Having their attention doesn¡¯t change his goals here. Cedric¡¯s body weaved through hordes of enemies with so much familiarity, even though this was the first time he encountered them. His sword shed dangerously, sweeping through hundreds of his foes easily with a single swing. Golden fire and light bathed thends, raising the already suffocating heat of this ce even higher. As he moved, Cedric paid close attention to any signs of dangering his way. He dodged all projectiles they sent, making sure that none even touched the hem of his robes. His eyes also shed with a strange light, observing every movement of his enemies and paying attention if they would do something weird orunch any invisible attack that he couldn¡¯t trace. All things considered, Cedric was doing fine. At least he thought so. But then... Tick! Weng! [Attempt failed!] "What!?" He eximed, dumbfounded. He didn¡¯t even see what happened. He only heard an extremely faint sound, which didn¡¯t even register as a threat or a hit, yet that already spelled the failure for his first attempt. In a rush, he tried looking around, searching for the source of whatever that was, but failed to see anything. Not even a trace was avable. Cedric could only helplessly groan as he saw his enemies melting in a puddle of good and his consciousness being swept away. By the time he opened his eyes, he¡¯s already back at the lobby, standing before the trial doors. Chapter 390: Rewrite the Past -- Cedric got rid of any displeasure he felt about his unexpected failure at the Trial of Body just now. He just alluded to something he''s not expecting and decided not to beat himself over it too much. He decided to move on and check what awaited him at the Trial of Spirit. He went in and experienced the same force that sucked him in, transporting him to apletely new location. When his vision returned, he was surprised to find himself standing on an entirely different reality. How could he tell that he''s in a different reality? Well, for starters, his body has changed. He became much younger; a huge bulk of his hard-earned muscles were gone; his altitude field became lower, signifying that he shrank. But most importantly, he felt his senses very sluggish. His thoughts moved at a snail''s pace; the kind of vision his eyes provided him hadpletely disappeared, and finally, he felt so weak that it frightened him a little. With what little he had to work with, the only reasonable logic his ''nerfed'' mind could conclude is that he''s in an alternate reality. A world where he''s young and weak again. ''Not gonna lie, I don''t really miss this part of me.'' Done observing whatever he could about himself, he turned his attention to his surroundings. Here, he discovered more clues that just made him more certain of his assumptions. First, he knows where he''s at. This tiny room he''s in, the posters on the wall, the small cab next to the bedside table, the tinymp at said bedside table, the toys, scattered shirts that fit his tiny and weak body, the freshly ironed school uniform hanging next to the windows, the wooden floors stained with scratch marks here and there, and the scent ofvender filling the room... ''It''s my room.'' He inwardly mused. To be more precise, it''s the same room he had when he was still a child. He should be around 7 to 8 years old now. ''Which also means that...'' "Ceddie! You need to get up, Bud! If you don''t, your mother will wake you up instead." That deep and gritty voiceing from outside of his room shook Cedric out of his reverie. The sound reverberated through his entire being, causing him to feel a wave of emotions and memories that he had buried a long time ago. "I-I''m up! I''ll be down in a bit." He responded with a wince, cringing at how pitchy his voice turned out due to his youth. His voice quavered a bit due to his unstable emotions. It was a little difficult for him to control it in this current state of his. He stood up and did his best to move ording to what his instincts told him to do. He faintly remembered his routine during these days, but they were all blurry, so he''s just winging it for the most part, all while trying to make sense of what''s happening around him. Cedric went to the bathroom to wash up; he moved in a hurry, as if he''s runningte for some reason. Once he''s out of the bath, he wears the uniform he saw earlier as well as his shoes. Hebed his hair, grabbed his bag, and took a deep breath before stepping out of his tiny room. Each step he took was a little shaky. His heart was hammering on his chest for some unknown reason, and he felt great anticipation. Once he descended on the stairs, he was greeted by the scent of freshly made food. He saw a neatly arranged table and a couple of people sitting in front of it. He paused in his steps in shock. His mind blurred for a bit, but it was also strangely hyperfixated on the faces of the people he saw. It was his family¡ªhis mother, father, and his two younger siblings. He already had a guess earlier but was just too scared to admit it. Nobody aside from his father called him ''Ceddie'', ''Bud'', or ''Buddy'' so that was a dead giveaway. Yet still... seeing them here, in the flesh, smiling at him alive, and well... he feels the urge to cry for some reason, but be bravely put on a front. ''It''s weird...why do I feel this way? Why does it feel like I haven''t seen them in a long time?'' ''Did I have a nightmare or something?'' Inwardly shrugging, little Ceddie decided to toss away these unnecessary thoughts. He joined them on the table, and for breakfast, his heart felt full for some reason, making him strangely affectionate and happy. After breakfast, he brushed his teeth and hopped on his dad''s bike. He will send him to the primary school as their usual routine during weekdays. His mother will take his siblings to the daycare herself. Ceddie will be in school for six hours. During this time, he felt strangely aware for some reason. He found himself more observant, more attentive, and a lot quieter. It''s like he''smitting everything to memory for some unknown reasons. He also found the activities and exams a little easier than before. It felt so weird because he''s aware that he isn''t usually like this. But despite its strangeness, he didn''t hate it. If anything, he wished he could be like this every day. After school, he found his dad already waiting for him at the school gates. He asked him how his day went, and little Ceddie animatedly told him most of it, except for the strange awareness he''s experiencing so far. Chapter Discover: This same awareness saw the fondness on his dad''s face as he listened while driving the bike. It also picked up on the slight weariness on his face as well as his aging visage that made little Ceddie sad for some reason. Upon returning home, he spent time ying with his siblings and asking them how their day went like his father did to him. After that, he did his homework (which he''s sure he aced because of his surprising smartness right now) and then joined his family for dinner. As their bedtime approached, he returned to his room, bathed again, brushed his teeth, and wore his pajamas. His mother came into his room with a ss of milk and avender-scented candle, which she lit up as she read him a bedtime story. Right before slumber took him, he felt her nting a kiss on his forehead before quietly leaving his room. This has been the routine for the most part. Little Ceddie lived every day as he usually does, but as time went on, his sense of awareness was increasing day by day. Days turned to months, and months turned to years. Eventually, the day of his awakening ceremony came. He woke upte and was immediately nervous. He prayed that he gets a decent ss temte so he could work as a superhero and give his family a better life. He''s been training hard all these years. He also studied hard whenever he could. His parents always tell him that no matter what kind of ss temte he awakens, he''ll turn out to be awesome. His siblings also looked up to him greatly because of his maturity. In the end, he got his wish; he awakened the swordsman temte. It''s a prettymon temte and a decent one too. This day should''ve been a happy one. They had ns on celebrating outside for a while. Then, tomorrow, his dad will enroll him in a training camp where he could explore his full potential so that he could survive his Hell Dives. But all of that went down the drain in a blink of an eye. Despite his awareness, she warned him of the obvious threat. Little Ceddie found himself unable to change anything. He was forced to watch as his beloved family died in front of him, killed by demons who appeared out of nowhere and ruined this day for him. His newly awakened ss temte failed to give him any form of advantage against the murderers. At some point, Cedric found himself watching as the authorities cremated the remains of his family. He felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment in himself because, in the end, he still failed. ''This is hard...'' He thought to himself. Even though he had seen this scene many times before, it''s still as painful as the first time he experienced this loss. At this point, he already knew that this would never be painful for him. By the time he received the ashes of his family, the scenery around him shattered like ss. He found himself returning to the actual reality and his rity returning to him. A deep frown marred his face with a trace of helplessness within. ''Another failed attempt.'' He mused inwardly as he stared at the floating system window in front of him. ** [Trial of Spirit: 6th Stage] [Your task is to rewrite your past the way you want it to be. However, you''re only allowed to nt a single subconscious thought or influence on your past self.] [This is aprehensive trial; so long as you''ve made a substantial change in your past as you remembered it, it will be considered as passing this stage.] [Of course, the more impactful the changes you made, the more generous your rewards will be.] [You have 99/1000 attempts to clear this trial.] ** ''Even after 10 years, it''s still hard to make a substantial difference, it seems.'' Chapter 391: Time Skip, Reunion -- Time flows fast whenever he''s here. No, it isn''t because someone was deliberately messing with his perception or interfering with the flow of time; he''s just really upied that he forgets how much time passes by. In a blink of an eye, he had already spent 10 years here. It wasn''t that long, but it''s a considerable amount of time, too. Cedric has been making decent progress in his trials; at the Trial of Mind, he has found a way to breakthrough the cage; at the Trial of Body, he could alreadyst for a whole day. As for the Trial of Spirit, this one''s a little moreplicated. The trial was rather simple, as most of the trials were, but that doesn''t mean that it''s easy. He just needed to make an impactful change in his past. The caveat is that he could only nt a single subconscious/subliminal thought or idea in his incarnation. Once he decides what it''s going to be, the trial will begin, and his youngest memories will y out before him. Chapter Discover: He will be inplete immersion right away; at first, he would remain conscious enough to know that he''s in a trial, but that wouldn''tst long. Eventually, he will lose himself in it and could only hope that the arrangements he made before the immersion make a substantial difference since that''s the only way he''d clear this trial. What makes this hard were the unique stiptions of the trial. He could only nt a single subconscious influence on his psyche and hope that things go well. At first, he used ideas like be more observant, be more hardworking, be smarter, be braver, etc. But all of them failed to make any difference. Initially, he thought that if he could do something before theplete immersion happens (the part at the start of the trial where he''s still aware that he''s in a trial), he could also leave more influence behind and steer the attempt in the direction he had in mind. But the mechanics of the trial were thorough, making all attempts at this fail. The only real way to pass this trial was to leave behind a conclusive and extremely detailed subconscious thought as the memory ys out and hope that it does the job. So far though, no such luck of that happening. Fortunately, he isn''t pressed with time yet and could still afford to experiment some more. Cedric disliked this trial because it forced him to live out the worst moments of his life. He was forced to witness the death of his loved ones again and again, even though he tried his best to change its oue. The pain doesn''t go away; it won''t numb with constant exposure either. To Cedric, it feels just as painful as if he first experienced it, and he''s convinced that nothing will change that at this point. But for the sake of the future, he had to endure this; he had to pass this trial despite his growing dislike of it. On another note, Cedric''s cultivation has been advancing at a decent pace since returning here. Last time, he reached the 1-star Grand Sr Grandmaster stage in Life Evolution. He remained stuck at this stage because of the poor energy density on Prime Earth and on Sris Prime in general. But now, he has already reached the mid-two-star stage within 10 years of returning. He had to thank the privilege he received from the tower for this. If they hadn''t upgraded the spiritualke in his private room, his progress would''ve remained slow. His mastery over skills has long since reached the acme. Now, his focus was on studying Grand Sr Concept Laws to build a solid foundation to reach the cosmic realm in life evolution. It''s still a long way to go, and he''s still not exposed to the true conditions on how to reach that realm, but he''s certain that his understanding of conceptws will y a huge role in it, so he''s building it up as early as now. Cedric has no need to change his cultivation techniques just yet. What he had right now was decent enough until he reaches the peak of the Grand Sr Realm. He also had enough techniques and skills to cover his specialties, so he had no reason to acquire or buy more. If anything, he should be making his own techniques now. After all, the path he paved for himself will be the most suitable one for him to walk on. Aside from training, cultivating, and making attempts at the trials, Cedric would either recall fond memories of him and his wife or check if any of his friends here have returned. These were all the avable things for him to do here anyway. Sadly, none of his fellow challengers have returned yet. Which just solidified the idea that they must''ve experienced some idents even more. He couldn''t help but worry. After all,pared to his home, theirs were far more advanced and richer. Anything they consider a problem would trante into a world-ending threat to Prime Earth, and the fact that all of them were missing didn''t sit well with him. To this end, he decided to use his ace. He contacted Ac, who also returned here the same time as he did to receive more training and be a more important member of the tower, and asked her if something''s wrong with Prime Earth. Fortunately, there''s nothing wrong, making Cedric sigh in relief. Ac wouldn''t lie to him about her state since she knows how much work Cedric put in to ensure herplete recovery. Since Prime Earth was her actual body, she could sense what''s happening to it even when she''s in the tower. Ac could even update him about his wives if he so desired, but Cedric didn''t bother asking. It''s enough to him that his home was safe, because if it was, then it means that his wives are also safe. He didn''t want to abuse this backdoor too much since he''s already pushing his luck. The fact that the tower staff allowed something like this (and yes, they allowed it. Cedric doesn''t believe, even for a second, that his connection to Ac wasn''t known to the tower staff) could already be considered cheating, yet they ignored it. Cedric didn''t want to identally disqualify himself because of carelessness. ** "Howler? Eunuch Wei? And...is that you, Backpack Fatty!? Geez guys, you look like shit. What happened?" A couple more years passed in Cedric solitude. One day, as he was about to start his routine activities, he sensed the presence of three people appearing in the lobby. It was Howler the Werewolf, Eunuch Wei of the Angel n, and Backpack Fatty the Mountain Giant who looked thinner and sick for some reason. Actually, all three of them look sick. Howler was missing patches of his fur; there''s also arge diagonal scar on his chest, which looked rtively fresh. Eunuch Wei looked as if he hadn''t slept in years. The vibrancy of his aura and his wings had dimmed a lot; there were dark circles under his eyes, and his overall expression was downcast. Backpack Fatty showed the most distressing change. His pudgy belly shrank a lot, and his craggly skin (due to being a mountain giant) looked dry and stained with some dark patches here and there. His whole being exuded overwhelming exhaustion, and his mood was definitely somber. "Oh, Dawnbringer! Hey, man. Long time no see." Howler greeted with a hoarse voice. Eunuch Wei and Backpack Fatty waved at him too, but they seemed too tired to say anything. Their fatigued state rmed Cedric a lot. It wouldn''t have been surprising if only one of them was like that, but for all three of them to appear like this and at the same time too? Yeah, something''s definitely up. And Cedric could feel it in his bones that he knew what it was, or else he''de to regret it. "Sit down, you three; I''ll make some food. It sure looks like you three need it." The mention of feed caused their eyes to light up, followed by the thunderous rumbling of their stomach. The loudest ones were Howler''s and Backpack Fatty. Embarassed by their state, Backpack Fatty smiled shyly at him and said, "Sorry to trouble you; I certainly won''t refuse." "Same here. Thanks, man. You''re a lifesaver." "I, as well, if you don''t mind. I haven''t eaten anything decent in a long while." "No problem. Just sit down and rx. Try not to think too much for now; we''re in the tower so you''re safe. I''ll be back in a jiffy." Cedric responded before making his way to the kitchen. Actually, the kitchen utensils were already moving before he even came close to the area. He''s actually controlling them through telekic force. Fortunately, the tower has never been stingy with food supplies, so Cedric decided to make a goddamn feast because it sure as hell looks like they need it. Their state was truly rming, and if he wants to know what happened, he better makes themfortable to talk first. And what better way to do that than ensuring that they''re well fed first? So, a feast it is. Chapter 392: Hermit Left, Outsiders -- "Hermit left the tower. Why?" This was the first piece of information they brought to his attention as soon as they recovered some liveliness and energy, all thanks to his food. "We didn''t expect it too, but yeah, he left. He did conclude his time here. Ah, don''t think that he''s dead though. That old thing won''t die easily; he voluntarily left," Howler exined. "Tch. That old thing has no respect for his peers. He didn''t even bother saying his goodbyes in person. He just sent notice through the system. He didn''t even bother showing up for thest time. He just got up and left." Eunuch Wei clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "The old man stopped at the 8th Stage of the Trials," Backpack Fatty mentioned. "He could''ve climbed higher, but he decided to drop out instead, which is a damn shame." "...it would''ve been nice if he said it in the chat so I could be informed." Cedric muttered just loud enough for them to hear. "Speaking of which, the chat has been awfully silenttely. Then, after we met for quite some time, I see you three banging up pretty badly. What on earth happened to you?" "Actually, that isn''t too disconnected to the reason why Hermit left early." Backpack Fatty replied, "You see, his home has been in danger all this time. From what we learned, his world and his people were barely surviving. He''s basically the only hope for his world." "Hermit actually didn''t want to be here at first. He wanted to stay in his world and help defeat their enemies. He didn''t mind dying with them, he says. But it''s his elders who urged him toe here and improve his strength." "Hermit''s mind and heart have never been here. He also never yearned for the acknowledgement of the alliance. He just wants to be strong enough to protect his world from the Outsiders," the mountain giant concluded. Cedric was stunned upon hearing this. He didn''t expect this at all. It turns out that their situation was far too simr. "Wait... Outsiders? What are those?" "Their proper name is Void Creatures." Eunuch Wei answered his question this time. "Their home is the Void, the ce outside the primordial universes. They hate creation as a whole and are considered everyone''s mortal enemy since they represent the antithesis to life." Well, that certainly rings a bell to Cedric''s subconsciousness. "The reason why we ended up like this was because of them," Howler revealed. "All of us, minus you, came to Hermit''s world as missionaries and helped him eliminate all of them. It was a hard battle. Hermit even lost his right arm twice; fortunately, Moss Lady was able to stitch it back to him or else his potential would''ve been greatly affected, especially since Hermit was also right-handed." ''Missionaries'' is a role of a diplomat that could be given to pseudo-members of the alliance. It gives them permission to visit other worlds under the alliance''s jurisdiction without any penalties under the assumption that they won''t do anything bad to the ces they visit. Missionaries can also provide aid to any world they''re in should they see fit. "Wait, if you all cane to his world as missionaries, then that means..." "Yep." Howler confirmed Cedric''s guesses. "Hermit did it; he became a member of the alliance. I heard it was his final reward before leaving the tower. It''s only him so far, not his world and his people yet, but still gave him a lot of advantages." "It''s not surprising. After all, Hermit did reach the 8th Stage of the Tower of Prodigies. He was probably scouted by some sects too. Well, he never told us anything, but it''s very likely. After all, that old man is damn talented," Eunuch Wei added. They said that Hermit never really wanted to be part of any of this. That he would rather just live and die with his people. But honestly,ing here and bing a member of the Divine Council is probably the best oue there was for him. After all, just having the status alone allowed him to receive help from his fellow tower challengers. They wouldn''t have been able toe to his world even as missionaries if Hermit didn''t be a member, after all. "That''s good." Cedric muttered again. "But...really, all of you were there, but Hermit still lost his right arm twice? Are Outsiders really that fierce?" "They are," Howler solemnly replied. Cedric could also notice the somber expression on both Eunuch Wei and Backpack Fatty''s faces. "Those fuckers are a huge pain in the ass," Eunich Wei spat. "Their very existence is revolting. They wither all life just by simply existing. They don''t follow any logic or sense; they''re just beings of pure mass and instincts. The kind that is extremely lethal to any and all races within the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm." "That, and Hermit took things very personal during the fight because he lost his wife and kids to them." Backpack Fatty sighed. "He was fully prepared to die fighting them. We literally had to chain him down just to make sure he doesn''t throw himself at them. If Hawkeye didn''t cry and beg for him to use his noggin'' he would''ve continued his recklessness. Whew, that old man sure was exhausting." "True." "Preach." The corners of Cedric''s mouth twitched in amusement at this. "How long did the fightst, anyway?" "50 years," Howler replied, sinking deeper into the soft couch. "Huh? That long?" "That''s already short, Dawnbringer." Eunuch Wei sighed, "Like I said, the Outsiders don''t follow any logic of sense. They could ignore conceptws. A single one could turn as huge as a sr system or as small as an antm freely switching in between sizes without suffering any loss to their strength of mobility." "They could endlessly multiply and turn into a single entity with just a thought. They could turn weak and strong in a flip of a switch. Their forms alternate between illusion andpletely manifestation. Time and distance were meaningless to them. And most importantly, all life they touch withers beyond recovery." "There is no real way to deal with them. At least nothing we know of. Most of the times, we had to rely on reading their patterns and tendencies, or mostly luck to even kill a single one. That''s why the fightsts that long." "The real kicker is that we can never let our guards down against them," Backpack Fatty exined. "We have to consistently make sure that they haven''t corrupted any of us, because yes, they can do that, and once we''re affected, there''s no turning back." "I had to shed a fewyers of my skin simply because of the assumption that I was touched by their goo. Mind you, we''ve maintained our distance from them. The distance between them and us was literally worlds apart as we dealt with them, yet I still have to do this just to give me some peace of mind." "We have to make sure that none of us were carrying any of their remains as we return to our respective worlds. Because even a single speck of them could be an enormous problem for us." "Well, seeing that you''ve sessfully returned here. That means that you guys are clean," Cedricmented. ''That also means that I''m clean as well.'' He thought to himself. "Right. We wouldn''t have been able toe here if we were since the scanners will sense it. The others should be fine too." Backpack Fatty nodded. "We haven''t eaten anything decent in that long." Howler pitifully sank on the couch; he looked drowsy as well. "We also couldn''t sleep that much because we have to stay alert all the time." "Fortunately, we did it." Backpack Fatty sighed in visible relief. "Hermit''s world was safe now. As we speak, it''s being moved closer to the inner circle of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm; it''d be amongst the manys that would be under the direct observation of the alliance simply because Hermit became a member. They won''t experience this kind of crisis again." "I still hate that old man though," Eunuch Wei snorted. "He couldn''t even bring himself to thank us for what we did to him. Ungrateful bastard." "Well, he did say that he owed us one. I''m sure he''d remember what we did for him." Backpack Fatty smiled helplessly. Looking at these three, who looked as if they''re barely awake, Cedric decided to be merciful and let them rest. After all, they haven''t gotten any decent sleep for nearly 50 years now. "Alright, thank you guys for informing me." He said, "You all should return to your rooms and rest. Lord knows you guys need it badly." "I agree. Sorry, Dawnbringer. We''ll hang out with you some other time." "It''s fine, I understand. Go and sleep; don''t think about anything unnecessary." Cedric watched them enter their respective rooms. Once they''re no longer around and he was alone at the reception area, his face turned solemn as he brought out the sealed remains from his inventory. [Challenger, what you have in your hand is an extreme risk to the tower''s sanctity.] Chapter 393: Trade, Tower Master -- [Challenger, what you have in your hand is an extreme risk to the tower''s sanctity.] Cedric would say that he''s surprised that the tower''s AI immediately warned him about taking this thing out, but he''s really not. After all, it has to be one of the most advanced AIs out there. "Apologies. But as you can see, I sealed it quite well... I think." [It is, and that''s the only reason why the guardians of the tower haven''t been rmed yet.] The corners of Cedric''s lips twitched as he heard the AI''s message. Of course it''s programmed to respond that way. After all, what he had in his hand was a soul contaminated by the corpse and remnant soul of an Outsider¡ªan existence that is dangerous to all life. And even though it''s only partially contaminated, it''s still a major risk for the tower. Had Cedric not sealed this thing, he would''ve been able to return to the tower right away, and even if he could, the moment he takes it out, he''d be thrown to Big Han, and their conversation wouldn''t be as pleasant as the first time. [As an AI, my task is to collect information on those whoe and go to the tower. I havepiled several potential possibilities on how you got your hands on such a dangerous thing, but if you don''t mind, I would like to hear it from you directly.] Well, if it says it that way, how can Cedric refuse? And so he began exining the matters that had kept him busy since thest time he left. He talked about their final struggle with the Demon Race and how he personally in the Demon God, who somehow got his hands on the corpse of an Outsider. He also told how the Demon God devoured the corpse to increase his strength yet was still defeated in the end. "Oh, right! Ipletely forgot to do this, but that guy also somehow got his hands on a few people from the Forsaken Race. I don''t know how, obviously. I would''ve searched his soul for answers, but as you can see, the contamination of the Outsider''s primal instincts stopped me from doing just that." [The Forsaken Race? Truly?] "Yes." Cedric nodded with confidence. He then brought out a rather ordinary-looking box covered in runes and said, "Here, you can scan this box. They should be in a deep slumber still. I''ve cleansed them of as much corruption as I could." Cedric felt the scan passing through the box. The restrictions he ced in the box didn''t, or more urately couldn''t, prevent the system from seeing what''s inside. There was a brief silence after the scan happened. Cedric figured that the AI must be going through several programmed protocols to make a decision. He didn''t need to wait that long because the AI replied to him as soon as it was done. [This is a surprising development. One that I did not expect at all.] [Challenger Dawnbringer, both of the things you took out just now were of high value. Yes, though the contaminated soul is dangerous, I can think about several hundred people who''d be interested in it. Not to mention, the Forsaken Race, who are favored by the Wise Dragon n and the Ancient Feys.] [We are interested in both the contaminated soul and all of the members of the Forsaken Race you''ve got. Are you interested as well? ] "Yeah, sure!" Cedric readily agreed. He already nned on surrendering the people of the Forsaken Race to the tower just for the sake of maintaining a pleasant rtionship with them, but trading was also fine. As for the contaminated soul of the Demon God, while he initially wanted to solve the contamination by using the Demon God''s soul as a power source, he figured that it''s better to trade it off instead. He had no way of solving the contamination as he is right now anyway, and he could certainly find more valuable things by exchanging with the tower. Aprehensive list of items unfolded in front of him, making him feel a bit dazzled for a moment. Compared to the list of avable items he could purchase with merit points, this list was far more abundant. He could see things that he had never seen in person before¡ªsome he never even knew existed before. Cedric was excited, of course. He certainly took his time browsing through the list. He made sure to inspect every unknown item to him to gauge their potential value to him. The AI let him be. Neither party was in a hurry for the exchange, and neither were going anywhere so they could take their time. It took Cedric at least four hours of perusing before he made a decision. There were a lot of things on the list, after all. Additionally, he had to weigh his options. "Okay, I''ve made up my mind," Cedric muttered. He dragged a couple of names from the list andpiled it to one side, then he ced the sealed contaminated soul and the box containing the people of the Forsaken Race to the trade window. [Please confirm the trade once you''re satisfied with your choices. "Whew..." Cedric actually found himself hesitating. The list of items he could exchange for his things had a lot of items that certainly got his attention. There were some that he thought were more valuable than both of his itemsbined. Choosing from this extensive list was more difficult than he initially imagined. Yet in the end, he had to make a decision. Cedric confirmed the trade. He had to wait for a solid minute before he received the items he exchanged for. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Dawnbringer. Good luck on your trials. The AI''s presence disappeared after that, but Cedric barely noticed it. Instead, his focus was on the items he received just now. He decided to inspect all of them one by one, but certainly not here. So he stood up and returned to his personal quarters, where he''d have the privacy he needed. ** As Cedric busied himself inspecting and/or making use of the items he traded for, he didn''t know that the items he traded off got the attention of somebody who held a lot of authority over the tower. This person was about six feet tall and had a lean muscture with delicate masculinity. He had a pair of pointed ears, long gray hair, bright green eyes, and a paleplexion with smooth and delicate features that emphasized his beauty. He wore a long silk robe that flowed like mercury; he was barefoot as he stood on the vacuum of space like it was a t and solid surface. In front of him were the two items that Cedric traded off with the tower''s AI. His pair of clear and vibrant green eyes regarded them with a curiousity and slight amusement. "A human, huh?" "Somehow, he managed to get his hands on things that even most of the Cosmic Lords don''t have." He shifted his gaze and seemingly stared at an empty spot amongst the vast and seemingly endless expanse of space. But if one were to look closely, they''d see how his pupils dted as if they''re zooming in to something so that he could inspect them better. "Hmm, creatures of luck and progress. You don''t see that every day. How very interesting." He shifted his gaze again, returning it to the items in front of him. Raising a finger, he tapped on the sealed, contaminated soul. That one touch of his dispelled allyers of seal and runes Cedric ced on it. To others, this would''ve been a dangerous thing to do, but what happened next made it clear that this person wasn''t a reckless being. Because before the residual instinct of the Outsider could exert any influence over its immediate surroundings, the sharp-eared male snapped his fingers, and once more, the soul was sealed. This time, though, the seal was far more sturdy and the contaminated soul was more supressed. "August." [At your service, Tower Master.] "Send this to Professor Goldstein. She''s been restlesstely; this should keep her upied for a bit." [Right away, Sir!] After dismissing the AI, the Tower Master looked at the box containing the poor Forsaken creatures. His eyes turned somber and gentle as he gazed upon their slumbering state. "You poor things. The Old Ones really did a number on you, huh? Even now, their curse still gues you." He caressed the box with care. He didn''t mind whether the creatures heard him or not. It doesn''t matter anyway. The Tower Master ced the box in a sealed container and kept it close to his chest¡ªa rather unusual gesture but one that disys his care and gentleness towards these creatures. He will personally escort these beings to where the rest of their kind are being kept. But before he left, he looked at the warped space behind him. It''s one of the entrances to the physical location of the Tower of Prodigies. His eyes seeming to have prated through theyers of space,nding precisely on Cedric, who''s smiling like an idiot. He chuckled and said, "It looks like things are about to be rowdy again. I can''t wait." Chapter 394: Citizenship and Ownership -- [AN: I made some changes on the alliance here.] Cedric wouldn''t have imagined that his things caught the attention of the Tower Master. He also had no idea that the said Tower Master spied in him a little bit because his attention was elsewhere. He went back to his room to get some privacy. Now that he''s here, he took out the things he got by exchanging the contaminated soul of the Demon God and the members of the Forsaken Race. None of the items he got looked impressive in the naked eye. In fact, most of them were just a bunch of documents¡ªpapers that he could easily produce if he wanted to. But of course, Cedric wouldn''t have exchanged for them if they didn''t hold any value; even though he had no use for the contaminated soul or the members of the Forsaken Race, he wouldn''t give them out for free if he could help it. The value of these papers lies in their contents, not the papers themselves. The documents represent the new status Cedric had, not only as someone who entered the Tower of Prodigies but also as a member of the Scarlet Dust Alliance as well. Yes, Cedric did it. He became the first human who became a member of the alliance. He initially thought that only after he reached some level of achievements within the tower could he join the alliance, but who knew that he''d encounter some serendipity through his now deceased mortal enemy? It was a shortcut, yes, but still a valid point of entry nheless. Nobody would deny him this, especially with his additional status as a prodigy of the tower. One of the documents contains his identity as a Common Citizen of the Scarlet Dust Alliance led by the Divine Council of ''The Six'' (leading races). The term ''Common Citizen'' is a social status within the alliance. It represents themon people who joined through legal and valid means. In terms of privileges, of course themon citizen has the least, but for a native of a distant world, what he receives is a lot in reality. After all, the alliance is something that many yearn to join and has a history longer than Prime Earth''s existence. A ''Common Citizen'' of the Scarlet Dust Alliance will be granted entry to the Virtual Universe¡ªa ce where they could find all sorts of opportunities. You see, most of the time,mon citizense from distant worlds far from the physical location of the alliance itself. Making their way there will take a very long time; it might even take them their whole lives just to arrive, and this isn''t mentioning the risks of shuttling through space where identsmonly ur. The point of the Virtual Universe''s existence was to bridge the distance and time, expanding thework of the alliance''s influence while also making it easy formon citizens to experience the privileges of bing a member. By entering the Virtual Universe, citizens could file for identification, find work, receive news, and find more opportunities to change their fates. The alliance values hard work and passion, so more often than not, those who disy these qualities are bound to be noticed and are given more opportunities to rise. Yes, it sounds like propaganda, yet it''s the truth. Cedric heard many stories of things like that happening, and just a brief search confirmed the legitimacy of this matter. However, doing it this way will certainly take time. We''re talking about decades or centuries here, not just some years. And this works for most of them since other races generally have long lifespans. But Cedric was human. Sure, he cultivated to the point of not having a limited lifespan, but at the very base of his existence, he sees every minute or day stretch out, unlike them, who couldn''t care less about days or weeks passing by in a sh. And so, as a human, he sees this way of progress as too time-consuming. Simply put, climbing the ranks within the alliance this way is too slow, in his opinion. Fortunately, there are tons of other ways avable to him, and some of those are now open to him thanks to his additional status as one of the tower''s prodigies. You see, it was the alliance that spread the gospel of life evolution. They hold the longest and richest history of it and put great emphasis on this path. It is required for every member, even themon citizens, to achieve some achievement in life evolution. There are a lot of sects or organizations that raise Life Evolvers for the sake of achieving their goals. To that extent, they are offering a quick way to raise membership status by joining them. Some organizations were built to seek battles, others for research, some for exploration...the point is that by joining any of these, one could easily upgrade their membership status. They could even be done through the virtual universe alone. But of course, these organizations have standards; the better their facilities were, the higher their requirements. Bearing the additional status of the tower''s prodigy isn''t usually included in any of their lists. However, they certainly won''t turn down anyone who possesses a status like that. After all, people like those are extremely rare to find. Often times, it''s employment that approaches them, not the other way around. So, you see, Cedric isn''t just amon citizen even at the start. And his qualifications will only get better as he climbs the tower higher. Cedric already signed the documents and submitted them for registration. As early as tomorrow or aste as next week, his application will be reviewed and signed. Once that''s done, he will receive his official certification as a new member of the Alliance, whiches with IDs and a headgear that will connect him to the Virtual Universe. Moving on from this, Cedric paid attention to the other thing he exchanged for. Once again, it''s another stack of documents, but the value of this one was just as important as his official registration as a new member of the alliance, because these papers contain his application to own Sris Prime. Yes, Cedric was about to be the official owner of the entire sr system where his home was located. He almost couldn''t believe that this was happening and that he''s actually doing this, but here he was, signing the documents already. This was a monumental change, one that Cedric thought he wouldn''t be able to do this quick. He thought that it''d take him hundreds of years to achieve this. He thought that he''d have to go through numerous challenges and setbacks just to get to this point, yet here he was. With this, Cedric no longer has to worry about leaving his home unprotected. As a member of the alliance, even though he''s only amon citizen, the alliance will do its best to protect his assets and keep his interests in mind. So, if another group of Space Pirates dares to intrude upon his territory, he could directly ask for the alliance''s assistance to deal with them. He could just offer the bounty of the space pirates to the helpers as payment for their work, and it''d be fine. Moreover, this opens up the possibility of bringing the entire Sris Prime closer to the physical location of the alliance for better protection, just like what happened to Hermit''s world. But of course, that won''t happen right away. Hermit''s world was one of the few exemptions, and only because it was invaded by the Outsiders. If Cedric wanted to do the same for his home, he''d have used the usual way, which is by raising his social status within the alliance. Cedric has already informed Ac of this, and to say that she''s thrilled will be an understatement. As a trainee of the tower, she''s exposed to more insider information. Of course she''s aware of this possibility. She never thought that Cedric would have this kind of opportunity, but it seems that even she underestimated his luck. A new member of the alliance and also the owner of a sr system? Who else but Cedric could achieve things like this with barely an effort? Of course, Ac already knew how Cedric achieved this. She also knew that the trade between the main AI and Cedric caught the attention of the Tower Master, but he doesn''t have to know that. What matters is that Cedric could''ve easily picked something else. Ac perused the list of avable items he could exchange for his stuff and saw tons of things that could''ve raised his strength even further. But instead of picking those, he chose to still look after his home. He chose to still stay true to his nature, prioritizing the well-being of his people instead of his personal growth. At this point, Ac knew that it''s impossible for her to ever have the chance of repaying Cedric for all the things that he did for her and their people. The only real way to return his investment is by taking every opportunity he opens up for them. Chapter 395: Application Passed, New Status, Guarantors -- The alliance membership and the ownership of a sr system weren''t the only things that Cedric got from the trade. He also got a unique secret realm. It doesn''t sound impressive, yes, since Cedric himself could create secret realms, but the one he got from the trade isn''t something anybody could create on a whim. It''s called the Nine-Layer Heaven Ind, and as the name suggests, this secret realm contains nine heavens/worlds stacked on top of each other. The ind doesn''t contain anything heaven-defying, at least not yet. But eachyered heaven serves a unique purpose and bolsters existing conceptws in its surroundings, making them richer and more attainable. ording to its description, the Nine Layered Heaven Ind was an infant secret realm that has been born prematurely. It could''ve easily reached the cosmic-level treasure if it weren''t for that. But due to some idents, it''s value dropped to the peak Grand Sr level. It''s still a rare treasure, all things considered, but there are tons of Grand Sr level treasures avable in the alliance, and most were more useful than this one, so it was kind of discarded just like that. Cedric took it because he found it useful. Although it could only enhance the vibrancy of conceptws in its surroundings, this function alone was just what Sris Prime needed. Yes, Cedric didn''t just n on using this to Prime Earth; he intends to let it affect the whole Sris Prime to increase its quality. Since it''s a peak Grand Sr Treasure, it should easily be able to do that. Moreover, as he leaves it there to naturally do its thing, he''s also nurturing it. Who knows, maybe in the future, this secret realm will grow into a real cosmic-level treasure. And if an artifact spirit were to emerge from it, it would unhesitatingly treat Sris Prime as its home and humans as its people. Of course, the nineyered heavens will be put to use. Cedric already thought of how he''s going to use it, but first, he needs to send it back to his home so that it could begin elevating the quality of their sr system. He asked Ac to do it for him. She knows what to do, and he told her his ns. Of course she''s on board with this. After all, this ind will also help her evolve, so how can she refuse it? With that out of the way, Cedric gazed at the final item he exchanged for, and this one was for his personal use. The previous things he exchanged for weren''t only for himself but also for his people as well. Actually, it''s mainly for them with him as a middleman. But thisst item was for his personal growth. ''Celestial Heaven Sword Art'', this was the final thing he exchanged for. This Celestial Heaven Sword Art is an iplete sword art, which was the only reason why he managed to get his hands on it. It''s an all-epassing sword art that follows the movement of the heavenly bodies to create an overwhelming attack capable of sweeping away everything. Its creator was unknown; the manual was discovered on an old secret realm and was sold to the alliance. Unfortunately, it''s only an iplete manual. The core technique was missing from it, causing its value to sharply drop. It was being sold cheaply at some auctions, but even then, nobody was interested in it. That''s how it found its way to Cedric''s hand. Cedric also understood that he wouldn''t gain much from this. In truth, he never expected much to begin with. The only reason why he took it was because he''s been thinking of creating his own sword art, and he thought that the concept of Celestial Heaven Sword Art fit his requirements for the basis of his research. Even if he had gotten theplete sword art manual, he would only use it as a reference. Sure, he might master it in the future, but he would mostly just use it for inspiration to create his own sword art. After all, the most suitable sword technique for him was the one he created himself. After rounding up his gains, Cedric was satisfied. Some of the pressure of being the trailzer for his people has been relieved. Now that he''s about to be a real member of the alliance and the governor of the Sris Prime, he could be at ease about his world''s safety. With fewer worries and responsibilities on his shoulder, he could focus even more on clearing the trials and getting the most out of his time here. ** A week passed since the trade urred. As early as the next morning after that day, he received an encrypted email that confirmed his citizenship in the alliance. The email came with his IDs and personal documents that he needs to keep secured to prevent identity theft. The e-mail also came with the headpiece that granted him ess to the virtual universe. Today, he received confirmation of his application to be Sris Prime''s governor. Upon receiving the documents, he was shocked to see that the ones who approved and guaranteed his position were Big Han, the Ancient Titan who invited him to the towe, and the Tower Master himself, whom he had never seen nor heard of before. First of all, Cedric didn''t expect that there was a need for this. Guarantors weren''t specifically stated anywhere in the application form, but in hindsight, he should''ve known. After all, despite the distance between the physical location of the Scarlet Dust Alliance and Sris Prime, thetter is still considered to be one of its territories, albeit unofficially. Of course, anybody who applies to be its governor would have a trial. The idea that his application could''ve failed brought shivers to his spine, but it''s all good now since he was backed by two important people whom he never thought would help him. He could somewhat understand Big Han helping him out. After all, he was the one who scouted him and introduced the Tower of Prodigies to him, including the real vastness of the cosmos. Cedric hasn''t seen him nor heard of him since, but Big Han struck him as a nice guy, which made it somewhat believable that the titan would support him in this. As for the Tower Master, whom he only heard of today, it''s really unexpected. He never met him nor even seen his shadow. Hell, this was the first time he heard of him, and apparently, he already helped him out. All he knew of the Tower Master so far is that he''s a Fey. If it was due to him being a changer of the tower or because of something entirely else, Cedric had no idea. But he''s grateful nheless. With his and Big Han''s support, his application was readily approved, and he received the title of Sris Prime''s First Governor. This title isn''t an empty one. Ites with a unique status that could give him some advantages. His title was also especially powerful once he''s at his ce. It isn''t just a status either, because as its governor, the luck and fortune of Sris Prime as a whole also affect him. This element aids with his cultivation and elightenment. And of course, the more prosperous Sris Prime was, the better luck and fortune Cedric could receive from it. So, in a sense, this was a mutual growth pack. He helps his home be more prosperous, and in turn, his home helps him grow stronger. Cedric could also pass down this status to someone else. But of course, the alliance has to be notified of it first. No, they wouldn''t interfere much on his decision, but if they see that Sris Prime''s well-being is plummeting, they will start investigating. This also applies during his reign as governor, so he had to do a decent job at the very least. And thus now, Cedric''s status has experienced a huge change. He was no longer just a lucky native who stumbled upon the tower. He''s now a bona fide prodigy who had decent achievements within the tower in a rather short period of time. He''s also a new member of the Scarlet Dust Alliance and the first governor of his home world, the Sris Prime. Things were truly looking up for him, and it will only get better from this. Truthfully, Cedric could just stop here. Like Hermit, he could also leave the tower with a light heart and focus on developing his world. He doesn''t have to stay here and go through more trials; he could explore the virtual universe to seek opportunities there. He could build his career up, gather merits, and upgrade his citizenship while making his home more prosperous. But even with this, he didn''t n on leaving the tower soon. The trials were difficult, but it''s good for his personal growth. He could still harvest some wool from it, so why leave right away? He''s no longer in a rush. He''s guaranteed to live long, so he could afford to postpone something to focus on himself for now. That said, visiting the virtual universe as soon as possible is a must. Chapter 396: Virtual Universe, January -- A massive swirl of energies rampaged within Cedric''s body. The amount contained within him was enough topletely drown Prime Earth with a bit of excess. It''s pretty hard to imagine someone having that much energy running rampant within their body, but it''s the truth. Despite the roaring waves his energy was creating, it was perfectly contained within. No amount of activity they made caused him any difort or pain. In fact, this was just their natural active state, signifying how vibrant and dense his energies were. The flood of energies coursed through his body, warming and nourishing every square inch of his existence. If Cedric ever so wished, he could immediately tap into this massive well of energy to reach his desired oue. He won''t experience any form of rejection either because he hasplete control of every ounce of energy he has. Cedric had always preferred quality over quantity. He never cked off when circting and purifying his enegies while cultivating; this was the secret behind his immacte control over it. And due to his diligence and fortunes, the quantity of his energies also increased over time. It had been troublesome to get them to his desired standard since it needed a tedious amount of purification, but Cedric would much rather spend time doing the boring task of cultivation to purify his energies rather than having it run murky within him. Out of the many characteristics that a life evolver must have, focus and diligence were things Cedric nevercked. Sure, he gets tired and bored every now and then, but then again, who doesn''t? Even life evolvers need rest and rxation from time to time. Cedric always knew that he had to prove something. He spent years of hard work just to prove himself worthy of the eyes he inherited, and after so long, he finally felt like he deserved it. He has already achieved so many things in his life. He had be the strongest existence in his home world, had not only one but three wives, ventured beyond what he thought was the norm, and learned about the existence of a much wider and more prosperous civilization out there. Cedric made contact with them, experienced the difference, and has managed to join themtely. Hell, he even recently became the first governor of his Sris Prime, which boosted his status even more. To others, this much achievement was something nearly impossible to replicate. Some could spend thousands of years and still wouldn''t be able to do as much as Cedric has done not only for himself but for his people and his home as well. So now that Cedric has fulfilled most of his ns to secure the safety and security of his home, He figured that he could afford to focus on himself some more. His arrangements for his home were enough to upy his people for a good while. Ever since making contact with the alliance, a yearning was born within Cedric. It was something that he didn''t dare to think about too much because he had a lot on his te, but it never disappeared. He wanted to explore the prosperity of the alliance. He wanted to visit worlds and experience things that he had never seen before. And most importantly, he wanted to be strong enough to traverse and see all the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm could offer. Now that he had settled his home, he figured that he could afford to pursue his personal interests for a bit. And his journey starts by visiting the virtual universe first... ** All new members of the alliance are given a headpiece or visor that allows them to ess the virtual universe. This was because, usually, most of the new members belong to a distant world and race. Find exclusive content at M-V-L The Virtual Universe existed to bridge the gap between worlds, making it possible for new and senior members of the alliance to socialize and discover opportunities that could elevate their status within the alliance. It''s to be expected that the virtual universe was massive. It does, after all, mimic the actual size of the alliance''s physical location. Upon activating the visor, Cedric found a piece of his consciousness being pulled to a virtual reality. When his vision restored, he discovered that he''s standing on a vast and empty white space. He found himself naked the day he was born. His face and body shape remained the same as the one he had in reality, though. [Wee to the Virtual Universe, Citizen 96-009874.] [I am your friendly advisory AI¡ªJanuary, and my task is to give you introductions on the things you can do within the Virtual Universe. But first, may I please know how to address you?] [Note: codenames or aliases are fine. You may also tweak the appearance of your VU avatarter, but only for a little bit.] Cedric blinked upon hearing the voice of the AI. This setting reminds him so much of the first time he arrived at the tower. Back then, the tower AI also asked for his alias. "Call me Dawnbringer, then. Nice to meet you, January," he replied. [Alias; ''Dawnbringer'' has been set. This will be your alias in the Virtual Universe from now on. Aside from personal and private transactions where your true name is required, others will only know you and refer to you as such.] Nice to meet you, Dawnbringer! Are you ready to start your introductory lessons about the Virtual Universe?] "Sure, let''s begin." And thus, the extensive introduction about all functions the virtual universe could offer began. Cedric listened carefully and captured all the information the AI provided him. He would ask questions or have the AI rify things for him at times just to ensure that he''s understanding everything clearly. He didn''t know that January, the introductory AI advisor, was actually pleased and rather surprised that Cedric was having an active role in this. This AI had introduced the virtual universe to millions of people by now. The majority of them came from distant worlds outside the alliance, so when they first arrived here, they were either too shocked and/or speechless to think carefully. The AI could tell that whatever the introductory lessons just passed through one of their hearing organs and exits on the next. January couldn''t be bothered to call them out since they probably won''t talk to each other again anyway. Cedric, on the other hand, was attentive. January could tell that he''s paying close attention to every single word said in the introduction. He would raise questions, ask rifications, and say things he''s curious about. January responded to all of them, of course, since it was programmed to do so. But having somebody pay attention to its work made the AI really pleased. As for Cedric himself, he had no idea that the AI actually enjoyed his behavior. He''s more focused on learning everything he can about the virtual universe instead. And so far, his initial impression of the virtual universe was ''convenient''. When they said that they''re bridging distance and time for new members, they actually meant it. For starters, there''s this thing called the Virtual Hub (V-Hub) at every known world, secret realm, pocket dimension, etc. within the Virtual Universe. V-hubs are like checkpoints that can be used as means of transportation. Members can use these hubs to set a location and be teleported there in an instant, allowing for ease and convenience in traversing the vast expanse of the virtual universe. New members, depending on their initial status, will be given a home somewhere within the virtual universe. There are actually a fews designated for this purpose. They''re like-sized condominiums or apartmentplexes. They are scattered all over the virtual universe, each having their own motif and charm. And since distance was defined to never be a problem within the virtual universe, anybody could live wherever they choose and apply for work at the opposite end of the realm without the fear of being punished for beingte since they could just use the V-hub''s for instant teleportation to their desired location. Yet that also means that tardiness at work will be punished heavily since there is literally little to no reason for anybody to bete. Cedric will be given the option to pick where he wants his starting home to be after the introduction is over. Aside from introducing the V-hubs and living areas to Cedric, January also introduced themon lifestyle of new members to him. The AI also gave him some advice that it doesn''t typically bother to inform others all due to the simple reason that Cedric was attentive to their conversation. Of course, the most important part of this introduction was the method to upgrade his citizenship to unlock more privileges and benefits for himself. Cedric and Januray talked for what seemed like days. This was probably the longest discussion the AI ever had with someone, but it''s also one that it enjoyed the most. After concluding their conversation, January helped Cedric find a suitable home. Once they''re done with that, the AI leaves Cedric to his own because its role ends there. Now, Cedric must begin familiarizing himself with his new environment on his own. Chapter 397: Communal World -- The virtual universe was really well made. Cedric almost couldn''t tell that it''s all virtual because the presence of conceptws here was just as rich as it was in reality. Cedric stood inside the V-hub just looking at his surroundings. He was familiarizing himself with it like he usually does whenever he arrives at a foreign ce. Explore new worlds at M-V-L The interior design of the V-hub he''s in was humble and in. The walls were made with cocrete and white marble tiles; it''s clean, and the air inside smells like citrus. There were a bunch of paintings on the wall and matte velvet silks draped across the beams, giving it some semnce of a sophisticated look. There were a lot of people going to and from inside. This was his first time seeing this many non-human creatures at once, and it felt a bit refreshing. It''s this sight that made him realize that he truly was inside apletely different world, one that is greater than any other VR games he had tried back home. He wasn''t the only one standing there gawking at the surroundings. There were at least fifteen more people beside him who''re doing the same. Some of them looked panicked and overwhelmed by this new world; others were the same but were trying their best to keep their cool. Cedric easily guessed that this must be their first time arriving here as well. It''s not that hard to notice with how they reacted after all. He could also see some creatures watching them with amusement as they stood there gawking at their surroundings. All of this observation urred to Cedric in an instant. Afterwards, he recovered from his initial shock and opened the system interface to look at the map provided in there. He pinned his destination and began walking out of the hub since there was nothing much to see here anymore. He''d only evere here if he needed to be transported somewhere else; other than that, this ce is just another infrastructure to him. Themunal world, referring to worlds ors transformed into living spaces formon citizens of the alliance members on the virtual universe, he chose greatly resembled Prime Earth. Aside from having three moons for some reason, it looked rtively the same; it has clear blue skies, vast fields of vegetation and forests, tall mountains, white clouds, and had its own sun as well. The air was crisp, clean, and cool. He could also sense the abundance of natural energies and spirituality in his surroundings, making this ce a prime location for life evolvers to train. As he walked towards his designated abode here, he passed through several ces of interest; he saw malls, inns, hotels, food stalls, small shops, etc. From his observations so far, they use something called ''Alliance Cash/Coins/Credits (ACs)'' as currency here, but there were also a few shops that deal with bartering/trading as well. It didn''t take long before he arrived at his home. He could''ve gone faster if he flew, which was allowed by the way but only at a certain altitude, but he decided to take some time and walked instead. His house was humble; it reminded him of the first house he bought when he was released from the RMC, the same one where he became neighbors with Erica. It had enough space for his personal use; there is also a designated dojo that has a pocket dimension where he could train in earnest without disturbing his neighbors. The territory was fenced and secured by a runic formation that remains invisible unless someone trespasses his territory. All in all, it''s only the alien creatures here that made things different. The rest felt rather familiar to him, so he didn''t have a hard time adjusting. Now that he''s settled here, Cedric decided to think about his next goals. As a new member of the alliance and a new resident of the Virtual Universe, he will be given an allowance of 3000 ACs per month, which willst for 10 years; after that, he''s on his own. But he''s entitled to more due to his other status, such as being a prodigy of the tower, giving him an additional 2000 ACs per month, and being the governor of Sris Prime, an additional 10,000 ACs per month. The allowance given by his Prodigy title willst for a lifetime. While therge amount of ACs provided by his governor title requires him to submit a yearly report stating that he would use at least 30% of the total amount of his yearly allowance, contributing to the prosperity of his territory. If he fails to do this, he will receive penalties that range from suspension to termination or even straight-up execution. In total, he will receive a monthly allowance of 15,000 ACs, which was definitely more than he''d ever need for the time being, especially since he''s not required to pay rent or have any bills to pay either. Everything provided to him in thismunal world was free of charge. He only ACs to buy food supplies, clothes, and other things he might fancy¡ªfor now, at least. Other citizens aren''t as lucky as him. With only 3000 ACs, they need to immediately look for a job because that amount is simply not enough to support their daily needs. This applies even more to members that have been here for more than 10 years already since the monthly allowance ends by then. Of course, money is important here as well. Not just for daily needs but for cultivation as well. A lot of materials that life evolvers need to improve their cultivation quickly, like cultivation techniques, weapons arts, medicine and pills, unique artifacts, etc., can be bought with ACs. Cedric passed through a lot of stalls, shops, and even some auction houses along his way here. And to amon citizen, some of their offers were simply too good to pass by. Luckily for Cedric, he doesn''t need much of that for now. Personally, his cultivation techniques and sword arts were enough, especially since all of them came from the tower. His people also don''t need more for now, so he has no real need to buy more. He could look for jobs too, not just for the sake of earning more ACs but to familiarize himself with the life of a citizen in the alliance. His advantages could only take him so far, after all. And just like the rest, Cedric also wants to upgrade his citizenship as soon as possible. Right, speaking of citizenship, the rank goes like this: Common Citizen, Valued Citizen, High Citizen, Treasured Citizen, and finally, Cosmic Citizen. The higher you climb this socialdder, the more difficult it is to upgrade it. Of course, the higher your social status, the more privilege you can get. It could be asmon as an upgrade to your monthly AC allowance or as wild as diplomatic immunity. Of course, there are other ways to gain more privileges and many more social titles avable out there, but this was the most direct andmonly known way to do it. More importantly, these titles aren''t just limited to the virtual universe. Their effect also applies to the real world under the assumption that they were within the alliance. Cedric postponed looking for a job right now. It''s his first day anyway, and there were too many job postings to look at. This isn''t the way he wanted to spend his first day here. So instead, he explored the system functions that January told him about. The one that got his attention the most was the Combat Arena. It''s inevitable that there will be some friction between people. After all, nobody can expect everybody to get along. Fighting in public is prohibited in anymunal world, yet conflicts couldn''t be avoidedpletely or solved through diplomacy all the time, so to remedy that, they''ve built abat arena where people can release their aggressiveness in a controlled manner and prevent chaos from erupting. The Combat Arena isn''t just a ce of people or creatures with too much pent-up aggression. It is also a ce where they can see the difference between this race and the next. It''s a ce where new people can broaden their horizons and hone theirbat capabilities. Plus, it''s in the nature of a life evolver to seek heated battles. It''d be a damn shame if the alliance couldn''t provide something as simple as that. Cedric himself was greatly interested; after all, this was his first time seeing many people from different races at once. He''s curious about their skills, abilities, and advantagespared to a human like him. And if possible, he wants to face them inbat as well, since Lord knows that he''s tired of the one-sided beating that he usually gets during his trials at the tower. The best part is that he doesn''t need to go to the physical location of the Combat Arena in the Virtual Universe unless he''s participating or wants to watch the battles in person. He could just open the livestream from anywhere and watch how the battles go. And that''s how Cedric saw a fight between two unknown creatures to him for the first time. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 398: Combat Arena -- The Combat Arena was built in arge domed collesium. It looked ancient from the outside, but the interior was filled with all types of modern technology. Its size was enough for hundreds of thousands of people to watch simultaneously. There wererge holographic screens above that allowed those at the back to see the match with more rity. The arena sure was popr inmunal worlds. After all, there were nock of people who had pent-up aggressions that needed to be satiated. Even if it wasn''t them who shows up in matches, the curiosity and the heat of the battle are enough to entertain a lot of people for a while. Cedric didn''t go to thebat arena himself; he tuned in to the livestream from thefort of his own home, lying down in his bed while munching on some snacks he bought along with him. He tuned in to the fight of two rather rowdy individuals. The moment he brought up the livestream, he was immediately greeted with loud cheers and roars from the audience. He could even make out several voices shouting about some gambling stakes. ''Hm, I guess the concept of gambling isn''t something foreign to these folks too.'' He muttered inwardly. Cedric then focused on the match and observed the participants. The one that''s on was a 1v1 match, red vs. blue, a somewhat typical and easily understandable theme. The participant on the red side was a creature that looked like an orc. It has green skin, a bulky body, and squarish jaws with its lower fangs protruding out of its face. It seems to be a male orc, and he''s wearing some tribal armor made from metals and cloth pieced together. He''s wielding a greatsword that''s almost as huge as his body, and his aura was definitely just as intimidating as his appearance. On the blue corner, the participant was another male. He had the head of an eagle, a humanoid torso,rge wings that pped furiously behind his back, aiding his speed and flight, sharp talons, and sleek feathers that gleamed under the re of light. His sharp predatory eyes gazed at the orc like he was some kind of prey to be hunted. He took advantage of his flight capabilities to maintain distance from the orc, sending flurries of sharpened feathers to harass him from above. Despite facing the rain of sharp feathers, the orc didn''t bother hiding or evading. He just allowed the feathers to strike him, confident that it wouldn''t hurt him or even graze his skin. And it didn''t. Despite his shabby armor and appearance, the orc''s physical body was too tough for the feathers to prate; they couldn''t even pierce the cloth on the armor he was wearing. Cedric watched as the birdman(?)''s face went solemn. His talons gleamed dangerously, and hisrge wings pped behind him. He turned into a wild bullet, cutting through the atmosphere and breaking the sound barrier. The orc watched in anticipation as his enemy came. Once he was a certain distance away, the orc stomped one foot forward, shattering the ground beneath him. He wound up a swing that was full of opening and recklessness. Then, as they were about to sh, the birdman suddenly shifted his flight, narrowly avoiding the swing, which could''ve definitely killed him. His speed increased sharply, appearing behind the orc, who''s still in the middle of his swing. Cedric saw the birdman smirking slightly, celebrating his victory early. He charged from behind with his talons stretched out, aiming for the head of the orc. But to his shock, the de of the orc''s greatsword shattered his chances of victory. As it turns out, the orc knew that the birdman wouldn''tmit to the sh, so he borrowed the momentum of his initial swing to transition into a spinning sh. He didn''t stop at the first spin either; he continued spinning while chasing after his fleeing opponent. The momentum of his swing, the strength at which he did so, and his meager understanding of conceptws turned him into a tornado that sucked the birdman in and tore him to shreds with no hopes of escaping. There was no censorship here. The horrible fate that happened to the birdman waspletely disyed for everybody to see, making the already rowdy audience turn even more ferocious with their cheers. It''s the orc''s resounding victory, and the collesium shook from the audience cheering his name. The orc raised his greatsword with both hands and made some tribal sounds, which seemed to be a ritual to celebrate his own victory. After a minute or two, the birdman reappeared on his corner, pale and slightly miserable. He stood shakily and looked at his opponent with begruding respect. The orc marched to him and offered a hand, which the birdman took. After that, the fight was concluded. ''Ah, so dying in thebat arena won''t kick you out of the virtual universe. However, from the looks of it, the experience of death still feels real.'' ''Well, that''s nothing new to me then.'' Cedric isn''t a stranger to virtual battles or dying in a virtual world. He grew up suffering from the Hell Dives after all. He continued watching the livestream of thebat arena to see more matches. He saw all sorts of creatures participating in battles, which gave him the impression that all the fighting in there just doesn''t stop. Cedric saw a match between a shapeshifting crocodile and someone whose throat could puff out like a toad to either scream really loudly or belch out some seriously corrosive acid. There was also a match between a ghost and a harpy, and many more. He watched as much as he could before he eventually got bored. He figured that even if he watched the livestream for an entire day, he wouldn''t see every alien type that he had seen roaming themunal world participate. There''s just too many of them here, after all. And not all are interested in participating in a heated battle. He also couldn''t expect aliens that had pacifist cultures to appear in there. Plus, his curiosity can only go so far. He had other matters to attend to. So, after he was bored from watching the matches, Cedric began studying the Cosmic Map of the Virtual Universe. To say that it was huge would be an understatement. Without the convenience brought by the V-hubs, it would take thousands of years for anybody topletely roam the entirety of it, and that with the state-of-the art spaceships too. Putting it in perspective, anything that shines from a distance is a location that you can most likely visit, assuming that there''s a V-hub on or anywhere near that ce. Of course, there are some ces that you can''t go without permission or sufficient status, but even as amon citizen, there are at least several thousands of worlds where Cedric could freelye and go as he pleases. Each world looks and works differently from another, having their own charm, culture, and history. Most of these worlds looked the exact same as their real world counterparts, so visiting them here isn''t any different from being there in reality. This means that the world he''s in, the one that looked just like Prime Earth save for the multiple moons, was a real world that he could possibly go to in the future as well. And since this was the virtual universe, going to and from one ce to the next wasn''t a big deal; he just needed to pay the fare, and he''d be teleported to anywhere he pleases. That''s the convenience brought by the V-hubs. This was just for themon worlds. The ones that require a certain level of authority or status were the''must-ssee'' ones at least, because these worlds are the ones that have significant reputations and wealth to be reserved for only certain people. These worlds are either trial grounds, secret realms, locations of sects or organizations, or important ces where opportunities and fortune were everywhere. Cedric doesn''t dare to dream of visiting all of them because there''s just too many, but he did want to see a lot, which urges him to find even more ways to upgrade his citizenship as soon as he can. As for visiting them in reality, that''s even more unlikely unless he manages to be a cosmic-level life evolver, which he still doesn''t know how to do until now, by the way. However, the real reason why Cedric wanted to study the cosmic map wasn''t just because he wanted to see how many worlds he could potentially explore. It''s also because he was optimizing his options. After all, his n was to climb the socialdder and increase his cultivation at the same time. Therefore, he had to be wise when choosing his career here to prevent wasting his time. "Well, I have a lot of options here, and most of them can give me a steady way of earning a living." "But that would take too long, so I guess I have to take some risks, huh?" Cedric gazed at a certain crimson spot on the map, one that''s emitting an eerie and murky sanguine gleam. "Old habits die hard, it seems." Chapter 399: Asura Plane; Familiar Concept -- The time flow within the virtual universe was adjusted 1:1 to whatever timezone the user was in. This meant that one day in the virtual universe is also one day in the tower; this also applies if he returns to Prime Earth. While Cedric already has a rough n on how he could increase his social status in the alliance, he wasn''t in a hurry to implement it. For one, the n hasn''t been developed properly; he needs to think more and add more details to it. Most importantly, he still had to pay attention to his trials at the tower because he only had 100 years toplete the 6th stage and 10 years had already passed since he started them. He knew that he''s going to have to multitask here. After all, the subsidy for amon citizen like him onlysts for 10 years in VU time, which will definitely be up before hepletes the 6th stage of the trials. In the meantime, Cedric checked the progress of the task he gave to Ac. And ording to her, everything went smoothly. The nineyered Heaven Ind has been integrated within Sris Prime and kept secured. It would take a whole year for it to finish adjusting to its new location before it begins affecting Sris Prime positively. Cedric also inquired about the status of his wives, and she said that they''re doing really well, which greatlyforted him. While it has been ten years for him, only a day passed for them, so he knows that he''s being dramatic. But he can''t really help it; the time difference makes him a little lonely. On another note, Ac told him that humanity''s progress inary colonization has been going steady still. The speed remains the same as previously and cannot be rushed, so steady does it. Aside from that, the leaders had been analyzing the clues he left about the existence of the alliance. At this point, they should already be suspecting his involvement with them. After all, he kept taking out things that''s impossible to appear in their civilization from out of nowhere. The only logical assumption was that he''s with them, and these clues he left behind should more or less confirm that. Sure, Cedric could''ve just sat them down and revealed everything, but he didn''t want to take anything away from the experience. After all, knowing that there are literally hordes of aliens out there that had far more advanced technology and an extremely long history was a unique experience that is important to strengthen their character. In the end, Cedric wants them to approach this one on their own. Should they show interest, he''d be happy to tell more; if not, then he''ll leave it at that. That said, there were many things he left behind that would keep his people upied for quite some time, so there''s no need to rush. Time was on their side now, especially since Cedric had be the governor of Sris Prime. He''s just hoping that the speed of his people''s progress continues at this pace because even though time was on their side, it also wouldn''t wait for them. Humans are already far behind; they can''t afford to slow down. While everybody''s upied, Cedric can pay attention to himself. Being exposed to the rich cultivation environment, Cedric was moving at a breakneck speed in his cultivation. His breakthrough was immenent, and that wille with a decent increase in his strength again, which will hopefully make his current trials a little easier. He had to focus though because things are about to get quite hectic for him. ** [A few monthster...] "Good day, Lad. Where are you off to?" The steward at the V-hub asked this to Cedric after seeing hime up to the desk. The steward was arge and stubby feline with gray fur. He looks kind and approachable too. "Hello, I''d like a ticket to the Asura ne, please." The mention of the Asura ne caused the steward''s pupils to constrict and look at him in disbelief. He saw the old cat looking at him from head to toe, seemingly judging his entire existence as most cats do. "Ya sure, Lad? Yer fairly new ''round these parts. Have ya done yer homework about that ce?" The steward cat raised a brow while briefly interrogating him. "Yes, I did. I just want to try my luck. Don''t worry, I still have my sanity intact." "And let''s hope it remains that way." The old cat grumbled as he pawed on his system while softly shaking his head. Shortly after, Cedric''s ticket manifested and was handed over to him, but before he took it, he paid first, of course. The ticket costs 15 ACs, by the way. It''s really cheap since his destination was somewhat nearby and sketchy. "Remember, Lad. Jus because ya can''t die here; it doesn''t mean yer invincible or somethin''. The Asura ne is a bad ce for sane minds; don''t go batshit crazy on me, ya hear?" "Will do. Thanks for your reminder." After saying this, he walked past the counter and made his way towards the transmission portal. He ced his ticket on the receiver and waited until the portal homed-in to the coordinates of his destination. Cedric watched in fascination as the portal gradually exuded a bright sanguine glow with the thick aura of death and the stench of rotten blood. The corners of his lips twitched as he saw this. Well, this was promising. At the very least, this meant that the rumors about this ce were the same as the ones he read online. "Alright, here we go," Cedric muttered after taking a deep breath. He then stepped inside the portal and soon felt the strong and irresistable force pulling him somewhere. When his senses returned, the very first thing that greeted him was the sharp and foul stench of rot and blood assaulting his nose. Then he saw himself standing in the middle of a literal sea of blood. It had a viscuous consistency simr to mercury; it''s thick and clings to anything it could adhere to. It also felt like he was standing on a swamp because he got the feeling that it''s trying to swallow him whole. [Wee to the Virtual Asura ne, Dawnbringer.] The Asura ne is a nighmarish world for those of sanity and a paradise for the insane and bloodthirsty ones. The old cat''s reminder came from the goodness of his heart because this ce was truly horrible. Someone like Cedric who''s new to all of this isn''t supposed toe here...not this early, at least. [It''s detected that this is your first time here.] [Would you like to participate in the tutorial to familiarize yourself with how this ce works?] The mechanical and slightly upbeat voice of the AI greatly contradicts the theme of this ce, making it a little easier to remember that this was just a virtual world after all. "Yeah, sure. That would be nice, thank you," Cedric replied while shaking of the jitters. A blue light bloomed with him at the center. Then, he faintly sensed that the system isted a decent area around him for the sake of his learning. Cedric didn''te here just because he''s curious. If he wanted to sightsee, this world wouldn''t even make it to his list. Cedric came here with a purpose. The tutorial went on and pretty much confirmed the simplicity of how this ce worked. There''s only one thing that could be done in this ce, and that is to kill. Kill all that is breathing except yourself. Everyone you see here was your enemy. It doesn''t matter whether they''re bigger, smaller, stronger, or weaker than you. Your task is to kill them all. The more you kill, the more rewards you get. The more creative your kills were, the more points you received. If you die, you lose half of the points you umted so far, and you''d be ressurected after 15 minutes at a random ce in this bloody hell. Whether you''re lucky to pop-out at a rtively calm area or spawn at the center of the sh will be up to your fortune. If you get tired from all the killing and want to leave, just find the nearest exit point, activate it, and you''ll be sent out of this ce and appear to thest V-hub you used. That''s it. Quite simple, isn''t it? Of course there is a catch, but it''s all within the rules. First, mercy is nonexistent here. One shouldn''t even think about giving it. It''s to kill or be killed in this ce, nopromise or anything in between. The ughter is free for all. Whether you''re lucky to meet a stronger or weaker for the moment you spawn was up to your luck. This also applies to restraining. Also, since you can ''technically'' endlessly reconstruct in this ce, it also meant that you can''t leave by dying. Securing an exit point is a must if you want to leave. It''s very possible for somebody to be stuck here for days, weeks, or even months for not being able to secure an exit point. More importantly, it''s an all-out brawl for everybody. And since nobody dies permanently here, it meant that the number of enemies will always be high. Like a horde... Sounds familiar? Chapter 400: Blood Specters, Blood Crystals -- Cedric''s senses were limited in this ne, but it still covered a decent distance. However, he just wasn''t able to see where this ne begins or ends. It''s like he was just dropped in the middle of it and was left to make sense of it all. All he could see here was blood¡ªmurky blood. The kind that never dries up and was also corrosive. It didn''t hinder him too much, of course, but it was ufortable to look at. As soon as the tutorial ended, the voice of the system left him, and the barriers that isted him disappeared. Cedric already had his sword out, just in time to sh at whatever jumped at him. Spurt! Whatever that thing was exploded like a zit, spewing blood everywhere. Cedric frowned and shielded himself from the bloodstters. He knew that his clothes would inevitably be stained with blood, but for now, he doesn''t want it to happen this early. Surprisingly, whatever that creature he just killed waspletely escaped his senses. He only noticed it as soon as it entered a certain distance away from him, and that''s certainly something. ''Must''vee from below then,'' he guessed. His senses couldn''t prate this sea of blood for some reason. Each attempt he made failed; his senses just bounced off like it''s being repulsed. ''Beep!'' [Blood Specter killed, gained 5 Blood Crystal Shards] Cedric blinked after reading that notice. ''Blood Specter? Ah, it must be referring to whatever attacked me just now.'' Cedric shifted his attention to the Blood Crystal Shards he gained. They look like ruby shards that released a sanguine sheen and bloody scent. The system AI informed him that this was the currency of this ne, and of course, it is gained through ughter. Blood Crystalse in several forms: Blood Shards, Blood Stones, Blood Chunks, and Blood bs. Each form corresponds to a certain value, which could be exchanged after leaving this ce. If the participant dies, they lose half of these, which is certainly a huge loss. Of course, each participant in this killing field had a certain value of blood crystals. The value is based on their cultivation base and their kill streak so far. How much exactly wasn''t made clear by the AI during the tutorial since the only thing that matters here was killing. Swoosh! Swoosh! This time, Cedric saw them clearly. His guess was indeed correct; they came from underground. Their appearance was apanied by a tiny ripple from the blood sea, a sign that they''reing. Blood Specters looked like apparitions made of blood. Their forms seemed ethereal, making them a little difficult to sense. They also don''t make a lot of noise when they move; they''re like a gust of wind, a harmful gust of wind. Their primary form of hunting seems to be direct contact since they recklessly charged at him without any care about their well-being, but that might also be a sign of their low intelligence. This time, Cedric didn''t move nor used his sword to deal with them. He just stood still and waited until they touched him. Tch! Howl! They tried to pass through his body. Cedric didn''t know what their aim was in doing so since they''ve been killed by the sheer heat of his energy. Don''t forget that Cedric''s specialty was mainly the sunlight and sunfire elements, which are the bane of evil entities. Ghosts, apparitions, devils, demons, etc. fear this, which makes Cedric their mortal enemy. ''Beep!'' [5 Blood Specters killed! 25 Blood Shards gained.] [Bane Kill Bonus: +25 Blood Shards.] ''Bane Kill? Ah, right. Yang against Yin, got it.'' He didn''t expect to receive a bonus for using something that turns out to be the bane of those creatures. ''So I guess this is what it means when the AI said that the more creative my killing methods were, the more rewards I can get. This kind of encouragement is a bit depraved, isn''t it?'' Giving out bonus rewards for ughter creativity was a unique concept for Cedric. It''s like everything here was pushing everyone to think only of killing and nothing else here. That alone raises many rms in Cedric''s mind, but he kept it to himself since he''s not in a position to question the setting of this ce. But since these were the rules, it would be a little disrespectful if he didn''t acquire at least. And so the sword he held burst into golden mes. It''s heat distorted the space around him and evaporated the sea of blood around him. Of course, he''s not expecting topletely vaporize all the blood here since there seems to be a limitless supply of it somewhere. Though he did hear the pained wails of ghosts around him. The appearance of his me provoked the specters, causing them to appear one after the other. In a blink of an eye, Cedric found himself surrounded, but he was fearless. With a swing of his sword, a sea of mes crept up to them, swallowing them whole and annhting them from existence. The mournful and unwilling wails of the specters echoed through his surroundings, creating a haunting atmosphere, yet Cedric was unmoved. He snapped his fingers, and a dozen golden swords formed by sunfire hovered above him. With a point of his finger, the swords turned into streaks of light that skewered multiple blood specters at the speed of light. All of this happened while Cedric took a leisurely stroll. ''The AI said that this was a free for all, but I have yet to see any real person here.'' He mused inwardly. ''Am I still in the tutorial? Or do I have to prove that I''m strong enough first before other people start appearing before me?'' ''Also, how am I supposed to know where the exit points are located? Is there a sign like a loud sound or visual cues that would point me to where they are? Does it have a pattern? I need to know this because I don''t want to end up stuck here; I still have trials toplete.'' It was these questions that gave a reason to walk around. His field of senses was limited after all, and he already knew that his spawn point was empty, save for the specters. There''s nothing else to see here, so he had to move to another location and see if he could discover something else there. Of course, the ughter of blood specters didn''t cease around him. The golden swords raged like storms and moved likeet streaks around him. By now, he must''ve already killed hundreds of them. The blood shards he gains were steadily rising because of his ughter and the bonus he''s receiving through Bane Kills. ''Come to think of it...'' ''Yeah...it''s just the sea of blood that''s different. Other than that, this is just another Hell Dive for me.'' ''Ah, really. Old habits, die hard.'' ''Now, I''d like to see what kind of plot twists this ce will throw at me.'' Cedric kept paying attention to his surroundings as he walked. Because he could only see a sea of blood wherever he went, he nearly thought that he''s just walking in circles since it''s all the same. But the change he was anticipating happened at some point during his ventures. No, he didn''t seend, though he did see a new creature to kill. Roar! ''Is that...huh? Is that a tree?'' The new creature sure did look like a blood-soaked tree from where he stood. It seems to be in pain from its roars. ''A Treant?'' He guessed, but he immediately shook his head in denial. ''No, it can''t be. This thing sure looks like Morning Wood, but there''s a few key differences.'' Morning Wood, a fellow challenger of the tower, is the first person from the Treant Race he met. He had seen him a couple of times, enough to know that whatever this thing was in front of him certainly wasn''t one of Morning Wood''s people. Moreover, Morning Wood did say that he too was the first one from his race to make contact with the alliance through the tower, so it''s very unlikely for him and this one to be rted. More importantly, it doesn''t really matter whether this one was rted to Morning Wood or not, because in this ce it could only be one thing. An enemy. Swoosh! One of Cedric''s golden swords turned into a streak of light in an attempt to stab whatever that thing was. But to Cedric''s surprise, the sword just passed through it like it wasn''t there, and then a surprising development urred. That...tree, or whatever, suddenly swelled in size. It became ten times taller and wider than before, forcing Cedric to look up at it. All of a sudden, it became the only thing he could see. Its dried-up branches seemingly pierced the skies, the blood stains on its body turned into blood streams that gave the tree a sinister look, and the face on its body multiplied by a hundredfold; some were wailing, some were furious, some wereughing, but most were crying tears of blood. "Holy fucking shit! I didn''t see thating." Chapter 401: Level 2, Blood Orcs -- ''Still have no idea what that is, though.'' Cedric thought as he stared at the humongous tree with many faces in front of him. Cedric educated himself about the many races that he could possibly meet once he bes a member of the alliance, but with how many there are, it''s a little difficult to figure out who''s who, especially since some races have too many simrities than unique features. Hence why he thought that this thing was initially a trait like Morning Wood. And this isn''t even mentioning those who haven''t joined the alliance yet... It''s also possible that this thing was just some experiment or something simr. Whatever it was, though, Cedric''s certain about one thing. It''s an enemy since it''s here. ''I mean, it does look like the tutorial boss, doesn''t it?'' Roar!! The many faces all over its body roared and wailed at the same time. The sound caused the blood sea to give rise to tall waves that could swallow him whole. This was followed by a rain of thorns from the dried-up branches above. Cedric blurred into motion, dodging the rain of thorns like an apparation while also paying attention to the thorns since he knew it couldn''t be this simple. And he''s right¡ªthe thorns indeed had special properties with them. They contain a strong devouring element that could potentially be dangerous if it touches him. Also, the thorns could supply the energies they devoured even from a distance. They''re also surprisingly durable. The many-faced tree monster didn''t let up after seeing Cedric not being affected by its previous attack. The blood sea erupted and thorny vines crawled forward; some were sending more thorns, while most were sent to entangle Cedric. These vines certainly had the devouring element as well. And while the thorny vines chased after him, the many faces on the tree monster''s body shot out crimson beams of heat that also homed in on him. ''Yep, certainly a tutorial boss.'' Cedric hummed inwardly, convinced of his conjecture. He raised his sword and began slicing through the many projectiles. He cut the vines, parried and deflected the rain of thorns and the beams of light, and also sent an attack of his own. Roar! ''Tch, how irritating.'' Cedric started to get annoyed by the tree monster''s roar because it''s too loud. It sounded like hundreds of people crying out in rage at the same time because of the many faces on its body. It also writhes weirdly as it sends out more ways to hunt Cedric down. ''Hmph!'' Fwoosh!! A billowing pulse of golden me erupted from Cedric. It danced around his body, covering him in a gorgeous golden mane of scalding heat that evaporated everything that''s trying to harm him. Cedric then raised his sword and chopped at the general direction of the tree. Space was then sundered by the sharpness of his sword and the heat of his mes. His strike seemingly ignored distance and hit the humonguous whrithing tree, leaving arge and visible sword scar on its body. ROAR! The many-faced tree monster bellowed in pain and agony. It wrote wildly but stayed rooted on the spot. It bled ck blood that mixed with the sea of blood, tainting it somehow. However, Cedric''s attack didn''t end there. Fwoosh! The sword scar suddenly erupted with an even fiercer golden me that engulfed the entire tree, setting it aze. These golden mes were sunfire, an element that is the bane of evil. And since it falls under the fire element, it''s effectiveness was doubled against wood, which happens to be the tree''s main element. Cedric didn''t do anything after this since this fight has already ended. The moment his mes touched this creature, it''s fate was sealed. The mes burned it to a crisp, making it experience overwhelming agony until its veryst breath. When its massive body turned to ashes and its wailing howls silenced, the system''s notification confirmed its death. ** [Blood-starved Beast, in.] [Congrattions! You received 10 Blood Crystal Stones. [Bane Kill! Torturous Kill!] [Bonus: +20 Blood Crystal Stone] Beep! [It''s detected that the user''sbat capabilities are sufficient.] [Asura ne difficulty is raised to Level 2.] [09:59:59] ** "Oh, so it was a Tutorial Boss!" Cedric let out a pleased hum. He took out a single Blood Crystal Stone. Compared to a shard, this one was obviouslyrger and contained more of that sanguine energy that could be found everywhere in the ce. Blood Crystal Stones also looked like actual ruby stones, which gave them a novel beauty despite the method used to acquire them. The value of Blood Crystal Stones was much higher than Blood Crystal Shards, and he received 30 of them in one go with barely an effort on his part. Cedric kept the stone and looked at the system alerts once more. He saw that there''s a new ughter term there, which says ''Torturous Kill''. There were no exnations provided for it, so Cedric could only interpret it with his own logic. ''The poor thing was in pain till it''sst breath, which probably triggered this bonus. I guess it works that way too, huh? This ce is truly bizarre and depraved.'' The bonus for special killing methods just pushes the participants to be more ruthless in their kills for the sake of earning more. It rouses madness and greed at the same time, two dangerous concepts that could turn anyone into a monster. ''But I guess that''s also one of the challenges that we would face whenever we''re here.'' To hold on to one''s sanity whilemitting senseless ughter. It''s ironic, just like many things in life. There''s a 10-minute countdown that should be a resting period. After all, he''s about to face the Level 2 difficulty of the Asura ne¡ªwhatever that means. That ten minutes passed by quickly and was quite a waste of time since Cedric didn''t need it in the first ce, but he couldn''t skip it either. Once the time was up, Cedric immediately sensed movement around him. He received a couple of life signs as feedback from his senses. None were blood specters. These things were new enemies he must face. They resemble a human, save for their deep crimson skin andrge squarish jaws with long lower fangs. They wore pieces of cloth armor and blunt weapons; some were asrge or as tall as they were. ''Uh, Red Orcs?'' Yes, these creatures did look like orcs, but with deep crimson skin. And as soon as they manifested into being, they wasted no time idling by and immediately charged towards him. Cedric doubted if some even saw him first because they definitely started running even before they couldplete their first thought. ''Not so smart then.'' Cedric judged as he swung his sword to immediately cut them down. Beep! [Blood Orc, killed! You received 10 Blood Crystal Shards.] ''Ah, they''re called Blood Orcs then. Okay, yeah. That''s on theme, I suppose.'' And just like the Blood Specters, Blood Orcs spawned just as fast as he killed them. Each one was fearless and reckless, which wasn''t surprising considering that they''re just driven by pure instinct, mere puppets that follow orders imnted on them. ''Hmm, I''ve read somewhere that Orcs thrive inbat. Not particrly an aggressive race, per se, but just really goodbatants. It seems to be wired in their genes.'' ''Orcs had been members of the alliance for centuries; they''re not as popr or as advanced as other races, but they''re no pushovers either.'' ''If that''s the case, then it would make sense for them toe here to test their mettle. Doesn''t exin the crimson skin, though. Orcs have green skin; like, that''s one of theirmon defining features.'' ''...'' ''Ah! Maybe these Blood Orcs are just something that this world mimicked from the real one. Like the many-faced tree monster earlier.'' ''Yeah, I could see that happening. And that would also exin why these things aren''t too smart. They''re way stronger than Blood Specters, though.'' Swoosh! Swoosh! Designed as a race that thrives inbat, the Blood Orcs disyed rathermendablebat capabilities. They''re surprisingly quick in their feet, had explosive strength, and had sharp instincts despite their dullness. None of these posed a problem to Cedric, though. While he praised theirbat capabilities, he could still ughter them just as easily as he did with the Blood Specters. These are weak imitations after all, and none of these orcs had even an ounce of conceptws in their aura. So they''re as fragile as a mortal in front of him. Suffice it to say, the so-called Level 2 of the Asura ne was a breeze for Cedric as well. It''s like a bonus round that allowed him to umte blood crystals. Eventually, he ughtered enough Blood Orcs for another Blood-starved creature (Boss) to appear. This time, it was a giant albino snake with wine-red pupils. It was quick, sinister, and was both a resistor and venomous. However, it''s still far from being a threat to Cedric. And thus, Cedric killed and killed, climbing through difficulty levels of the Asura ne until he reached Level 5, where he met his first sentient creature. "Die!!" Chapter 402: Scaled-man, Valkyrie, Exit Point -- "Die!!" There were no greetings, no polite gestures, or even an ounce of recognition for meeting a fellow participant that had their wits about them. As soon as the other party saw Cedric, the fight was on, and it will only end with one of them standing, which shows just how ridiculous this ce was. ''He''s slow though.'' Cedric muttered inwardly. In Cedric''s perception, this man wasn''t any better than the Blood Orcs. The only difference they had was that this one exudes some semnce of sanity in his eyes. By the way, this man looked like a human too, save for the obvious green scales all over his body. His eyes also turned into slits, like what snakes had; he also had a spiked tail that swung fiercely behind him. Cedric just knows that the tail isn''t a weakness but also a weapon of his. The man held a spear and a shield. He charged forward fiercely, exuding a strong pressure that could intimidate anybody who''s unprepared. He''s like a mountain moving at mach speeds. ''Earth Laws, huh? '' Cedric''s eyes gleamed as he watched the man charge forward at a snail''s pace. He''s also familiar with Earth Laws. In fact, he could wield it better than this person; he just doesn''t use it much since it''s not really his cup of tea. Though seeing this person use Earth Laws gave him a nostalgic feeling. He was reminded of Captain Elric of the OWET. He once worked under him. He was a respectable man and a qualified leader. Although they didn''t have a deep bond, Cedric still respected the man. Thest time he heard of him was from Erica. She said that he became a Knight Captain of the Federal Army and was stationed on the news. She said that he''s also dating somebody and nned to get married as soon as he returned from his duty. Cedric ended his reminiscing around the same time that the enemy was close enough; that''s how slow he was in Cedric''s perception. Now that it came to this, Cedric raised a finger and pointed at his enemy, sending a beam of golden light at him. The enemy sensed the terrifying might contained in the beam of light. He forcibly swerved his body to avoid it since he knew that if he got hit by that, he would certainly die. He managed to avoid it, but it still grazed him. Looking down, he saw a hole on his shield that''s still smoking and emitting a scalding heat, making it difficult to hold on to. The scaled man looked solemnly at the golden-eyed swordsman in front of him. He realized that this man''s edge waspletely hidden, making anyone think that he could be bullied. It was a sinister tactic but highly effective in a ce like this. "I wouldn''t be standing still if I were you," he heard him say. The scaled-man was surprised, not expecting the other party to speak hisnguage. He was about to ask him why, but a sharp pain ended his thoughts. He only had enough time left to look at his chest, which now had a gaping hole. ''Ah, the beam returned...'' That''s thest thought he had before his body dissolved into a puddle of blood, mixing with the blood sea. ''BEEP!'' [Cannon Fodder killed. You received 50 Blood Crystal Shards.] "Wow, that''s harsh." Cedric couldn''t help butment. He didn''t expect that someone who managed to hold on to their sanity to bebeled as Cannon Fodder by this world''s standards. He was weak, yes, but isn''t this a little too harsh? ''Well, I shouldn''t have expected anything less in a depraved world like this.'' Cedric shrugged. The weakness of that guy or the harsh standards of this world had nothing to do with him. ''Am I supposed to expect that I''d be fighting Cannon Fodders and above from this point onwards?'' He wondered. This question was soon answered when he heard a valiant roar nearby. He saw a winged person d in gorgeous yet blood-stained armor. She had wine-red eyes and long ck hair. She held a sword and a buckler for weapons. And just like the previous guy, she didn''t hesitate to engage him in a fight,pletely unafraid of what''s going to happen next. ''Oh, it''s someone from an off-shoot branch of the Angel Race, a Valkyrie.'' The collective term for races that had humanoid bodies and wings was called the ''Winged Race'', and the Angel n is at the forefront of them since it was believed that everyone from the winged race came from them. The Angel n is also the strongest among the winged race and also held a ster reputation in the alliance. Valkyries are mostly female winged warriors. They also had men, but they show up very rarely. ording to rumors, they could only expect one man to appear every 10 years in their n, and as soon as they were born, they held the responsibility of bing father to the next generation of valkyries by impregnating a lot, emphasis on ''a lot'', of women of the n. Combat-wise, the valkyries were impressive. Some could evenpete with the geniuses of the Angel n. But sadly, they can''t rece the Angel n as the leader of the winged race since theirtent potential will never be as high as the Angel n. ''Not bad, much faster than the previous guy.'' Cedric judged as he anticipated the wingeddy. But unlike the previous one, Cedric didn''t stand idle and waited for her toe. He appeared in front of her like a ghost, scaring the wits off her due to his blinding speed. Then he just passed by her like a breeze of air, making thedy dumbfounded. ''Still slow and weak, though.'' Cedric shook his head in mild disappointment. ''Beep!'' The kill alert sounded in his ears. Cedric dismiised the alert and continued walking aimlessly in this vast and seemingly endless sea of blood, waiting for his next foe to appear. After the valkyrie, two more Cannon Fodders appeared, and Cedric dealt with them as fast as he did with the previous ones. Seeing that only Cannon Fodders were appearing, Cedric''s question was answered. Yes, he should only expect to meet stronger foes from this point onwards. He almost wanted to skip until the part where he''s fighting a really formidable foe. However, he can''t really do an actual time skip, so he had to endure this boring part. [AN: I could, though. Hiya! Time Skip!] ** Tang! Tang! Tang! The loud sh of steel could be heard across the sea of blood in the Asura ne. Sparks of steel shing could be seen around Cedric, who wore a solemn face. Aside from the sparks, shadowy figures of his opponents darted around him like ghosts and apparitions. Their speed was astonishing, and their movements were erratic and unpredictable. The only thing that''s keeping them at bay are the numerous swords flying around Cedric that''s intercepting each and all of their attempts to kill him. Cedric doesn''t know how much time passed since he came to this ce. All he knows is that he''s at the Level 10 difficulty and the formidable foes he''s wishing for finally appeared. Compared to the scaled-man and the valkyrie he faced at level 5, these ones are faster, more sinister, smarter, and much stronger. Having killed one of them before, Cedric learned of the monitor this ce had given to them... ''Asura Warriors''¡ªthat''s what they''re called. Cedric no longer doubts that he''s facing fake people. These were real, and there are several proofs of that. ng! Spurt! Roar! The strongest evidence is that their sinister intentions know no bounds. It might look like they''re ganging up against him, but in reality, it''s every man for themselves. Backstabbing wasmon in this fight; truce or cooperation had no ce in this world. At one point you might be working together to kill someone, but at the next second, you''d find your supposed teammate wedging their weapons deep into your body, staring at you until you draw yourst breath. Cedric saw this happen multiple times now, and it fully disyed the depravity of the Asura ne. It''s a battle royale; everyone was an enemy, and the ughter never ends. Swoosh! Boom! Boom! Cedric was now bathing in blood¡ªnot his though. He no longer had the energy nor the attention span to prevent blood from touching his clothes and skin. The ughterfest was too hectic and maddening that he had to focus sharply or else he''d be the next one to die. And having umted a respectable amount of wealth at this point, it would be a pity to lose half of it just because of carelessness. Fortunately, Cedric was geared to fight a horde of enemies. He''s been raised to be a one-man army. From his mes that contained a scalding heat that could reduce entire cities to ashes in seconds to the many swords he could summon at a snap of a finger, Cedric was the perfect guy to face the siege of hundreds of enemies at once. DONG! DONG! DONG! The fearsome fight was suddenly interrupted by the loud gong echoing across the sea of blood. And from the expression of his enemies as well as their hushed words, he learned what just happened. ''The exit point finally appeared.'' Chapter 403: Leaving the Virtual Asura Plane -- The exit point looked like a beacon of light. It''s appearance was a sharp contrast to the gloomy and bloody atmosphere of this ce, which is why it was also unmistakable. That, and it''s apanied by a deafening sound that notifies everybody that it has appeared. Cedric witnessed how quickly everybody''s priority changed the moment the exit beacon appeared. If the fight was already hectic before, it went crazy now. He saw how they used their Trump cards one by one; some made them impervious to any physical damage, some shoved everybody aside, some released a domain that had various effects, while others just watched and bid their time to strike. Cedric could feel their desperation. He guessed that some of them had been trapped for longer than they initially expected and wanted to get out. After all, the exit beacon was the only way they could leave this ce. Being trapped here was one of the risks everybody must realize and face if they want to be here because it was possible for them to be trapped here for a really, really long time. And since nobody had the capacity to show even an ounce of mercy in this ce, they could only rely on themselves to escape. ''Should I...?'' Cedric wondered to himself. Truthfully, he still has some fight left and doesn''t really need to leave right away. But then again, he doesn''t know when the next exit beacon will appear, so he might put his earnings at risk if he didn''t take this one now. That, and he''s a bit tired of this ce too. ''I guess I should, huh?'' Cedric sighed. He earned a respectable amount of blood crystals already. Not bad for his first time here. It''s nowhere near enough to upgrade his social status, but it''s decent for a first time, and it''s definitely greater than what others like him could earn this early in their membership. And so, having decided on what to do next, Cedric took action. Fwoosh!! His mes billowed with a surprising intensity, much hotter than what he had been disying before. Its temperature was so high that the blood sea visibly evaporated because of it. Cedric almost turned into an actual sun marching towards the exit point. Those who were close to him were forced to retreat due to the scalding temperature he''s releasing; some of the unlucky ones were incinerated to death. There were also some brave ones who tried confronting his mes, but their ending was an excruciating one. Cedric certainly had no mercy for those who didn''t have any for him. He was untouchable and unapproachable. Whether it was spells or skills, anything that was sent his way was burned into nothingness by his mes, and thus, any attempts to stop him or slow him down were useless. Some of his fellow participants became afraid of him; others, especially those who werepeting for the exit beacon, were mad because he appeared. But no matter what they felt, none of it stopped Cedric from marching towards his goal, so they could only re at him hatefully. With his practical invincibility, Cedric arrived at the exit beacon much to everybody''s dismay. But he also noticed that even though he''s already here, there are still people who''re making their way here. This puzzled him, but not for long. On the surface of the exit beacon, he saw a number that says: 1/10, followed by a countdown timer of 30 minutes. ''Ah, so 10 people could upy the exit beacon at the same time, and it will only stay for 30 minutes.'' ''I''m guessing that the beacon will leave once all seats are upied or once the countdown is up.'' He initially thought that only one person could use the exit beacon; that''s why he was a little overbearing with his march. But it turns out that 10 people could use it at the same time, so he dismissed his mes to let otherspete for the other spots. He only released enough mes to secure his position since he''s not sure if somebody could still take it away from him even when he''s already here. ''Something like that isn''t beneath them. If anything, I should expect it at a ce like this. It''s better to be safe than sorry.'' Of course he didn''t forget to watch how others struggled to fight for the rest of the spots at the beacon. He personally witnessed the horrors and madness of the people who got stuck here for a long time. They fought dirty and sinisterly. Truly, no holds barred. They used every means necessary to achieve their goals, no matter how morally dubious or offensive their methods were. Seeing this made Cedric wonder about the real Asura ne. If it''s already like this in the virtual world, just how utterly depraved and horrifying could the real one get? C¨¦dric shuddered to think about it. That ce should be at least 10 times scarier than its virtual world counterpart. After all, it''s truly do or die there. Plus, there will inevitably be monsters lurking in the depths of that ce. There were actually rumors that a few of the wanted criminals of the Scarlet Dust Alliance were hiding in the real Asura World. How they got there was a mystery, but it is said that they had no desire to leave that ce. Some rumors said that they actually made that ce their home; some said that they even want to steal the Asura ne and make it their personal property. Obviously, Cedric could neither confirm nor deny these ims. He''s never been there after all, and he could forget about it since if he could help it, he wouldn''t want to be there either, even though there are missions to that ce that offers extravagant rewards. Swoosh! Ting! Boom! Somebody must''ve been observing Cedric closely, and when they saw that, he got momentarily distracted and attacked him when he seemingly lowered down his guard. A fool, truly. As if Cedric hasn''t noticed them. Fortunately, Cedric knew that somebody would definitely try something, so he never really lowered his guard. He baited them actually; after all, who was he to refuse any additional blood crystals? While it''s true that he got immersed in his thoughts, it doesn''t mean that he stopped paying attention to his surroundings. Whoever attacked him stabbed his sword and was vaporized by his mes. It happened so fast that they didn''t even see iting. Those who managed to take the remaining spots within the beacon saw this happening and swallowed nervously. No, this isn''t the first time they saw someone trying to drag somebody out of the beacon to rece them; it also wasn''t their first time seeing this kind of backstabbing fail either. The source of their nervousness came from the man who seemingly took all of this so casually. It was painfully clear that this golden-haired and golden-eyed man never took any of them seriously before. They thought that he was skilled, yes. After all, most of them fought him before and experienced how tricky he was to deal with. They didn''t know how much he''s holding back though, and with what they witnessed so far, it seems that he''s holding back a lot. Which meant that he''s not on the same level as them. And this made some of them realize that this guy must be new here, but that just makes him scarier. The fact that he could go this far on his first time at a sinister ce like this was something alright. Most of them had to experience several deaths in a row to learn their lesson and to get their bearings, but this one was taking everything like it''s some sort of educational trip. They got curious about his background, but not to the point where they''d ask him. Especially not now when they knew that he''s watching all of them closely, and one wrong move of theirs would result in their end. The tense atmosphere continued, even for those who had already made it to the exit point. Eventually, thest person managed to crawl inside the beacon, earning thest remaining spot. That defeaning sound rung once more, and the beacon suddenly emitting a strong and blinding brilliance. The extraction was just fast; by the time Cedric became aware of his surroundings, he discovered that he had returned to the V-hub of themunal world. ''Well, at least I returned clean.'' He thought to himself as he inspected his clothes. The blood stains disappeared, and so did the bits and pieces of flesh that got stuck on the fabric of his clothes. He didn''t smell bad either. He wasn''t that tired, even though he had been fighting for a long time. Even as he stood there, he was already recovering his energy. Knowing that he''s in a safe space now, though, Cedric could finally rx and lower his guard. He felt somewhat satisified about his first trip to the Asura ne. He got what he wanted out of it¡ªa decent exercise and blood crystals, which made him pleased. ''Now, let''s see how much I''ve earned in total.'' Chapter 404: Sudden Announcement -- "A total of 10 Blood Crystal bs, huh? Not bad for my first haul," Cedric muttered as he kept his items. Blood Crystal bs were the peak form of blood crystals, and their value was high. They could be used to exchange for a lot of valuable items, even some that can''t be bought with alliance cash. For Cedric though, these blood crystal bs were to be exchanged for merit points, which he could then use to upgrade his social status from a Common Citizen to a Valued Citizen. But of course, 10 blood crystal bs are far from enough to make this happen. Some would find this exchange a bit strange. After all, blood crystals are just minerals condensed from excessive amounts of blooding from life evolvers. Truthfully, they don''t have much use on their own, plus these blood crystals are only avable in the virtual world of the Asura ne, not the real one. And yes, this is true; blood crystals in any of their forms are useless since they''re just a virtual resource. Plus, the way to acquire them was controversial, so they shouldn''t be this valuable. However, there is a unique way to make them useful that''s only privy to the VIPs. Through collecting obscene amounts of blood crystals, they could create a wrought scarlet steel ore, the same nigh-unbreakable metal that Cedric discovered in one of his current trials, which could be used for many things¡ªnot a fake one but a real ore. The process is, of course, kept confidential. So, even though Blood Crystals are virtually useless, some people had uses for them and wouldn''t hesitate to bestow merit points in exchange. And Cedric ns on taking advantage of that to upgrade his social status as soon as he can. 10 Blood Crystal bs could be exchanged for 50 merit points. To upgrade one''s social status from amon citizen to a valued citizen, they would need to speed 1000 merit points, meaning that Cedric still has a long way to go. But if he could keep up his rate of earning merit points through the Asura ne, then it shouldn''t take him a year before he aplishes this. But that''s only if he could follow this routine. However, it''s also not a big deal if he couldn''t do it within a year. He has time to spare. "That''s it for now, then." He sighed. He looked outside of the window and couldn''t help but feel a little nostalgic. This world sure looks just like Prime Earth. However, knowing that it isn''t quite the same as his real home just made him feel a little homesick. But he can''t return there just yet. He still had things to do and so much to achieve. "Time to return to the tower. Gotta make some actual progress there." ** A couple of months passed after Cedric''s first run in the Asura ne. Since then, he''d been shuttling back and forth between the tower and the virtual universe, making all sorts of progress whenever he could. His progress on the trials still remained rtively slow, but it''s getting there. The challenges he faced were quite troublesome, even for someone as strong as he was. As for his ns to upgrade his social status, that''s making decent progress so far since it was rtively easy and simple. He had gone to the Asura ne a couple of times now and had gotten used to the depravity of the ce. The good thing is that he could skip to the level appropriate for him, saving up time and unnecessary trouble. This way, Cedric still receives hisbat stimtion while also earning a respectable amount of blood crystals to exchange for merit points. Cedric never forgot to remain cautious in there; he also didn''t stay any longer than necessary just to gain a few more blood crystals since he''s not that desperate. He knew that greed and overconfidence would kill him in a ce like that; it''s something he learned from his Hell Dives a long time ago and was a discipline he stuck to ever since. Now, he just needed a few more visits to the Asura ne, and he''d be able to save up enough merit points to upgrade his citizenship. Despite his busy schedule, Cedric received pleasant news from Ac. She graduated from her training and had officially be a tower staffer. It sure took some time, but she still managed in the end. Now, so long as she performs well, there''s no need to worry about her since she will be protected. Plus, with the resources the tower had, she would receive more than enough opportunities to make herself stronger, which trantes to Prime Earth getting better. Having someone to share the burden of developing his home was a refreshing feeling for Cedric. Atst, real progress was happening. With his people back home colonizing new worlds and improving their everyday lives, in addition to the security of being under the protection of the alliance, things are heading in the right direction, making Cedric feel more at ease. As for his personal matters, Cedric still hasn''t had any actual breakthroughs. He''s still at the Grand Sr Grandmaster level in life evolution; he''s still umting enough energies to impact the next barrier. Hisprehension of Grand Sr Concept Laws was slow, but at least there was some progress. Though his main focus was fullyprehending the iplete sword technique he got recently and making his own sword art. That and slowly chipping away at the trials to climb the tower. Good news though, the others were back: Morning Wood, Moss Lady, and Hawkeye. ** "Oh, hey! Long time no see, Dawnbringer." Hawkeye greeted him as soon as he appeared. "Hawkeye?" Cedric raised a brow as he looked at her from head to toe. "Yeah, long time no see. I almost can''t recognize you." She has definitely grown since thest time he saw her. She''s taller, her body matured, her wings becamerger, and she now possesses a moredylike aura, unlike the youthful ignorance and naivety of a young girl. But more importantly, she was stronger. She should be a Grand Sr Warrior, at least from what Cedric could tell. That, and he could also smell the scent of blood from her. "Ah, that...well, I''ve gone through mying of age ceremony, you see." She shyly replied, still blushing but in a more mature way. Theing-of-age ceremony for the Harpy Race. Honestly, Cedric isn''t privy to the details, but it must be an important part of their culture, so he''s a bit reluctant to ask; he didn''t want to offend her or anything. He''s just not expecting that kind of ceremony to change her too much physically. "I see, congrattions, I suppose." Cedric smiled in good nature before looking over to Moss Lady and Morning Wood next to her. "Long time no see to you two as well." "Yes, hello to you too, Dawnbringer," Moss Lady replied, still as gracefully seductive as he remembers her. "Missed you too, handsome." Morning Wood''s body creaked as he winked at him, causing Cedric to slightly wince. "Oi, you obscene tree! Stop harassing Dawnbringer!" Herees Howler, along with Eunuch Wei and Backpack Fatty. "Fuck off, you whiny dog." "What did you call me!?" "A whiny dog! What are you gonna do about it, huh?" "I''ll turn you into paper, bitch! Don''t test me!" "You''re on, furball! Come, let''s spar!" Howler and Morning Wood then began their usual rowdiness in good fun while the rest just looked at them while shaking their heads. Nobody stopped them since it''s just in their nature to be like this. Honestly, this is just what Howler is like. It''s how he shows concern and care for his friends. Of course he''s not like this to thedies, which was a little biased, but everybody here''s already used to that. "Ah, I miss that midget." Eunuch Wei sighed as he sat on the couch. "Still annoyed at him?" Backpack Fatty asked. "Will always be, I think." The angel replied gruffly. "Seriously, he could''ve stayed and tried for the 10th stage. I mean, his world''s safe already, and there was really no need for him to leave." "Grandpa Hermit has his reasons." Hawkeye interjected, "Let''s not me him anymore. He''s happy and content now at least. Let''s just ept that his aspiration lies elsewhere." "I agree." Moss Lady nodded beside her. "Besides, I''m certain that we''d see him again. That old man wouldn''t be able to remain idle even if he swore he would." BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a series of rms. Even the arguing Howler and Morning Wood were stunned by the sudden alert that they stopped and forgot what they''re fighting about. Then, out of nowhere, a series of system alerts flooded their vision, causing their faces to turn serious. "Seriously?" "Oh dear, is this really happening now?" "What are the odds?" "Coincidence? I think not." "Uh, what do we then?" Cedric remained silent because, truth be told, he also doesn''t know what''s going on. But judging from what he heard from his fellow challengers, it seems that they''re in a predicament. ''Inter-Prodigy Group Tournament? I''ve never heard of this before.'' Chapter 405: Inter-Prodigy Group Tournament -- "I''m sorry, but I don''t understand," Hawkeye stated as she looked at others. "Can you tell me what this Inter-Prodigy Tournament is all about?" It was Eunuch Wei who answered this since he''s the one who knew most about the alliance and the tower because of his n''s history. "The Inter-Prodigy Tournament is just a little event to spice up our time here." He begins, "You know how there are multiple lobbies with tons of challengers, right?" Hawkeye nodded to this, and so did Cedric, who''s listening closely. "All challengers in the same lobby will automatically be on a team, representing their lobby, and they''d bepeting against other lobby teams." "There''s really no consequences for losing other than disappointment; be it towards yourself or disappointing those who''d be watching. Technically, that is. Those who perform well will of course be rewarded heavily." "Technically?" Cedric repeated in curiousity. "Yeah, the Tower Master as well as the sponsors of the tower will be watching, but it''s not just them. In truth, this is also a chance for us to be recruited." "Recruited to what?" Morning Wood asked. "To sects or organizations," Eunuch Wei answered. "The reputation of the tower is known to the entire alliance. We''re already prime targets for recruitment no matter how high our achievements were inside the tower, but usually they would wait until we were released from the tower before they began approaching us." "The Inter-Prodigy Tournament gives them a legitimate excuse to poach us earlier than that; the Tower Master won''t stop them from doing so either. And those who decided to go to a sect, for example, will be released from the tower after receiving the rewards they got from their performance at the tournament." "So, it''s a shortcut then?" Hawkeye tilted her head in wonder. "Well, yeah. You can say that." Eunuch Wei nodded. "But it''s also an opportunity for us to broaden our horizons and make friends and/or connections. After all, this tournament is meant to be a friendly one." "Do you know the contents of the tournament itself?" Howler asked, "Because, you know, any advantages we could have would be great." "No, I don''t know." Eunuch Wei sighed. "That would be nice, yes, but the contents of the tournament were confidential. Plus, I heard that it depends on the whims of the Tower Master, meaning that it''s very likely that it wouldn''t be the same as thest one. We''d have to adapt on the fly." "It says here that the tournament will take ce on the first day of the next month." Moss Lady stated, "Which is like, five days from now. That really isn''t enough time to prepare for this." "Well, what can we do? That''s just the way it is. It''s not like any of us here could negotiate with the Tower Master." Eunuch Wei smiled wryly. Yeah, everybody agreed with him. They don''t have what it takes to even stand beside the Tower Master, much less any value to change his mind. "Let''s just do our best," Hawkeye encouraged everybody. "I mean, we''re already doing well for ourselves anyway; this shortcut is nice but not really necessary. Let''s just see how far we can go, yeah?" "Well, I''m okay with anything," Eunuch Wei shrugged. "How about you guys?" "I''m down," Cedric readily replied. "Me too," Moss Lady responded. "Me three," Howler said, earning a half-hearted re from the forest fairy. That makes the five of them agree to perform to the best of their abilities, not caring what the final results will be. The silence from Backpack Fatty and Morning Wood, however, was particrly defeaning. "I, uh...well, haha..." Backpack Fatty stuttered awkwardly as he felt the stare of his fellow challengers. Morning Wood also wore a strange expression on his face. "Uh, well...you see, I uh..." "Just like some of us here, you are the first of your kind to arrive at the tower. And seeing its prosperity and grandness made your yearn for it. While you know that you already had a bright future ahead of you, knowing that there is a legitimate way to achieve your goals faster, you''re thinking of taking advantage of it, but now you feel a bit hesitant since this is a team effort and you don''t want to overstep your boundaries for your ''selfish'' ambitions...did I get it right?" Cedric asked with an amused smile. "Spot on," Morning Wood replied while Backpack Fatty just nodded whileughing in embarrassment. "Honestly, I respect the hustle..." Cedricmented. "Same." Howler nodded sagely. "...and I''m the same as you two. I also am the first of my kind to arrive here. But I don''t think you guys have anything to worry about. We will perform to the best of our abilities. We''re not taking this tournment lightly; we''re just saying that, if it turns out that our best wasn''t enough, we wouldn''t be too disappointed with our final results. After all, whether we managed to catch the attention of those VIPs or not, we already have a bright future after we leave here." Cedric didn''t say that he''s already been a member of the alliance for quite some time now since it isn''t the right time to do so. It would just sound like he''s rubbing it in their faces if he did that. Honestly, he could rte to their anxiety. If he hadn''t had the contaminated soul of the Demon God as well as the lost members of the Forsaken Race, he too would most likely see this event as an opportunity to achieve his goals faster. "Oh, is that so?" Morning Wood blinked in surprise. Then heughed with a strange expression and said, "It seems that I misunderstood you guys then. I thought you didn''t care about the event." "We do, just not as much as you two," Howler replied. "But that doesn''t mean that we''d just take a beating. We''ll fight for it and do our best to help you two out." Eunuch Wei kept his mouth shut but nodded anyway. Frankly, he could say that he truly doesn''t care about this event at all, but out of consideration for both Backpack Fatty and Morning Wood''s feelings, he decided to keep it to himself. Unlike most of them here, Eunuch Wei''s future is already set in stone. As the most ster genius of his generation, he shouldered a heavy responsibility and didn''t have many options to choose from. His elders already paved the way for him; all he had to do was walk on it and reach the end. Sure, he would catch the attention of some people in this tournament. That will only be natural since he''s from the Angel n, which held a considerable amount of reputation in the alliance. But unless some really famous sect or organization that has a reputation surpassing that of what the Angel n has made and offered to him, he would most likely ignore the rest. After all, his people won''t allow him to settle for anything other than the best option they have. As for Howler, it''s not that he doesn''t care. He''s just... well, he''s Howler. He lives by instinct, and so far, it''s going well for him. This tournament doesn''t really have any other allure to him other than the prospect of fighting some powerful people. Moss Lady and Hawkeye are the same as Morning Wood and Backpack Fatty; they too were the first of their kind to arrive here, and they also want to be members of the alliance and add their people to its growing size. But unlike these boys, they''re not in a hurry. Morning Wood and Backpack Fatty really felt guilty for emphasizing this to them. After all, none of them has tofort any of them or listen to their selfish requests. But they also couldn''t lie to themselves. Backpack Fatty''s people, the Mountain Giants, are scarce in number. As well-endowed as they are from birth, they unfortunately are least blessed with the gift of reproduction. It takes thousands of years for another one of them to appear, and even then, it''s not guaranteed since the pregnancy of a Mountain Giant was extremely sensitive and they are prone to miscarriage. He personally witnessed this happening a lot, and even though he''s not personally involved, it doesn''t make it any less heartbreaking. Joining the alliance to search for a method to break this curse was his true purpose foring here. As for Morning Wood, he''s supposed to be like Moss Lady, who''s mostly unbothered, but Hermit''s fate really shook him awake. His world, and in extension, Moss Lady''s world as well, sits near the edge of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm, and he''s worried that they might get invaded by the Outsiders too. He worries greatly about that and wanted to join the alliance as soon as possible, hoping to be a valuable member and have someone move his home closer to the alliance for protection as well. And seeing that there''s a shortcut avable, of course, he''s eager to take advantage of it. Fortunately, the two of them were surrounded by good people. At the very least, they don''t have to feel so anxious about not getting a chance to be noticed in this uing tournament. Chapter 406: Tournament, start! -- "Greetings, Tower Master!" A chorus of respectful and solemn wee greeted the ancient fey; amongst these voices, only four could be heard physically; the rest came from the broadcast through the system. The Tower Master nodded to them in acknowledgement before making his way to his seat. He was apanied by two of his guards, who stood behind him. He was seated in the middle of the five seats; he crossed his legs and gazed at the broadcast with a small smile on his face. "Thank you for attending this little event; I appreciate you lending me some of your precious time for this," the Tower Master said in a soft voice. His words flowed like water; it was pleasant to hear; it''s as if his voice carried some kind of magic that could calm down anybody. "You jest, Tower Master." One of the four people who came to the tower to attend this even personallymented. "How could we ever miss this Inter-Prodigy Tournament? I personally am excited to see how the children will perform." "That''s right. It''s us that should thank you, Tower Master, for giving us the pleasure of seeing your talented children." This was then followed by more pleasantries. Most of these people are either simply thankful for the invitation to watch the tournament or attempting to curry favor from the Tower Master. Everybody here had a purpose for attending. Though this was unsaid, everybody could understand that, and nobody could deny it. After all, the Tower of Prodigies held a ster reputation throughout the entire alliance, and it''s not solely because it was created by ''The Six''. "Alright, everybody. Settle down; the event is about to start." The Tower Master stated, "As usual, the profiles of my tower''s prodigies are avable for your viewing, but their private information is kept confidential still, so if some of you recognize someone, please refrain from revealing any of their sensitive information." The Tower Master''s eyes narrowed as he continued, "This is non-negotiable; I hope you all understand that." Some people felt chills and didn''t dare to be negligent. A chorus of agreement returned to the Tower Master, and his face turned amicable again. He then rested on his seat and focused on the event. "August, you may begin," the Tower Master ordered. [As you wish, Tower Master.] The tower''s main system AI responded. Shortly after, the broadcast changed. Those who were watching wherever they were saw a new system window appearing; this one disyed all of the lobby teams. Those who were watching immediately strained their eyes to inspect every single challenger that they could see. They easily discovered that the lobby teams are imbnced in number. Some lobbies had at least ten challengers that formed a team, while others had fewer than that. They also sensed the cultivation levels of the participants. Some of them could even sense the depth of the participants'' foundations through the system broadcast as if they could see them in person. ''It''s as impressive as always.'' This was their universal thought. Seeing all the talented prodigies of the tower and their youthful vigor was a sight that just never gets old. The means to the tower were truly mystical since they''re able to scour the vast expanse of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm to gather these unpolished gems and give them a tform to disy their brilliance. At some point, every single one of these prodigies will be released and join the alliance in one way or another, assuming that they don''t experience any idents. And with their talents, they will surely be a weed addition to the growing numbers of any sect or organization out there. Almost all of the supernovas that rose to fame within the alliance, aside from those that came from ''The Six'' obviously, came from the Tower of Prodigies. Some even grew to be really powerful people that even ''The Six'' had to respect. And that''s why the tower was so important to the alliance. ** [Wee to the Inter-Prodigy Tournament.] [I am August, the tower''s main AI, and I will be conducting this tournament.] Cedric''s team, the 41st Lobby, listened attentively to the announcement. They had to, or else they risk failing the task up ahead. They all agreed to do their best regardless of the final results, so they had to pay attention at the very least. [The rules are simple...] Woosh! All of a sudden, their surrounding environment changed. They then found themselves standing on an ind that''s floating aimlessly on the vacuum of space. Looking around, Cedric discovered that the ind looked and felt just like any other ind he had seen in the past. As for how it was able to survive in the vacuum of space? That had something to do with the unique set ofws established for the sole purpose of this tournament. The only thing that''s unique here was the existence of arge piece of crystal sealed within a dome that was emitting a gentle radiance located at the center of the ind. [The tournament is a team battle royale. Each Lobby Team is given an ind; each ind has a core that looks like arge crystal. Each team has to protect that core because if it''s destroyed, it spells the elimination of your team from the tournament.] [Aside from the core, each ind is a control panel that can be used to move the ind. You may use it to search other teams to eliminate or avoid confrontation. The decision is up to you.] [Your and your teammates can die, but it''s not true death. This is, after all, only a small tournament to spice up your stay here.] [But of course, since this tournament involvesbat, injuries are expected.] [You or any of your teammates can be ''incapacitated'' if you suffer grave injuries. This state renders you incapable of helping your team fend off the assault of your enemies.] [Your teammates can heal you by standing over your incapacitated by for 30 minutes continuously. The healed teammate will be cured up to half of their optimal state immediately after the sessful operation. [Incapacitated members can get up on their own, but only after 24 hours.] [The only real way to eliminate a team is by destroying their ind core. Which means that everybody from that team can be incapacitated, but if you fail to destroy their ind core, this team will remain active on the field.] [Your team will be ranked ording to how long youst in this tournament. The rewards you''ll receive depend on your rankings as well.] [You''ll be given 24 hours to prepare. Do your best, and I wish you all good luck!] "..." "Well, there you have it. Sounds simple enough." Howler shrugged at his teammates as he surveyed their surroundings. "It does sound simple enough, but it doesn''t necessarily mean that it''s easy." Backpack Fatty replied, "I mean, there''s too many implications that I don''t even know where to start." "Well, how about we start at something obvious?" Moss Lady offered. "How are we going to protect the ind core?" "Ooh, good question." Hawkeye chimed in, "Can we move it somewhere or, like, build some fortifications around it?" "Let me try," Morning Wood offered. "Be careful and don''t identally break it," Eunuch Wei warned. "I know." The treant replied. He then approached the crystal and summoned vines in attempts to move it. To his surprise, he easily did it, confirming that it can indeed be moved. "Yeah, we can move it. But it''s also incredibly fragile. I think even some stray projectile can easily shatter this thing," Morning Wood said to the team. "That fragile, huh?" Eunuch Wei frowned. "What do we do then? We only have a couple of hours before the tournament starts." It was at this point that Cedric finally offered a potential solution. "Hey, Fatty. I remember you saying that you Mountain Giants have an innate talent for Earth Laws, right?" He asked while looking at the core. "Mhm, yeah. We do. Why?" "Can you try and see if you could reinforce the structure of the core to be tougher through Earth Laws?" He asked. "If that doesn''t work, then at the very least, we can encase it with metal alloys to protect it and hide it underground. At least that would make it more difficult for others to locate and destroy it. The rules should allow that since we can move the core." His suggestion caused their eyes to lighten up. Backpack Fatty immediately moved next to Morning Wood and felt the core up. He focused and tried what Cedric suggested, and to his pleasant surprise... "Yeah, I can definitely make it tougher." "How about we make it tougher AND also hide underground, wouldn''t that be better?" Howler excitedly suggested. "Yeah, I think that''s a good idea." Moss Lady readily agreed. "If they want to eliminate us, they''d have to work for it." And to their luck, Cedric''s unique ideas didn''t stop here. "Wei, are you interested in piloting a weaponized ind?" "Fuck, yes!" Chapter 407: Surrounded -- [Time is up, Dear Prodigies.] The Inter-Prodigy Group Tournament begins now. Good luck and have fun! ] The 24-hour grace period for preparation passed by quick as the tower prodigies busied themselves strategizing. Yet as soon as the announcement was made, they all dropped whatever they''re still doing and began acting. This tournament takes ce in a pocket dimension. Its size wasparable to a sr system only with firmerws to ensure that it wouldn''t copse under thebined strength of the prodigies who will bepeting with each other here. The inds are scattered everywhere; some were close to another while others were in a far corner of the realm. As soon as the tournament began, the majority of the inds began moving, either in search of opposing teams or to find a spot where they could hide and wait out the end of the tournament. Cedric''s team was among the ones who chose to move. This was a decision they all agreed upon, especially after they modified their ind. Speaking of which, their ind looks far from normal by now. If you look at it closely, there is a faint outline of a dome surrounding the ind. Through the reflection of light, the runic symbols that made up this dome could sometimes be seen, indicating that it was protected by some kind of formation. Additionally, there are patches of forests andkes in some zones of the ind, courtesy of Morning Wood and Moss Lady. Backpack Fatty grew in size and curled up, turning himself into a mountain range while Hawkeye was perched at the highest spot of his body. Howler was chilling within the forest; he even thought about taking a nap. Eunuch Wei was at the pedestal where the control panel was; he''s the one moving the ind, and Cedric was roaming freely as he pleased. While it might look like they''re rxing and not taking any of this seriously, that''s just what it looks like at the surface. In reality, all of them were alert and waiting for the first enemy team they''d encounter. They''ve already made as many preparations as they could during the past 24 hours and were fairly confident that they''d done enough to at least earn a decent ranking by the end. Now, they''re just anticipating whether this was indeed the case or if there''s a need for them to do more. "We''ve got two teams approaching. Stay alert, folks." Eunuch Wei''s voice echoed in their ears as if he''s talking right next to them. Nobody moved or showed any signs of enteringbat, and this was for a good reason. They just waited in anticipation as the ind moved closer and closer to its closest enemy. The teams Eunuch Wei warned them of were sensed by the scanner included with the control panel. As for the specific information about these teams, they''re just going to have to wait until they meet the enemies because the scanner doesn''t provide any of that. It just scans if there''s enemies nearby. And if their scanner can sense these teams, it''s also a given that the enemy team could sense them too. At this point, this fight was inevitable, and it''s one against two right away. What a start... Boom!! Explosions were heard from a distance. The aftershocks could be felt even though they''re rtively far from the sh. As it turns out, the two teams they sensed earlier already fought before they even arrived. Cedric, who''s walking leisurely along the coast of the ind, peered at a distance. His golden eyes constricted and exuded a faint light, signifying that he''s observing the fight from all the way here. He could see the shing lights and explosions caused by their sh. He could also feel the strong fluctuations of conceptws. These two groups fought like they''re mortal enemies; they disyed their mightpletely, not bothering to hide anything at all. Cedric guessed that they''re doing this to impress those who were watching this tournament, and he could respect that. After all, a chance like this doesn''te often, so it''s better to grasp it. ''Ah, but well, sorry, guys. We''re going to have to cut you off right there. You''re in the way, after all.'' He muttered inwardly. Then, his gaze shifted andnded on Eunuch Wei, who''s wearing a perverse expression. He then saw him giggling to himself as he moved to a separate control panel and fiddled with the controls there. In Cedric''s perception, he watched as the whole ind buzzed in activity. It released an invisible wave that crept to the nearby enemy teams and caused them to momentarily lose control of themselves. With a cackle, Eunuch Wei smacked a button that fired off a concentrated beam of energy that pierced the inds of their enemies. Cedric saw how the beam effortlessly vaporized their crystals, promptly eliminating them from thepetition. They only had enough time to look aghast at Cedric''s team before they disappeared from the realm entirely. "KYAHAHAHAHA! THAT FEELS NICE!! I WANNA DO THAT AGAIN!" Eunuch Wei''s mad cackling could be heard through the entire ind. His teammates could only smile wryly at this. They really can''t say anything since they already knew he''s going to do this. Yes, this is why none of them bothered doing anything. It''s because they knew that Eunuch Wei would test the weapons out first. They did turn this entire ind into a weapon of mass destruction after all, and it would be a pity to not test it out first. Fortunately, the weapons worked as intended. And Eunuch Wei was certainly very happy about that. The perverse angel''s mad cackling stopped when the scanner sensed another enemy nearby. He got his hands on the controls and noticed that, surprisingly, the enemy was moving towards them faster than anyone would inspect. Cedric noticed this too and could see why. Someone was pushing the ind, making it fly faster. Why they do this was unknown to Cedric, but hey, he respects the hustle. Knowing that it''s toote to avoid this sh, Eunuch Wei stooped, trying to move the ind altogether since it''s a useless effort anyway. "Let''s test the toughness of our defenses then," he decided as the pilot of this ind. The enemy ind eventually entered their sight, and they saw it moving towards them as if they intended to crash both inds together. But just like before, nobody did anything. And their inactivity puzzled the enemy team; it didn''t stop them from crashing onto them, though. BOOOOM!!! Unfortunately,pletely out of the enemy''s expectations, the ind of Cedric''s team remainedpletely intact, unscathed even. While theirs had cracks all over. It even damn near crashed the core of their ind. Thispletely went beyond their logic because they were initially confident that they''de out on top of this sh. After all, not only did one of their teammates volunteered to elerate the speed of their ind by pushing it, another teammate of theirs also fortified the entire ind to minimize the potential damage it would suffer at the crash. And seeing that the enemy ind not only survived but also came outpletely unscathed from the crash caused them to feel panic, only realizing now that this was a bad idea. Unfortunately, it was toote for them. They only heard a mad cackling somewhere on the enemy ind before shing lights covered their vision. The next thing they knew, all of them had returned to their lobby, and the system was informing them of theirplete elimination. They could only look at each other in dismay before tuning in to the livestream to watch otherspete, feeling slightly regretful of their recklessness. "KYAHAHAHAHA! THAT''S WHAT YOU GET BIIIIITTTCHHH!!!" Eunuch Wei crassnguage and crazedughter caused his teammates to shake their heads in shame. It seems that this guy haspletely forgotten that there were people who were watching this and could see how he''s tarnishing the dignity of the Angel Race. But that is his problem, not theirs. So long as they perform nicely in this tournament, they could ignore his madness. "KYAHAHAHAH-oh shit..." Eunuch Wei''s mad cackling ending rather ominously rmed his teammates. He then said, "Ahaha, uhm, guys? We''re surrounded." "How many?" Howler asked through hismunications. "Ten teams," Eunuch Wei''s solemn voice replied to them. "Five are bound to arrive soon. What do we do?" Well, the situation certainly escted quickly, hasn''t it? The sensing range of the scanner was limited, and it works like a sonar. Eunuch Wei couldn''t be med for driving them into the center of chaos since there''s no way he could''ve seen thising. Also, it''s toote for them to turn around now since the enemies have already been rmed by their presence. "Be alert, Wei. So long as no more than five teams siege, as at the same time, our defenses can hold on. Time the shields properly to minimize the damage and conserve energy," Cedric said to prevent the guy from panicking. Then his eyes shed before he added. "Also, when I tell you to lower down to forcefield at some certain areas around the ind, do it. It''s time for some of us to do some exercise." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 408: Dealing with the ambush -- Some of the teams were already engaged in a battle even before Cedric''s team appeared. Cedric already saw them shing with each other, unleashing their skills and techniques to eliminatepetition. Cedric also noticed the very same moment that they were made aware of another team''s appearance. He even heard some of themining or telling others to retreat since this zone just became too active and vtile. Unfortunately, it is toote for anybody to retreat at this point. Doing so will make that team the focus of other teams, and the chaos will just get worse. They had to fight here and determine the oue; only one team will remain in the end, and everybody''s determined to be that team. Boom!! Boom! Boom! Boom! Colorful lights apanied by a strong force crashed to their shields. Some of these were sent with the intent to destroy their ind at once, while others were sent for mere probing. Fortunately for Cedric and his team, the formation could handle it all. It was Cedric who made this through his mastery over the Runic Heaven Catalogue. He had Moss Lady and Eunuch Wei''s help since they also knew their way around runes, but as they worked, it was evident that Cedric''s mastery over it was higher than theirs, so he was the one who decided the general design and functions of the formation. The functions of the formation were simple enough: to protect the ind and its core. Because of its simplicity, it wasn''t that hard to create, and this simplicity also allowed them to create it within the 24-hour preparation time given to each team. As for the weapons and other stuff hidden in their ind, that''s not part of the formation, but they were Cedric''s suggestions. The idea of turning this entire ind into a weapon was originally his as well. Boom! Boom! Boom! More attacks came their way, but the shields remained intact. What others failed to notice is that whenever the shields were attacked, they would also absorb the lingering energies from the attacks and store them somewhere. If they had noticed this, they would understand that attacking this team this way was useless. After all, they''re just giving them more ammunition. And of course, Eunuch Wei isn''t one to just stand there and take a beating either... Pshew!! Boom!!! The energy cannons installed at the depths of the ind appeared and bombarded the attacking teams. And unlike their attempts, Eunuch''s attack caused devastating damage to them. Some of these teams didn''t even bother making a formation to protect their ind. Whether that''s the product of their arrogance or neglect doesn''t matter anymore. After all, they''re already suffering from the effect of the negligence. ''Wei, southeast. Open a small hole and allow those two in.'' Cedric''s voice echoed within Eunuch Wei''s head through voice transmission. Carefully, as to minimize suspicion from those who might be observing him, Eunuch Wei followed Cedric''s orders and deactivated a small hole on the southeast part of the ind. The angel couldn''t see what Cedric was doing, but he trusted the man''s perception. He knew that Cedric wouldn''t sabotage their efforts, so he did as he was told. Actually, only Cedric could see the intruders clearly. They''re using some kind of magic or spell that hid their presence very well from others. Obviously, it was ineffective against Cedric''s eyes that''s trained to see the unseen. That said, his teammates weren''t pushovers in terms of sensitivity as well. Moss Lady and Morning Wood were the first ones to sense the presence of the intruders after Cedric. They sensed them the moment they stepped onto the grass, which was connected to them via a sensorywork. Moss Lady and Morning Wood are both nt-based life forms. They hold innate closeness and affinity over nature and could use them as an extension of their senses if necessary. Howler and Hawkeye also sense them. The former smelled them as soon as they entered, and thetter physically saw them too, like Cedric. She only saw them how, since the range of her vision was not as far as Cedric''s. Then, Backpack Fatty and Eunuch Wei felt themst. ''Dawnbringer, can I y with these two? I''m bored.'' Howler asked through voice transmission. ''Yeah, sure. But don''t make it too long, or else the others who are spying on us would figure out that we''re baiting them in.'' Cedric replied. ''Whoo!'' As soon as he received permission to y, Howler immediately pounced. His legs bulged before he kicked to send himself flying. His speed broke sound barriers, and he quite literally appeared before the intruders before the sound of Howler''s explosive speed reached them. "Hey, sailors!" Howler grinned manically as he appeared like a ghost in front of them. His voice carried a certain charm that interfered with whatever magic they''re using to hide their presence. "Shit! Kill him!" The two intruders were startled, but not for long. They immediately swung their weapons at Howler, wanting to tear him to pieces before he made too much noise. They had to kill him before the rest of his teammates arrived, or else it would be the two of them who die here...well, technically, they''d only get incapacitated, but that''s the same as a death sentence in this tournament since it meant that their team will have two fewerbatants. To their dismay, however, Howler was as slippery as a loach. Their skills and weapons couldn''t even get anywhere near his fur with how surprisingly athletic this werewolf was. And it''s clear that he''s not taking them seriously, evident with his jeering expression as he effortlessly dodged their attacks. "Come on, boys. Have you not eaten anything beforeing here? Put some more effort into your swings, will you? This is way too easy that it''s boring!" Howler taunted the intruders. Yeah, it''s clear that he didn''t care about building connections here or making friends. He didn''t care whether his opponents were offended by his attitude since he truly doesn''t have anything to fear. The intruders didn''t take his provocation lightly. They increased their efforts to kill him to silence him as well, but they''re failing miserably so far. In their rage, they didn''t even notice that the entrance they used to get in here had already closed up. They also didn''t notice that theirmunications have been cut since they stepped here, meaning that their teammates couldn''t reach them anymore and tell them that they fell into a trap. This game of cat and mouse urred at the same time as Eunuch Wei''s counter-siege against the surrounding teams. In their rage, the intruders have be irrational. It didn''t ur to them that enough time had already passed for any possible reinforcements from the enemy team toe since they certainly didn''t care about being silent anymore. Had they thought of this, they would''ve immediately realized that this situation was weird. The idea that they might''ve fallen into a trap could''ve dawned on them too. s, they''re too absorbed in their desire to kill this arrogant werewolf to even think outside of this situation. ''y time''s over, Howler. End them before they notice their teammates trying to get them out of here.'' Cedric told Howler as he observed the team where the intruders came from, sending another person to hopefully get their attention. ''Ah, darn. Things were about to get real fun too. Oh well...'' Howler sighed. Then, his ws suddenly swelled in size. A silver radiance bloomed on his palms, coating his ws and giving it a cold and frightening sharpness. Howler then disappeared from wherever he was, causing the two intruders to falter in their movement. He appeared right behind them with his ws slightly stained with blood before he began walking away with a bored expression. When the intruders regained their ability to move, they turned around to swing at him but immediately froze in the middle of their action. All of a sudden, blood spurted out of their bodies, and they immediately lost consciousness, falling like sacks of potatoes on the ground. "It''s a pity that they''re too weak," Howlerposed softly. It''s not that the intruders were too weak. Actually, their strength was rathermendable; they too were prodigies of the tower, after all. Howler was just too strong and quick. They couldn''t even react to his speed. They died before realizing that their hearts had been crushed by Howler''s ws. He quite literally moved faster than they could think, and it was an instant eleration too, making it nearly impossible to follow. With the two incapacitated, the person whom their team sent out cursed their stupidity. He initially wanted to help them, but s, it''s toote. They couldn''t be revived in this fight too since their ''corpse'' reamined on the enemy territory. The only way to retrieve them is by trespassing the enemy territory, which was impossible now that the enemy team has been alerted and the entrance leading inside was already sealed. And just to prove the point that it''s toote for them to regret their recklessness, Eunuch Wei destroyed their ind using the energy cannons, expelling them from thispetition once and for all. Chapter 409: Howler and Morning Wood -- The cannons took out two teams in quick session, and it''s only because they didn''t expect it. Other teams nearby were actually gobsmacked. They looked at the cannons installed around and deep into the ind andmented that they didn''t think of doing the same. Turning the entire ind into a mobile fortress was a damn good idea, especially in apetition like this. But of course, this isn''t enough topletely deter other teams. It surprised them, yes, but only for a short while. They will adapt to it eventually since that''s all they could really do, meaning that the efficiency and threat of the cannons will be lessened. This, however, was of no consequence to Cedric and his team. They already thought about this before, and truly, they''re not losing anything. A threat is still a threat, no matter how small. Plus, it''s not like the cannons were the only weapons they had. The seven of them were still there; if worse came to worse, they could mobilize and solve the problems that the cannons couldn''t solve. Around the same time that Eunuch Wei eliminated two teams, the rest of the enemies appeared. There were ten in total; five were near them, and the other five were distant. Now though, the distance teams have already joined the fray, making this chaotic battle even more turbulent. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Their ind faced attacks at all angles. If it weren''t for the formation protecting it, they would''ve long since been eliminated. But this formation also made them the target of bombardment somehow, because it would seem that other teams didn''t like the idea that they had a sturdy shield they could use to turtle in. Some seem even more determined to test the limits and break the formation just to send a message. This caused aftershocks to shake the ind consistently. Cedric didn''t mind; it also didn''t disturb Eunuch Wei''s focus nor move Backpack Fatty, who''s disguising himself as a mountain ranger. Though it caused Howler to feel displeased. ''Let me out. I wanna y with these fools,'' he said through voice transmission. Cedric raised a brow. He then thought about it for a bit. Howler sure can''t stay idle; he has too much energy to spare. ''Will you be okay on your own?'' Cedric asked. ''I''ll go with him.'' Morning Wood offered. ''You? No, you''re too slow. I''m good by myself.'' Howler denied. ''I don''t need to be as fast as you are. You won''t go far anyway. Plus, I''m more durable than you. Don''t worry, I won''t hold you back from ying.'' They became silent for a while. It seems that this was Howler''s way of agreeing to this set-up. ''Well, just be careful then. Wei, open up a small hole for these two.'' Cedric replied. Eunuch Wei didn''t say anything, but he did do as he told. Howler and Morning Wood were already on the move, with the former moving faster. Howler didn''t slow down for Morning Wood; he actually left him behind. He turned into a silver sh that immediately engaged with the enemies around. He was too fast and too ferocious for them. By the time Morning Wood left the ind, Howler had already incapacitated two enemies on his own. But like he said, Morning Wood didn''te out to hold Howler back. He was there to assist him, and what followed was him doing exactly just that. The tree hovered above the ind. His body shook, and a green pulse erupted from his body. The pulse went through all of the teams nearby, and to their horror, they found that their respective inds were being restricted by an invisible force. Then, to their surprise, they suddenly discovered that their surroundings shifted. They found themselves inside a vast rainforest out of nowhere. Their inds were trapped by vines, the earth, and towering trees. Cedric''s eyes shed in surprise too. He then thought to himself, ''Domain?'' Yes, indeed. This was Morning Wood''s domain. He calls it the ''Nativity; the World of Trees''. In this domain, he was a ruler. He deres the weather and thews and order of everything inside. The trees around them weren''t just mere visions; they''re as real as they could get. This also meant that if these other teams wanted to regain the mobility of their inds, they had to free themselves from this trap and escape Morning Wood''s domain. But the transformation of their surroundings didn''t end here. As stated before, Morning Wood is a god within his domain; he decides whates and goes here. And while he wouldn''t deny that he''s doing this to show off, he also stayed true to his initial purpose ofing out with Howler. Swoosh! The skies suddenly darkened, illuminated only by the solitary full moon that''s hovering ever so close to them. "Go nuts, Howler. I got your back." Howler didn''t even hear him. He just stared in trace at the full moon. His white fur bristled, almost turning into needles. They transformed into pure silver and grew slightly longer. Howler''s strength was seemingly boosted as well, and his burning enhusiasm was reced by a cold and merciless indifference. ''Oh, so that''s what he nned to do.'' Cedric mused. ''First, he unleashed his domain to set Howler''s yground, then he replicated the full moon to trigger Howler''s transformation and make him stronger.'' The Werewolf n had innate closeness with the moon. It didn''t matter what phase of the moon it was since it would not weaken them. However, the full moon was their favorite since it turns them into truly fearsome beasts, bringing them closer to their ancestors. And within Morning Wood''s domain, this full moon was as real as it could get. Therefore, it will certainly trigger Howler''s transformation. And so long as Howler remained inside his domain, Morning Wood could ensure his safety. When the other teams felt Howler''s transformation, all of them felt their skin crawling in fright. They knew that they''re about to be victims of carnage and did not hesitate to prepare themselves for a tough battle. There actually aren''t many tales of werewolves rampaging under the full moon; most of them were either exaggerations or fake stories. This was because there''s almost nobody that lives through the full moon rampage of a werewolf. They knew it could happen, but living to tell the tale is apletely different matter altogether. Howler was already frighteningly quick before, but after his transformation under the full moon''s influence? He''s even faster. At least before, you''d still see him before he kills you. But now, Howler could effortlessly slip through the fabrics of space and rip out someone''s heart before they even knew what happened. That''s happening right now, actually. Howler promptly became untraceable after his transformation. He effortlessly mowed through his enemies, incapacitating them one by one before they could even react. And within Morning Wood''s domain, Howler could blend through the trees, foliage, and vines. Simply put, Howler was in his element, and he had Morning Wood to thank for it. Some of the smart ones knew that if they wanted to put Howler under control, they had to first deal with the owner of this domain. Some already moved with this goal in mind, yet they''re also the first ones that Howler hunted. Howler didn''tpletely lose his rationality in this state. The full moon transformation didn''t erode his sanity or make him lose his reason. It just numbs them down while also giving him something akin to a steroid shot injected directly into his veins. He knew that his enemies would catch on and try to take Morning Wood down, and he simply couldn''t have that. Not now, when he''s still relishing the power brought by the full moon. This was something that he didn''t experience very often because even though his n had innate closeness with the moon, the times they saw a full moon were extremely rare. That''s why he wants to relish every second that passed in this state because he doesn''t know when he''ll experience it again. He wished that he could be in this state perpetually. Unfortunately, even with his n''s long history and research, they still hadn''t discovered a way to do so. This was actually one of Howler''s goals once he joined the alliance. The Werewolf n reveres the moon, and if they could harness the strength of the full moon regardless of its current phase, it would immensely help with their development. It took no more than an hour for Howler to not only eradicate every single one of the teams that surrounded them but also eliminate them from the tournament. There were a handful of people who actually put up a good fight even in his current state. It wasn''t surprising since everybody here was a prodigy on their own. But Howler was just too fierce in this state. He easily outpaced and overpowered them inbat. After eliminating the teams around them, Eunuch Wei said that they''re clear for now. Morning Wood retracted his domain, which also meant that the influence of the moon on Howler also receeded. He reverted to his original form much to his dismay, but he didn''t say anything. The two of them returned inside the formation and waited until the next enemies arrived. Chapter 410: Discussions, Draconians, Thunder Prince -- "Someone from the Werewolf n, eh? It seems that it''s their time to rise after all this time." One of the Elders who were watching the tournamentmented, sounding nostalgic somehow. "This... Howler, is it? His profile said that he''s only 120 years old. He''s considered a juvenile, yet he already shows this much promise. I wonder how his n raised him." "There''s no need to pry that deep. What makes me curious is the effect of the full moon on them. Even a mimicry from a domain was able to trigger it somehow, and it''s a wonderful transformation. If only they could be like that at all times." "Speaking of domains, that...treant, is it? Morning Wood, I believe he''s called. Yeah, he''s also impressive. His domain has been cultivated well." "Indeed. A domain that could rewrite reality that easily is certainly rare, especially considering that this one hasn''t been raised within the alliance. Hisprehension ofws is solid, and it shows; truly impressive indeed." The audience of the tower discussed the events that''s happening in the tournament, and as usual, they were impressed by this batch of prodigies. Considering that most of these people weren''t raised in the rich and prosperous environment of the alliance, their ability to grow this much on their own with little to no assistance from anybody shows just how talented they were. Some of these people were already preparing to send out invitations. They had their eyes peeled since the beginning and had been watching the events closely. They want to bring back as many geniuses with them as possible because they will certainly bring fame and fortune to their respective organizations. Of course, there are others who reserved their judgment for now. These people came from ces that do notck geniuses, so they had no real need to actively scout. Additionally, their standards are higher than most, so they wouldn''t easily hand out invites. They''re waiting to see more before making a decision, which is a wise choice. Amidst their heated discussions, the Tower Master remained silent. His face remained cid, as if none of this surprises him at all and nobody could tell what he''s thinking. Their attention wasn''t solely focused on Cedric''s team. Actually, only a handful of people were paying attention to them, and that''s only because they came out unscathed even though they were surrounded. Most of them paid attention to somebody whom they recognized... "Hey, that''s him, right?" "Yeah, it''s him." "It turns out that the rumors were true; he was indeed here." "Well, considering his heritage, we shouldn''t be surprised." "That''s true. But he sure looks more mature than thest time we saw him." "He''s a Draconian; they mature fast under duress, so it shouldn''t be surprising." The person they''re talking about was a child who belongs on the 1st Lobby Team. He''s about seven feet tall and had outlines of scales on his arms and legs; he had a pair of wings emitting sparks of thunder, and his eyes were slitted like snakes had. He had a paleplexion, pointed ears, and sharp facial features. He has a solitary horn growing in the middle of his forehead; he''s wearing heavy-ted armor, and his weapon choice was a spear. "Don''t make a mistake, everyone. Here, he goes by Thunder Prince. It would also be wise to stop talking about his background." This little reminder silenced the gossiping of the others about this person, but it certainly didn''t stop them from paying attention to him. His identity was truly shocking after all, so much so that it would be a miracle if nobody paid attention to him. Boom!! Under their watchful gaze, the Thunder Prince stabbed his spear forward and easily pierced a distant enemy ind. His enemies didn''t even know what happened; they were eliminated in an instant. The worst part is that they can''tin about it; they were too weak after all. They watched the Thunder Prince retract his spear and sit down on the same spot he''s been since the start of the tournament. Behind him, his three teammates could only look at each other in futility, shrugging in relent because this teammate of theirs was truly tyrannical. This isn''t the first time this Thunder Prince eliminated theirpetition this way. And so far, none have survived his spear strike. He was too strong and too domineering. And from his bodynguage, it was clear that he thinks that this was a waste of time, that he''s only here to carry his useless teammates to the peak as usual. ''When will this end? Ugh.'' He groaned inwardly, showing no visible trace of annoyance. ''I''d rather sleep than be here.'' His predatory eyesnded on the seemingly endless nket of space around them. Unlike others, he could see through the facies of this space. He could also tell that there are numerous pairs of eyes watching his every move, which annoyed him to the bone. ''I wouldn''t be surprised if some agents of my parents were watching this broadcast.'' ''Damn, like, I love my parents and all, but they can be a little too nosy at times. I wish they''d just leave me alone for a bit. Is that too much to ask? '' ''With these people watching. I simply can''t afford to show any signs ofziness, or else they''d report it to my parents, and they''d annoy the hell out of me again.'' ''The amount of convincing it took for them to allow me toe here was mind-boggling. If I showed any signs ofziness, they wouldn''t hesitate to pull me out of here; that just won''t do. I love the peace and quiet this ce brings me, and I n to relish it as much as I can.'' ''Ugh, so annoying.'' Under his hardened exterior was a child who''s annoyed by his parents'' strictness. This stemmed from their lineage and had been the source of his personal plight ever since. The Thunder Princees from the Draco Race, a humanoid race that had close ties with the Wise Dragon n since ancient times. ording to history, the ancestors of the Draco Race had been close confidants of the Wise Dragons, and their closeness made the dragons willing to share their bloodlines with them, making them the only race who share blood connections with the strongest of ''The Six''. Having the blood of dragons coursing through their veins changed the very structure of Draconian''s DNA, turning them into what they are now. And with this generous gift, the rtionship between the Draconians and the Wise Dragons just got even deeper, to the point where the Draconians would willingly sacrifice their lives in service to the dragons. Thunder Prince''s parents serve under the banner of the Dragon Emperor, making them strong, wise, and incredibly powerful. This status was known by the public, and thus they had an image to keep and a reputation to uphold¡ªthings that were forced upon the poor kid who only wanted to take things easy. The weight of expectations weighed heavily on Thunder Prince''s shoulders. He didn''t shy away from it though, simply because it''s meaningless to run away from it. He had no doubt that he wouldn''t be able to escape from it anyway. Besides, it''s not like he hates it that much. He''s been close friends with young dragons and already swore to be by their side ever since, and he ns on doing just that. He just didn''t like the way it''s shoved down his throat, as if they''re expecting him to run away from it. It''s like they don''t trust him to behave at all. This is why he wanted to take a breather for a while. Away from his stressful parents so that he could think. Of course, he knew that doing this only makes things worse, but not worse than staying at home, which he knew would just drive him crazy. ''Should I just ditch these two and hunt the rest to end this meaningless event sooner?'' He thought to himself. If people were to hear him, they''d probably call him arrogant, disrespectful, childish, and so on. It doesn''t really matter since he''s strong enough to follow through on his ims. The more he thought about it, the more tempting the idea became. However, he refused to move for now. Choosing to marinate at the thought some more before making a decision. All of a sudden, though, his eyes snapped open. Without getting up from his seat, he held his spear and threw it towards the south. The spear turned into a streak of light, piercing another team''s ind core without so much of a resistance before returning to him just as fast as he threw it. Just like that, he eliminated another team. The sight already numbed his useless teammates, so they stopped caring anymore. Instead, they just relented to allow this domineering teammate of theirs to hog the spotlight while the two of them did their best to guard their ind. Unbeknownst to them, there is another team moving closer and closer to them. And unlike the rest, there is someone here who could serve as the Thunder Prince''s ymate. Chapter 411: Hawkeye moves, a Formidabble Enemy arrives -- There are a total of 105 lobby teams participating in this tournament. With the exception of the 1st Lobby, who only had 3 participants, the rest of the teams had at least a minimum of five members. The majority of the participants are at the Grand Sr level of life evolution; they only differ in the minor realms. Most were at the Grand Sr Warrior realm, some were at the Grand Sr Grandmaster realm, like Cedric and his team, while a handful had already reached the Grand Sr Sage realm. Due to their cultivation realms being rtively the same, the battles became fierce. It focused on teamwork, wits, and adaptability more than brute force. That''s probably the goal of this entire tournament in hindsight, but that''s not the focus of these prodigies. They care more about being noticed than learning whatever lesson the tower master was trying to teach them. Aftering unscathed from thebined attacks of 10 teams, Cedric and his team experienced a period of calm. Their scanner hadn''t sensed anything even as Eunuch Wei drove the ind with the purpose of searching for more teams topete with. This didn''t mean that they dropped their guard, though. All of them knew that they couldn''t rely on the scannerpletely since its functions were limited. There are many ways to bypass the scanner, so they had to be on guard or else they''d get eliminated before they knew what happened. A day has already passed since the start of the tournament. It is unknown just how many teams were left since there were no indications. The system was also never heard of by anybody after the start of the tournament. Add the fact that the stage for this tournament was rtivelyrge, and then it''s very likely that it would take more time for the remaining teams to meet each other. A few more hours passed without any activities. Then, the peace was disturbed by a sharp beep of the scanner. Eunuch Wei immediately focused and ryed his findings to his team. "I sense five teams nearby. Three are heading towards us; the other two should be fighting each other." Cedric immediately released his field of senses to observe the teams that Eunuch Wei warned them of. In an instant, he was able to see what they would be dealing with shortly. The three teams he spoke of were chasing each other. Members of each team shed against each other as their inds remained in motion. Their fight was fierce; each person was determined to end the other group to eliminatepetition. Cedric also saw how they reacted when they learned about his team being nearby. Once they came close enough to their ind, all three teams seemingly agreed to eliminate them first because they''re on the way. It''s like they had a silent agreement of some sort. Boom! Boom! Boom! The attacks came fierce and unrelenting. Unfortunately for them, it was ineffective. The attacks were neutralized by the formation protecting their ind. This caused the other teams to gape in surprise. They could''ve sworn that this team were unprotected, yet as it turns out, they had a respectable turtle shield they could use to protect themselves. But of course, it simply wouldn''t end there. There''s no way Eunuch Wei would let his team be bullied, after all. And so the cannons were fired. The beams took outrge chunks of their enemies'' inds, scaring the crap out of them since they werepletely unprepared from the retaliation. This ferocity made them realize that they made a mistake targeting this team, yet at the same time, it''s also the right decision. They need to work together and try their best to eliminate this team first because if they don''t, then they''d just pick them off one by one. So, theypletely dropped the idea of attacking each other before they took this team down. It''s another silent agreement between then. And they better do this fast because one of the two teams they left behind might catch up and profit from this. After making this decision, the enemy teams stopped holding back. All of a sudden, Cedric''s team was facing a world-ending flood, a storm of lightning with each bolt being as thick as a tree, and a silver cloud that corrodes anything it touches. ''Will the formation hold up against those?'' Hawkeye suddenly asked via voice transmission. ''Out of these tree cmities, only the silver cloud could pose a threat to the formation since it could easily erode the runes. The lightning storm and the flood will do nothing but give us excess energy to use,'' Cerric replied. ''I''ll deal with that silver cloud then.'' Hawkeye decided before taking flight. ''Do you need us to open up the formation? '' Cedric asked. ''No, it''s fine. It wouldn''t make a difference anyway,'' she replied. The grown-up harpy flew towards where the corrosive silver cloud approaches them. With a sharp gleam in her eyes, she emitted a sharp screech, and her wings pped furiously behind her. Gales howled and turned into a twister that immediately grew to the size of a tornado. With a push from her, the tornado crept forward, effortlessly passing through the formation without damaging it and swallowing the corrosive silver mist like it was nothing. Of course, since she already made a move, it would be a pity to not make the most out of it. And so, as the other attacks crashed to their defenses, Hawkeye willed the tornado to swerve and move towards their enemies. As it continued moving forwards, its size kept growing bigger and bigger. It didn''t take long before it eventually turned into a world-ending cmity as well. But unlike her team, their enemies had little to no resistance against this. The fearsome might of the world-ending tornado was disyed. It sucked all three inds in despite their desperate attempts to escape from it. The suction power was just too much for them to handle that not even the controls of the ind could run away from it. It''s quite a spectacle too. Seeing a massive tornado creeping forward in the vacuum of space. Of course, their suffering didn''t just end there. Being inside the tornado was far worse than being sucked in. Each visible twist of air was razor sharp, easily tearing through rocks like a hot knife through butter. The enemy inds were already damaged earlier by the cannons, and now this unforgiving cmity was tearing them apart. Despite their desperate attempts to defend or escape this hell, they were unable to do so. The tornado wouldn''t let them leave until there''s nothing left of them. And that''s precisely what happened... Hawkeye only dismissed the tornado once all of their enemies were gone. Eunuch Wei gave her two thumbs up for a job well done. But this is also when he realized something. ''Hey, where did those two teams go?'' Cedric also discovered this and was puzzled. Originally, there were a total of five teams here. The first three had been eliminated by Hawkeye alone, while the other two stayed back and were assumed to be fighting each other. But right after eliminating the first three teams, the two teams at the back mysteriously disappeared. Even Cedric didn''t see what happened. ''Could it be mutual destruction? '' Moss Lady wondered. ''It could be.'' Morning Wood said, ''If that''s the case, then we''re lucky.'' ''But it could also be that there''s a third party.'' Eunuch Wei reminded them, ''This is a battle royale after all. A third-party ambush should be expected.'' ''Well, if that''s true, then shouldn''t you know it? I mean, the scanner should''ve already noticed their presence.'' Backpack Fatty responded. ''Right.'' Eunuch Wei nodded. ''But the scanner didn''t pick up anything. Well, I just think that mutual destruction is too fortunate for this situation. Something''s wrong here; I can feel it in my feathers.'' Cedric remained quiet. He too believed that this coincidence was too good to be true. It was then that his senses picked up something moving towards them at extreme speeds that even he found difficult to follow. Cedric''s eyes constricted as he bellowed: "Watch out!!!" PSHEW!!! BOOOOM!!! Something crashed into the formation, smashing it to pieces. The explosion sent the entire ind shaking dangerously, and the majority of Cedric''s teammates were caught unprepared. When the smoke cleared, the scene revealed a surprising development. Somehow, Backpack Fatty got up and ced himself in front of Moss Lady. His expression was twisted in pain, and his eyes narrowed as he red at the spot where the thing that not only broke the formation but also nearly killed him and Moss Ladynded. It was a spear, smoking and sparking with lightning still. Nobody knew where it came from, only that it was obviously thrown by somebody. A few secondster, the spear disappeared like smoke. But it didn''t bring them anyfort. That''s when Eunuch Wei''s voice revealed very grim news to them. "We''re in some deep shit, guys. I know who the owner of the spear was." "It''s from the guy who goes by the monicker ''Thunder Prince'' in the tower. And he is, without a doubt, the strongest prodigy here." "He''s got his eyes on us, and we''ll probably be eliminated from thispetition very soon." Chapter 412: The Strongest Prodigy -- ''The strongest prodigy, huh? '' Cedric muttered to himself as he narrowed his eyes towards the direction where the spear came from. Eunuch Wei isn''t one to lie, especially not in a situation like this. Moreover, the trepidation on his face couldn''t be faked, so Cedric knew that he was telling the truth. "Who''s this ''Thunder Prince''? And what did he do to be called the strongest prodigy?" Howler asked, looking solemn as well. "Long story short, he''s a Draconian¡ªa race that''s considered to be the most loyal followers of the Wise Dragon n. They share a long history, and the dragons bestowed shared their bloodline with them, making them extremely formidabble." "The Thunder Prince is the son of the right-hand man of the Wise Dragon n''s Patriarch. I initially thought that it''s only rumors that he''s here, but that spear just confirmed his identity to me." "That spear is called the Draconic Thunder Punishment Spear; it is made from the essence of Thunder Tribtion mixed with Timeless Godstones and bones of a deceased dragon. It''s an artifact that''s only passed on to the Draconians, more specifically those who served under the Dragon n''s Patriarch." Eunuch''s exnation caused the team to feel intimidated. If what he said was real, and it''s very likely that it is, then they''re in for a really bad time. Everybody here knows that the Wise Dragons are part of ''The Six''; they could even be said to be the de facto leader of this council. There are numerous tales of their wisdom and strength published online, and every single one was real. Knowing that they''re facing somebody who shared the same bloodline as those dragons was bound to make them feel a little hesitant about this fight. Eunuch Wei himself didn''t think they stood a chance. "Yeah, that''s fancy and all, but it still doesn''t exin how he could be the strongest prodigy here," Howler reiterated. "Just know that the Thunder Prince could''ve cleared the 10th stage of trials long ago if he''s actually serious about this climb." Eunuch Wei groaned in frustration. "Rumors said that he''s just here to escape his responsibilities and the pressure of his family. And haven''t you already felt it from the attack earlier? That throw waszy, yet it not only destroyed the formation like it was ss; it could''ve also killed Moss Lady if it weren''t for Backpack Fatty!" Howler was silenced by this. While he couldn''t agree about the part where he said that the enemy threw the spearzily, he couldn''t deny the strength behind it. He did witness the destruction of the formation himself, after all. "That means that he''s also the one who eliminated the teams we were looking for, then," Morning Wood pointed out. "I think so, too," Eunuch Wei replied, still trying his best to control the ind away from this ce. Meanwhile, Moss Lady was busy looking after Backpack Fatty''s body. He was injured from the attack earlier after cing himself in between the spear and her. Being a mountain giant, his defenses are understandably thick and durable. This is, after all, one of his kind''s innate talents. But apparently, this didn''t pose even the slightest bit of problem against the Thunder Prince''s spear. The poor giant still felt numbed by the lightning that struck him and was still bleeding from the injuries he suffered from. Fortunately, Moss Lady can heal, and she''s a damn good healer too. With just a few touches here and there, Backpack Fatty already felt better, and his wounds had already closed up. Cedric saw this and was slightly relieved. But even with this, he still thinks that running away was pointless. "Wei, stop trying to take us away. It''s pointless," he said after a moment of deliberation. The angel gave him an inquisitive look, so he said, "Our ind has been marked." Cedric then pointed at the crater left by the attack earlier. And with a wave of his hand, a runic sign was revealed at the pit. It looked nothing like the ones they knew; they had no idea what it said. They also had no idea how to remove it, but they were inclined to believe that Cedric''s conjectures were correct. Eunuch Wei nched and smiled wryly. He felt weak all of a sudden and said, "Wow, okay. I guess the fun''s over then." "Don''t be too down." Cedric chuckled. "I mean, at the very least, we can make a final stand. Let''s go out with a bang." "You want us to self-destruct and take out the ind with us?" Eunuch Wei asked. "No, silly." Cedric shook his head. "I want us to ''die'' fighting back. We might as well see just howrge the gap is between us and the strongest." "Ooh, I like that n." Howler was the first one to voice out his agreement. "I like it a lot." "Well, I mean, it definitely sounds better than just lying down and waiting for our demise, so yeah, I''m in as well." Morning Wood agreed as well. The rest also voiced out their agreements, making Eunuch Wei agree as well. This agreement was just in time for Cedric to spot the so-called Thunder Prince and his ind entering his field of senses. At that moment, it''s as if they met face-to-face with only a few meters in between them. The Thunder Prince was intrigued because he didn''t expect to meet someone who could rival his sensory abilities. Seeing as this person didn''t bother to inform his team about him was a form of challenge to him. And so he stood up, summoned his spear, and assumed a throwing stance. Cedric observed this and confirmed Eunuch Wei''s words. His stance was sloppy and half-hearted. It''s like was being forced to do this against his will. But this doesn''t mean that this throw would be weak. He could feel the staggering amount of force brewing in that stance, waiting to be released at a certain point of umtion. ''I see him, and he''s about to throw his spear again. Be prepared; I''ll try to weaken it as much as I can.'' Cedric''s warning came just in time before the Thunder Prince made his throw. Pshew! Boom!! The impact of the throw could be heard by Cedric and his team. Even though it came from a distance, it still sounded like a thunderp to their ears. Cedric''s eyes gleamed intensely. He took a step forward, and with it, the conceptws surrounding their ind swirled into activity, surprising his teammates. Most of them had no idea what''s happening. All they knew was that Cedric was the one doing this, and too much was happening at the same time. Eunuch Wei could understand it a little. He could feel a bubble of spacetime vortex encasing their ind, and it''s not just a single one. There were multipleyers of it. This was, of course, mind-boggling for him. Because the idea of forming a turbulent spacetime barrier was already enough to give him a massive headache, yet Cedric easily created multipleyers of it without showing any physical or mental strain. Unfortunately, now is not the time for him to ask questions. The real test wasing. Boom!!! The spear that seemed to transcend the speed barrier crashed into the spacetime barriers that Cedric created, and the effect became visible immediately. Its speed slowed down considerably to the point where everybody was able to follow it. The might it contained was still great, but it''s now being eroded by the turbulent concept of space and time enforced upon the artifact. Technically, the spear should''vended by now. But with Cedric''s protection, the space it needed to travel to reach its destination and the time it would need to do so was stretched to months, if not years, since there were multiple spacetime barriers it needed to cross to get to their ind. The Thunder Prince sensed this and was astounded. He couldn''t hide his shock at all since he didn''t expect to meet someone who could easily neutralize his attack and in such a brilliant disy too. He tried tapping into his connection with his spear. If he could do this, then it would be able to ignore the influence of spacetime barriers around it. But again, to his surprise, he felt his attempts being interfered by some mysterious force. "Well, I''ll be..." he trailed off, feeling the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. His gaze crossed with Cedric''s pair of golden eyes, and the Thunder Prince suddenly felt irritated by the calm and confident smile on Cedric''s face. "Hahaha!" Heughed at the absurdity of it all. "Alright, fine. I''ll give you this one." With a stress of his will, he summoned his spear back to his hands. This time, he managed to retrieve it despite the interference and the spacetime barriers. Boom!!! Then, his fighting intent soared, causing his sheer aura to engulf the entire ind, almost choking his teammates in surprise. "It seems that I''d have to actually pay attention this once." He muttered to himself, "Come, then. Let''s see how far you can push me." Chapter 413: First Clash with the Strongest -- "Oh, I think I got his attention now," Cedric mused out loud to his team. "Really? How surprising." Eunuch Wei deadpanned in sarcasm, rolling his eyes at him. Obviously what Cedric did just now was bound to catch the attention of the Thunder Prince; he did after all sh with him. It would be surprising if the draconian just ignored Cedric after he blocked his attack. Fwooosh! It was then that they suddenly felt an overwhelming pulse of strength swarming their surroundings. Most of Cedric''s teammates nched when they felt the suffocating pressureing from none other than the Thunder Prince. The pressure was so dense that it prated their soul. It made them involuntarily feel dread creeping up their hearts, reminding them of the sheer gap between them and the so-called ''Strongest Prodigy'' of this batch. "Mn, scary..." Cedric nodded sagely after feeling the pressureing from the enemy. But it sure as hell looked like he was unaffected by it, causing his teammates to look at him incredulously. What they didn''t know is that Cedric was having a gazing contest with the enemy. It''s truly like they''re standing face-to-face. It''s not like Cedric waspletely unaffected. He was. He could feel that the Thunder Prince was truly way stronger than he is. But this isn''t the first time that he faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge. It''s basically the story of his life at this point. He''s so used to it that it doesn''t scare him anymore. It just gives him a sense of familiarity. Under his watch, the Thunder Prince once again assumed a throwing stance. As soon as he did so, Cedric''s lips twitched because he could immediately tell that this wasn''t going to be like thezy throw like previously. "Brace yourselves. He''s going to throw his spear again. This time, he''s not holding back." Cedric warned his teammates, causing their hearts to clench. "Can you stop it like before?" Eunuch Wei asked. "Unlikely." Cedric shook his head. "He already knew how I countered his previous throw. If he''s as formidabble as you say, then he wouldn''t stupidly just add more force to his throw. Moreover, that spear of his is prevertedly overpowered. I have no doubts that it''s somehow capable of ignoring conceptws." Cedric didn''t feel the need to tell them that the Thunder Prince was already challenging him by doing this. There''s no way that he would be lousy on his next throw. Boom! Crack! A sudden pulse of power came from behind, encasing the entire ind into a forcefield. It was a domain, but not Morning Wood''s¡ªit''s Backpack Fatty''s domain. As the domain unfolds, everybody suddenly finds themselves in a vast and seemingly endless mountain range surrounded by peaks that pierce the heavens and raging seas. The essence of gravity, solidarity, and the enduring nature of earth was imposed on every square inch of thend they''re in, giving them a sense of security. Backpack Fatty himself appeared to be in his full size here. A full 100-meter tall mountain giant. He gave everybody a sense of being the world itself. He was covered in a thin veil of gold; his physique exudes strength, power, and invincibility. Backpack Fatty''s domain is called the ''Mountain and Sea Realm''. It''s created after the image of his n''s ancestral birthce, one that he had never seen before but have dreamt of multiple times. It represents his yearning and the pride he held of his origins. The ind was kept safe and secured on his chest. Yes, the entire ind was ced right next to his heart, where he could defend them from harm. Judging from his actions, Backpack Fatty was prepared to face whatever the Thunder Prince was about to throw them. Of course, there was no way that his teammates would let him deal with this alone. Following the release of his domain, Morning Wood alsounched ''Nativity: the World of Trees''. Now, aside from a vast mountain range and raging sea, there''s also towering trees within the surroundings. The two domains were stacked together, not fused, just stacked. Fortunately, their elements didn''t sh, or else this would''ve been a disaster. It didn''t end here, though. Moss Lady made a move as well. She also has a domain called the ''Fairy Heart''. Her domain caused bulbs of flowers to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye, and as soon as they bloomed, they gave birth to her kind, although they don''t appear to be too intelligent. They did, however, dance around and leave trails of golden dust everywhere. The golden dust clung to everything they touched like glitter. Cedric felt that this golden dust carries a strange power, but he had no idea what it was. But this makes it three domains stacked together. Again, they''re notpletely fused, so it loses a lot of its potential, but it''s better than nothing. Morning Wood also didn''t forget to mimic a moon to empower Howler as well. And Hawkeye perched herself at the tallest peak she could find, ready to provide any assistance where she could. Seeing all of this, how could Eunuch Wei fall behind? Three pairs of pristine white wings unfurled behind him. Arge golden halo hovered above his head, and a pair of golden swords appeared on his hands. He began exuding a holy radiance and holy fire as well. He didn''t release his domain since he hasn''tprehended any, but that doesn''t mean that he''s less formidable than his teammates; if anything, he''s slightly stronger than most of them even without a domain. All of these changes happened in an instant, arranged just in time before the Thunder Prince, who of course all saw this happening, threw his spearpletely unbothered by their, in his opinion, futile resistance. BOOOM!! A thunderous explosion shook space and time. The impact nearly caused a spatial turbulence in his immediate surroundings; you can even see webs of cracks in space around the origin of the impact. The spear flew at a speed that transcended all conceptws. It''s like a piercinget that crashed through any opposition on its way. The force contained in it was too great and wasn''t diminishing even after crashing through several things. Of course, the strongest resistance it faced was the stacked domain of Cedric''s team. Backpack Fatty, Morning Wood, and Moss Lady all felt the strain and weight behind the attack. They gritted their teeth and pushed back against it, determined to erode as much of its strength as possible before it inevitably pierces its way inside their domains. Hawkeye''s wings pped furiously behind her back as she emitted multiple sharp screeches. She called multiple gusts of extremely sharp winds to attack the spear, helping the others push it back. Eunuch Wei wasn''t too far behind either. His holy fire torched the spear; he hoped to burn the enchantments in it so that the conceptws could impose their effects on it. Crack! Ftoom!!! But their efforts were proven virtually useless. Sure, the spear struggled, but only for a bit. It didn''t take long before it punched a hole through the stacked domains and was quickly headed to Backpack Fatty''s heart, precisely where the ind was kept. Seeing this, the team moved. Morning Wood roared and summoned multiple trees, vines, and thorns to slow it down. Moss Lady and her kind producedyers of golden barriers around the ind to protect it, and Backpack Fatty crossed his gigantic arms to his chest to protect the ind. Of course, Hawkeye and Eunuch Wei still continued to do their best to help as well. Their teamwork was impressive, especially for peopleing from different origins. Even though they haven''t worked together that much before (it''s literally Cedric''s first time fighting with them), their coordination was respectable. Unfortunately, it''s not enough. Boom! Boom! Boom! The spear continued to pierce through opposition like they were paper. Thebined efforts of the team were rendered meaningless in front of its overwhelming strength. Even when Hawkeye and Eunuch Wei unhesitatingly ced themselves in its way, it just effortlessly blew a hole through their bodies, leaving them incapacitated in defeat. The spear then crashed into Backpack Fatty''s arm and drilled its way in them. The poor mountain giant roared in pain and tried to lift his arms to change the trajectory of the spear, preventing it fromnding on the ind. However, the spear carried way too much force for him to do so. Eventually, it managed to drill through his craggly arms and effortlessly pierce through the barriers that Moss Lady prepared. Seeing the spear so close to the ind filled them with despair. They couldn''t help butment at the sheer disparity between them and the strongest. This was a strong blow to their confidence and their reputation as prodigies. As the spear continued to pierce its way through the barriers, they already epted the fact that their road ends here. Yet it was at this time that someone who has been observing all of this for a while finally made a move. As the spear pierced through the finalyer of barrier, it seemingly sped up like it couldn''t wait to pulverize the ind. But that''s when it was met with Cedric''s sword. And to everybody''s overwhelming surprise, it was stopped dead in its tracks. Chapter 414: Cedric vs. Thunder Prince -- Skrrt! Skrrt! The sound of steel grinding against each other was a little too loud for those who saw what''s happening. The silence was deafening; none were expecting this sight at all. The Thunder Prince''s spear pierced through three stacked domains, hundreds of vines and trees, a couple of mountains, three Grand Sr level life evolvers, and multiple golden barriers that barely slowed it down, only to be stoppedpletely by one guy with a sword. It was too shocking for those who witnessed it, and it makes them wonder why this person didn''t do this since the beginning. He could''ve saved his teammates if he did. Well, the truth is moreplicated than that. It''s not like Cedric didn''t want to make a move right away. It''s just that he did something else that upied him, and he barely had the time to respond. And even though he was able to stop the spear from piercing their ind and eliminating thempletely, it certainly wasn''t easy for him. He could feel the might and weight of the spear; the things it went through weakened it just enough for him to receive the remaining force behind it so the efforts of his teammates weren''tpletely useless. But just because he managed to stop the spear, it doesn''t mean that the crisis was over. His perception picked up the attempts of the Thunder Prince to ce more force into the spear even at this distance. He was confident of interfering with it, but he absolutely cannot stay on this ind because any more force from either of them could destroy it. Thus, he tilted his sword and parried the spear upwards, sending it''s trajectory outside of the ind and out of the domains of his teammates. Cedric flew after it, but not before telling his team: ''I''ll engage him; you guys try to focus on their ind instead. That''s only way we defeat them.'' It''s a pity that Hawkeye and Eunuch Wei were incapacitated. But at the very least, the rest of his team were still alive. He already noticed that the enemy only had three members, and most of their fighting force came from the Thunder Prince. So long as Cedric could keep him upied, his team could deal with the others and possibly win this match. Even though this was the first time Cedric met the Thunder Prince, he could already tell that he wouldn''t back down from this invitation. Cedric could smell the pride and arrogance deep in his bones. A person like this wouldn''t retreat from a challenge, especiallying from a weaker person than them. And his spections were proven correct. Because as soon as he left the ind to engage the Thunder Prince, the draconian summoned his spear back to his hand and also left his ind. They flew far from their respective inds, sizing each other up as they went. Once they were far enough away to ensure that their sh wouldn''t affect their respective inds, the fight instantly began. Pshew! Boom! There were no words exchanged between them; no introductions, taunts, nothing. None of that was needed. This was a fight, and the one who wins was stronger than the other. It''s as simple as that. Each movement of the Thunder Prince was apanied by a sonorous roar of dragons; his muscles bulged and his scales became more defined. This was the manifestation of their shared bloodline with the wise dragons. His entire body was wreathed in lightning and thunderps. Each breath he took was thunderous, containing an overwhelming force that could swallow up anything on its way. Compared to this, though, Cedric''s aura seemed much weaker. His appearance did change; golden mes billowed like robes around him, and his hair danced wildly as if being scattered by the wind. A terrifying heat erupted from his body; the temperature was so high that it''s almost melting the space around him. He held a sword made of mes as a formation of thirteen swords revolved around him. And on his forehead the mark of the sun was evident. There''s also a lotus made out of golden mes blooming where he stood. The Thunder Prince hid his surprise at this sight. Actually, anybody who saw this will be surprised. Because what Cedric disyed here might be an unconscious reaction of the world in response to his might, yet it also represents his thorough understanding of the world around him. ''Suchprehension of Concept Laws...'' the Thunder Prince muttered inwardly, ''...and he doesn''t even look that old. What is he? What race is from? Are they all like him?'' People in his generation who could cause manifestations like this just by purely releasing their aura were very rare. Sure, he''s included amongst them, but that''s only because he had a good background. Those who truly achieve this through their hard work and perseverance are even rarer. Which meant that in terms of talent, this person certainly wasn''t behind him at all. He might even be ahead. Boom!! The Thunder Prince made the first move. And it wasn''t surprising that he''s just as good at handling his spear as throwing it. Actually, he''s way better at wielding the spear than throwing it. After all, his exaggerated strength could be applied even better when he had physical contact with the spear. He went for a thrust, and Cedric responded with an upward sh. The spear veered off from its target, and Cedric used this chance to breach the distance between them. The Thunder Prince saw this and knew that the enemy was too fast and it''s toote to retract his spear; therefore, he lifted his fist and sent an explosive punch apanied by loud thunderps. His punch was met by the sword formation, pinning it in ce. It not only absorbed the impact, but it also left him wide open. A chance that Cedric was determined to exploit. With a sinister speed, he lifted the sword in his hand and turned into a streak of golden sh, attempting to stab the Thunder Prince''s neck. The enemy inhaled sharply at the fluidity of his opponent''s movement. Feeling the threat, an explosive roar resounded from his mouth. It contained enough strength to break the hold of the formation, giving him enough time to retract his spear and respond to the attack. BOOM! SKRRT! BOOM! Their steels shed once more, but if one were to look closely, their weapons aren''t actually touching each other. It''s their thoughts and conceptws that''s shing, like a debate where neither party was determined to let the other take even the slightest bit of advantage. What Cedrked in the raw strength and cultivation realm, he made up for with his conceptw application. Even though the Heavenly Punishment Concept Law (concept of Thunder+Lightning) was technically stronger than his Sunlight and Sunfire, Cedric''s mastery was already approaching the peak of the Grand Sr realm. Meaning that his understanding and control over this was even better than Grand Sr Sages like the Thunder Prince himself. Moreover, Cedric studied the Grand Sr level of Concept Laws as a whole, so his perspective was much broader and epassingpared to the brutish application of the Thunder Prince, enough to bridge the gap between them. It was this that allowed him to disperse the majority of the overwhelming strength that the Thunder Prince injects into all of his attacks, allowing him to receive it without sustaining injuries. Bang! Boom! Boom! Bang! They shed again and again. Matching each other blow per blow. The strength of their sh shattered nearby asteroids,s, and moons due to its intensity. Their battlefield became a no-trespassing zone due to the sheer might they''re disying. Those who were watching their sh, especially those who knew who the Thunder Prince was and expected him to win this fight instantly, were shocked upon seeing Cedric match him blow per blow. They couldn''t believe that somebody could actually match up to him despite the disparity in their cultivation realms. Actually, they didn''t expect to meet someone like Cedric at all. They all thought that the Thunder Prince would dominate thispetition since he participated, but it turns out that there is another prodigy who could stand up to him. Cedric wasn''t just talented inprehendingws; he''s also an excellent fighter and a sword master to boot! The experts who were watching this fight, especially those who came from sword sects, instantly recognized that Cedric hadpletely understood the essence of sword arts and was already on the road to creating his own. That alone was enough for them to record this fight and inform their elders about him. Amongst these people were Big Han, the one who recruited Cedric personally. He watched Cedric with rapt attention and surprise, not fully expecting the child toe this far this quick. To him, it felt like only yesterday passed since he brought this child in, yet he had already grown so much. It makes him wonder just how much time and effort this guy put in to achieve all of this. It was during his contemption that he heard the Tower Master''s voice in his head, saying: ''You brought in a really interesting child, Big Han.'' The Ancient Golem''s eyes widened, but he kept his expression neutral. He then replied, ''It''s all luck, Your Excellency. This child surprised me too.'' Chapter 415: Half-Dragon Transformation -- As Cedric kept the Thunder Prince''s attention to himself, the rest of his team weren''t idle. There''s no way they''d let this opportunity go, especially since the biggest threat to them had been lured away. Moss Lady took after the control of the ind since Eunuch Wei was incapacitated. As she controlled the ind away, both her, Morning Wood''s, and Backpack Fatty''s domains appeared once more; this time, theypletely descended on the enemy team, and without the Thunder Prince to deter them, the ind was easily ensnared, unable to leave. They saw only two people on the ind. They didn''t know why, and it didn''t matter either. They only thought that they had the advantage in number, so they pressed on. But of course, this doesn''t mean that this is going to be an easy fight. The Thunder Prince took the spotlight for the most part while his teammates just chilled in the background, letting him do his thing, but this doesn''t mean that they''re pushovers. One of Thunder Prince''s teammates was an Infernal, a lifeform that''s born from the depths of an active spiritual volcano. They had innate talent over the domain of fire and had durable physiques as well. The other came from the Shaman Tribe¡ªpeople who are innately spiritual and could perform all sorts of magic, rituals, witchcraft, and so on. It''s this shaman that protected the ind while the Thunder Prince was away. Cedric''s team had sensed the presence of talismans all over the ind, and none of them knew what they do, so they had to tread carefully. Additionally, the shaman also inflicted them with a weakening curse and performed a ritual that isted the space from the effects of the stacked domains. Meanwhile, the Infernal summoned an active volcano in the middle of the ind. He seemingly turned himself into a turret that hurled ming boulders at the enemy ind without any pause in between. Wherever the bouldersnd, they''d leave a pool of magma with scalding temperatures that melted the surface of the enemy team''s ind. Well, that would''ve been the case if Backpack Fatty wasn''t there to intercept them. His gigantic body served as a shield to protect their ind. The frightening temperatures as well as the explosive strength of each attack were but a tiny prick to him. The craggly surface of his skin was so tough that even these couldn''t do any real damage to him. His tough defenses caused the infernal to scowl in displeasure. He thought that, at the very least, he could harass the giant and do some damage to the enemy ind through this, but unfortunately, he wasn''t the Thunder Prince. He couldn''t replicate the ease with which his teammate prated the defenses of the Mountain Giant, so they''re going to have to find a different approach if they want to win this. As for the protective talismans of the shaman and the mysteries they held, all of it was being explored by Morning Wood and Moss Lady, but not personally. Morning Wood has been testing the durability of the protection using his nt life forms as means to attack while Moss Lady sent her fake kindred to trigger any possible traps around. They were systematically breaking down the defenses of the enemies while remaining safe, which was a wise move. That said, they''re going to have to hurry because they can''t tell how long Cedric could keep the monster upied alone. ** ng! Boom! Tang! Boom! The fierce sh between Cedric and the Thunder Prince continued. Sword Master against a Spear Master. The Sun versus a Lightning Drake. The match had been pretty even so far; neither party was able to push the other too much. Their strength shed exactly in the middle. In terms of raw brute force and sheer explosive strength, the Thunder Prince wins. His physique had been tempered to an astonishing degree and enhanced by the blood of the dragons flowing through them. His spear also gave him an additional advantage due to its toughness, weight, and quality. Each move he made caused the surroundings to copse under his might. He''s like a rampaging monster. Unstoppable and seemingly had an inexhaustable energy supply. Cedric, on the other hand, was weaker physically. His raw power was respectable but fell too far behindpared to what the Thunder Prince had. He didn''t have any special bloodline whatsoever, nor did he have a treasured artifact either. But what hecked in brute force, he made up with finesse and control. He danced around the Thunder Prince with elegance and grace, using his perfect control over all aspects of his body to hisplete advantage to divert the excessive strength of his enemy elsewhere. If the Thunder Prince''s might was akin to a solid block of steel,pact and immense, Cedric''s was like that of a flexible wire. Moreover, Cedric''sprehension of Concept Laws was higher and broaderpared to the Thunder Prince, allowing him to bridge the seemingly insurmountable gap between them. In the Thunder Prince''s opinion, Cedric was like a leech. He''s not too tough, but it''s pretty challenging to kill him. The guy adapts on the fly; he does things that many people wouldn''t or couldn''t dare to do, and it''s starting to annoy him. And to add to his irritation, the Thunder Prince could also tell that his team wasn''t doing too well. Cedric''s team was too strong and capable for them to handle on their own. He tried giving them some assistance earlier, but Cedric caught on and harassed him whenever he tried to. Cedric was determined to keep him upied here; that much was obvious. The Thunder Prince never expected to meet his match in this way. He knew that there were a lot of geniuses out there, and a lot of them are better than him in many ways. He didn''t think that he''s bad himself, but for the most part, he was just lucky to be born into a good family, and he capitalized on it. Actually, Cedric is the real prodigy here, not him. That much has be obvious the longer he fought him. This guy came from a distant lower world. He did not have ess to as many resources as he had growing up. The environment he grew up in must''ve been really harsh and scarce in resources too. The fact that he was able to catch the attention of the tower staff was indeed massive stroke luck, but one that he truly deserves. And now that he had ess to nicer things avable to the tower, histent talent bloomed even more. The Thunder Prince had no doubts that if the two of them grew up in the same environment, this guy would''ve been way stronger than him. Because even with the scarcity of resources andck of guidance, he was able toe this far. Hence why he thinks that Cedric was the real prodigy between them. That said, that doesn''t mean that he''d let him win just like that. Boom! ng! Pshew! They shed once more, pushing each other back evenly before staring into each other''s eyes. There was a brief lull in between their battle before the Thunder Prince let out a chuckle. "You''re good." He says, "Really good. I have no doubts that you''d be able to defeat me someday." Tzzt! Boom!! "But that day isn''t today." Lightning and thunder roared around his body before the Thunder Prince stabbed himself with his spear, much to Cedric''s horror. And terifying might exploded out of him, apanied by a wild transformation. Previously, he already shared draconic features, but after this transformation, he looked no different than an actual dragon. From seven feet tall, he turned into a 20-meter-tall monstrosity. His scales crept up all over his body and manifestedpletely. His shape changed into a quadropedal entity with a massive pair of wings and a long horn in the middle of his head. Cedric felt the conceptws around them prostrating in worship to his new form; he also felt a primal fear creep up his heart as if he just met a natural predator of his kind. A dragon, a creature that stood at the peak of the food chain. Its predatory eyes shone with wisdom beyond its years, and its huge body was bursting with might and power. It is a blessed creature, loved and cared for by the fundamentalws themselves. Honestly, this transformation isn''tplete. The Thunder Prince isn''t a real dragon; he only shares their bloodline. However, the fact that he could tap into this bloodline intimately to the point that he could almost assume their form shows just howpatible he was with them. And if he was given enough time, who could say that he wouldn''t be one eventually? But that''s not important right now. What matters is that the Thunder Prince was determined to end this battle here, and if Cedric didn''t respond in kind, he''d die here sooner than he wants. "Alright, let''s see how I measure up against a dragon." Cedric''s eyes gleamed as he epted the challenge. Chapter 416: Skill vs. Might -- BOOOM!!! Cedric and the dragonized Thunder Prince shed, w against sword. The result this time around was different but not surprising. Cedric was swatted away like a fly, crashing through several asteroids before managing to regain his bnce. His clothes and some pieces of his armor were torn, his face was dirtied for the first time, and he felt ufortable. Even so, his eyes never lost their sharpness. He wasn''t given enough time to catch his breath though, because as soon as he regained his bnce, the Thunder Prince blew a breath of pure sma towards him. The hairs on Cedric''s neck rose as he immediately employed the Heaven Shrinking Steps to evade the attack. He didn''t need to see what happened to the area he was previously in because he could already imagine it; he also knows what will happen to him if he gets hit by that. But the assault didn''t end there. As soon as he appeared at his new location, numerous thick lightning bolts were already heading his way as if predicting his path. Cedric sliced the space around him, opening a small spatial tear that swallowed all the lightning before he flew away. With his eyes locked to the gigantic frame of the Thunder Prince, Cedric stabbed his sword. Space rippled around his sword, making it seem like the sword was distorting. This was a spatial fold, and the other end appeared next to the wings of the Thunder Prince. The tip of his sword appeared there, gleaming with the sharpness of sworws in attempts to punch a hole through the dragon''s wings. Ting! However, Cedric underestimated the toughness of the Thunder Prince''s body. Even his wings, which looked like a thin membrane of tendons, were so tough that his sword couldn''t prate it even with his swordws. It did leave a wound, but it''s nowhere near enough to inconvenience the beast. Roar! Eyes constricting, Cedric immediately retrieved his sword because the space around the dragon rippled dangerously along with its roar. This turns out to be the right call because that was followed by a devastating spatial copse. Inwardly, Cedric couldn''t help but groan helplessly. Even though the Thunder Prince was only a partial dragon, the might of this bloodline was truly and evidently perverted. Just the sheer roar of rage from it was able to cause the very structure of space around it to copse. It''s so unfair. But Cedric wasn''t about to give up just yet. Relishing in this novel and heroic fight, Cedric unleashed even more of his own might. His golden mes conted even more fiercely than before, as if responding to his resolve. The heat became even more dangerous around him. He watched as the Thunder Prince flew towards him with an explosive speed that shouldn''t belong to a creature thatrge. He waited in anticipation before intercepting the flight with a sh of his sword. The attack sundered the space and bridged whatever gap there was between them. It was clear that the Thunder Prince underestimated Cedric''s resolve and strength; he thought he could just ignore it and receive the attack with his body. He paid for this with arge wound across his chest, apanied by prating heat and the pervasive and persistent sword energies that continued to damage his flesh from the inside. Then, Cedric''s body emitted a brilliant radiance. He turned into a streak of light with a speed that transcends the constraints of space and distance. He became even faster as he utilized hisprehension of timews to elerate his speed. He appeared next to the gigantic dragon in a sh, holding onto a pair of longswords condensed from pure firews. He then stepped into his body and began spinning, seemingly turning into a buzzsaw, leaving long gashes of wounds all over his body. Agonizing pain shook the dragon''s body. Cedric wasn''t only too fast; his swords were unexpectedly too sharp, and because they were made of pure sunfire, the pain they caused was even worse. Including the pervasive and persistent swordws on top of all this, Cedric became a deadly giant yer. The Thunder Prince thought of ways to get rid of him. He tried swatting him away, fortifying his body, and flying away to create some distance. But Cedric was persistent and could easily keep up with him. Obviously, his huge body was working against him this time because it gave Cedric many areas to target. Though despite this, Cedric knew that this was far from enough to put this beast down. The dragon was regenerating and healing from his injuries almost as fast as he received them. The terrifying physique of the dragons was truly unfair. All of his efforts so far only result in a mild inconvenience for the enemy. ROOOOAAARR!!! After seemingly having enough of this, the Thunder Prince emitted a deep roar before an explosion of thunder and lightning urred all over his body, forcing Cedric to flee from it. Then he discovered that the dragon was not bathing in lightning, and it was not ordinary lightning either. It was true Heavenly Tribtion Lightning, one that has imed many lives and contained extremely destructive strength that could easily get rid of Cedric, so he had no choice but to retreat. Roar!!! And with another loud roar from the Thunder Prince, he released his domain that immediately expanded to the size of an entire sr system. Cedric suddenly found himself standing over a very deeo crater filled with giant rock formations and rich in minerals. The dragon dove into the crater like a lightning strike. Above him, Cedric could see a seemingly endless cloud filled with thunder and lightning. The Thunder Prince calls this the Thunder Punishment domain. And in here, he was no different from a god. Being exposed to this domain lowered Cedric''s influence over conceptws, which meant that he became weaker too. The heavenly rules will be biased towards the dragon since this was his domain, and if he lets itpletely manifest, he will be defeated here. That is only if Cedric didn''t have any way to respond to something like this. Fortunately, he had a way. Fwoosh! Like the sound of mes ingniting, Cedric released his own domain. Something that nobody has ever seen before. It pushed back the Thunder Prince''s domain, dividing their battlefield into half. Cedric hovered in the air, looking like a god who came down to earth to mingle with his people. Above him were silhouettes of nine gigantic suns ring at the earth below. Each sun had a runic sigil in the shape of a sword etched in them. Compared to the Thunder Prince''s domain, Cedric''s was in its infancy. But even so, the sheer difference in theirwprehension allowed Cedric''s domain topete evenly with the Thunder Prince''s domain, despite it not being mature yet. The release of their domain happened in a split second after their previous exchange. As soon as the two domains were unleashed, the two of them resumed their fight once more. With a wave of his hand, golden chains manifested from the heavens on Cedric''s side. These chains were made from pure firews, and they shot towards the dragon with the intent of restricting his movements. The Thunder Prince roared and blew a sma breath to these chains, eradicating them from existence in an instant. Then, his gigantic wings pped once, and the dragon instantly breached the distance between them with ws stretched out. Cedric then stabbed his sword on the ground just before the ws touched him. Boom!! Something crashed and pierced through the ws of the beast. It was a gigantic swording from above, manifesting out of nowhere. The dragon roared in pain and agony as its w was firmly pinned by the sword. With a roar of his own, Cedric summoned more of those gigantic swords. Two pierced the dragon''s wings, taking it out of its ability to fly. One pinned its tail and torso, preventing it from going anywhere. This was then followed by the appearance of the same chains earlier. The chains appeared from the gigantic swords; they bound the beast firmly, weaving aplex formation to not only trap it but also burn its flesh consitently. This made the Thunder Prince experience a pain like no other. The pain was too much, making it difficult to think. He''s alsopletely trapped, and the more he struggled to free himself, the more painful his bindings became. To all who were watching, this scene was quite a sight. They could''ve never expected somebody who could push the Thunder Prince to this state. It subverted their expectations and transcended their expectations. Cedric himself didn''t expect that this would work either. And even though it did, it certainly wasn''t easy. Trapping this beast here took more from him than he initially expected. His energies were running low, and despite being trapped, the dragon looked as energetic as ever, making him realize that he still has a lot of fight left in him. Wiping the sweat from his face, Cedric pped the swordcase and summoned hundreds of his swords as his hands turned into blurs from weaving one rune after the other. From his actions, it was clear that he''s nning something big. Chapter 417: Final Stretch -- Runes manifested into being and weaved by Cedric with sheer ease and familiarity. They formedplex lines that blended through the surroundings but left a visible effect behind. Most of the runesnded on the swords that Cedric summoned as they streaked through the air, drawing multiple intersecting lines that covered the trapped foe. Despite the restrictions on his body and the apparent pain assaulting his insides, the Thunder Prince remained sober through it and aware of what his enemy was trying to do. He could recognize the continuous string of runesing out of Cedric''s body. His mother drilled thenguage of runes into him since he was a child, and she''d undoubtedly beat the shit out of him if he couldn''t even tell what these were. But this recognition also caused the trapped halfdragon to sweat coldly. It''s precisely because he recognized the pattern of these runes that he knew that he must interrupt this. Because if Cedric seeded inying down this formation, it would spell his total defeat. He must do it quick too, because Cedric was surprisingly fast with his arrangements. ''Shit! This kid is ridiculous! '' ''He''s already a maestro atws and a sword master; now you''re telling me that he understands runes too? How much free time does he have? '' ''What''s even more ridiculous is that he couldbine his runic knowledge with his sword arts.'' The Thunder Prince thought as he observed the flying swords glowing with runes around his body. ''Seriously! Is he the reincarnation of an ancient expert? '' Despite his innerints, the Thunder Prince never stopped his attempts at freeing himself. The gigantic swords that trapped his body shook with his struggles, and the chains were loosening up. He would revert to his original form if he could, but he couldn''t. Not when he''s injured and trapped like this, especially since the objects that were trapping him were interfering with his control over his energies. With a grunt, he whipped his tail. Forcibly worsening the injury in exchange for freeing it. He managed to do it after experiencing more agonizing pain, but at least his tail was now free. He also drained a chunk of his energy to regenerate it and used his tail to whip the gigantic swords that''d trapped his body. He broke one of them sessfully, freeing his right hind leg. He stomped on the vacuum of space and raised his body slightly, causing the other swords to lodge deeper into his body and cause him even more pain, but he endured all of this, showcasing the frightening tenacity and endurance of someone who had the bloodline of dragons. His tail attacked the other sword, freeing up his left hind leg. And with those two freed, he was able to gain more of his mobility to wiggle out of his bindings. But of course, Cedric didn''t just watch as his foe slowly freed himself. He already anticipated that this could possibly happen, and he''s just going to have to deal with it. That''s why he didn''t slow down with his formation casting either. He was sweating because he''s pressed for time. Even with his initial anticipation, the Thunder Prince was freeing himself faster than he expected. It''s still within his calctions, but it will be very, very close. And thus, the match entered a very tense situation. The Thunder Prince was doing his best to free himself from his bindings to stop Cedric frompleting the formation, and Cedric was steadfast in his work despite the threat growing more dangerous in front of him. Everybody who''s watching this is focused on this battle without breaking their gaze. They didn''t expect to witness such a close and heated battle, yet here they were. It was a pleasant surprise to see somebody appearing to force the Thunder Prince to experience a loss despite the obvious gap in their skills and cultivation base. Unknowingly, many people have already remembered Dawnbringer''s face and have already determined his immense value. Boom! Boom! Boom! The more time passed, the more bindings around the dragon''s body shattered. Yet at the same time, the formation around him is thicker and moreplex. Both Cedric and the Thunder Prince were sweating and hurrying their actions, determined to not allow the other party to gain the advantage. As the Thunder Prince managed to break most of his bindings to regain his mobility, he ignored the other swords that are still embedded on hisrge body. He raised his ws, exploding with lightning and thunder, and brought it down to Cedric, who''s still not done with his arrangements. The Thunder Prince''s eyes shone with deciveness as he used his full strength to squash the little man. But to his overwhelming surprise, he discovered that his ws failed to reach Cedric. Looking at his foe, the Thunder Prince''s eye twitch in irritation. ''Are you fucking kidding me? '' ''Since when did hey down an isting formation around him? How did I not see this? '' The biggest giveaway was the fact that his ws just passed through Cedric like he was some kind of ghost despite his aura being there. That''s how he knew that there''s some kind of formation around him. He sensed that Cedric isted not only himself but also the space and time around him. Hell, the formation even affected the fabric of reality itself. Cedric was still there, but he exists in apletely different realm than the Thunder Prince. He did this all while managing to stilly down the formation from where he was. When and how he was able to do this was something that the Thunder Prince was curious about, but he didn''t have the time or luxury to ask because the formation was nearing itspletion. ''Shit! This is bad! This is really bad! '' The Thunder Prince was panicking. It was already toote to stop this. It''s useless to even try at this point since there''s just not enough time for him to force Cedric to return to the same realm as he was. ''Fuck it, I guess I''m going to have to resort to that.'' He curled up his gigantic body into a ball. Just in time before Cedric condensed the final rune thatpleted his grand formation. Boom! Boom! Boom! Light converged and space twisted. A vortex of twisted reality formed at the spot where the Thunder Prince was. Five massive swords acted as stakes, which served as pins for a pentagram formation. These five gigantic swords were all of the runic swords he released earlier; each one released a sharp hymn that distorted reality as everybody knew it. Phantoms of the past, present, and future flickered out of existence. The influence of the conceptws became chaotic within the formation, creating an unpredictable realm that traps anybody inside without any hopes of getting out. This formation doesn''t have a name. It was something that Cedric created spontaneously, yet it''s one that not even a halfdragon could hope to escape from. "Haaah! Haah..." Cedric panted in exhaustion and looked pale. Building this formation took more out of him than he expected. But he''s fine with it since he managed to do it in the end. Unfortunately, it seems that the Thunder Prince had other means of keeping himself safe. Because instead of trapping his humongous body within this chaotic and reality-altering formation, the Thunder Prince was now curled up inside an egg that protected him from all harm. Cedric had no idea what that''s all about, but since he''s within the formation, he should be trapped there for now, giving them enough time to finish the others. He looked behind him, and his vision tracked what was happening with his team. Backpack Fatty, Moss Lady, and Morning Wood were able to take down the Thunder Prince''s teammates. But they''re unexpectedly facing a difficult problem. They discovered the ind core of the enemy team, but the problem was that it''s protected by tough scales, which undoubtedly came from the Thunder Prince. Hell, it might even be his reverse scale, which would only mean that it''s ten times tougher than his ordinary scales. The ind core waspletely protected from all sides, and his teammates were unable to pierce it even after all the time he bought for them. And so, with what little energy and strength he had left, he appeared right next to them. He summoned many swords, whichbined into a single humongous sword. Cedric poured his remaining power with it and brought it down. It spun, acting like a drill to punch a hole through the troublesome scales. Slowly but surely, a crack appeared on its surface. But before the sword finished doing its thing, an rming sense of crisis shook his entire body. He looked back, and to his shock, the formation he worked so hard for was destroyed by a single explosion. Cedric didn''t even have the time to wonder how that became possible because the next thing he knew, his teammates were killed and a gaping hole appeared on his body, rapidly draining his strength all while his neck was grasped by the crushing grip of a frightening predator. "Geez, you are the most troublesome foe I have ever met." Chapter 418: Tournament Conclusion: Battle Won, War Lost -- Cedric wouldin out loud if he could, but the gaping hole in his chest and the crushing grip the Thunder Prince had crushed his windpipe, so he couldn''t. In hindsight, he already knew that he wasn''t able to take him down even after all that trouble. Cedric already had that idea when he saw the egg that the Thunder Prince was in earlier. It''s the reason why he rushed to his teammates to help them break the enemy''s ind core because that''s the next best thing he could hope for. s, the followers of the Wise Dragon n are way too strong. Even after all his arrangements, the Thunder Prince still manages to find a way to break free. And it turns out that he''s still hiding more strength. Cedric gazed upon the new and strange form of the Thunder Prince. Contradictory to what he expected, he could barely see any traces of dragonization on his body aside from the scales running on his forearms and legs. The Thunder Prince looked so much like a human now, aside from the visible scales on his body and his reptilian eyes. Even his wings and tails that he usually had in his primary form were nowhere to be seen. But that doesn''t mean that he''s weak in this form. It''s quite the opposite, actually; he''s at his most powerful in this form for some reason. Cedric couldn''t even sense when he moved. The Thunder Prince dealt with his teammates before he could react, and that''s saying a lot since Cedric had the sharpest senses and intuition amongst his team. The danger posed by the Thunder Prince in this formpletely goes beyond what he had ever known. It was too much that he didn''t even have the chance to retaliate. He was effectively killed before he knew what happened. Unbeknownst to Cedric, though, the Thunder Prince isn''t too happy with what he has done. He never expected that somebody here would push him this far. He had never unleashed his bloodline like this before. He also never thought that he would use it against a fellow prodigy, but here he was. Although he did deem Cedric worthy of seeing this, inwardly, he''s still disappointed in himself because he let this fight go this far. If his parents were to hear of this, he would probably get an earful of their sermons. Oh well, it''s a little toote for that now. This form is achieved bypletely synchronizing with his draconic bloodline. One has to know that even to most Draconians, only a few could unleash this form because one had to reach at least 90%patibility with their bloodline in order for this to even be possible. The Thunder Prince''spatibility with his bloodline reached a formidable 96%. This was a historical achievement since even his father, the patriarch of the Draconic n and right-hand man of the Wise Dragon n''s patriarch, only had 94%patibility with the bloodline of dragons. Don''t underestimate that 2% gap, because in terms of these concepts, that 2% gap might as well bepared to the distance between the heavens and the earth. This is what made the Thunder Prince the undisputed heir to the patriarchy of his n. With his free hand, the Thunder Prince unleashed a punch that shattered Cedric''s gigantic sword. As the sword exploded into fragments, he looked at the man-shaped hole it drilled through his reverse scale with a little bit of annoyance but mostly relief. ''That was close.'' He muttered to himself. If he was even a little bit slower than this, Cedric and his team would''ve definitely destroyed the ind core, causing his team to lose. Fortunately, his panic forced him to rush here and remedy the situation. He''s a little annoyed that his teammates were useless. Sure, they were outnumbered and all, but they went down a little too quickly for his liking. They ended up being his burdens after all. If it weren''t for his foresight of leving his reverse scale behind to protect the ind core, this fight would''ve been over way earlier than he expected. Looking at the nearly dead Cedric in his grasp, the Thunder Prince sighed in slight relief. With him and his team dealt with, it should spell his victory in this tournament. What he didn''t know is that Cedric was waiting specifically for this very moment to unleash his final struggle. Capitalizing on the fact that he still had a little bit of fight left in him and the fact that the Thunder Prince dropped his guard just for a split second, Cedric reached out and grabbed his face with both hands and said: "Boo!" This rmed the Thunder Prince, but before he could do anything, he saw Cedric''s malicious gaze bearing directly at him before he was blinded by the explosion of gold. "Fuck!!!" he cursed angrily. The Thunder Prince waspletely blinded by that explosion. Additionally, he was also burned directly by the unexpected move. He felt his eyeballs melting, his ears were filled with white noise, and his entire body was burned. He regenerated all of this injury at the next second due to his powerful vitality, but it hardly mattered because he immediately saw that he was, once again, trapped. The Thunder Prince found himself ensnared by nine illusory suns revolving around him. Each sun was connected with runes that formed a restriction on him. The formation itself wasn''t all thatplicated, but it''s extremely efficient and does what they need to do. It didn''t prevent him from unleashing his strength, but it did prevent him from going anywhere else. Thisst ditch effort to ensnare him caused many things to go through his head; his thoughts went into a literal overdrive, and it made him realize something. ''Someone''s missing from their team! '' Upon realizing this, the first thing that he did was to destroy the enemy ind right away. Despite being trapped and barely having the mobility to do anything, he still managed to summon his artifact spear and send it towards the enemy ind topletely destroy it. Pshew! Boom! Yet as the spear flew away, the Thunder Prince sensed movement nearby. He looked just in time to see the one that unexpectedly got away. It was Howler the Werewolf. The Thunder Prince nched as he realized that he had been duped, but heforted himself with the idea that his spear definitely moved faster than this guy, so it would still be his win in the end. He ignored the shadow of doubt in his mind¡ªthe part of him that found it strange that this werewolf seems to be so determined to finish this battle despite the obvious results. Instead, he just focused on the oue and believed that it''s his win. It has to be... BOOM!!! Cedric and his team''s ind waspletely destroyed, pulverized even. It was reduced to nothing but space dust that would be floating around here somewhere. The Thunder Prince looked relieved because, with this, he secured his victory in this tournament despite the odds. At least, that''s what he thought... but even after destroying the enemy ind, nothing has changed. He could still see the werewolf ripping his ind core apart with reckless abandon. ''What''s going on? '' Boom!!! Howler broke the ind core with his ws, and as soon as he did so, arge system window appeared above everybody''s head, signifying the end of thepetition. It also contained a message congratting the 41st Lobby Team for winning the entire tournament, much to the Thunder Prince''s disbelief. It wasn''t until he saw Howler looking at him before ripping apart the space next to him, revealing the intact and shining ind core next to him, that the Thunder Prince realized just how deep the scheme truly went. "God fucking damn it!" ** A few moments earlier Howler watched mildly horrified as the Thunder Prince''s spear continued prating their defenses. He looked at Cedric for further instructions and saw him sneakily taking out the ind core and hiding it through multipleyers of space. Cedric noticed his looking and smiled at him before attaching the core to him, much to Howler''s shock. "I''m turning you into a contingency," Cedric whispered to him as the rest were busy staring at their imminent doom. "Why me?" Howler panicked a bit. "Well, why not?" Cedric grinned. "Is this really necessary?" "I don''t know," Cedric shrugged while wrapping him in manyyers of enchantments topletely erase his existence. "Anyway, let''s hope that it doesn''t reach that point, but if it does, I''d trust that you''d know what to do." With a final tap on his shoulders, Howler disappeared from everybody''s senses without them realizing it. Cedric signaled him to leave the ind and watch from a distance. Howler watched as his team did their best to defeat the Thunder Prince, all while reigning in his impatience to help. And it turns out that Cedric''s actions had merits. Howler did be the decisive tool that cinched the victory for them. That''s how this tournament concluded... With the Thunder Prince winning the fight but losing the war. Chapter 419 Interests and Anticipations -- "Well, that concludes this little event," the Tower Master stated to the audience. "Just like the previous times, whether these childrene with you depends on their willingness. I don''t want to hear news of you forcing them to do your bidding or else you''d make me really angry." After saying this, the Tower Master stood up from his seat and disappeared. He didn''t n on staying to see how these peoplepete with each other for his geniuses. Aside from the people who were in the same room as him, nobody else discovered the small smirk on the Tower Master''s face as he left¡ªa sight that is very rare to see and could only mean that he''s really pleased with what he saw. Tying the clues together isn''t hard for those who saw it. The reason behind his smile could only be because of the plot twist at the end of the battle. This means that the Tower Master was pleased about Dawnbringer''s performance. And it also means that that child''s future was limitless. Ahem! Big Han, one of the talent acquisition experts of the Tower of Prodigies, cleared his throat to bring everybody else to the present. He knew that the majority of them are still reeling about the ending of the of tournament but they had to proceed since there''s still more to do. "Everyone, just as the Tower Master says, you are now free to make and send your offers to these children under the assumption that you won''t be forceful. Again, I will sound like a broken record here, but it must be said, lest some of you forget it, please do not force these children into your fold. Any and all attempts, or even hints of it, will be seen as a direct challenge to our authority and will be met with a fierce retaliation from our camp. Let us prevent ourselves frommitting any form of nonsensical violence by following the rules." Yes, there was really no need to reiterate these rules to them since everybody already knew this since the beginning. The might and the authority of ''The Six'' were not to be challenged. Everybody who dared to do so in the past is nowhere to be seen now. These people wouldn''t dare to follow in their footsteps, especially knowing what the oue would be. "Oh, and uh, just to give you a heads-up in case some of you haven''t realized it yet, don''t try too hard for Dawnbringer." Big Han smiled wryly at them. "The Tower Master is optimistic about him, so..." Inwardly, heughed at the distraught faces of recruiters after hearing his words. He could tell that they were already preparing to empty their coffers just for a slight chance of attracting Dawnbringer to their fold, but s, they could only be disappointed. Not that Big Han was intentionally raining on their parade, but what all of them could collectively offer wouldn''t even reach half of what the Tower Master could give. The only possiblepetitor of the Tower Master for Dawnbringer was other Elders of ''The Six''. Sure, Big Han could make an offer to Dawnbringer. He''s a Titan, which belongs to the ''The Six'', and he''s also the one who personally recruited Cedric into the tower. His chances are high, all things considered. That said, he won''t make an offer to him. As talented as he was, Cedric''s anatomy makes him unfit for anything that the Titans could offer. Joining them would just cripple his future, so it''s better to let him go somewhere else. ''But that Mountain Giant, though...'' Big Han hummed inwardly, sounding a little excited. He could still vividly remember the shock he felt when he saw that mountain giant''s domain. Big Han could recognize the inspiration behind that domain, and it''s extremely surprising for him to discover that somebody who has never been in that ce was granted vision of it and was even capable of mimicking it. Big Han looked at his possiblepetitors for that child, causing him to inwardly snort due to hispetitive spirit. ''Sorry guys, but that child is ours. I can already tell that all of the Titan n would wage war for that child after learning of his existence.'' Beep!! Big Han looked at his system and saw that he got a message from the patriarch himself. ''Speak of the god damn devil...'' Big Han inhaled deeply before opening the message. [You better bring that child here.] [If you can''t, then you might as well never return here.] [I will have your parents disown you if you don''t see that child here ASAP. Don''t try me, kid.] ''Damn! '' Big Han cursed at the tant unfairness of their patriarch. He''s almost regretting his act of sending a short recording of Backpack Fatty unleashing his domain directly to the patriarch. The old man hasn''t even met the child in person yet, yet he''s already favoring him. How truly unfair and unreasonable. That said, Big Han couldn''t find it for him to me the patriarch. This just proves how much value that child possesses to their n, and it is his duty to bring him back. Stay updated with empire ''I should talk to him in person to make this work, or else I''ll be disowned by my family.'' Big Han truly doesn''t know whether tough or cry about this. ** "Holy shit!" Eunuch Wei eximed as soon as they found themselves returning to their lobby. He practically jumped at both Cedric and Howler, wrapping them in a tight hug while wearing a face of disbelief. "Holy shit, you guys! Holy fucking shit! We won! Haha, holy shit!" The angel couldn''t believe it. Winning the entire tournament waspletely beyond his expectations, yet they achieved it. Even though he had been incapacitated, he was able to witness how his team dealt with the seemingly impossible task of taking the Thunder Prince down. And despite all odds, Cedric and Howler made it work. He finds this so hard to believe that he could only swear again and again. "You guys are the best." Backpack Fatty joined the hug, as did the Morning Wood. "I can''t believe we actually did it! This is insane!" Morning Wood eximed in disbelief. "Nah, don''t look at me." Howler shook his head, still feeling a little bit drained but also happily contented. "It''s all Dawnbringer''s idea. None of this would''ve been possible without him." "Don''t sell yourself short, man," Cedric patted his shoulders. "Sure, I nned it, but it wasn''t me who broke the ind core and won this for us. It''s you." "He''s right, Howler," Hawkeye chimed in. "You could''ve done the opposite, and we wouldn''t have been able to stop you anyway. You yed a huge part in our victory too." Moss Lady, who''s standing next to Cedric, nudged him and asked, "Did you know that the Thunder Prince will pull something like that in the end?" "Not really." Cedric admitted with a shrug. He sat down on the couch and said, "I did have a hunch that the match will be close, but nothing concrete. It''s my first time seeing a Draconian in person after all, and it also just so happens to be the heir of the n. I had no idea what he could do, but I know that he''s extremely formidable." "Ooh, that guy must be pissed right now!" Eunuch Wei cackled madly. "His hubris got him. He underestimated you too much." "And he could hardly be med for that." Cedric shook his head. "Compared to us, his starting point was too advanced, after all. It''s understandable that he''d be confident about his skills and his strength. He had every right to be arrogant." "And it''s precisely that arrogance that caused his defeat." Howler stated, "Well, technically he won against all of us. He just lost the teamfight." "Oh, well...a small setback like this shouldn''t be too bad for him," Moss Lady shrugged. "I also can''t see him being too petty and remembering us just because of this." "He won''t." Eunuch Wei confidently stated. "Something like that is benath the Dragons, and Draconians in extension. You all have nothing to be worried about." "..." "..." "Well, I just hope that I receive a decent offer after all this." Morning Wood wore a hesitant smile as he said this. "That would really make all of this worthwhile." "Gah, I don''t even want to think too much about it now that we''re here." Backpack Fatty scratched his rocky head. "I just don''t want to end up disappointed, you know." "Well, let''s rx then." Cedric shrugged. "Whatever the oue is, at the very least we''re still here. As long as we''re here, there''d still be opportunitiesing for us." Cedric still didn''t tell them that he''s already a citizen of the alliance, and he wouldn''t tell them that now since that would just invalidate his attempts tofort them. That said, despite him and Howler taking the spotlight here, he''s fairly confident that his team will receive bountiful offers from organizations simply due to the fact that they won the tournament. So, really, there''s nothing for them to be worried about. Chapter 420 Offers and Opportunities -- Days passed since the end of the tournament. During this time, the majority of the prodigies had been restless. They all knew what the tournament entails and the opportunities it brings. It''s for this reason that they did their best to showcase their skills so that they would get noticed by the people in the audience. The more impactful their performances were, the higher their chance at catching the attention of some powerful organizations, and that might very well be their ticket to join the alliance and begin their road to true prosperity. Most of them already received offers; some even made their decision already, with a handful directly withdrawing from the tower to move on with their future. Others were still waiting for more since none of the offers they received were desirable to them; they were hoping that there would be more offers that could pique their interest. Of course, there were also people who lost hope of getting offers entirely. These people belong to the lobby teams that got eliminated before they could even showcase their skills, and they mostly med the Thunder Prince for this; after all, he''s the only one who didn''t give them a chance. Even the winning team took their time eliminating others, allowing them to disy their skills. Whether that''s intentional or not doesn''t really matter at this point. Speaking of the winning team, these past few days have been hectic for most of them. As the team that won the entire tournament and disyed their skills to the maximum, of course the majority of the attention was on them. It''s not surprising that there would be piles of offers and temptations from many organizations being sent their way. There were nock of generous offers in their e-mails, making it difficult for them to choose. You could say that they''re suffering from sess. Morning Wood and Moss Lady had been in close contact. Since they came from the same universe and are working together to bring prosperity to their kind, they would benefit from discussing their options together. Explore more stories at empire But in the end, it wasn''t much of a discussion simply because they both receive an offer that''s simply too good to pass on. It came from one of ''The Six'', precisely the Mystic Fae Race. There was only one offer from them, but it might as well be ''the one'' because, duh, it came from the Mystic Fae Race. In terms of magical knowledge and ancient wisdom, only the Celestials and the Dragons canpete with them. Their history is rich and long; they''re also one of the leading races of the alliance, so there''s not much to discuss here. Were they generous? Hell yeah, there were! Not only were they willing to move their home universe closer to the physical location of the alliance, they will also send envoys to enrich their home through various means. Meaning that their entire race will benefit from this too. They were also promised tutge under a respectable elder that almost guarantees that they will reach the Cosmic Realm of Life Evolution within 10,000 years. And that''s on top of the many resources and knowledge they''d get ess to. All they had to do in exchange was to be inducted into the race and contribute as much as they could to the prosperity of the race. The offer will never restrict their freedom or force them to do anything that breaches their moral bottomline. It''s simply the best offer they could possibly receive, so it wasn''t much of a choice, really. However, the two of them decided to stay in the tower for now, which was allowed by the contract. They wanted to see how far they could climb first before leaving so that they could move on from here without regrets. That said, with the contract signed, the burdens and worries that gued Morning Wood''s mind disappearedpletely. Even though he hasn''t been inducted into the Mystic Faes, the benefits of the contract were already being applied. He was informed that his homeworld will be moved within this year and that there''s already an envoy sent there to ensure his people''s safety from the possible invasion of the Outsiders. Moss Lady was relieved too. Even though she wasn''t as attached to her people like Morning Wood is due to her bad experiences growing up, she still has people there that she cares about. Although she didn''t think that most of her people deserved this grace from her, she also didn''t mind taking them with her in her rise. Hawkeye and Howler also received a really tempting offer, one that they simply can''t refuse. No, it didn''te from anyone from ''The Six'', but it''s close. The organization was called the Totem Beast Sect. It''s a subordinate sect of the Primal Beast Race. You see, all members of the Primal Beast Race are, well, beasts. But not all races that fall under the category of ''beasts'' were part of the Primal Beast Race. Only those that achieve a state called ''Beastial Atavism'' could join the race as an official member. There are a few ways to achieve Beastial Atavism, but most of them are only avable to the members of the alliance. Hawkeye and Howler are both considered beasts, and their performance was definitely enough for the Primal Beast Race to notice them. But like what was mentioned earlier, only those that reached the Beastial Atavism could be inducted into the race. This is where the Totem Beast Sectes into y. As a subordinate sect of the Primal Beast Race, it''s duty was to bring in more fresh blood and faces to the race. Only ''beasts'' or people that had ''beastial bloodlines'' were allowed here. The sect will do its best to raise its members to achieve the Beastial Atavism. Those who seed will be sent to the race to be cultivated even further. This was the best offer they could give to both Hawkeye and Howler right now. And even though it''s full of uncertainties, it''s still way better than any other offers they received. There''s no need for any further deliberations after this. Howler and Hawkeye of course epted the offer. As for Eunuch Wei, much like the rest, he also received many offers from organizations. However, he either ignored or politely refused them. It''s simply because he''s already a part of the Winged Race, a member of the Angel n. He had responsibilities to fulfill, one that he couldn''t do by joining other organizations. Besides, his people would brand him as a traitor if he epted any of these offers. The only exception to this will only be if he had an offer from the Divine Celestial Race; they''re also one of ''The Six'' and have ties with the Winged Race. Unfortunately, he didn''t receive any. Which is fine for him since he wasn''t expecting much to begin with. Amongst their team, Backpack Fatty might be the luckiest... He didn''t dare to raise his expectations despite having the right to do so. In his opinion, his performance was too underwhelming and disappointing, so it wouldn''t surprise him if he didn''t receive many offers. This was partially right. He didn''t receive that many offers, but the ones he got were really good ones, though. He even thought that he''s dreaming or hallucinating since each one sounded too good to be true. But the one that really freaked him out was the offer he got from the Ancient Titan n because, unlike others, their offer was done face-to-face. Big Han appeared before him in all of his humongous glory. It made the mountain giant feel like a mere stone in terms of sizeparison. The offer of the titans was simply too good to refuse. While Backpack Fatty was skeptical at first, that disappeared when Big Han swore an oath of truth in front of him, indicating that all he said was true. He couldn''t believe that they were willing to offer this much to him simply because he was able to mimic a vision that haunted his dreams in the past and turn it into his domain. It''s clear that there''s more about that vision that he didn''t understand. But since it brought him to this point, he''s willing to explore all possibilities it holds. It''s no surprise that he joined them. But like others, he ns on staying at the tower first to see how far he can climb. Just like them, he didn''t want to leave this ce with regrets. And finally, there''s Cedric... Technically, he didn''t think too much about any of this. Like Eunuch Wei, he''s one of the very few people who wasn''t particrly interested in the sects¡ªfor now, at least. He''s more concerned about his trials rather thanbing through the thousands of emails he received. However, it seems that fate had other ns for him... Because all of a sudden, he found himself transported into apletely different ce. And as he explored, he eventually discovered two people there waiting for him, sitting in front of the tea table. Both of them looked at him and smiled. The one that had sharp and pointy ears beckoned at him and said: "Come, child. Join us, and have some tea." Chapter 421 Hunyo and Silas -- Cedric didn''t know when he got transported to this ce nor how it was done. If it weren''t for the fact that he felt no ill intent directed at him, he would''ve panicked by now. As for these two people who invited him for tea, he felt no threat from any of them. However, he could tell that they''re unfathomable. He was hesitant to join them at their table, mostly because he doesn''t know who they were and what exactly they want from him. But if he wanted to know why they brought him here, since it would only make sense if they''re the ones who''s behind this, he''s going to have to join them. And so, as politely as he could, by human standards at least, he joined them at their table. "Loosen up, Child. We''re not here to hurt you; we just want to talk," one of them said while calmly drinking his tea. ''Well, that''s easy for you to say; a little heads-up via e-mail or a notice would''ve been nice at least, not an abrupt aduction.'' Cedric inwardlyined without showing any of it on his face. But that didn''t really matter too much because he heard the other person say: "See? I told you this was going to happen. I thought you were at least going to notify him before bringing him here, but no, you''re still as rude as ever." Cedric blinked. His gaze shifted between them before finally realizing something that made him groan inwardly: ''Great, they can hear my thoughts. Awesome.'' His inner voice was filled with sarcasm that he couldn''t control. Well, it''s not like his thought being audible to everybody was an everyday urrence for him, so he wasn''t expecting this at all. This was his defense mechanism for things like this, kicked in. All of a sudden, the two people in front of him frowned when thousands of voices erupted from Cedric''s psyche. All of it sounded like him, but they''re all saying something different, following a different and random line of thought. For mind readers, this makes it difficult for them to tell what he''s actually thinking. This was done by employing the numerous thought chambers that have He usually keeps them working passively in the background, but at the first sign of the invasion of his thoughts, something that he isn''t fond of being heard by anybody else aside from him, they erupt into activity to defend his mind from unwanted visitors. Snap! The first person that talked to him, the one that wasbeled as ''rude'' by the other person at this table, snapped his fingers. It was followed by a faint, almost untraceable, pulse of energy that shifted something in this domain. "Sorry about that; I didn''t mean to rudely invade your private thoughts. I forgot to remove that function from this domain. It''s gone now, though. I promise." "Also, yeah, that was my bad. I also forgot to send an e-mail to you. I don''t me you for being suspicious. But believe us, we don''t mean you any harm. We really just want to talk to you." Cedric was a bit surprised by the humility shown by this stranger to him. Not that he''s expecting him to be really rude or anything; he just thought that, as an elder, this person would be dismissive about his dissatisfactions. The fact that he apologized and looked mildly embarrassed about his behavior was truly unexpected. ''Well, it would be rude to not hear them out at least, especially since they''re being civilized and all.'' A small smile appeared on Cedric''s face as he said, "Uh, hello. My name is Cedric Stormrider. A human." "I called Hunyo, a Celestial." The ''rude'' elder simrly introduced himself. "And I am Ss Moonbeam, an Archfae and 5th Tower Master of the Tower of Prodigies." The sharp-eared elder winked at Cedric after seeing his shocked expression. "You''ve left a deep impression on us, Young Cedric. How''s the tower for you so far, by the way? Any issues that you want to let us know?" Cedric was stunned. He was not expecting to meet the Tower Master himself at all. Hell, he''s not expecting to meet people from ''The Six''¡ªa Celestial and a Fae¡ªespecially not at the same time. His feelings are way different from the first time. Back then, he couldn''t really appreciate his meeting with Big Han since he barely had an idea of what ''The Six'', or the alliance, entails as a whole. That has changed now, obviously. "It has been a pleasant experience, Tower Master. I have noints nor any suggestions. I am satisfied with everything," Cedric replied after calming down a bit. "Also, I want to thank you for bing one of my guarantors, making it easier for me to be the first governor of my home." "I was but a small effort on my part, especially for someone like you who has shown great potential. Though, I''d say that I am definitely a bit biased towards my children, too. Hahaha!" Cedric titled his head in confusion about thest part of the Tower Master''s statement. "This guy here treats all the prodigies in his tower as his kids," Hunyo chimed in to exin. "Well, figuratively, of course. Don''t sweat it; it''s just the way he is." "Oh." Cedric nodded in understanding. "Ahem." Ss cleared his throat and resumed wearing his disciplined expression. "Anyways, let''s move on." "Right." Hunyo rolled his eyes at Ss before turning to Cedric. "I gotta ask though, have you chosen a sect to join yet?" "No." He shook his head. "I haven''t thought much about it, honestly. I am more concerned about clearing the trials while also trying to umte as much credits I could to upgrade my citizenship in the alliance." "Now that you say that, your chosen method of doing so is a bit surprising." Ss mentioned, "You''re probably the only person I know who willingly goes to the Asura ne to gather as much credit as fast as they could. I''d think that you''re insane and a madman if I hadn''t seen your behavior in my tower." Cedric smiled wryly at this. He knows that too. In fact, the old feline who''s in change of the virtual hub at themunal world that he''s in also thought the same. But well, it''s working so far and was a legitimate method of earning merit points, so why should he stop? "Well, since you haven''t made a decision yet, then allow us to add a lucrative option for you," Hunyo stated. Cedric''s eyes gleamed slightly after hearing this. At this point, he realized the reason behind this ''abduction''. "You''ve probably guessed it at this point, so yes, we are inviting you to join an organization," Hunyo added. "It''s called the Scarlet Homnd Security Department (SHSD)." Cedric blinked after hearing the name. He then asked, "Security? So like...guards or something?" "Yes, but we operate at a grander scale," Hunyo replied, "like the entirety of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm." "Cool," he hummed. "The Scarlet Homnd Security Division has a very rich and long history. It has been around since the establishment of ''The Six'', but unlike it, the SHSD isn''t strictly for ''The Six'' only. We have many members from other ns and races as well," Hunyo exined. "You''ve already met with the prime subject behind the establishment of this security department," Ss mentioned. "You recently exchanged it for your position as a member of the alliance and the position of a governor." "Outsiders!" Cedric eximed. "Yes." Both Ss and Hunyo replied solemnly. "Child, the threat of the Outsiders was far greater than you think." Hunyo shook his head. "If they weren''t as much of a threat, then the existence of the security department bes redundant." "Actually, the reason why ''The Six'' has been established in the first ce was because of the threat of the Outsiders." Ss smiled wryly. "Even with thebined might of our forces, we simply cannotpletely eradicate them." "The existence of the Outsiders predates even the alliance itself. Hell, they might even be older than the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm itself," Hunyo revealed. "One thing''s for certain though; they absolutely hate living beings like us. They represent the antithesis to our existence and would absolutely not stop until all life was extinguished, returning everything in the natural Void." "As people who benefitted from the existence of Scarlet Dust Realm, it is our natural duty to protect it from harm. But don''t get us wrong, we are not asking you to sacrifice your life for our sake. We''re not that shameless nor desperate." "What we offer is a ce for you topletely unleash your talents." Ss interjected. "The security department offers many things that other ces simply don''t have ess to, and joining doesn''t necessarily mean that you''d be sent to certain death missions. There are many branches that pose less risk to your safety while still allowing you ess to the resources we spoke about." "Of course, if you want to go after the missions that deal directly with the prime threat to our safety, then that''spletely your decision. I promise you that you won''t be forced, coerced, or anything rted to the act once you joined." Chapter 422 Ringed Structure -- ''Haaaah...'' Cedric was now back in his room. Laying on the clouds and staring at the bright blue sky above him, he contempted the things that were discussed in his talks with the Celestial Hunyo and Ss the Tower Master. In the end, he asked for some time to think about his decision, which was given to him graciously. Of course, he knows that he can''t make them wait too long; preferrably, he should give them a clear response as soon as possible, but he also had all the time he had remaining here to give them that should his indecision truly trap him. ''The Scarlet Homnd Security Department...'' he mused inwardly. To him, this ce looked like the hub of overly righteous folks. And it wouldn''t be surprising if it were so; after all, this organization was in charge of the threats that endangers the entirety of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm. Truth be told, Cedric had no desire to be a guard or a police officer for amunity that he''s not very familiar with. He''s just a new member of the alliance. Evidantly, he''s still too ignorant about many things about the alliance. Also, it is known that people who uphold thew are either usually the ones that are hated the most or the very ones that don''t follow it. Cedric really didn''t want to be tossed to the political side of the alliance right away. He hasn''t even had enough time to enjoy his life as a regr citizen. He''s too green for this line of work, so he''s not confident if he could meet their expectations. That said, the jobes with extremely lucrative benefits. One of which was the immediate transfer to the outer ring of the alliance''s physical location. Yes, that statement is exactly what it sounds like. If he signed the contract, they wouldn''t just bring his sr system close to the physical location of the alliance; they would bring it inside. The physical body of the Scarlet Dust Alliance isposed of three rings: the outer ring, the inner core, and the core circle. Those who were at the Outer Ring were ns and races that have joined the alliance as a whole either by having someone working from the inside bring them along or by making some level of contribution to the well-being of the alliance as a whole. One must know that, even though this was only the outer ring of the alliance, there''s still a lot of benefits thate from being ced here. ess to many secret realms, resource lodes, news about the alliance, and plenty of opportunities. Not to mention, the sheer density of conceptws and origin energy was more abundant here than everywhere else, which would not only elerate a world''s growth but also the evolution of the race as a whole. The Inner Ring is the residence of ns and races that shared a long history with the alliance. Their merits are something that no ordinary ns or races can match, and thus they deserve ess to more opportunities presented by the alliance. The majority of these ns and races have either joined the camp of one of ''The Six'' or pledged neutrality and worked to the overall well-being of the alliance. These people also hold some level of authority over the management of the alliance as a whole. Their voices matter when ites to certain decisions, which is why they were ced there. And finally, there''s the Core Circle¡ªa ce where ''The Six'' or the Divine Council was located. This is where the true treasures of the alliance are kept. The security measures in this ce are extremely strict. Only those from the Six Leading Races could go there without much trouble, but even they couldn''te and go as they pleased in there because that ce is just too important and valuable to the alliance as a whole, and any idents there could spell everyone''s doom. Cedric was promised that if he signed the contract, the entirety of Sris Prime would be relocated to an empty spot within the Outer Ring, which not only removes any further worries he had left about the safety of his people but also unlocks a lot of opportunities for them. He would also have a much easier time governing the growth of his home if they were to be located there. In addition to this promise, Cedric will also be given a mentor that will teach him the secrets of the cosmic level of life evolution, along with a hefty amount of capital to pursue this stage. And this doesn''t include the chances and opportunities he could secure himself while training and working for the SHSD. Just being a trainee in the department already gives him some benefits. It''s an additional badge to his growing status as a member of the alliance, and the excess benefits he''s receiving will inevitably trickle down to his people as well. Simply put, this offer was simply way too good to pass on. But if he does join, then it means that he''s putting himself directly into the fire. He simply can''t imagine the politics of the Scarlet Dust Alliance being too simple or easy to decipher. But you see, the main thing that''s preventing him from joining the alliancepletely was the idea of being separated from his loved ones. They''re already in the midst of starting a family, and he truly wants one. If Cedric were to sign this contract now, his schedule will bepletely filled. It hasn''t been long since his home was liberated from the grasp of their demonic invaders. It also hasn''t been long since they entered the era of peace and prosperity. And it also hasn''t been long since he got married to his wives and began nning for their family. He''s understandably hesitant to leave them behind right away just because this offer was simply too good to be true. Therefore, he really needs some time to think. ''Fortunately, they are willing to wait. Otherwise, I might be pressured into agreeing here.'' They will wait for his response until he eventually leaves the tower. Whether that''s sooner orter will depend on Cedric''s performance, of course. But at the very least, he had a long time to think things through. Beyond all of this, though, Cedric also wondered why they''re being too enthusiastic and eager for him. Sure, he did win the tournament with his team, but he didn''t think that that''s enough to make them see him in this light. Moreover, he won through sheer luck. They won by taking advantage of the rules, not because of their personal strength. The Thunder Prince was the most challenging enemy he has ever faced. One that reminds him of the disparity between the real powerful races of the alliance. Sure, Cedric faced stronger people than him. But most of them were employees of the tower, which was meant to squeeze out his potential. He isn''t really peting'' with them with the intent to actually take them down. They were more like tests for him¡ªtrials to ovee, as the tower calls it. The Thunder Prince was different because he was a fellow prodigy, one that is publicly known as the strongest too. If what happened during the trial was a real battle, then, even though their team won it in the end, he would still personally consider it a loss since he died. In Cedric''s mind, his life was too valuable to stake for a merepetition on who''s the best. He simply has too much to lose, and he''s not willing to die just yet. Fortunately, this was all just a simple tournament¡ªa little event to entertain the Tower Master and his friends. ''Speaking of which...'' Cedric opened up the chat for the first time in a while and went through the unread messages that piled up for him. As expected, he''s not the only one that received a lucrative offer. Morning Wood and Moss Lady had been invited by the Faes; Howler and Hawkeye got the opportunity to pursue Beastial Atavism to join the Primal Beast n; and Eunuch Wei... well, he''s already set, so he''s fine. In short, all of them secured a brighter future by simply participating in this little tournament. And it''s not just them; even those who didn''t make it very far must''ve received offers too. With this little tournament that only served to entertain the Tower Master and his friends, many lives have changed. Such was the power of alliances and their connections. ''Argh! I''ll think about itter.'' Cedric scratched his head and decided to postpone his decision at ater date since this was just giving him a headache now. Besides, he still has the 6th stage of his trials to clear, and these were enough to keep his mind upied for a long while. Since they said that they could wait for his answer, then it should be fine to not think too much about it for now. Besides, this isn''t something that he could decide on his own. He needs the opinion of his wives as well. Chapter 423 Godwyn, Gilderoy, and Gerald -- Time passed by quickly while Cedric was busy, so much so that he''s starting to lose count of it at this point. Well, in terms of time within the Tower of Prodigies, at least. In his homeworld''s time, only five years passed, which is certainly not a lot, but with Cedric going back and forth between Prime Earth and the Tower, his changes were no less than earth shaking, because in Cedric''s case, hundreds of years had already passed for him. Currently, Cedric was back on earth, observing his home from beyond the clouds like a god. There weren''t a lot of changes that happened during these five years, but there''s progress still, and with the advancements that''s happening, this progress will only get faster. Beyond this, his people are also doing their best to develop others to make it habitable for them. It''s still going to take some time, but that''s to be expected. After all, it''s not so easy for a newly risen race like them to make so much progress after regaining their freedom. Out of nowhere, Cedric peeled his gaze away from thends and turned into the Sky Castle. With a single step, he breached the distance between him and his target like it was nonexistent. He appeared next to a crib, and as soon as he did so, a fond smile immediately appeared on his face, especially after seeing three pairs of doe-like eyes gazing at him, apanied by a silly shuffle of joy. "Yes, yes. Hello to you too, my tiny bundles of joy. Papa''s here." Indeed. Cedric''s a father now to three children. He had gotten all of his wives pregnant after returning from clearing the 6th stage of trials. It wasn''t an ordinary pregnancy, though, because instead of it only taking nine months, his women were pregnant for nearly five years, meaning that his children are far from being ordinary. Still, what only mattered to Cedric was that they were healthy. He didn''t care about their extraordinariness or normalcy because whatever it was, he''s prepared to deal with them; he''s their father after all. The faint giggles of his children were like music to his ears, especially after he picked them all up to cradle them in his arms. He looked at them one by one, seemingly can''t get enough of what they look like even after all this time. Godwyn, Gilderoy, and Gerald¡ªthese are his sons'' names. They would be considered triplets if it weren''t for the fact that they came from different mothers. The one he cradles on his left arm wrapped in a white silk cloth was Godwyn, the child of Cedric and Erica. He has a tuft of ck hair and has inherited Cedric''s golden eyes (Cedric''s still unaware if the abilities of the godking''s eyes were hereditary). Godwyn is an active one. He''s certainly energetic and loud, a source of annoyance to his brothers. However, he''s also showing hints of wit this early on. In the middle was Gilderoy, son of Cedric and Chrissy. He also has ck hair like his brother, but Cedric could already tell that that won''t be permanent. As he grows up, the verdant shade of his mother''s hair will also show up on his. He also had Cedric''s eyes and nose, and he''s a bit paler than his brothers. He''s not unhealthy though; that''s just his naturalplexion. And finally, thezy one on his right arm was Gerald. He''s Cedric and Isabe''s son. He inherited his mother''s tinum blonde hair and his father''s golden eyes too. But unlike his brothers, he''s less energetic. He''s silent and observant, though that changes whenever his parents are around. These three haven''t even done anything yet, but Cedric already calls them his pride and joy. Their existence filled the void left by his family''s early death, and he can''t wait to see them grow up and spend more time with them. Their mothers aren''t here right now to pamper them because they''re still resting. They could only remain awake from time to time to breastfeed the kids before falling into a deep sleep again. Their extraordinary pregnancy took a lot out of them, and they''ve just recently given birth, so they deserve all of this, so Cedric was left to take care of his sons on his own for now. Which certainly isn''t a chore for him. In anything, he wishes that they could stay like this for longer. The world is unaware that Cedric is now a father. They didn''t have to know; it''s none of their business anyway. Besides, Cedric didn''t want to raise his kids under the spotlight. He wanted them to remain humble about their origins yet proud of who they were. Of course, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to keep this a secret forever. The world will eventually find out, but until then, he and his wives would raise them ording to how he sees fit. Sniff, Sniff! "Ooh!" Cedric scrunched up his face after smelling them. "Y''all are stinky! Hmph! Come, let''s change your diapers." He took all three of them near the sink and began cleaning them up and changing their diapers, all while the three of them exchanged little fits of giggles and adorable sounds. They seem to be having fun forcing their father to clean up their mess, but Cedric didn''t mind as long as they''re happy. After that, he yed with them. He took them flying around the world on top of a cloud. Enjoying their curious and amazed looks as they shuttled slowly through the air. Enjoy new stories from empire As they traveled, Cedric couldn''t help but marvel at how the world interacted with his children. Under his strict observation, he could tell that his sons'' were being caressed by the conceptws. No, it''s not changing them. It''s more like a greeting or a yful introduction. He also noticed that his kids seem to be vaguely aware of the presence ofws ying with them too since they react differently to what''s happening. Cedric saw Godwyn tracing theplex lines of conceptws with his tiny fingers and his eyes shining in splendor. This surprised him since that scene was familiar to him. It meant that somehow, Godwyn could actually see these lines like he does, which is also rooted in the innate ability of the Godking''s eyes. This tires the energetic child, though, so Cedric soothed him with his energies. Gilderoy was simr, but instead of tracing these lines with his fingers, he makes these cute little noises as if he''s somehowmunicating something. Actually, Cedric wouldn''t be surprised if this one was already trying tomand thews to do his bidding with how determined he sounded. And then there''s Gerald, who, unlike his brothers, seems to dislike the cacophony of colors swarming his vision. He''s irritated by them and doesn''t want to see them, evident by the constant wiggling of his arms and legs in his poor attempts to dismiss these visions. ''Well, I guess my kids are truly incredible, huh?'' He thought to himself. This might probably be because they spend years incubating within their mothers'' wombs. They were also nourished with many resources to ensure their healthy birth, so it shouldn''t be surprising. ''But it''s a little early for you three to y with conceptws. You might hurt yourselves by ident, so for now, I''ll be sealing this ability of yours.'' ''Don''t worry though; this seal will dissipate by itself when the right time hase, and it wouldn''t hinder your potential.'' With a flick of his fingers, a seal appeared on his sons'' foreheads, melting to it and disappearing afterwards. His children calmed down as soon as the seals took effect, and one by one, they started falling asleep. Cedric hummed a tune for them to listen to while controlling the cloud to return to the sky castle. Once they''re back there, he got off and walked to the room where his wives were resting. There, he found them still resting but vaguely aware of their surroundings. He knew that they sensed him entering with the children, so all three of them opened their eyes one by one, weakly and silently greeting him with warm gazes. Smiling, Cedric walked up to them and handed them their sons carefully. The women immediately broke in fond smiles as they cradled their children, and the children seemed to have sensed this too and instinctively curled up closer to their warmth. Cedric''s heart swelling greatly upon seeing this scene. With a faint p of his hands, a screen of gentle light covered the entire room, and faint music started ying. The air turned slightly warm and extremely pure andfortable. A calming scent was diffused in the room, which made it easier for all of them to fall asleep. A lull of peace visited and remained in this room, allowing his family to restfortably. Cedric would wage war to anything that would disturb this peaceful silence. Seeing as they were restingfortably, Cedric exited the room and sealed it behind him. He could appear there anytime he wanted to, so the seal was just to prevent them from being disturbed. "Yeah, a few more years of this, and I can leave with peace of mind." Chapter 424 Exposure -- "Well, I knew that this would eventually happen. I just didn''t expect that it''d be this early." Cedric sighed while looking outside the window. "But I suppose it''s much better for you to be informed of what we''re dealing with so that you''d know what to do moving forward." Experience tales at empire He turned around and saw the faces of the High Marshals and other important people of the Prime Earth Federation. The clues he and Ac left behind, hinting at the existence of other races and civilizations out there, had all been collected and analyzed for a while now, but it wasn''t until today that they all came to him seeking answers. "Yes, there are many other lifeforms out there," he confirmed, which didn''t really surprise anybody since they''ve met demons after all. "And yes, I have met a lot of them personally; I even befriended a handful of them." "Your Excellency, does that mean that you''ve been out there?" One of the staff hesitantly asked. Cedric turned to this person and said, "Well, technically yes. But not really." "My mind, and recently my body, had gone somewhere far beyond our Sr System. You see, I was scouted by one of the organizations there and had been doing well so far. In fact, since after the Origin Energy Storm that happened, which revitalized the small territory of Azure Terra way back then, I was already a...participant of that organization." "It''s why I was able to increase my strength way beyond your conceptions. Weren''t you all wondering where I got all of the cultivation methods I''ve ced in the depository? Well, I can tell you that the majority of those came from there. I bought them and brought them back here." Again, most of them already suspected that this was the case. The hints all pointed to it, and they''ve made several conclusions on their own already, so it wasn''t truly that surprising. "Are they a threat to us? Should we prepare for another invasion?" Raven Armstrong, one of the High Marshals, asked. "No. There''s no need for any of you to go that far." Cedric shook his head. "The alliance isn''t a threat to us, and even if they are, we simply are way too powerless to make them treat us seriously. In front of them, the Demon Race wouldn''t even be considered as ants. In fact, they call demons Space Pirates there because it''s an apt description for them. Even the Demon God himself didn''t dare to get anywhere close to the ce since he would be killed before he knew anything that happened." Cedric then proceeded to reveal everything about the alliance to them. He started the story at his first contact with Big Han, then his participation in the Tower of Prodigies. He also told them the heirarchy of races within the Scarlet Dust Alliance as well as the sheer disparity between their civilizations and prosperity. And to convince them that everything he said was real, he took them all with him in the virtual world, because he can do this but only for a limited period of time, and showed them the myriads of races roaming around there freely and showcased just how advanced the alliance''s civilization was. Shocked would be an understatement of what they all felt this time. It was simply too mind-boggling to personally witness the greatness of the world beyond their sr system. Just the sheer size of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm was already enough to overwhelm them, even more so when they started seeing other lifeforms scattered across themunal world. Cedric admitted that even he hasn''t had nearly enough time to explore even 1% of what the entire alliance could offer. It just so happens that he''s the first of their kind to be here, and he''s doing his best to know his environment so he could guide others properly when the timees. He also revealed to them his position as Sris Prime''s first governor. The act of him essentially registering himself as the owner of the Sris Prime and being now the main decision-maker of how things will go in this sr system from here was even more shocking to them. Someone questioned the necessity of a governor. And to that, Cedric said: "Yes, it is indeed necessary. And whoever the governor was must be strong not only in terms of cultivation but also intellect-wise. Without a governor, this ce would''ve been branded as a free territory despite us being here. If it were to continue that way, then a second invasion should be expected, but this time, whether we survive another one of those, would be uncertain." "I''m the strongest around for now, so I''m really the only person that could shoulder this responsibility. If I want to pass it on to another person, then a certain level of criteria must be met. My recement shouldn''t be any weaker than I am, and for someone to reach my current level, years of waiting and steady development is a must. So until then, I will be the governor of Sris Prime." Everything he said made sense to them. Yet their exposure to all of this led them to feel some doubts. Understandably so; this was all too much for them to digest right now. But if there''s one thing certain about all of this, it would be the fact that their race as a whole still has a long way to go before they could catch up to other races. Humans as a whole are way too weak to mingle with others. And to make things even more challenging, Cedric just had to say this: "Sris Prime may or may not move closer to the physical location of the alliance in the future. It shouldn''t be too much of a big deal since I could just set up aw that our world is closed off from visitors. That said, being near there would certainly change many things for us, so our progress must be faster than this." The others could only smile wryly at that. As if they weren''t already doing their best to keep up with everything else, he just had to add this. It would take years, decades, or maybe even centuries before they can catch up with everything. Cedric surely has a lot of faith in them. "...but yeah, that''s about it," Cedric concluded once they returned to the real world. "In the grand scheme of things, humans are simply too miniscule to matter. However, with this knowledge upon you now, who can say that it will stay that way?" "Anyways, that ce calls for me, and I must respond." Cedric stated, "I will keep guarding our home while I still can, but eventually, I will step down from these responsibilities. I can''t babysit us forever; I have my own goals to pursue as well, and I''ve done more than enough for our race. The rest is up to you." "So while I''m still here, don''t be shy. Be bold and make as many ns as you could to prepare for the future. Don''t worry about anything else while I''m still around. Take your time, but don''t take too long either." After saying his piece, Cedric left it to them to digest everything that was revealed to them. He guessed that it would take some time for them to wrap their minds around these new revtions because that''s what happened to him. Truthfully, Cedric never nned on abandoning this world. This was his home, and he would always prefer this ce more than everywhere else. He only said those ominous words to forge their independence. He has given all of them a vague time limit of his protection before he eventually ''disappears'', giving them enough pressure and forcing them to move forward faster. Sure, Cedric did think of passing down his responsibilities to other people eventually to free himself so that he could pursue his personal matters. It''s only natural for him to do so since he had worked too hard for their sake. But this doesn''t mean that Cedric ns on turning his back on his world and his people. He isn''t thinking of changing his race, appearance, or nature, no matter how tempting it was. He was proud of who he was and never thought that humans were any less than other life forms out there. Every race has its own pros and cons, after all. But at the same time, humans can''t rely on him forever. While it might seem that he''s forcing them into this situation, they''re actually way better off being inducted into the alliance this way instead of facing another invasion. At the very least, this way, Cedric was there for them and could offer them immense protection. Cedric had faith in his people. They''ve been through a lot and are certainly resourceful. He''s just giving them a push in the right direction. Speaking of the right direction... Cedric returned to the sky castle. He discovered that his wives just put their children to sleep so they had some free time. "Well, this conversation was going to happen sooner orter anyway. It might as well happen now." Chapter 425 Contract Signing -- "...that sounds like a very demanding and very stressful job if you ask me," Chrissy stated before taking a sip of her tea. Erica and Isabe didn''t say anything just yet. They''re still digesting what Cedric just revealed to them. He finally told them about the offer, one that he had dyed for a good while. He wanted to tell them earlier, but he didn''t want to add on to the stress of their pregnancy, so he held it off. But now that they''ve given birth and have recovered well, he thought that he might as well tell them now while the chance is still there. Besides, Cedric doesn''t have much time left. He was given until before he leaves the tower to give an answer, and Cedric was just a step shy away from clearing the 10th and final trial there. Actually, his fellow challengers of the same lobby have all left the tower; some left earlier than expected while others already cleared their final trial. He''s the only one left there, and even he doesn''t have much time left to spare. "Will it require you to leave us?" Isabe asked, and Cedric could just hear the trepidation in her voice. He understands why she feels this way. It hasn''t been long since their family began. Their children can''t even walk or talk yet. Isabe didn''t feelfortable at the idea of having their kids grow up in Cedric''s absence. She knows that this hurts him as well, but she can''t really hold him back either because that would just be too unfair for him. That said, this was also unfair for the kids. "If I receive a mission that requires me to be physically present, then yes, I''m afraid I''d have to," Cedric truthfully admitted. "But that''s far too few in between. Besides, I''m going to have to start at the bottom to work my way up, and the initial stages of my training can be done in the virtual universe, so until I graduate from training and take on more responsibilities, I won''t be going anywhere." "Oh, then that doesn''t sound too bad, then," Erica chimed in. "I''m guessing that the training will take some time as well." Continue your saga on empire "Well, that depends." He replied, "They said that I could breeze through it if I want, but at minimum, five years is needed. That could be extended as well, depending on what other courses I''m interested in learning." "So, in that way, you can be with us until our children grow old enough to function without too much guidance from us," Chrissy concluded. "And even then, you said that missions that would require you to leave us behind will be very rare, so honestly, I''d say go for it." "I thought that you''d have to leave us right away, forcing our children to grow up without you. That''s what made me feel hesitant to agree. But if that wasn''t the case, then yes, I have no problems with it. I support you." Isabe agreed as well now that her doubts have been rified. "I''m okay with it too," Erica responded as well. "If you truly wanted to be there, I wouldn''t have stopped you anyway. Sure, it''d be a little difficult to exin your absence to the kids, but since it''s not going to happen anyway, then there''s no need to think too much of it." Cedric sighed in relief after hearing their positive response. Honestly, he wouldn''t have hesitated to turn down the offer should his wives be against it. It doesn''t matter to him if he missed out on many things because of his refusal since his priority will always be his family because, just like his wives, he too felt reluctant to let his children grow up without him. But since he had gotten their permission to pursue his goals, then there''s nothing for him to be worried about. He could freely sign the contract and pursue a future amongst the Scarlet Homnd Security Department with confidence. "Oh, yeah. Just now, I revealed the existence of the alliance to others." "Huh, so they finally grew a pair to ask you about that. Good for them." Chrissy snorted in her seat. "Yeah, they''ve been skirting around the topic for a while now. They even tried asking us, but we always tell them to ask you instead because you are more familiar with it than we are. It''s good that they finally gathered enough courage to ask you directly." Erica chuckled. "Am I really that scary to them?" Cedric smiled wryly. "Scarily strong, more like." Erica responded, "Although it''s been centuries for you, to us it''s like only yesterday when you thrashed the Demon God to tears. Your strength is legendary to them, something that none of them could ever hope to reach in their entire lifetime. And thus, they need to pay attention to how they act around you lest they provoke your ire." "How did they react, by the way?" Isabe asked. "I''m guessing that they''re dumbfounded and in disbelief. It''s only normal to feel like so, after all." She''s fairly confident in her guess, mostly because she too was like that when she discovered the existence of the alliance. Even with her stoic view of the world, she still felt her beliefs being subverted as she realized just how vulnerable and how inconsequential their existence was in the grand scheme of things. "It''s definitely going to take some time before their minds wrap around this reality. But I trust that they''de around eventually. Once theypletely epted and adjusted to it, then they would be able to make decent strides forward. It will surely help with the speed of our progress here." His people can''t fall too far behind, especially since Cedric has no ns of leaving it behind no matter where he goes. Therefore, they need to hustle and keep up with the changes somehow. Cedric and his wives spent their leisure time together as always before; it was inevitably cut off by their children waking up. In this little paradise he carved for them, they enjoy days of peace and serenity, immersing themselves in the warmth of family and the joys of being a parent. Cedric treasured these times because it only happens once. He was so immersed in his role as a father that he even forgone any form of training. He wasn''t really losing or dying the progress of his strength by doing this. After all, Prime Earth was simply too underdeveloped to endure the fluctuations of his power, so he needed to seal it anyway. Moreover, any sort of progress for him bes too slow at this point. Cedric was already a 3-star Grand Cosmic Sage after passing the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th stages of the trials. He spent most of his tower points to purchase necessary materials to aid in his progress without distabilizing his foundations. That''s why he has onlye this far into his life evolution. The excess points he had were spent on things that could help his home. Even as he''s just a shy of a step away from clearing the final stage of the trials, he knows that he can''t make any further progress in his life evolution, so he didn''t bother at all. A couple of days or months without training wouldn''t hurt him, so he could spend it all ording to how he likes. That said, this doesn''t mean that Cedric was willingly sinking into stagnancy. He wouldn''t ask for his wives'' permission to take on the offer of the Tower Master for no apparent reason after all. And thus, during one idle evening at Prime Earth, Cedric sent a message to both Hunyo and Ss, saying that he epts their offer. The response was immediate. He received the contract right away and was told that he could negotiate on certain uses should he feel the need to. Of course, Cedric took his time reading through the contract because that''s the wisest thing to do, especially in a job that deals with politics. Fortunately though, the contract was rather straightforward, loose, and very generous. If it weren''t for the fact that this was sent by the Tower Master himself, he''d think that this was actually a scam. That''s how lucrative the offer was. But of course, he believed that neither Hunyo nor Ss would make a rookie mistake like sending a false contract or resorting to scamming a poor person like him, so he freely signed the contract since he''s satisfied with everything. The moment he signed the contract, it turned into a binding oath in the form of a rune that dissolved on his forehead. It had the cosmicws as a witness, therefore it couldn''t be denied. It''s also a security measure that none of the members of the department turns into traitors. With the confirmation of his membership, Cedric was to start his training soon. His Virtual Universe visor will eventually be able to connect to the Training Office of the SHSD. As for the incentives he was promised by signing the contract, they will be supplied in the near future. This was the start of Cedric''s real life as a member of the alliance. Chapter 426 Site Delta -- Cedric dove into the virtual universe to start his journey. As soon as he arrived at his residence, he didn''t waste time and immediately went to the virtual hub to travel to the training facility of the SHSD to start learning more about his future job. Since it''s been years since Cedric became a member of the alliance, he already knew thismunal world like the back of his hand. Moreover, he has also upgraded his citizenship to the 3rd level, which is the High Citizen stage. Explore more stories at empire (AN: Citizenship levels: Common Citizen, Valued Citizen, High Citizen, Treasured Citizen, and finally, Cosmic Citizen.) The changes in his status were certainly fast. One has to know that it might take decades or even centuries for others to upgrade from a Common Citizen to a Valued Citizen. Going from a Valued Citizen to a High Citizen will take even longer; some might not even achieve it in their entire life, yet Cedric almost effortlessly achieved it. The way he did it wasn''t something that most people could easily follow. Not everybody was forged under the duress of perpetual danger, and not everybody''s strong enough to survive that kind of crisis. The fact that he was able to maintain his sanity intact despite constantly throwing himself into the Asura ne to harvest blood crystals and exchange them for merit points was nothing short of a miracle to most. Many have tried this kind of exploit before, but everyone who did it suffered immensely, with most turning mad. Cedric might be one of the few people who did it, and even then, he''s probably the only one that''spletely unaffected by the side effects of constant exposure to that ce. Anyway, now that he''s a high citizen, Cedric receives more privileges as a member of the alliance. He gets more discounts, more benefits,ws are more loose around him, he also receives a certain amount of dividends per year, he''s got more ess to ces, he gets invitations to more social events, which he could use to expand his connections, etc. Simply put, with or without this job, Cedric will be fine on his own. With his current status, it wouldn''t be too hard for him to find lucrative work anywhere. But as far as upgrading his citizenship further, Cedric has met a wall for now. Because the requirements to be a treasured citizen go beyond just umting enough merit points to do so. Yes, a good amount of merit points are still needed, but that''s alongside the need to have not only him but his entire race to be denizens of the Inner Circle. This meant that the human race as a whole, and preferrably under his leadership, must contribute to the overall benefit of the alliance as a whole. Their contribution must be acknowledged by at least 100 ns and races with the approval of at least 4 out of 6 of ''The Six''; only then would they be allowed within the Inner Circle. Additionally, Cedric himself must perform at least a total of 10 years or more of military service before he could qualify for the status upgrade. He''s on his way of doing this now because his job was at the Scarlet Homnd Security Department, which was the main force of the alliance against threats, so this was the least of his problems. The real bottleneck would be the collective racial merit because humans are too far behindpared to other races. They shouldn''t even be thinking about the Inner Circle since they''re still not advanced enough to even qualify for the Outer Circle. Speaking of which, the transfer of the Sris Prime to the Outer Circle will be done once Cedric spends a year working at the security department. Yes, he was told that the transfer was immediate, and this was immediate to them because a year might as well be only a week or a month in their perception. Besides, they can''t give him all these benefits only for Cedric to renege on his responsibilities right away. Hunyo and Ss were no fools, and Cedric doesn''t have the gall or the strength to plot something bad against them. Being a high citizen, Cedric could use the virtual hub as he pleased. Meaning that he didn''t need any help or guidance opening portals for him to go through. His route or destinations also had some level of privacy from now on, and only those with higher status than him could view his travel logs; even then, he would be immediately informed when somebody does. Cedric typed in the coordinates of his destination and unhesitatingly went through the portal once it stabilized. On the other side, he found himself standing on another virtual hub. This one, however, was sparsely popted. He could only see a handful of people around him, and this says a lot because virtual hubs are always meant to be popted. "Hello, you must be Dawnbringer, right?" Cedric looked to his side and saw a person standing near him radiating politeness. This creature appeared to be a floating apparition. Their body waspletely transparent; the only thing that''s covering them was the uniform of the security personnel. This creature doesn''t have aplete face, only a pair of eyes. Their body was also filled with strange tribal runes, and there were at least hundreds of them all over their body. "Yes, hello. Sorry for staring. I''m Dawnbringer; nice to meet you," Cedric replied with a slightly apologetic tone. "Oh, it''s fine; I''m used to being stared at. Nice to meet you too; my name is Griff, and I''ll be in charge of giving you a tour of the facility. Are you good to go now?" "Yes, I''m good to go." "Great, follow me." Griff floated about with Cedric trailing behind. Upon exiting the virtual hub, he immediately discovered the immensity of the training facility. Everything within his sight was all rted to the department. "Wee to Site Delta, otherwise known as the department''s Personnel Training Facility. If you''re serious about this job, then you''d find yourself spending a lot of time here." Griff introduced the ce while gesturing at it. "I can give you a general tour of the ce, but I can''t take you to all areas since some are restricted even for me. You''d do well staying away from these ces because not everybody here is as patient or kind to others." "Oh and by the way," Griff faced him before saying: "Site Delta upies this entire. I guess you can expect that everybody you see here works here too since this ce isn''t open for the public. That also means that the only way to leave this ce is via the Virtual Hub behind you, the one that you just used. Of course, there are other means of leaving this ce, but those options aren''t avable for people like us, so that''s our only option." Cedric already guessed most of these by himself. He was a soldier-in-training here, so he should expect some strictness, especially in his conduct, therefore none of this surprised him. "This is the entrance for trainees like you," Griff gestured at the small gate they walked into. "They''d ask for an I.D., but you don''t have that yet, so I''ll take care of it for now. Just remember that once you receive your credentials, always bring them with you and don''t lose them. Even recing them would be troublesome, so take care of them as much as you can." Griff nodded at the guards at the gate; he signed off some papers and went through several checks before it was Cedric''s turn. After they passed through the gate, they appeared in a marbled hallway that led deeper into the facility. Beyond the first door they entered, Cedric found himself in a wide space that branched out to many areas. "Let''s get you registered first, then we can continue with the tour," Griff suggested. Cedric had no problem with that, so he followed him to the registration office. He already has a file here since he was scouted. They just needed him to make an appearance, take his biometrics, and print his ID; then he''s good to go. "You see the QR code on your ID?" Griff asked once Cedric received it. Cedric nodded to him, and he said, "Scanning that using the system will take you to your employee ount; in there you''d see more details about your employment here. It could also be used in many things, such as applying for missions or courses, exchanging for resources, hiring a mentor, etc. Someone will teach you all about thister, so don''t sweat it for now. Just know that you have this." "Remember, nobody else except you can use your ount. This applies to your spouse(s), children if you have any, friends, family, and even your superiors. There are rules that strictly prohibit this kind of interference. The only possible existence that can make changes in your ount is the system or the system''s admin, and either of them will document every single detail they changed in there and you''ll be informed immediately once it happens. There are no other exceptions. Do well to remember this or else you''d be in a lot of trouble." Chapter 427 Courses -- The tour continued, taking them to the majority of the ces within Site Delta. Under Griff''s lead, Cedric was able to see ces of interest all around the site. Some left asting impression on him, while others not so much. Griff was a good guide; he told him about the ces where he can and can''t go. He exined the purpose of each zone as best and as simply as he could. Of course, he can''t tell him everything in one; this was just a tour and an introduction to the ce, after all. The toursted for about six hours, which made sense since they were touring an entire, which was about the same size as Prime Earth. After the tour, Griff led Cedric back to the lockers and bid him farewell there, concluding the tour. Griff has other matters to attend to and can''t stay any longer. Cedric didn''t mind, and they parted peacefully. In his locker were Cedric''s uniform and the rest of his credentials. He was urged to take courses as soon as possible to start his training. ''It''s like going back to school all over again.'' Cedric thought to himself because it truly wasn''t all that different. Fortunately for him, there were no fixed schedules here. Meaning that he could set his course schedule ording to how he pleased. This was a good thing since he still wants to spend time with his family while training, so his only free time was during the evenings. And with the time synchronizing with Prime Earth''s time, he couldn''t do everything here in a single go. Looking at the list of avable courses for him, Cedric mostly saw the basics, which was understandable. Courses that taught councilws, environmental differences, survival tactics, engineering, fleetmand, and knowledge about the Outsiders are all avable to him. Most of them were mandatory if he wanted to study other subjects that Site Delta has to offer. But it''s also okay if he only takes the mandatory subjects for now and then applies for graduation afterwards since this was all he needed to be an effective officer of the security department. Cedric also discovered that he could stagger his courses. Like, he could take one or two of the mandatory courses for now and finish it first before enrolling in another course. This will extend his time as a trainee, of course, but nobody would prevent him from doing so. That said, he is required to learn all the basics of a security officer within ten years after his employment and graduate from here within fifty years, or else he will be punished ording to the stiptions of the contract. He wasn''t hired to waste time here; there are expectations for him, and he has to meet them at the very least tofort his employers. Cedric is enrolled in three courses: one will teach him about thews that the Divine Council established, which will help in his line of work; another will teach him how to survive if he ever caught himself stranded outside of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm; and finally, how to properly fight against the Outsiders. These courses were things that are not essible to the public; only people like him had the qualifications to learn about them, so he wants to take advantage of that. As for the other theoretical courses, he can learn themter. After confirming his choices, he arranged his own schedule. He set sses for the evenings since he''s only avable during that time. Through Monday to Wednesday evenings, he will be learning aboutbat against the Outsiders. On Thursdays to Friday evenings, he''d learn about Outer Realm Survival. And on weekend evenings, he''ll learn about councilws. How long he''d spent toplete each course depends on his performance. It could be as fast as mere months, or it could take him decades toplete; all of it depends on how well he performs on each subject. The sses will begin next week, so he has to be ready. After he''s done registering for courses, Cedric took this time to familiarize himself with his employee profile. Hebed through every single piece of information avable in there and memorized it by heart. He had taken Griff''s warnings to heart, and he personally didn''t want anyplications this early in his employment, so it''s only wise for him to be prepared for anything. Since the sses are being done through the virtual universe, he will still go by his nickname, Danwbringer, here. It''s anotheryer of security for his identity against any potentially malicious intent targeted towards him. Cedric wasn''t a fool to think that there is solidarity within the alliance. A gigantic and prosperous civilization like this was bound to have some rotten parts here and there. The connection or intimacy between ns and races was a lie; only personal interests matter in the end. ''The Six'' were aware of this too, and who knows whether they''re taking advantage of this or not? It''s better to be careful wherever he goes. Cedric has too much to lose, after all. On another note, opportunities... Even though he''s only a freshman here, Cedric already has the option to take on missions. Nothing too crazy, most of which could be done within the virtual universe. These missions reward him with Alliance Cash and other things depending on the difficulty of the mission, but the most important part is that all missions had Merit Points rewards. There is an extensive list of things he could peruse. Everything in this list was avable for purchase using Merit Points. From simple things likebat equipment, cultivation techniques,bat skills, etc. To unique fortunes like ess to secret realms, hiring mercenaries and employees, memberships to unique organizations, and so on, almost everything that has value was here in this list and could be bought with merit points. Of course, Cedric wasn''t about to go gungho about all of this. Hell, he didn''t even look at the items that cost more than ten thousand merit points since there''s simply no way he can afford any of that right now. The missions he''s eligible for only reward a couple dozens of merit points at best. If he really wants to earn big amounts of merit points, he''d have to graduate from here first. A security officer can take office in many branches within the alliance. Cedric, for example, can apply for a managerial position after he graduates from here. If he does this, he will be put in an office and will be in charge of maintaining order within the borders of the alliance. He could either be patrolling worlds or sifting through documents to check for any hints of corruption within the alliance. This position puts him within the safety and protection of the alliance, but it would also directly send him to the political quagmire. He''d be a prime target for criticism or be forced to take sides in conflicts. Sure, he could weave his way through this and build his own connections to protect his interests, but that line was incredibly fickle to traverse. A single mistake can have dire consequences. On the other hand, he could follow the true path that was meant for security officers. Which meant patrolling the edges of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm and sometimes even going out of its range to tussle with the Outsiders. This position puts him at serious risk. He could die anywhere out there, and the Outsiders will not hesitate to swallow him whole. That said, in terms of earning merit points, there was no other way that''s much faster than killing outsiders. He could potentially earn millions of merit points in a single patrol. Moreover, he will be regarded as a hero and might even be eligible for some level of diplomatic immunity because of his importance. Read exclusive adventures at empire The only gripe about this is the dangers it poses. Either way, being here was a lucky chance that Cedric simply could not ignore. Neither Hunyo nor Ss lied when they said that he will have more opportunities here rather than joining other organizations because, at best, those ces can only ess five to ten percent of the things avable in this list. And even then, he might not necessarily have the ability to purchase them since his opportunities there would be lesserpared here. Of course, these opportunities are avable to him under the assumption that he performs well. He''s not earning merit points for free here; there are no allowances for a trainee like him either. Only when he graduates from training and bes an actual officer will he unlock those privileges. Speaking of privileges, Cedric already received the first bulk of promised resources ording to his contract. The amount he received was enough to support him until his cultivation reaches the 5-star Grand Sr Sage realm. As for the mentor that will inform and guide him to the cosmic realm of life evolution, they wille once he steps to the peak of the grand sr realm. This was stated in the contract and witnessed by the Cosmic Laws itself, so there''s no need to doubt it or feel anxious about it. Chapter 428 DAO101 -- Stay connected via empire [Wee to DAO 101, also known as Defense Against Outsiders. I am a system AI named March, and I will serve as your mentor for this ss.] ''Well, I guess that answers my question as to why the ss schedules were flexible. It turns out that they left the teaching to the AI.'' Cedric was in Site Delta right now; more specifically, he''s in one of the training rooms avable. Even though he''s taking a ss, he''s not required to be in a ssroom. Even more so with this subject, considering that it will teach all he needs to know in order to deal with outsiders. But of course, he can''t expect to be taught techniques right away. It''s his first official day of training to be a security officer, and just like everybody else who came before him, he has to start with the basics. [We will first begin by learning what Outsiders are.] [Outsiders are creatures that have been theorized to predate the establishment of the Scarlet Dust Alliance. Some even say that they are older than the primordial chaos, the very creation itself.] [Either way, the existence of outsiders poses a threat to living beings like you.] [Outsiders are creatures of the Void. They are mindless, only moving through sheer instinct. And that instinct is to extinguish all life theye across. They represent the antithesis of life; they have the ability to reduce life to nihility, removing any possibilities of rebirth or reincarnation.] [They are relentless, indifferent, have no concept of exhaustion, and there''s possibly no end to them.] [Even with the long and extensive research of the alliance, we only know a few key information about their existence. It is difficult to know more because that requires venturing deep into the Void, a ce that swallows all life.] [The Void is like a ck hole in the form of a fog that''s isted outside of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm. It is unepting of any living beings from the primordial chaos. It just reduces anything from here into nothingness without any hopes of retrieval.] [To make things worse, the Void consistently erodes the borders of the realm. It constantly gnaws at creation itself, slowly but surely chipping away at it, making it smaller and smaller each time. [What hastens this pace is the invasion of the outsiders at ces close to the barriers that iste us from them.] [Our realm has a natural resistance against the Void and its creatures. But that resistance only goes so far. It almost bes useless when the void takes on an active role against it.] [It''s thanks to the efforts of ''The Six'' that keeps the realm safe to this day. Through theirbined efforts, a wall known as the Eternal Division Wall was created to protect the realm.] [The Eternal Division Wall is by no means invincible. It could prevent the Fog of Void from enchroaching any further into the realm, but it can''t prevent the invasion of the Void Creatures because weck understanding of them.] [That said, it doesn''t mean that the wall is useless against them. Because while it couldn''t stop them from invading, it could severely weaken them, enough to slow them down and for our people to eliminate them.] The premise was simple enough, all within Cedric''s expectations. Actually, this reminds him somehow of how humanity''s civilization was before his rise. The concept of a civilization hiding inside a bubble due to the hostile environment was all too familiar for him that it almost gives him a sense of deja vu. Then, a hard light projection appeared before Cedric, causing his eyes to gleam with interest. [The Void Creatures, or mostmonly known as the Outsiders, ''generally'' look and behave like this.] Weird. That''s the simplest way to describe what Cedric was seeing right now. It''s like he''s looking at a badly rendered enemy model from a game. The Outsider model looked like it''s glitching in and out of existence. There is no sense of order in the way it behaves, making it look erratic. Sometimes it twitches so fast that it''s startling, and on other times, it just stands still like it''s a manequin. It''s shape doesn''t make sense either. It doesn''t take on any ''natural'' form. The shape was all over the ce. It has spikes here and there that would flicker in and out of existence. Cedric couldn''t see any head, face, limbs, or anything that makes sense to him. The only visible clue that set it apart was the foul, dark, and unnatural air shrouding its body. ''The system emphasized the word ''generally'' in its descriptions. That means that I shouldn''t focus on its shape or appearance. I suppose it''s this dark air that I should be paying attention to, because even in this image projection, I could sense an innate gust towards it even though this is my first time seeing it.'' It''s quite strange, actually, because Cedric could still vividly remember what the corpse of an outsider looked like. The Demon God wielded a pseudo-living weapon out of the Outsider''s remains, and he knew how to use it in a way that would provoke a reaction from the corpse, making it release a foul substance that withers all life it touches. That corpse looked like a charred person embedded on a pole, twisted into an unnatural way purposefully to torment it even after its death. Yet even so, that corpse didn''t look anywhere near close to the strange appearance of the Outsider Model he''s seeing now, making him wonder if it''s actually one. ''But the tower''s system AI did say that it was an outsider, so I guess there is more to learn here.'' All of his contemptions happened in a split second and were concluded just in time before the system continued its exnation. [I urge you to not focus on its shape or appearance because its form would never make sense to us. Void creatures change forms as easily as breathing. The only time that it forms into something permanent is when it dies. Whatever the shape it took before it drew itsst breath would be its final form.] ''Ah, I guess that answers my question.'' [Instead, please pay attention to the dark, foul air surrounding its body.] [You have probably sensed it by now. If you did, good. You''re perceptive enough for this work. If not, then you really need to train your senses more. [Anyway, that dark, foul air is the fog of Void. It serves as their lifeline and the key to their abstruse strength. Outsiders cannot survive without it, and it doesn''t belong anywhere within our realm. So, if you saw it, then you''re safe to assume that there''s an outsider nearby.] ''It''s like demon corruption all over again...'' [To deal with an outsider, you must cleanse this Fog of Void.] [There are plenty of ways to do this. Most of which I will be teaching you in this ss, and you are expected to perform all of them to a certain degree of mastery if you want to pass this subject.] [There are tons of simple means to do so and a few advanced techniques as well. Since this is just the beginning of your training here, we will focus more on the fundamentals and the simple ways to clear the fog of Void.] [If you sessfully clear the fog of Void, the Void Creature will lose most of its fighting capabilities. It will then act and behave like a cornered beast, so you can''t drop your guard just yet.] [You must know that you only have an hour at best to kill the Outsider before the Fog of Void reappears in its body. It must be killed in a single go because if it was given a chance to escape, it will be more alert and far more dangerous than the first time you encountered it.] [Void creatures can and will evolve. They do so by simply existing, and it expedited as it devoured or withered life around it. In our research so far, we do not know if it has a ceiling on how strong it could get. We only know that the longer it has the chance to exist within this realm, the stronger it gets. And that is an ident that must be prevented by all means necessary, so as a security officer, you must be alert and ready.] ''Yeah, no pressure at all.'' Cedric sarcastically muttered in his mind while rolling his eyes. As expected, Cedric was right to not expect any practical learning on his first day. The system AI was focused on exining the basic information of what he''s about to deal with. It described the Void Creatures, their environment, behaviors, and other details about them to give him aplete understanding of the threat this realm was facing. Hell, it even gave him a quiz afterwards, which certainly took him back to his academic days. Of course he perfected that quiz. He had a sharp memory after all. He just didn''t expect that the lesson for today concluded after that because it hasn''t been long since the ss started. ''Oh well, I''d be a hypocrite toin.'' Chapter 429 Outer Realm Survival -- [The Void is like a tub of potent acid that dissolves all life it touches. It is home to the Outsiders, who are semi-sentient beings that enact the will of the void and could go to ces that it can''t.] [Throughout the history of the Scarlet Dust Alliance, we have sent many teams to explore the void, hoping to make sense of it slowly but surely. Some survived, and the rest died miserably.] [As someone who''s training to be a security officer, it''s guaranteed that at least once in your service, you will be sent to the edges of the realm to see just how terrible the Void truly is. And if you truly are unlucky, then you''d be sent into it, with a team of course, but that hardly makes a difference.] [With the nature of the void, it is very unlikely that you will survive there. You can''t rely on your cultivation there; the most it could do for you is to prolong your suffering. Luck is nonexistent in that ce either. The void unterally swallows all.] [That why this ss, Outer Realm Survival, is a mandatory subject for trainee officers. It is created with the hopes of giving our personnel a little bit of a chance to survive and resist the influence of the void should they find themselves trapped in it.] Cedric listened closely to the system AI as it exined the contents of the ss. Much like the Defense Against Outsiders ss, this one was equally important for a trainee like him. Especially since the AI pretty much confirmed that he will see the void in his tenure. It''s a matter of when, not if. [The Fog of Void is epassing. Think of it as the primordial energies surrounding the primeval scarlet dust realm. The influence of the void exists in all things outside of this realm. It is only hostile to life, not its own; that''s why it is a danger to you and was not allowed to appear anywhere within this realm.] [Contrary tomon sense, the realm outside isn''t empty.] [For one, there are the Outsiders. They may not count as a living being and doesn''t make sense to us, but they are born from the void to carry out its will.] [In some of the expeditions made, we''ve recorded sightings ofnd and vegetation there. Yes, it doesn''t make sense, right? If the Void is hostile to all life, how can it breed them? There are no conclusive answers to this right now. All we can conclude is that the Void contradicts itself.] [We''ve tried to study thends closest to the edge of our realm. We even tried harvesting some of the wild vegetation out there. But the moment they were brought inside this realm, all of them dissipated into nothingness.] [There were multiple attempts made to prevent this from happening, but every single one failed. This led us to believe that if we wanted to study them, we had to do it there, and that''s a problem since all research takes time and the longest record of people surviving the void was a mere month. It was a cosmic-level life evolver who did it, which meant that anybody who''s weaker won''tst longer.] [In addition to traces of life, there are also traces of intelligence shown in some areas. We haven''t been able to make sense of it due to ack of means to study it up close, but it''s present.] [That''s why right now, our focus was to figure out a way on how to survive the unforgiving environment of the Void first. Which leads me back to the focus of this ss.] [I will tell you right now that only a few things in this ss have been tried and tested. I will emphasize those methods so that you won''t miss them. The rest will be ''theoretical'' means, things that might work out there but haven''t been tried or proven by anybody before.] [And to that extent, let me introduce a very valuable piece of equipment to you.] Pssh!! A secretpartment on the wall was released. It flipped and revealed an item sealed inside ss windows. It was a manequin wearing some kind of violet-themed suit. The suit had visible scales running in its entirety; each scale gleamed with a rainbow hue under the reflection of light. It''s skin tight and looks lightweight. Ites with a utility belt, joint pads, and a visor. [This invension is called the ''Void Suit''; it is something that will be given to all of our personnel. You can try it on if you wish.] "Don''t mind if I do," Cedric muttered as he walked closer to the disy. The ss windows opened up as he approached. Cedric took his time admiring the suit. He ran his hands on the scales and found them smooth to the touch; it''s a little cold too. He carefully took it from the manequin, but as soon as he did, the suit seemingly came alive. Ittched onto his skin and wore itself to him. It crawled underneath his clothes, and soon he was already wearing beneath his uniform. "Cool." Just as he expected, the suit was incredibly lightweight. He couldn''t even feel its weight at all. It''s like anotheryer of his skin, which was weird but pleasant at the same time. The violet theme of the suit disappeared. Instead, it followed his skin tone, blending seamlessly into his body, so much so that nobody would be able to tell that he''s wearing it. The joint pads were soft to the touch but also surprisingly durable. Cedric then paid attention to the interface of the visor and discovered that it disyed a few key information he should take note of. First was the suit''s remaining durability. Right now, it shows that the suit was in perfect condition, 100% in all bars, and was ready for use. Apparently, the suit can be re-charged either by allowing it to convert the surrounding energies into its power supply or by infusing it directly with the user''s. In case of emergencies, the suit can produce a shield that could protect the user for up to 10 exterminating blows. It is also designed to withstand extreme environmental changes and conditions, which makes sense since it''s created for the purpose of surviving the void. The visor also disys the current state of the environment around him. It tells him what type of energy has the highest concentration in his surroundings. He guessed that the main function of this was to measure the density of the void in his immediate location, which will tell him what series of actions he must take depending on the results. [Everybody who finds themselves in the void can''t possiblyst for more than a day without the Void Suit.] [The suit is created to convert void energy into something that''s harmless to its user. This piece of technology is something that could only be found and essed through the security department, so don''t go out bragging about it.] [Do be aware that the suit doesn''t make you invincible out there. If you look through the visor, you''d discover that the suit has a certain level of durability. It can allow you to extend your stay in the void, long enough to resolve yourself or call for someone who can. It can''t allow you to remain there permanently.] [The suit can convert void energies into harmless and neutral energy for your own use, but it can''t refine raw void into its power source. Recharging the suit will be taxing; repairing it is even more so. It is simply not made tost forever in that unstable environment.] [Speaking of an unstable environment, the suit can only endure a certain level of void fog density. The denser it was, the more difficult it is for the suit to resist it.] [You will learn more about the void fog density and all the possibilities they hold in future lessons. For now, take this time to get acquainted with the suit. Test your flexibility, your skills, etc. Submitprehensive feedback to me so that we can see if there is a need for adjustments for your suit.] ''Oh, so they''re giving me this now? Awesome. I thought I''d have to wait for a while.'' Discover hidden stories at empire The training room expanded for his use, and Cedric immediately went to it. He also wanted to get morefortable with the suit, so he didn''t hesitate to show off his skills. With how much of a perfect fit the suit was to him, it didn''t obstruct his movement at all; it was truly like he''s not wearing anything at all. It didn''t disrupt the flow of his energies, and it didn''t improve it either. He also tested its durability by getting hit with projectiles, and surprisingly, it was astonishingly durable. Even things that were supposed to hurt him almost felt nothing with the suit on. And if he wants to conserve the energy of the suit, he could just will it to gather into a single spot on his body and just deploy it as soon as he needs its extra protection. With all of this readily avable for him, how would anybody expect him to remove this? Chapter 430 Moving -- Studying the councilws of the Scarlet Dust Alliance might be the most boring and tedious thing he had to do. There''s too many walls of texts he needs to read, and while Cedric has never been a slow reader or learner, this still gives him a headache since he''s expected to memorize all of this. The thing aboutmunityws is that they can beplicated in a blink of an eye. When one person''s rights sh with another, it bes a headache to point out who''s right or wrong, and as someone who aspires to be a security officer, a glorified cop, Cedric was expected to make the most urate decision at any given moment during his job. He can avoid this truth to be told. If he wanted to, he could just do the bare minimum to pass this subject and forget about it altogether. But that''s under the assumption that he would apply for a patroler position as soon as he graduated from here. Those who go to the edge of the realm to be the first responders at the first sign of the void''s invasion can escape the expectations of memorizing themunityws by heart. But of course, this poses an incredible risk to one''s safety, as the void was unforgiving to any living beings, meaning that he could die at any given moment in his post. If Cedric wanted to live within the safety and protection of the realm, then he''d have to apply for a position as amunity officer. He''d have to learn and memorize themunityws and be thrown at the deep and murky politics of the alliance, which is another huge headache in itself. So, it''s pick your own poison in the end. Cedric has no middle ground here and couldn''t afford to maintainplete neutrality, especially given the fact that he also wants to build a career here. But Cedric isn''t one to simply back down from a challenge just because he feels that it''s too troublesome. He willingly came here expecting that he''d encounter some difficulties, meaning that he''s ready to face them. Sure, memorizing the thick book containing all themunityws established by the Divine Council sounds like a headache, but he''s still going to do it. It would be better for him to know hisws rather than be caught off guard. For Cedric, there is nothing worse than him being caught unprepared for any situation. It''s a good thing that his sons were just too adorable for this world and could instantly relieve his stress. Just seeing them already makes his day infinitely better. If somehow that''s not enough, then his wives wouldn''t mind apanying him to take his mind of it. ** Discover stories at empire Time passed, and soon, a year went by since he began training as a security officer. This day was a special day for humanity; unfortunately, only a handful of people will know it since what made this day special was kept a secret to the public. "So, we really don''t have to do anything at all? Like, we could just stay still and mind our business and the transfer will happen?" Cedric asked, facing the group of movers. "That''s right, Sir. Rest assured, there will be noplications nor any idents. We have taken everything under consideration and made sufficient preparations for it. Just tell us when we can begin." Cedric couldn''t help but be skeptical, but not intentionally at least. He couldn''t help it; what''s about to happen was truly a big deal. This concerns not only his people and his world, but the entire sr system. However, despite his nervousness, he also knew that these people could be trusted. He went over their profiles and confirmed the legitimacy of their expertise. His identity as a trainee officer also pretty much guaranteed that there will be no scams or idents here. "Alright. You may begin." Cedric sighed as he made a decision. The group of movers nodded eagerly at him and promptly disappeared. Cedric himself moved as well; after all, he has to guarantee that everything went ording to his expectations. There could be no error here, or else somebody''s going to face his wrath. He remained close to Prime Earth, putting the entire under his protection; he even gave orders to his golems to be on alert too. As for the people he was talking to earlier, they moved to the edges of Sris Prime and began their work. Under Cedric''s observation, he saw themying down a massive formation that will encase the entire sr system into some kind of bubble. He watched as each person moved with familiarity. It''s as if they''ve been doing this their entire lives, which would make sense since these people have been in this job for longer than he''s physically alive. They worked fast too. It hasn''t even been half of the day since they started, yet the formation was already done. Cedric saw a colorful aurora veiling the entire sr system once the formation was active. Then he heard them going through several checks and protocols to ensure that everything was in ce. They had an extensive check, making sure that not even a single rune was ced by mistake and that everything was working as it should be. This check went on for an entire hour, and everything was ounted for. When they''re done, their leader takes out a talisman, which he used to contact someone. Cedric guessed that it must be a one-waymunication talisman since the leader didn''t even bother waiting for a response. There was no doubt that the message has been passed and acknowledged, though. Since mere moments after that, Cedric felt a massive spatial fluctuation enveloping the entire Sris Prime. Cedric took a deep breath and whispered, "Here we go." He braced for it and went on full alert. There can''t be any mistakes right now since this is the most important moment. He didn''t interfere since there''s no need to, but it''s better to be alert. Under his strict observation, the warp initiated. He suddenly felt the familiar sensation of being transported somewhere else through spatial travel. This sensationsted for an entire minute before it stopped. When Cedric scoured their new environment, he was flodded with relief since he discovered that everything went smoothly. There were no idents or even a hup with the transfer. Everything went ording to n. "Granitas, Rocky, you can stand down and go back to slumber," he ordered. The golems nodded to him and returned from where they came from. Once they''re gone, Cedric took a second to immerse himself in the new sensation that''s blessing the entire Sris Prime. It was excellent. The quality and quantity of primordial energies he felt suddenly increased sharply as soon as the transfer was done. This change immediately began affecting the entire sr system as soon as it started. He could feel the density of conceptws rising with each second passed, and the advancement of everything was skyrocketing. Yeah, everything''s going to grow wildly from this point onward. And it''s precisely because from now on, Sris Prime is now within the Outer Circle of the Scarlet Dust Alliance''s physical location. The transfer just now was precisely for this. "We''re done here, sir. If any problem arises within the next five years, please don''t hesitate to contact our agency so we can attempt to remedy it." The leader of the movers spoke to him after the transfer was done. "Mn, I''ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your hard work." The movers bowed to him before leaving. Of course, Cedric wouldn''t let them leave just like that. Before theypletely disappeared from his world, he gave them a small tip of 50 merit points each, with the leader receiving 100 merit points directly. To Cedric, these were just a small change, but to these people, it''s equivalent to their entire year''s worth of sry. They didn''t expect to meet such a generous client today, and they''re certainly notining. They all bowed to him in gratitude one final time before leaving him to deal with the aftermath of the transfer. In truth, Cedric didn''t have the mental capacity to care too much about them. He was thankful for their work, and he has already shown it by giving them a tip. He''s more focused on the changes that were happening to the Sris Prime with each second that passed. It''s like a domino effect, and the changes were quick and visible. He knew that it would be like this since the quality of primordial energies within the alliance was several hundred times better than their previous location, but he didn''t expect that all of this would be happening this quick. There were so many things that were happening that he couldn''t quite keep up. "Cedric, I don''t feel so good." His heart nearly sank to his stomach as soon as he heard Ac saying this to him. In a sh, he appeared by her side and immediately inspected her condition. After doing a careful andplete scan, he sighed in relief and said, "You''re evolving." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!